Cherry
The heart under question drummed against my ribcage with an ever- quickening rhythm as if it knew it was the topic of conversation.
I thought of how much the last few weeks had meant to me. Of how much Dylan’s pursuing me to Berlin, of persevering with nurturing our mating bond, and then showing me every day how much he loved Fern and me.
“I love him, Bert. I can’t imagine ever being away from him again.” I laughed, realizing how true that was and finally feeling the tension that had built within me effervesce. Every day he wasn’t with me here at the store was a daily struggle, which was more often of late, given how much pack business he’d had to take care of remotely.
“I swear by Nuu-Chah, he is my one true mate,” I said, feeling my decision take root within me.
“Good,” Bert said the smile back in his voice. “After I get off the phone, I’m gonna howl at the moon in celebration. But I’m damned relieved to hear you say all this, Cherry. Because he’s given up his job, his home, his pack, and gone against his parents’ wishes all to win you back.”
My throat felt thick as I considered just how much Dylan had given up and done for me. The pack business I’d just been thinking about that had kept him so busy lately, away from the store and me, was piling up because he was away from the pack. He was still away from Starsmoon all because of me. Meanwhile, he was looking after Fern too. While I was here, sitting late in my studio when I didn’t need to be. A pang of guilt hit home.
With a quick thanks to my friend for talking sense into me, I hung up and, locking up, felt abuzz with excitement. With a purposeful stride, I left work, secure in the decision I wanted to share with Dylan. My daughter and I were going to return to the Starsmoon Pack. I would return as the Alpha’s mate, as the mother of his child, and as the Luna he needed me to be. It was high time for me to make sure that I was the mate that Dylan needed me to be too.
Dylan
I was in my townhouse’s study, sketching. I huffed a laugh as I rubbed out the pencil lines for the fourth time. This was definitely not my skillset. It seemed absurd that I was drawing when my mate was so much better at it, but I was determined to add a final decoration to the design in front of me that I planned to surprise Cherry with.
Finally, I’d successfully added the two cherries, her signature mark to the sign. Then to the frieze, I would have the craftsmen work into the plasterwork of the building: the one I’d already bought to house Cherry’s design studio and clothing store in Seattle. After receiving the call from Cherry yesterday that she’d come back with me, the idea had sparked. In the early hours of this morning, I’d fallen asleep with my mate in my arms, blissfully content in the knowledge that we’d never be apart again. Yet, the thought of what Cherry was giving up had muddied my contentment. I’d witnessed first-hand the success and joy she’d found in central Berlin in her studio and store, and I was determined that securing my joy wouldn’t cost her hers. So, early this morning, I purchased this building in central Seattle.
I’d been in touch with an interior designer by noon and sent them photos and details of the layout of Cherry’s Berlin store. I’d had the designer model the same details onto the centrally located building in Seattle. The only thing I’d modified was the scale, allowing for the store, the client fitting room, and the design studio to be more spacious.
Cherry was due back shortly from her Saturday at the store. So, Fern and I locked up my townhouse and popped back over to the apartment. Once through the door, I put on a pot of coffee to brew, knowing Cherry would be beat from her overtime. No doubt it would have been a particularly taxing day, given that she’d have broken the news to her sales assistants and Maisy that she was relocating to Seattle.
As soon as Fern caught the scent of coffee, she asked, “Can I have a coffee catch up with my teddies?”
With an indulgent smile, I made her some chocolate milk to put in her teapot. She’d taken to mimicking me and Bert, who liked to have a pot of joe on our daily catch-up calls about pack business.
I’d once heard someone say that imitation was the highest form of flattery. And I felt that truth whenever I watched Fern pretending to hold a work meeting with her teddies, imitating Bert and me. Worry had tugged at me initially over how Fern would take the news about everything that was soon about to change in our lives. But I’d felt Nuu-Chah’s guiding light and knew that Fern was meant to be part of the Starsmoon Pack. Besides, she’d have a lot more children to play with when she was back in Lord Hills. As part of the pack, she’d have tea parties with other children, not just teddies.
Moreover, she’d soon be outside in the great outdoors, running through the fields and woodlands of Lord Hills. Sureness gripped me. Fern was part of the Alpha line of Starsmoon and would quickly find her place in the pack. It was her destiny.
With the quiet backdrop of Fern’s tones issuing from her bedroom, I sat down in the living room, holding the rolled-up plans for Cherry’s Seattle store. I hadn’t been able to resist bringing over the drawings, excited to show them to my mate as soon as possible.
As the key sounded in the lock, I hastily stood up, feeling nervous. I was uncertain why.