I had no idea how an adoption worked. Though I always expected to adopt a child one day, I never bothered researching the technicalities; why should I? I thought I had a lot more time before I reached this stage of my life; until recently, I hadn't even had a mate yet.

Everett and Penny were talking long enough that I started to get nervous and stood up to join them.

"Errit?" Griffin asked, looking forlornly toward Everett again.

"I'll take you to him," I offered, crouching back down and holding my hands out to the boy. Anya had given me some advice for interacting with Griffin, and I was grateful to her. I would have had no idea what I was doing otherwise. The number one rule Anya had given me was that I should always let Griffin come to me, never just grab him. It would help Griffin learn to trust me, she said, and I was willing to give it a try.

Griffin stood and walked into my arms, wrapping his own around my neck while I hauled him up. This was the second time I held Griffin, but the first time I held him knowing he would be mine. Tenderness flooded me, intensifying when Everett glanced over at us and beamed happily when he saw me holding Griffin. He waved for me to come over.

When I reached Everett and Penny, she grinned at me and offered a hand. "Hi, Felix. I'm Penny. I'm Griffin's social worker. I have to say, I'm really delighted to hear you'll be adopting him."

Everett had said he was certain the adoption would be granted if we applied for it, but hearing Griffin's social worker confirm it sent an intense relief through me that had my muscles going limp. I was glad when Everett took a squirming Griffin from me. Still, I wanted to be absolutely sure. "So this is official?" I asked. "We're definitely going to be approved?"

"Oh, yes. Unless your alpha has a problem with it, but I can't imagine why that would be the case. Ours has already signed off on Griffin's paperwork. I told him I had a couple in mind here in Lakota and he faxed the signed forms over this morning."

"This feels too easy," I said, feeling deeply disturbed. Shouldn't they be sure we were safe before they entrusted a child to us?

Penny winced and Everett stepped in. "Penny was just explaining that she already did the background research she needs to clear both of us. She interviewed my old boss in Delta and Spencer and Molly so she would have character witnesses on file. We also get to skip some of the process since we have respectable jobs in an upstanding pack. You're a warrior, hun. Not just anyone is trusted to defend their pack. And Molly let me work here with Lakota's children – of course she ran a check on me."

Maybe I should have felt like my privacy had been intruded upon, but Everett made it all sound so normal. I nodded.

Penny jumped back in. "I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't really certain Everett was going to apply to adopt Griffin. I just don't want this poor child in a pack-and-play crib in an RV with people he doesn't trust for a single night more than necessary. This way, you guys can take him home tonight."

Everett's eyes widened and filled with tears. He snuggled Griffin and smiled beatifically at me. I was still feeling kind of overwhelmed by all of this and would have liked just one more night with Everett to myself, but I wasn't selfish enough not to admit that this was better. I didn't like the picture Penny's words had painted. It was objectively best for Griffin to be with Everett, who after three weeks was somehow the person he trusted most in the world.

Everett checked his watch. "We're just about to start closing down here. I know you have to get the rest of the Neruda children loaded up and take them back to camp, but would you be able to meet us at Spencer's office afterward? I'll call and make sure he's available."

"He will be," I assured Everett. I knew his schedule as well as my own.

We watched Penny as she thought. Finally, she nodded. "Yes, it would be best to get all of the paperwork taken care of tonight. I'll meet you there as soon as I can." She looked down at Griffin, who was tucked comfortably against Everett. He looked like he might be asleep. "I should take him with me," she said reluctantly. "The paperwork isn't signed off on yet. Also, we aren't really supposed to leave the camp without an escort."

"Why don't Everett and I come with you to the camp?" I offered. "I have the authority to escort you, and that way Everett and Griffin can stay together."

Part of this felt wrong to me. There was no doubt that Griffin would welcome Everett into his life, but where did I fit? We were careening toward a future where I was an interloper in my own cabin, with my own family. There was no backing out now, though, and hopefully Griffin would warm up to me soon.

Penny looked relieved at the offer I made. "Yes, come with us. That would be a huge help. Then you two can help me collect Griffin's things."

"We would be glad to," Everett said. I didn't think I had ever seen him so excited. It only made me feel even sicker to my stomach, though I should have been happy for my mate. It was good that he was excited, I told myself. Even if I wasn't the reason for his joy, I was glad he was feeling it. Maybe I could cling to that long enough for the rest of the pieces here to fall into play.

Everett helped Penny and the other woman from Neruda load up the van we had lent them to transport everyone between the RV camp and the daycare each day. Meanwhile, I went to Anya.

