You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.

The first time holding his daughter had been intense. Andre had held his children before when they were born, but it hadn’t quite been the same. They had been hours old. Maybe it was the added wolf energy, but there was no rush like holding something that he helped create, and that was so incredibly fragile.

And now it seemed he couldn’t get his hands on her.

Ames had learned to crawl, and the little Speedy Gonzales zoomed around the house like there was a bottle rocket up her butt. It had been months since her birth. All had calmed down, but they were staying in Louisiana longer than expected. Indris had gone home, peace had restored in their house, yet the old Alpha was still stuck with Adella’s wolf energy. It seemed the reversal spell was a little harder to master than the original, and each time Andre had become violently ill and his body held onto his mate’s canine energy. He had gotten much better at controlling it, but was still a rather emotional version of his old self.

That evening he came home late, much like the passed few nights. His truck rolled up in the driveway some time after ten and he dragged his tired feet inside, kicking his boots off unevenly by the door. He scratched at his unshaven face as he poured himself a glass of whiskey, a signal that it had been a long day, and headed into his office as quietly as he could. Even after such a long day there was still work he needed to finish before his body would get the sleep it deserved.

Adella was worried about her poor husband. She had thought it would have been so easy to place the wolf back in her body and he could go back to feeling normal…but it didn’t seem to be as easy as she hoped. She had watched him suffer again and again after the first couple of tries and didn’t know what to do to help him, not that she had time to think of solutions with Amelia to worry about. Motherhood was far more work than she would have ever imagined, and every night she passed out asleep only to wake up a few hours later to do everything all over again. She didn’t complain, she loved being a mother, but it was tiring to take care of Amelia, the home and her husband. It was obvious the little mini me had more Werewolf energy than Fairy from her mother, but since she had yet to shift Adella assumed she wouldn’t until puberty like she had.

She loved Amelia immensely, but she sure was a handful and very much a daddy’s girl. It was hard having Andre gone during the day, but she managed, though it seemed every time he came home she and the baby were already asleep. She was determined tonight to be awake when he came home and actually spend time with him, but Amelia did not want to go to sleep tonight. Adella walked her all about the house until she finally went into Andre’s office and sat in his chair and the scent of him in the room finally calmed the baby down. She lowered a sleeve of her nightgown down for Amelia to drink, since Adella refused to use baby formula. She slumped back in the chair and she soon fell asleep, with Amelia following after she had drank her full.

It seemed she had only barely gotten asleep when she heard someone enter the room. Taking in a deep breath her eyes opened sleepily to look at Andre as he came into the room “Your home” She mumbled tiredly, glancing around and yawning “What time is it?”

As Andre winded down his day and took a nice, long sip of his whiskey he mulled too many thoughts over in his mind. It was a struggle day by day to keep the wolf energy, but keeping himself busy seemed to help. However it seemed the business would soon combat with the energy since it drained him and kept his mind frazzled. All the tension was eased by the first long drink of whiskey, and was released even more when he saw Addie in his office. The moonlight was enough for the wolf to see, so he didn’t bother turning on the light to disturb her.

“Nearly midnight.” His low voice hushed, knitting his brows at himself for waking her up. “Were you waiting for me?” The wolf asked patiently as he strode across the room, setting his glass down on his desk before he leaned in to kiss her. The kiss started off soft, but soon hinted at the frustration the wolf felt as he grew more passionate. It wasn’t long before he pulled away from her and nuzzled her neck, then ran his hand over Amelia’s soft hair. “How was your day?” He asked quietly, keeping the subject off of himself as he often did.

“Midnight?” That was very late, she wondered why he was home so late like this when he hadn’t before. It made her frown and she opened her mouth to say something when he leaned down to kiss her and the passion that came into it made her forget her words. With him working late and her crashing hard every night, they hadn’t had much alone time to enjoy one another, so that kiss tingled straight down to her toes. She smiled after he broke it and nodded, nuzzling him back “I wanted to stay up and actually be not sleeping when you came home, but Amelia had a tough time going to bed.” She always had a tough time sleeping with Andre wasn’t around, but she didn’t want to say that and make him feel bad.

