Thirty Nights Forgotten

Chapter 4: Grandma Mary

Addy’s POV

“Grandma? Are you there?”

Nick and I are staring at a blank phone screen, but we can hear shuffling in the background.

“Grandma?” Nick repeats.

“I’m here!” says a voice at the other end. “I just can’t figure out this phone…”

“Try clicking the camera button at the top of your screen,” I call out. “We can hear you, but you have your camera turned off.”

“Oh, okay, hold on…”

As Nick and I wait patiently for her to figure it out, we share an amused look with one another.

“Okay, here we go! Can you see me now?”

“Yes, Grandma, we can see you now,” Nick confirms. “We just wanted to call and say hello.”

Grandma Mary’s brown eyes are sunken into her wrinkled face, but they light up with pure joy when she sees us. Her long, silver braid hangs delicately over her thin shoulder and down across her chest, giving her an ethereal vibe that I can only hope to emulate at her age.

“How is New Orleans?”

“Oh, it’s incredible,” I gush. “We’re in the middle of Mardi Gras, so there will be some parades starting soon, I think. We just had lunch in this beautiful little courtyard.”

Flipping my camera around, I show her the sights by panning across the outdoor restaurant.

“Wow, what an adventure you both are having! Nick, I’m so happy to see you becoming such a traveler. You’re the first Ourey to journey off the ranch in centuries.”

“What about Matt?” Nick asks. “He mentioned something about moving to Salt Lake City when we saw him at the wedding.”

“Yes, he’s actually been there for a couple of months now. He’s found a construction job he really likes, and he even started dating a girl, although he won’t introduce her to us just yet.”

“Do you think she’s his mate?” I ask.

“He says he’s not sure,” Grandma Mary answers. “I think that without the Curse of the Werewolf, it’s not quite clear. You and Nick – and Nicholas – are connected through your mate mark, which carried over after Nick’s curse was broken. But I think the other children will have a more difficult time when it comes to finding their fated mates. Instead of having a wolf’s instinct to tell them they’ve found “the one,” they will have to make a conscious decision to love a person.”

What if Nick and I had met after his curse was broken? Would he have felt the same way without his wolfy instincts telling him I was the only one for him? He’s so, so hot, not to mention incredibly sweet, so I’m sure he would have found a girlfriend to dote on easily.

I don’t want to think about it.

“Um, Grandma, we’re out in public,” Nick whispers, his eyes darting quickly around the restaurant. “We probably shouldn’t mention anything about wolves, if you know what I mean?”

“How are Aiyana and Tallulah?” I ask, changing the subject. “Now that the wedding is over, I’ll be sure to take them both shopping next time we come to visit.”

“They’re doing very well. Tallulah is a freshman in high school, and she’s making lots of new friends. Aiyana just got her driver’s license, so she’s able to drive them both to school instead of taking the long bus ride into town.”

“Is that Nicky and Addy?”

A young boy’s voice echoes in the background, and Grandma Mary picks up one of the twins. Josiah and Jeremy are now four years old, so they’re still too young for kindergarten just yet. I still can’t tell them apart, but whichever one is in her arms smiles and waves at us on the screen.

My mind begins running through a mental list of all the Ourey siblings. Did I miss anyone?

“How’s Ben?” Nick asks, and I curse myself for forgetting him.

“He’s in first grade now,” Grandma Mary gushes. “He’s going through a bit of a shy phase, but I think he just needs a little more time to adjust than the other children.”

“Ben will be just fine,” Nick chuckles. “He’s an Ourey, after all.”

Through our bond, I can feel how much love Nick holds for his family as the eldest Ourey sibling. After his parents died, he felt a responsibility to care for them, and I know he misses them dearly. Being in Los Angeles, away from his family, is hard on him at times, but I also know that he feels freer than ever before.

The Curse of the Werewolf kept Nick and his family physically bound to the ranch for generations, but since it was broken two years ago, they’ve been able to lead normal lives. I can’t help but smile hearing about Matt falling in love, and the others going to school and making friends.

It fills my heart with joy knowing that they’re able to forge their own paths now.

