Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
There are rules for non-profit organizations and donations, and although the house here is used more than fifty percent as a part of the sanctuary, I didn’t feel right using any donation money for the repairs and remodeling.
So all that donation money will go to the grounds, expanding the fence, building pet condos, I even have agility course equipment on order for when the initial work is complete.
Some of the donation funds will go to toys for Pie and Gator, too. The rest I’ll put aside for food and medical bills.
But more donations rolled in this morning from companies I’m not familiar with, so I’ll be asking Adam and Jasper about them tonight.
My money went to a new oven, which I’m using now to prepare dinner for all of us, including the dogs and cats. I feel a little guilty that I can’t cook something for Pie and Gator, but they have a specific diet to follow, and cooking grass and hay would just kill the nutrients.
But I can grow them some snacks. The rest of the crew, too. And that’s something I’m going to add to the grounds as soon as I can: A garden. I’d love to get some fruit trees as well.
The yard is so barren all around the house, so when the season is right, I want to change that. But there’s no harm in laying the groundwork by building some raised planter beds to be ready for next year.
There’s a very soft knock on the front door, and I check my gas ranges quick before rushing to open it, finding Ezra there on the porch.
His enormous form looks like it will barely fit through the door, something I notice every time.
He holds his black hat to his chest, wears a white tee beneath a flannel shirt, the buttons open, and his jeans are dark, his boots impeccably clean.
His pale green eyes are tight when he looks at me, and all I want is to hold him.
There’s pain inside of him that he hasn’t released. Something that he hasn’t shared with me, and I don’t think he has with Jasper or Adam, either.
“Thank you for coming.” I smile as naturally as I can as I step aside to let him in.
He ducks slightly to pass through the threshold, being more than six and a half feet tall. It’s likely a habit. But I’d kept his size in mind when shopping for trailers, and I picked the right one, though he never mentions it.
“I appreciate the invitation.”
Always so polite. So stiff—in a bad way.
“Come on in. I’m sure Remy will be ecstatic to…
” my voice trails off as I look down and find Remy is already at Ezra’s boots, little butt wiggling, looking up at him expectantly.
I purse my lips to stifle a laugh before Ezra crouches his hulking body and scoops the little Boston Terrier into his arms, making the small dog appear even tinier.
“Hey, Remy,” he coos, his voice soft and a bit higher than normal.
Remy has made it pretty clear that Ezra is her favorite person. She is always asking to go out the front door, where she can dash over to Ezra and hang out by the barn.
“I’m headed for the kitchen. Would you mind answering the door for Jasper and Adam? They should be here soon.”
“I’m on it.”
With a smile, I return to my cooking.
It isn’t long before Jasper enters the kitchen, kissing me on the cheek from behind, then peering over my shoulder. “Smells amazing,” he hums. “And the food, too.”
I spit a laugh in spite of the corniness, just as my first timer goes off.
“Pasta.” He almost sings the word, his voice filled with a great deal of amusement.
“Who doesn’t like pasta?”
“Definitely not you.”
Huh. I don’t know what he means by that, but I have a heavy pot to strain.
Adam arrives shortly afterward, placing a kiss on the back of my head while I stand at the tiny island cart, wrapping garlic bread in a towel and placing it in a little basket. “Hey. Can I help with anything?”
I grin at him, shaking my head. “We’re about ready.” I gesture at the opposite counter with my chin. “There are glasses and wine over there, and there are regular glasses beside the fridge. There’s also beer and soda in there.”
“Everything smells amazing, Adley.” Adam smiles kindly, and those two dimples of his poke his cheeks. I just want to lick them.
But, I have to behave. For now.
We all sit down after I feed the dogs and cats in their bowls all around the perimeter of the kitchen. We dig into rotini with homemade red sauce, meatballs, sausages, and garlic bread. I keep little dishes of grated Parmesan cheese around the table with tiny spoons in them.
The kitchen is silent aside from clanking forks and the occasional moan, all the humans wolfing down food, all the pets sitting around the table and staring longingly at us with big, adorable eyes. It’s enough to break my heart.
Or, it would be, if they all hadn’t just feasted on their own homemade meals just minutes ago.
And each was paid a cheese tax, Nikki and Crooze a little more than the others because they’re wily and in cahoots, I swear.
Once dinner is finished, I rise from my seat to clear the table.
“Oh, no.” Jasper places his hand on my shoulder and presses me gently back down to my seat. “Let us handle this.”
“Uhh…” I inwardly cringe. I appreciate them wanting to help, I really and truly do, but my Control Freak is screaming inside me. “I was just going to load the new dishwasher. It won’t be too much work.”