Amelia slept on, content as could be and didn’t stir when Andre touched her head. Adella glanced down to her with a soft smile then back to Andre “Long” She chuckled softly “She likes to pull the items off the coffee table now and throw them…” She sighed and very carefully shifted in the chair “But she likes to watch this weird cartoon show now so it gives me a little time to do things around the house while she’s occupied” She went back to frowning “Why are you home so late? Were you at work?”

It had been too long since Andre had been with his wife. What with all the work he had to get done, and with how busy she was with Amelia it seemed they could never catch a moment alone. He prayed for the day that Ames slept through the night and late into the morning, but for now would have to force himself to be patient.

“She’s a spitfire. I blame you. She takes after you.” The wolf smiled knowing fully well where Ames got her attitude from, though he hadn’t seen much of it himself. She was an angel with him and merely cooed and gawked at him when he was around. His gaze lingered on his baby girl as he ran his hand over her soft hair again.

“There was a lot to get done today but I had to take a break and run it off,” Meaning he had to shift. “I need to stretch my legs.” Meaning he had struggled with the wolf energy today, but he was not going to say that outright. He needed an outlet, but he wasn’t going to burden his wife with that. Instead he gently maneuvered his hands around Ames. “I’ll take her.” He said quietly as he lifted Ames from Addie’s arms.

She gave him a playful glare when he blamed her for Amelia’s personality and she laughed silently, shaking her head “Oh, right, yes. It is my hot, spirited French fairy blood that has her running around this house like a crazy little puppy” She shifted some more in the seat, sitting there for so long had made her back stiff but she was too afraid to move too much in case she woke up the baby. Even with Andre Amelia could be a tough one to get to sleep, she was a little night owl but also a morning bird, which was much fun for Adella to deal with every day. She and Amelia practically got the same amount of sleep each day, but Amelia never seemed to run out of energy when Adella was always trying to find some way to keep going throughout the day without crashing.

She understood the hidden meaning behind his words and frowned, feeling awful for him. She glanced down to the baby as he took her, relieved for him to take her so she could stretch her stiff muscles. Amelia felt the warmth and softness of her mother leave and she started to whimper and squirm in her sleep, but once the comfort was replaced by Andre’s body and warmth she settled back peacefully without a peep and without waking up. Adella watched them with a warm smile, she loved to see them together, but still her husband’s problems lingered at the back of her mind.

She leaned her head against him and sighed “I wish I could do something to help you. It’s my entire fault to begin with. If I was a normal Wolf this wouldn’t have happened” She wanted to say she wished she hadn’t gotten pregnant or that it was a mistake to have done what they did, but looking at that beautiful little girl she couldn’t think those things at all. Amelia had been worth it all, at least she felt that way, but she feared that perhaps Andre didn’t feel as a hundred percent as she did as he was the one struggling.

As hard as Andre could think he couldn’t remember a time when Nicollette had seemed stressed out with their boys. Yes, they had been hellions, but she had also had the support of other members in their pack. Adella had no one. No matriarch to teach her certain tricks, no aunts or sisters. The lack of a pack made Andre’s heart ache and he lingered on the thought of the new wolves in town as he swayed Ames gently in his arms. “She’s a devil alright, but an awfully cute one at that.”

The wolf leaned down and kissed the cute devil’s head, inhaling her scent as he let his nose linger against her soft skin. When she settled and stopped fussing he smiled with relief. “It was my choice, Adella. I wanted a family. Don’t go blamin’ yourself, cheri.” He spoke gently, keeping his head calm as he left his office to go put Ames in her crib for the night. Even though he avoided the subject and seemed a flight risk the man really had wanted a family. As he set his daughter down gently in her crib and turned the switch on her small music box he was happy that he made the decision he now seemed stuck with.

After making sure Ames was settled Andre went back downstairs and looked for Addie, then made his way to the kitchen to make himself a midnight snack. He started some popcorn in the microwave and let out a long sigh of exhaustion as he waited, hoping Addie wouldn’t go to sleep without him.

She couldn’t help but to blame herself. She had felt guilt the entire time she was pregnant about his troubles, but she had at least held on to the hope that once she gave birth to Amelia he would have the wolf drawn out of him and back into her and everything would be ok again. But the fact that months later he was still struggling and unable to return to normal frightened her. She worried that he was stuck with her wolf forever, and what would that do to him in the long room? Wear him down to exhaustion? Make him feral? Make him loose his mind? She was scared for him and she just wanted a normal, stress free family life between the three of them, which wasn’t achieved when he was always stressed.

