Epilogue
The mating honeymoon in Silver Town, Colorado, after Christmas had been a great getaway for Sheri and Slade. They’d even met all the Wolff sisters and brothers and their extended family, two of whom were private investigators like Sheri and her partners. In June, Elizabeth had her babies, a girl and a boy, and she was still on maternity leave while David was taking off lots of time from the PI office to be with her and the babies to help out.
Sheri and Slade had moved into their new home—no more juggling seasonal clothes into the spare room. They’d had their wedding at the lake, and Hans had even gotten an operator’s license so he could use Slade’s drone and taken pictures of part of the wedding and reception.
They were delaying their honeymoon after the wedding because the trials for Fitz and his cohorts were coming up next.
They’d even had their interview with the news reporter, which had put them in a good light and given both the PI office and Slade’s family’s seaplane business a boost in clients.
Because they had barely settled into their new home with a few borrowed pieces of furniture, Sheri and Slade were so excited about just being there with each other.
Today, the dining room, living room, and bedroom furniture were all coming. They couldn’t wait to make love on their new mattress. The wolf pack had bought their dining room set and living room furniture.
“I wish we had a better idea when the deliveries were going to be made,” Slade said.
“I know, right? The worst is that they delayed our bed’s arrival.” They’d been sleeping on a blow-up air mattress, but it wasn’t the greatest for making love.
“I know. I was ready to have them ship a different kind just so we would get it sooner.”
Then they heard a delivery truck pull up. It was like Christmas all over again, and Sheri hurried to see which delivery it was for. “The living room set!” She was so glad. They’d been sitting on lawn chairs to watch the TV on the wall.
“No bed.”
“No. That’s okay. It would be better if the bed is delivered last.”
He smiled. “I’m going to grill the steaks, if you’re ready for them.”
She laughed and began making a spinach salad. “Watch everyone come over when they smell the steaks.”
“They won’t intrude. Not when we just got married and we would be on our honeymoon if it wasn’t for the trial being suddenly scheduled.”
“True.” Of course, all the furniture was supposed to have been delivered and then Faith was going to supervise where they put it while Slade and Sheri were on their honeymoon. They’d given her the layout on where everything went, but they were glad they didn’t have to ask her to do it now.
“But we’ll run with them as wolves tonight, right?” she asked.
“Yeah, sure.”
“I am so glad we’re here now and can do that. We can just go out our wolf door and run together on our own or with the pack. I’m so happy.”
“Me too. No more having to drive home afterward. We’re already home.”
Then they heard a knock on the door.
“I’ll get that before I grill the steaks,” he said.
“Too bad it wasn’t the dining room set first.”
He laughed. “The kitchen bar will work until then.” He opened the door and the men started hauling in the two sofas, three recliners, a coffee table, and bookshelves.
“Wow, that’s going to be so nice. It all looks so comfortable,” Sheri said.
“It is.”
Once the delivery men left, Sheri and Slade plunked down on one of the sofas, looked at the TV’s blank screen, then turned to each and began kissing. Wow, this was so nice, not at all like sitting on lawn chairs.
“Man, I wish all the deliveries had already been made,” Slade said.
“Even though the big bed isn’t here.”
“Yeah.”
She laughed.
He sighed. “Okay, I’m going to get the steaks on.”
Then someone else pulled up.
“Delivery truck number two.” Sheri went to the window. “Dining room set. Go get the steaks ready.”
“Coming right up.” Slade saluted her and started to grill the steaks on the back patio.
Sheri had the men set the table, chairs, and hutch in the open dining room. Once the delivery men left, she made rice and cauliflower to go with their steaks and Slade brought in the grilled meat.
Sheri set the table and Slade opened a bottle of champagne. Then they sat down to have dinner and were enjoying it when they heard the final delivery truck.
“The bed!” Sheri said.
Slade smiled. “You know what that means.”
“I sure do. We need to break out the sheets and get ready for what comes next.”
“Christening the bed.”
“Exactly.”
“Yeah, from now until eternity. Well, maybe not the same bed,” he said, smiling.
Slade went to the door and showed the delivery men where the bed, dresser, and bedside tables went.
Sheri was enjoying her dinner because she was always a slower eater than Slade. The men finished the job and left, and he rejoined her. “I figured we would finish our meals and then make the bed and you know the rest.”
“Absolutely.”
They finished dinner, cleaned up, and then when they found the fresh sheets in the linen closet, they made the bed together. They were stripping off their clothes when they heard the wolves of their pack howling. They were letting everyone know that they were headed out for a run.
Sheri and Slade looked at each other. They smiled.
“Okay, after we run with the pack,” she said.
He laughed. “Yeah, after we join the pack.”
Everyone in the wolf pack had done so much for them in helping them to set up their new home. They needed to show how much they appreciated them and finished removing their clothes and then raced out of their brand-new wolf door to join the white wolf pack to enjoy the woods, the leaves now yellow, red, orange, purple, and green. It was beautiful, even more so because she and Slade were running together as mated and married wolves with the rest of the pack.
They howled for joy, and a chorus of wolves—friends and family—howled back.