Jasper’s gaze narrows, and a flicker of humor twinkles in his gray eyes. “If you ask nicely, we’ll let you put the leftovers away however you want it done.”
I press my lips between my teeth, suppressing a cringe that turns into a smile. “May I please put the leftovers away?”
“Tell me why you want to do it.”
I think my eye twitches. “Because I’m very particular about how I store things in the freezer.”
His smile is victorious. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” He gives me a wink before clearing my plate from the table.
With the help of my Alphas, we clean up the kitchen, load the new dishwasher I bought at the same time as the oven, and I put the leftovers in the “People Freezer” in the garage. We let the animal pack out back, and our unofficial pack follows.
The night air is crisp and cool, the moon is full, high up in the star-scattered sky. I turn the outside light off, and the moonlight bathes us all in silver.
The dogs and cats rustle around, do their business, as we all take to the old patio chairs, forming a semicircle on the opposite side of the yard where we can watch the fur-babies.
A small meow rings out, and I know before I even look at Jasper that Odin is going to be laid on his shoulder, flopped on his belly like a beanbag plush. What I don’t expect is to find Dini in his lap, making herself comfortable there.
My jaw drops on a silent squeal of joy.
She’s actually socializing! I knew she would eventually, but each animal moves at their own pace.
As Jasper rubs Dini’s cheeks, making sure she scents him, he turns to me. “So, what’s the plan with the sanctuary, now that we are getting donations and people are starting to know who we are?”
The “we” makes me grin. It is “we.” Jasper’s been saying that all along about everything, and it’s finally sunk in.
Jasper, Adam, and Ezra have all been helping me and the sanctuary. We’ll eventually mate and mark each other, bond with one another, and be together. Forever.
It’s only right that we discuss this as a family unit.
“I have ideas. But I want your input.” I look to either side of me, make eye contact with each of them, then go on. “I already said that I want to expand the grounds and upgrade everything. My goal is to be able to take in more animals. Maybe even go to shelters eventually.”
“I love that plan.” Adam reaches down to scratch Crooze’s ear as the furry guy lays his body across Adam’s feet in the grass.
“If we can get a copy of the plot map so we know exactly how far this land goes, we can even expand the equine area. If you want.” Ezra adds that last part fast, like he’s unsure if I’d be in with that plan. But I love it.
“I’ll go tomorrow to Town Hall and get a copy. I’d love to be able to take in more horses and other large animals. There are plenty in need, I’m sure.”
Even in the low light, I can see the joy on Ezra’s face.
I know that being a pack means we’re supposed to be together, but hearing the most resistant of us make plans for the long term brings a sense of ease to my chest.
“We still need to fix up this house.” Jasper’s not wrong, but he does say it with a tone I can’t quite read.
“I won’t use the donations for that, even if the house is kind of our base of operations,” I tell them. “The house is paid off, but I can get a mortgage to pay for remodeling.”
“Now, hold on a second. Let’s not be hasty with a mortgage.
” Jasper is now scratching Dini’s belly as she has astoundingly rolled over onto her back and settled in the divot of his joined thighs.
“Let’s plan this out. I mean, I know we aren’t an official pack yet, but one day, we will be.
One day, this will be all our home.” His head tilts as he regards me.
“If you’re looking to stay here, anyway. ”
I can’t hold back the giant smile stretching across my face. “Of course. Yes, to all of that. This is the perfect place to keep running the sanctuary.”
“Good.” He lets out a breath that sounds like relief. “Then we all need to plan this together and help pay for it together. It can’t be all on you, Ads.”
Okay. Not only is my heart warmed by his words, but it’s singing over my new nickname.
I look at Adam, who’s lovingly peering back at me. “We could really make this house something amazing if we all work together. Something we all will love to stay in forever.”
When I look at Ezra, even in the moonlight, he’s white as a ghost. He looks hesitantly at each of us before rising from his seat and clearing his throat. “This was a lovely night. Please excuse me.”
I’m frowning as he walks back into the house, my heart cracking as he exits the front door, closing it with a thud.
“What the fuck?” Adam stands up just before Jasper gently puts Dini and Odin on the ground.
“We’ll talk to him,” Jasper says softly before the two of them go into the house after Ezra.
When I hear the front door close again, there’s a terrible pain in my chest.
A whine at my feet draws my attention to Nikki, who rears up on her hind legs, placing her front paws on my knee.
I reach down and scoop her up, holding her tight in my arms, gently rubbing the back of her soft neck around her collar, grazing the little sheriff star securely pinned to the side of it.
It should be me out there talking to Ezra. Setting things straight. Making things right.
But right now, it’s all I can do not to break down crying.
Why won’t Ezra accept his pack?