After he took the baby to put her to bed she got up and stretched, going to the bathroom and picking up some of Amelia’s things in their bedroom before going back downstairs to the kitchen where she knew he’d be. She shook her head and came up behind him, putting her hands on his arm and planted a kiss on his shoulder “Sit down, let me do it” She told him gently, going to the fridge to add a sandwich to his popcorn since she knew he was always so hungry. She also grabbed him a beer and handed it to him then turned to attend to his food “How was today?” She didn’t mean work, she meant how he was feeling.

The witch who helped them had no idea what would happen to Andre. It was a mystery if he would eventually blow up or combust, or if he would naturally absorb the wolf. She had begun to wonder if Andre had already begun absorbing the wolf’s energy and that was the cause for him holding onto it, but he argued that he wanted nothing to do with it. Adella may have been his mate, but the excess energy was killing him. He felt like a hormonal, crazed teenager without the energy to keep up.

The kiss soothed him and he smiled gently at Addie. It didn’t take any convincing to get him to go and sit on one of the high stools near the counter and he stretched his arms out back, then in front of him once he sat. “Thanks.” He appreciated it when she took care of him, even though he normally argued.

“Today was fine. Lots of business to take care of, I had to fight for the bar license at Louvel’s in New Orleans…” He knew shop talk wasn’t what she was looking for or what she had meant, but he didn’t want to go into detail about his emotions. It emasculated him. Instead he drank nearly half his beer in one long drink, and then set the can down on the wood counter. “How was your day, honey bee?”

She loved the very few rare moments that she got to take care of him without an argument. She was his wife, which she always seemed to have to remind him about so she could help and do things for him. Even after a long grueling day with the baby she still found the leftover energy and effort to at least make him some food and tend to any needs he had. His answer made her frown but with her back to him it was missed as she prepared his sandwich. What a stubborn man, she didn’t understand why he just wouldn’t talk to her about the issues he was facing. She couldn’t really do anything to solve them but at least he could vent, but he always refused too. She took the popcorn out and poured it into a bowl, then grabbing him another beer she took it along with the popcorn and sandwich to him and set it down neatly before him.

She smiled tiredly “Good. Got the laundry done. Nothing exciting” She said with a soft laugh. Her day was routine and other then Amelia’s antics, nothing was new. She got up and did the same routine every day, but that was the role of a mother and although at times she felt she was going insane it was the role she wanted and cherished. She then caressed a hand through his hair and gave him a look, the “wife look” that said she meant business now “Now tell me how your day really went”

Even though it was a rare occurrence Andre still loved it when Addie took care of him. He finished off his beer and watched her make the food, then put it out daintily in front of him. “Thank you.” He said behind the can of his beer and set it down. The hungry wolf began picking at his food immediately and was more enthused by the filling sandwich in front of him than the bird food that is popcorn. He ate while she spoke, looking at her now and again with admiration in his eyes. The stress of the day seemed to melt away when he was near her.

“I like clean socks.” He said with a goofy smile and finally set the sandwich down to breathe. Sipping at his beer, he cleared his throat and took a moment to enjoy the feeling of her hand in his hair. The stress in his shoulders eased little by little the longer he stayed around her, but then she had to bring up his day again. He managed to stay stoic, studying her face as he hesitated to answer her. Finally he caved. “I snapped at a few of my employees. Bit their heads off for … I don’t even remember why. Somethin’ stupid.” The wolf touched her hand, then ran his fingers up her arm and pulled her closer so that he could put his hands on her waist. “I was irritable today, so I took a break and I ran.” Yet his every cell in his body was still itching and jumping. “That’s why I’m so late.” He had to play catch up and make sure his employees weren’t crying over spilt milk. The wolf exhaled a long breath and leaned his head into Addie, pressing his nose just underneath her ear and inhaling her scent. “Sorry I’m late, cheri.” He said gently against her skin before kissing her neck.