She swept appraising eyes over me, then pulled me into a tight hug. "This won't be easy," she said when she pulled away. "It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. I heard the Neruda folks will be heading home in a few days, then you and I are going to have trust-building sessions with Griffin, just the three of us. It'll work out, you'll see."

I hugged her again. "Thanks, Mom." Anya was a child whisperer. If anyone could help me incorporate into the family Everett and I were starting, it was her. Knowing she would be there with me, helping me, made everything feel a little more possible.

--

It only took two hours before we were pulling into our driveway with our new son in the back seat of the car. Everett was sitting next to his car seat – the one Penny had given to us – and hadn't stopped crying ever since the paperwork was signed and he officially became ours.

"Why don't you take him inside? I'll bring in his things," I told Everett.

"Thanks," he said, and got to work unbuckling the car seat while I opened up the trunk.

I didn't expect Griffin to have much, and I was right. Along with the car seat, Penny had given us the pack-and-play crib that had functioned as a bed for him, a fuzzy yellow blanket, a brand-new looking stuffed bear, and enough clothes to last him almost a week. That was it. We would get Griffin more tomorrow, but this was enough to get us started.

It only took two trips for me to move everything into the house. I brought it straight to the guest room, which Everett was determined to convert into a toddler's bedroom as soon as we both had a day off. It was an ambitious plan, but I was just as disturbed as he was that Griffin didn't really have his own space. It made his place in our home feel more transient than it was, made this whole crazy situation seem even more unreal.

I set up the pack-and-play crib and stared at it in dismay. It was awful. The bottom wasn't soft enough to sleep on comfortably and it screamed of Griffin's impermanence in the lives of his foster families. This couldn't be his bed. I didn't want him sleeping like this for even another night – we had to show Griffin that things would be different here.

I rushed to the living room and was reaching for my keys when Everett stopped me.

"Hey, I know he's a little young to understand, but I want to try and explain all of this to Griffin."

I looked over at them and saw that Griffin was sitting in Everett's lap, playing with the remote control like it was utterly fascinating. "Okay." I sat down next to Everett and we angled ourselves so that Griffin could see both of us.

Everett took away the remote and Griffin screwed up his face like he was going to cry. "Ssh, ssh! You can have it back in a minute."

"Now," Griffin said, reaching for it.

Everett looked at me like I could magically fix the situation. I just shook my head, mystified. I didn't really think we could make Griffin understand that we were his parents now, that he would live here with us and not get shuffled around anymore. That was something he would have to understand with time.

"Griffin, do you want to stay here with me and Felix?" Everett asked after he tucked the remote away out of sight.

Griffin stood in his lap, bouncing with excitement and wobbling precariously before gripping Everett's shoulder. "Stay with Errit!"

Everett gave him a teary smile and said, "Okay."

"Satisfied?" I asked.

Everett nodded. "For now." He gazed at Griffin with adoring eyes and I felt another jealous twist in my gut. I needed to get myself under control before I made myself and Everett miserable with this jealousy. It had no place in my family. I should be grateful that Griffin felt safe here with one of us. I reminded myself that Anya would help me connect with Griffin. It helped a little.

Everett looked up at me and frowned. "Wait, were you about to leave when I called you over here?" he asked.

I smiled and shook my head fondly. "Yeah, I'm going to run to the store. Actually, is there anything you want me to pick up while I'm out?"

"You have to go to the store now? Really?" Everett demanded, looking a little upset.

"Everett, Griffin is sleeping in a real bed tonight. Or crib. I'm not actually sure what he's supposed to be in right now. Whichever it is, I need to run to the store and get one. Do you think your mom would come with me?"

"What? I can come with you. We'll bring Griffin."

"I want him to get settled in here, Ev," I said. "Let him adjust to being here before we start dragging him all over." I knew Everett would agree, so I stood up and went to put on my shoes and jacket. "Do you want anything else from the store?"

"Let me see if my mom can go shopping with you. If she can, she'll help you pick up whatever Griffin needs."

Anya agreed to shop with me, so I got ready go pick her up. I was just about to leave when Everett grabbed my arm and spun me back around so he could plaster his lips against mine.

He pulled away just enough to smile mischievously into my eyes and said, "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, were you?"

Just like that, I felt a ton better. Everett had put a fussing Griffin down on the rug behind him and, just for a second, had paid attention to me instead. That moment of affirmation went a long way toward soothing me and I wrapped him up in my arms and spun us so I could press him against the door, pinning him with my body. Everett's breathing picked up and I sucked and kissed at his neck while he trembled in my arms.

"After we put Griffin to bed, you're mine," I told him.

Everett's dilated eyes met mine and he nodded feverishly.

I walked to my car with a hard-on and a smirk.