Chapter 14 #3
“How’d you guess?” Tracy gave a short chuckle. No sense hiding the obvious and pretending everything was okay. Everybody knew she was the odd wolf out here and she had to make some important decisions where her child’s future was concerned.
“You know, being one of the only humans here is a little tough sometimes. There are a lot of things I can’t participate in with only two feet.
The cats like to run and chase each other, and all I can do is watch and pray nobody gets too seriously hurt.
But you’re a shifter, so you have a lot more in common with everyone else than I do.
” Shelly jumped right in when she had something to say. Tracy could respect that.
“I might be a shifter, but a wolf Pack is a lot different from this, and it’s not a picnic to be the only wolf in a sea of cats.” Tracy paused, then went on with brutal honesty. “Just as it won’t be easy for my baby to be the only cat in a wolf Pack.”
“Would they chase her?” Shelly looked instantly concerned.
“Only if they want to get bitten by me,” Tracy replied with a soft growl. Nobody would touch her baby.
Shelly started then laughed. “Oh, you have more in common with these jaguars than you think. Any other mother on the island would have given me the exact same reply.”
“Motherhood makes us all a bit protective,” Tracy mused with a smile.
“Humans get that way too,” Shelly assured her. “You know, I do sympathize with your position. One way, you might be uncomfortable, the other way, your child could be. It’s a tricky situation.”
“I really don’t know what to do,” Tracy admitted. “I’d hoped getting away from Hank for a few moments might allow me to clear my head a bit.”
“Yeah, these jaguar males are very distracting, aren’t they?” Shelly gave Tracy a knowing smile. “Well, you’ve got space. What is your head telling you?”
“Nothing so far,” Tracy admitted. “I’m still confused about what I should do.”
“Then, what’s your heart telling you?” Shelly asked softly.
“My heart?” Tracy was touched by the Alpha female’s words.
“My heart says to grab on to everything Hank is offering and keep it—keep him—for always. Not just for Emma’s sake, but for my own, as well.
” Tracy only realized the deep truth behind her words once they were out in the open.
Damn. Had she really allowed Hank so deep into her heart that she wanted to be with him always?
But was that the wise thing to do? She still didn’t know for sure.
“Of course, that’s a fantasy,” she was quick to add.
“I can have the Pack life I’ve always known, or I can jump into this jaguar existence that is totally alien to me, but will probably be better for my daughter. ”
Shelly looked at Tracy with a penetrating gaze. “Why can’t you have both?”
“What?” Tracy shook her head. Had she really been thinking so all or nothing? Was it even possible to live both lives?
“Why can’t you have both?” Shelly repeated firmly.
“Hank’s a pilot, and he owns a fleet of planes.
He’s rich. He can afford to fly you back and forth every other day if you wanted.
Heck, he can teach you to fly, and you can do it yourself.
Nothing says you have to pick either Pack or Clan.
I know for certain because my mate has been talking to your father, and he says your dad is okay with you traveling back and forth.
He’s not going to disown you and Emma or anything.
Heck, the last I heard, he was even talking about adopting Hank into your Pack and forming a strategic alliance. ”
“Seriously?” Tracy was caught flat footed by the Alpha female’s knowledge.
Tracy’s father hadn’t said anything about that sort of thing to her.
And the bit about Hank owning a fleet of airplanes and being rich?
Tracy found it hard to reconcile with her knowledge of the man who had fathered her child.
Then again, he’d been really casual about setting up that trust fund for Emma…
Tracy shook her head. Shelly rose to her feet and looked down at Tracy with a compassionate expression.
“I see I’ve given you a lot to think about.
” Shelly’s words were kind, as was her smile.
“I don’t say this to many people, but in your case, Tracy, I really do think you can have it all.
My advice, for what it’s worth, is to give it a chance.
Give Hank a chance. He’s a good man, and I think he would make a devoted mate if you let him try. ”
Shelly walked away, saying no more. She left behind a stunned Tracy, but somehow, her words had helped make things clearer.
The muddled thoughts that had plagued Tracy were starting to clear.
She didn’t have all the answers yet, but the lost feeling was dissipating, and she thought she had a plan on how to move forward. Maybe.
That thought firmly in mind, she left the park a short while later to meet up with Hank. It was almost time for the afternoon nursery session to let out, so she decided to meet him there.