She stood by the table and watched him eat, smiling at him and touching his hair affectionately. He was refueled and getting a full belly so she had done her job as a wife half way, now if only to get him to tell her the truth on how he was really feeling and what had really happened at work. She laughed some on his comments about socks, though she shook her head and gave him a look, knowing what he was doing. He was trying to crack jokes and divert everything off of him, and she wasn’t going to let it slide “Open up to me, Andre” She told him softly, love in her eyes as she watched him “I’m your wife” Her go to saying to try and guilt him into just spilling what he really needed to say. Did he never discuss his stressed with his previous wife? She just wanted him to be comfortable enough to speak to her. She would never judge him.

When he finally caved she listened intently, her face kind and understanding as he spoke. She slipped her hands around his neck and then sat down on his lap, stroking the back of his neck as he finished what his day had been really like. She nuzzled him “It’s fine. I’m sorry you have such a rough day” She just wished they could get this resolved so he didn’t have to suffer through this mood swings anymore, she knew he was miserable. She moved her hands over his muscles and could still feel the tension in him. She leaned back and cupped his face, kissing him for a few moments before pausing “The baby’s asleep…let’s go to bed” She gave him knowing eyes, that she didn’t mean for them to sleep. If her husband was tense he needed some release and she was more than willing to offer that.

Opening up to her was easier said than done. Nicollette had never bothered Andre to open up much to her. She was a wolf, and knew how male wolves could be. They were not the sharing kind, especially the long line of alpha Louvels. Yet Addie had a way of coaxing emotion out of the old wolf’s lips rather than letting it build in him.

As she sat upon his lap he leaned back in his chair and put one hand on her waist, one hand traced along her shoulder. Her apology was met with a stoic expression until he was able to kiss her. The stress from the day nearly melted away entirely at her touch and words, but when she suggested they go to bed the anger from the day was completely gone. He chuckled and a smile broke on his serious face, one so genuine his dimples creased beneath his beard. Instead of standing and hauling her away like the caveman he was he stayed seated, tracing her body slowly as he chewed over his thoughts. “I don’t think the witch is gonna find a cure for me anytime soon, darlin’.” The wolf started, looking down to her neck as he chose his words carefully. “Maybe we aught to take this time to extend our little family.” The words hung in the romantic air, and the wolf finally looked up to meet his wife’s gaze. For so long he had avoided having a family, but the opportunity had reared it’s head and Andre Louvel wasn’t a missed chance sort of man.

When he smiled she smiled as well, happy to see some light in her husband when lately all she saw was darkness. At least there was one thing she could always count on to get Andre to agree too even in his foulest mood, and that was sex. But he was a male, and a male Wolf above all things, so really wasn’t too much of a surprise. She touched his face and then traced his smile along his lips “Now that’s better” She murmured, kissing him again. Knowing his reaction to her advances before she was surprised that he didn’t rush them upstairs, but merely continued to sit there. She began to think maybe she was wrong, the idea seemed good to him but he wasn’t in the mood to actually go through with it. This surprised her too but she could understand, and she was ready to suggest something else when he spoke.

She frowned and shook her head “No, don’t think like that. Will fix this, we will, some way or another” She didn’t want him to lose hope and feel like he was stuck this way forever. She didn’t want him to feel trapped, they would have to find some way to heal him, there had to be something that would work they just had to look a little harder and expand. But the next sentence that came out of his mouth made her stare at him, searching his face to see if she truly understood what she thought he was saying . Seeing he meant his words she laughed in happiness and kissed him “You…you want more children?” She had thought Amelia would be there only one, but it was true it seemed now they had more time…but she felt conflicted whether to be happy about it or not since he was suffering at the same time. She laughed again “Amelia isn’t even a year old”

For weeks the witch had been working on a cure, and for weeks it brought him nothing. Andre Louvel wasn’t a pessimistic sort of man, but instead looked for an opportunity in it. It sucked being the way that he was, but he wasn’t going to whine and cry to his wife about it and make her feel guilty. He constantly was bringing her presents and gifts just to see a smile, and what better gift than another child? After all she had always seemed to want a family.

Her laughter made him smile and he kissed her back, running his hand into her hair. “Yes.” The wolf replied simply and started to kiss her neck. He assumed the laughter was the response he was looking for and had already settled on starting tonight. Adella kept talking even as he kissed her neck slowly, taking his time though his body ached. “She’s old enough.” Old enough to have siblings, and old enough where Andre had forgotten how much work a newborn was. The wolf was over their conversation and he gripped Addie’s hips as he slid off the chair. Instead of carting her away to the bed he lifted her and set her on the island counter, then pushed up her dress and let his hand trail along her thigh. The other hand cupped her breast as he kissed her deeply. It would seem not a care was left in the world with the Louvel wolf.

