Chapter 22
When they were back at the cabin, Slade was so glad Sheri had started a slow cooker of beef bourguignon that afternoon. Everyone was cold, and after the physical workout, they were hungry. The aroma of the beef bourguignon had greeted them before they even reached the door, and Slade heard Owen’s stomach grumbling.
Candice rubbed Owen’s back and chuckled. “Am I glad you started a meal earlier,” Candice said.
“That’s one of my favorite dishes that Sheri makes,” Hans said. “She makes the best beef bourguignon. I’ve never eaten better.”
“That’s because I always feed it to you when you are really hungry,” Sheri said.
Everyone laughed.
Once they removed their outerwear, Slade and Candice began setting the table, getting water for everyone, while Hans made hot cocoa and Sheri cooked the noodles. Then she served up the dinner.
“Later, I’ll make hot buttered rum to have on the deck and we can watch the northern lights if they appear,” Slade said.
“That sounds good,” Hans agreed as he got a fire going in the woodburning stove.
They were starting to get warmed up, so by the time they finished eating, they would be feeling warm enough to sit out in the cold again. But they would have a fire going in the firepit and blankets too.
“Oh boy, this is so good,” Candice said. “I would ask for the recipe since I wasn’t paying attention when you were working on it while I was making lunch, but I’m sure I wouldn’t make it taste half as good as you do.”
Sheri smiled. “That was like when a friend of mine would make a special chicken, broccoli, and cheese dinner that was so good, but when she gave me the recipe and I made it, it didn’t taste half as good. When I told her that, she admitted she had made it for so many years, she just added things without really measuring all that well, so a little more cheese, a few more spices, a little more—I think more likely a lot more—sour cream and it was sooo good.”
“Oh yeah, I know just what you mean,” Candice said. “So that means you just have to fix it for us when we have celebrations or for a special treat from time to time.”
Sheri laughed. “I can certainly do that.”
That evening, they enjoyed hot buttered rum and s’mores and talked about Sheri and Slade’s trip to Silver Town.
“We’ll be back before the full moon is here,” Sheri reassured them.
Owen clinked his glass with hers. “That’s a good thing. When you and Elizabeth arrived, it was perfect once you had your PI licenses. Elizabeth said she’s feeling much better now so we’ll be able to help with more of the cases again.”
“I’m just glad I have a job where I don’t have to worry about the timing of a shift,” Candice said. “Though I have to admit there are times when I get some great scene ideas forming in my mind when I’m a wolf and can’t write them down.”
“She paces a lot when that happens,” Owen said. “And once she’s able to shift back, she’s totally focused on writing down the scenes.”
“Yeah, before I forget them!”
Sheri was just glad she didn’t have any shifting issues and neither did Slade, especially for when they had kids of their own. Elizabeth would be fortunate for the same reason, though Gavin wouldn’t be able to help her with the twins when he had to shift. But everyone else who hadn’t shifted would help her with the babies if she needed their assistance.
***
The next morning, they ran as wolves first thing, wanting to enjoy the morning in the BWCA for the little bit of time they were there. They had just as much fun as they did the other times they ran as wolves together.
Then they had breakfast of eggs and potatoes casserole, filled with onions and bell peppers and topped with cheddar cheese. Slade made them mimosas to celebrate their last meal here in the BWCA and at the cabin.
They sat down to eat and made toasts.
“This has been delightful,” Candice said. “Thanks for sharing your cabin space with us.”
“Yeah, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, digging out buried treasure, running as wolves, visiting with you all… It’s been grand,” Owen said.
“I’m glad I finally was well enough to come here and stay with you too,” Hans said.
“Yeah, we had a ball with all of you being here.” Sheri raised her glass and took another sip.
Slade was glad everyone had come to visit with them for the last two and a half days. It had made the stay even more special.
Then they finished their breakfast. Since they had to leave by half past ten that morning, they all hurried to pack, cleaned up, and carried their bags and gear out to the vehicles. They had to sweep the snow off the vehicles too.
Hans took all his camping gear that they had used. “When do you want us to help you move?”
“Sheri and I are going to her place first when we get home to unpack all our equipment. Since it’s Sunday, we could pack up all my stuff after that while everyone’s off from work,” Slade said.
“Yeah, that works for me,” Sheri said.