I glance up at the sky and realize we’ve spent a few hours here for lunch. There’s so much I want to do before Nicholas comes out tonight – tonight is our first night together as husband and wife, and I want to make sure I’m fresh and dolled up for him.

And it’s obvious Nick can sense my eagerness to get going.

“Alright, Grandma, we’d better go. We just wanted to check in and say hello. It was great seeing you all at the wedding. I just wish we could’ve spent more time catching up.”

“The wedding was just beautiful. Addy, you did such a great job planning everything!”

“Thank you so much. I hope you all had fun? It was such a whirlwind of a day.”

“Oh, we had the best time traveling out to California to see you all. It was everyone’s first time seeing the beach!”

After saying our goodbyes, we pay our bill and begin to head back to the hotel. We stop along the way to watch one of the parades roll by, admiring the brightly colored Mardi Gras floats and enjoying the celebratory atmosphere.

“Hey, Addy?” Nick says, squeezing my hand tightly. “Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm?”

“Earlier, when we were talking about my siblings not being able to know if they’ve met their mates…I could feel that you were a bit conflicted about it. Do you want to talk about it?”

I turn to Nick and stare up into his deep, brown eyes. His expression is soft, but I can see a hint of concern behind his gaze.

“It’s nothing,” I assure him. “There’s no point in dealing with ‘what-ifs.’”

What if we’d met after the curse was broken? Sure, I was already attracted to him before I even knew about the secret world of werewolves and fated mates…but would he have felt the same about me?

What if he hadn’t marked me before the curse was broken? Would he still love me?

What if the magic of the mate bond wears off over time since he’s no longer a werewolf? Will he fall out of love with me?

“Addy,” he says, interrupting my thoughts with a warm smile. “Come here.”

He wraps me up in his arms, and I can hear his chuckle rumble deep within his broad chest. It’s the most comforting sound in the world, and my fears are immediately put to ease.

“We were destined to be together,” he whispers into my hair. “Curse or no curse. I don’t just love you because of magic; I love you for the incredibly strong and beautiful person that you are. Not to mention, I’ve always found you insanely hot.”

A smile breaks out across my face, which I bury even further against his shirt.

“I love you, Nick.”

“I love you too, wife.”

“That still sounds so weird!” I say as a giggle escapes my lips. “Being called ‘wife’ is going to take some getting used to.”

“So is wearing this wedding ring.”

Nick holds up his hand, admiring his silver titanium wedding band. A black onyx line is embedded in the middle, representing Nicholas in a sea of silver - like the moonlight.

“Well, get used to it, because I’m not going anywhere!” I laugh. “You’re stuck with me now.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

His grin is infectious, and we decide to walk hand-in-hand back to our hotel. Before I disappear into the bathroom, he grabs my hand.

“Knowing you, you’ll be in the bathroom until midnight,” he jokes. “So, one last kiss before I disappear for the night?”

I throw myself in his arms, letting him know just how much he’ll be missed until tomorrow morning. His mouth moves passionately against mine, and he sucks on my lower lip just the way I like.

“See you in the morning,” he winks as I retreat into the bathroom.

Once I settle into the bath, I take extra care to shave my legs (not to mention down there). I want everything to be perfect for a night of lovemaking with Nicholas, and I know he’s eager to consummate the marriage on his end. Tonight is going to be a night I’ll remember for a long time, no doubt.

Checking the clock on my phone, I realize I have just enough time to do my hair and makeup before sunset.

I bought two separate sets of lingerie – one for my wedding night with Nick, and one for tonight with Nicholas. The one I wore for Nick was a romantic babydoll set, but the one for tonight is much more salacious, leaving very little to the imagination.

It takes me a while to figure out how to put it on since it’s made up of more strings than fabric, but I finally manage it. Making a few last adjustments in the mirror, I spritz a little bit of perfume before stepping out of the bathroom.

I haven’t even stepped around the corner when I feel a set of strong arms wrapping around me from behind.

“I’m so thirsty, my love,” comes a raspy voice in my ear. “May I have a drink?”

I can tell, even without seeing his face, that Nicholas is the one standing right behind me. His stiffening erection is pressing against my backside, and my mind and my body instantly respond to him, feeding off both his touch and our mate bond.

“Yes,” I whisper. “Take me…I’m yours.”