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Hudson had never been so happy in his entire life. Nora leapt into his arms, laughing and crying with joy as the elders celebrated the return of their alpha.
Their soon-to-be-matedalpha.
THIRTY-TWO
HUDSON
“Today went better than I imagined,” Hudson remarked as he opened the house door for Hannah and Nora.
They had just returned from a very pleasant mating party hosted by the clan on the day before their mating ceremony. Though both Hudson and Nora had been a little nervous, it had turned out to be quite enjoyable. The elders had approved their mating ceremony a few months ago, but Hudson still wasn’t sure how the clan would feel about it on a more personal level.
“Well, given your past experiences, I’m sure your expectations weren’t very high,” Nora said, giving him a look.
“I think it was fun,” Hannah exclaimed as she hurried through the doorway.
Now that she was doing better and better by the day, everything was at a faster speed.
Her drive and enthusiasm never failed to make Hudson smile as he watched her take on obstacle after obstacle with such optimism.
He chuckled after her. “It was. But it’s late now, so why don’t you go and get your jammies on before you brush your teeth.”
“May I have a story tonight?” Hannah asked as she headed toward her room.
“I don’t see why not,” Nora answered as she slid her shoes off and unwound her updo, letting her blond locks cascade over her shoulders.
Hudson wanted to pull her hair back in his hands and kiss her neck but refrained.
He could wait until Hannah was in bed, then he and Nora had some celebrating of their own to do. Just the two of them.
His eyes must have given away his plans for later.
“What are you thinking?”
He looked at his betrothed with love and lust. Hudson had never realized that he could love two people so much.
Part of him felt guilty for what Frank had gone through with Alice, but that was a long time ago. Maybe the elders were right, and Alice hadn’t been cut out to be included in their clan. It was done now, and nothing could change it.
He was learning that if he ever wanted to enjoy the moment, then he needed to stop worrying about every little thing that should have gone differently. Hannah and Nora had shown him that. And he wasn’t going to take his time lightly with either of them. Life was too short.
He pulled Nora into his arms and held her close. “Just about how lucky I am.”
She giggled. “Oh, I’m sure.”
He moved his mouth close to her ear. “Well, if you really must know, it’s how badly I want you. I was thinking about the things that I’m going to do to you once we are behind a closed door.”
She pulled away enough to look him in the eye and raise her eyebrow as if questioning if that was true.
Hudson proved his honesty by grabbing her hand and putting it on his hardening bulge. “Told you,” he taunted.
She smiled and kissed him.
“Brushing my teeth!” Hannah interrupted as she scuttled from her room to the bathroom.
The two pulled away from each other with smirks. Nora followed Hannah into the bathroom to check on her brushing skills while Hudson went to her room and got ready to read whatever story she’d chosen.
He looked around the room, feeling at peace, finally. His friend’s daughter was healing, emotionally and physically. She loved Nora, who was now going to be in her life forever. But most of all, Hannah had helped Hudson heal as well.
Hudson thought about the irony of all three members of this makeshift family being orphans but finding each other to make a happy home.