“For us too,” Candice said. “I’m starting on a new deadline book on Monday, so I’m all for getting this done when we get back. We’ll just drop off our camping things at the house and then meet you at the apartment.”
“Okay, I’ll call Cameron and tell him what we’re going to do.” Slade still couldn’t see all of them showing up to help. Especially Amelia and Gavin because of their young twins. “Hey, Cameron, we’re going to be home by noon, and Hans, Candice, and Owen said everyone wanted to help me move to Sheri’s house, but I don’t expect that. We’ll have a pizza party at the office afterward.”
“We’ll help set up the office retreat room for the pizza party. You know Faith. She loves to organize parties,” Cameron said.
Slade laughed. “Yeah, and we love that she does. Okay, we’ll see whoever wants to come by the apartment when we get there.”
It was a three-hour drive home and they caravanned there together. But then Candice and Owen headed to their house to unload their things and Hans dropped by his apartment to leave his stuff off. Slade and Sheri likewise went to her apartment first to empty his vehicle of camping equipment, food, and their bags so they could pack his things up from his apartment.
When they arrived at Slade’s apartment, they found a big surprise. Everyone was arriving there with packing boxes, including their parents. And Dulcie too! Slade and Sheri hugged everyone.
Amelia and Gavin transported their babies in their carriers and set them in the living room while everyone, including Cameron and Faith’s kids, were packing boxes, taping them up, and loading them into various vehicles. Some of the duplicate frying and saucepans, silverware, dishes, and other items they didn’t need were boxed up and would be donated to charities.
Faith had brought bottles of water to keep everyone hydrated, while Candice, Owen, and Hans shared fish tales. “But Sheri still caught the biggest fish. Maybe we can have our pack fish fry when we return from our ski trip to Silver Town,” Slade said. Everyone loved the idea.
It took only an hour and a half with all the help they had to finish packing and hauling the boxes to Sheri’s apartment. They unloaded them there and would organize it later. They all headed over to the office to have pizza after that. They turned on the Christmas lights and played Christmas music. The room had been decorated with balloons, and a banner of congratulations hung overhead.
Slade and Sheri laughed. “Thanks for doing this for us,” she said.
“Yeah, thanks,” Slade said.
“Naturally. It’s our pleasure.” Faith motioned to the boxes of freshly delivered pizzas. “Dig in.”
After all the congratulations and hugs, they started getting pieces of pizza and setting them on Santa paper plates. The kids had ginger ales with a splash of cranberry juice for a Christmassy appeal. Slade made Christmas margaritas and Amelia and Elizabeth both had hot cocoas.
They settled down to eat their pizzas and drink.
Cameron said, “We’ll have to let Elizabeth start working some of these harder cases since she’s feeling much better. We sure lucked out when we helped train you two ladies to be PI partners.”
“Yeah,” Gavin said. “It’s perfect for us being able to take off on trips when we need to and still cover our clients’ needs. But also with the full moon coming, you both have been a godsend.”
“Oh, will you be all right without me being here when we go to Silver Town?” Sheri asked.
Slade and Sheri wouldn’t be gone when the moon was at its fullest, so he figured the other royals would jump in to help in any way that they could if the nonroyals had issues.
“Yeah, we’re good,” Cameron said.
“That’s for sure,” both of Sheri’s parents said.
Georgia started making another margarita for everyone who wanted one. “Whatever we need to do to help, we will. If Fred is busy with builders on the house he’s working on now, I’ll come and do anything you need me to. I don’t have any baby deliveries to take care of anytime soon.”
Elizabeth said, “I’m back at the office full time. I might need an afternoon nap, but I’m not having any morning sickness any longer.”
“Well, I have police resources and I can take off a couple of days from work and serve in the capacity of a PI,” Dulcie said.
Dulcie! Slade had forgotten that she was trained in investigations, though he wouldn’t have considered she would actually take off work and come to their aid. She was going to fit in nicely as one of their pack members.
“We should have congratulated you for being our newest pack member,” Faith said.
“I’m so glad to find a pack to belong to. Though I’m a gray wolf,” Dulcie said.
“So are we, only the Arctic wolf variety of gray wolf,” Hans said.
Then Fred began talking about house plans with Sheri and Slade, showing them a bunch of different plans for homes on his phone. “Oh, I like this one,” Sheri said.
Slade would be happy with any house that Sheri picked out. It would be nicer than their apartments: larger, more spacious, a bigger kitchen, more room for parties.
Cameron brought out a map and showed them the lot they would have to build their home on. Slade smiled. He couldn’t believe Fred and Cameron had brought the map for the site of their home and blueprint plans to help them get started on this right away.
They were thrilled and even though Slade was leaving it to Sheri to decide on the home, she roped him in to make some suggestions too. They agreed on a one-story, with three bedrooms, three baths, an open kitchen and living room, and a den. It would fit the style of homes the other wolves had, blending in with the woods, and a lot of native trees would surround it in keeping with the wild state. They would be sitting on the lake too.
“No need to pay for the land. I inherited a bundle and Owen and I gifted the land to you,” Candice said.
“Oh, wow, thanks so much,” Sheri said.
“All you need to pay for are the permits and materials for the house. Georgia and I are absorbing the costs of building the home,” Fred said.
Slade’s dad said, “We’re donating the costs of materials for the home.”
So surprised, Slade and Sheri thanked them both.
“The rest of us are going to put in some money toward furniture for your wedding gift since you have a furnished apartment and will need some when you move in,” Amelia said.
“Oh, absolutely,” Sheri said.
Dulcie was listening with rapt interest, appearing intrigued as to how the pack worked. Slade knew she’d fit right in. “Put me on the list for furniture buying.”
“Mommy said we’re making something special for your house,” Nick said.
“Yeah,” Corey said and opened his mouth to speak further, but his triplet sister stopped him.
“But it’s a secret,” Angie said. Faith and Cameron smiled.
“Wow, thanks to all of you for everything,” Sheri said.
“Yeah, you all are amazing,” Slade said.
“On another topic, is everyone all set for the Santa Seaplane Toy Drop?” Henry asked.
“Oh, absolutely,” Sheri said, squeezing Slade’s hand.
“I sure am ready,” Slade said. “I’ve even been practicing my ho-ho-hos.”
Everyone laughed.
Dulcie smiled. “I didn’t realize that the wolf pack was involved in all that.”
“Yeah, the Whites wanted to do it and all of us got involved,” Faith said.
“I’ll be there with a couple of officers for crowd control and to make sure only the kids that are supposed to receive the toys get them,” Dulcie said.
“We’re going to be elves, Momma says,” Angie said.
It truly would be a whole pack affair.
***
Slade and Sheri were glad that they could get started on the plans for the house right away. Then there was some discussion about the wedding for the summer, but they would go over more details for that later.
Everyone was just thrilled about them mating, though, and Cameron and Faith and the kids were excited they were going to build on the other side of them.
Both Slade and Sheri’s parents were hoping they would have grandchildren soon—though Slade’s parents were already enjoying Amelia and Gavin’s twins. But for Sheri’s parents, this would be their first.
“Are you sure you weren’t faking being sick so that I would go with Slade instead on the camping trip?” Sheri teased Hans.
Hans laughed. “I knew the two of you needed the time to get together, but no, believe me, that was totally unplanned.”
Faith and her kids had even made a large brownie cake with Congratulations, Sheri and Slade on it and after everyone was finished with their pizza, they all had brownies.
Slade wondered if Sheri wanted to run with the others as wolves, a closing celebration activity for the evening. She seemed to sense what he was thinking and took hold of his hand and squeezed. “Does anyone want to go for a wolf run?” she asked.
They were here where they could run in the woods as wolves without any issues. Once they were at their apartment, they couldn’t run as wolves, so this was a nice way to do it with the pack.
After a beautiful night there in celebration, running with the pack afterward and returning to shift and dress, everyone said their goodbyes. Sheri and Slade returned to her apartment, saw all the boxes stacked up all over the place, sighed, and went off to the bathroom to shower.
“I can’t believe we went to the cabin together and you ended up permanently living with me at my apartment upon our return,” Sheri said as they washed each other in the shower.
“I can’t believe it either since I’d intended to ask you once Hans and I returned home. It worked out better than I could ever have arranged it.”
She laughed. “And here I had planned to ask you to mate me when you returned.”
“At least we were on the same page, and I’m so glad.”
They left the shower, dried off, and walked into the bedroom where more stacks of boxes towered around the room. They would sort things later when they could. It was late and they went to bed to make love because that was all that was important for now.