She couldn’t believe it…another child. More children. She did always want a big family but she had been happy with just having Amelia, but the idea of more children, well, she certainly wasn’t going to say no to that if he was willing. She didn’t even know if her poor body was ready for another baby or if she was mentally prepared when Amelia was such a handful, but it was common for women in her village to have one baby after another, so she really didn’t bother to sit back and tell him she needed to think about it. She was too happy and he seemed happy about this as well. She giggled when he told her Amelia was old enough and she would have retorted he could easily say that since she was the one stuck with her all day, but she soon got distracted by the kissing on her neck.

A heavy breath escaped her lips as he put her on the counter and pushed up her nightgown, excitement quickly shooting through her body. She moaned softly into the kiss, one of her hands slipping to the back of his neck and gripped his hair as they kissed, the other trailing down his arm then up his chest. Suddenly the exhaustion she had felt before from taking care of Amelia all day was gone, she had a sudden surge of energy that she was ready to get rid of with her husband.

Andre wasn’t lost in thought with the troubles of another child. He merely wanted more family, and wanted to give Adella what he thought she wanted. All the wolf wanted was to keep her as happy as he possibly could. Besides, Ames was a beautiful, wonderful gift, and two kids would only make it more wonderful… right?

The moan that entangled in the kiss surged energy into the wolf. His mouth moved from hers down to her neck and shoulder until he pulled away long enough to lift her nightgown up and off of her. He took a moment to admire her body, running his hands over her breasts then down her sides. “Beautiful.” He spoke in French, feeling the same giddiness he felt each and every time he saw her naked. One hand moved down her stomach and slipped into her panties as he kissed her chest then trailed his kisses back up her neck as he massaged her. “Mon cheri.” The wolf felt high from the intimacy between his wife and himself. It had been far, far too long, yet still he took his time to please her first.

The coolness of the room touched her body as he removed her nightgown, making goose bumps rise on her skin and she scooted closer to him to take in his warmth. The way he looked at her…it hadn’t changed from the first time they slept together. Even after arguments and road bumps and a child…he still looked at her just the same, as if she hadn’t changed at all. She smiled and touched his face “I hope you always look at me like this” She whispered before their mouths tangled together again. The day he didn’t look at her with the same ache and desire she’d probably cry, but she hoped that day would either never come or be hundreds of miles away. She sucked in a breath as his hand moved down to massage her and she moaned, her head falling back as she enjoyed the sensation.

She allowed herself to enjoy his attention to her before remembering her husband needed far more attention and release. She moved to quickly undo his pants and push them down, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling their hips close together. Her hands gripped into his hair roughly, wanting to appease the wolf in him as much as the man counterpart. She kissed him before looking in his eyes with heavy desire in her own “Don’t be gentle” She urged him. She had come to enjoy the roughness and dominance of the wolf and though tender moments between them she loved….she enjoyed the raw moments just as much.

The wolf felt a moment of confusion with her words and tilted his head. There was love in his eyes, and admiration swirling around boyish giddiness to see her nude. Though the wolf was not aware of any of it he could still feel the pang in his stomach when she took her dress off, but wasn’t about to ask questions.

He continued to swirl his fingers slowly beneath her panties until she pushed his pants down and he nearly tore them off. In fact the fabric did tear, but he tossed it to the side so she wouldn’t scold him for ruining them. He managed a small sheepish smile before she pulled him close and all polite expression was gone from his face. Her demand was met with a hungry wolf who gripped her butt and forced her closer at the same time as he entered her. A growl escaped him interlaced with a moan and he pressed his face down into her neck to bite her, though it was gentle to start. Soon the wolf was moving in and out of her, holding onto her legs to pull her hard against him as he pumped back and forth. He was rough, but nothing like he was when he truly unleashed the wild within. There was still something holding him back but it wasn't like a stranger would have been able to tell with the way he ravaged her on the counter.

Normally she would have scolded him for being so brutish and breaking things, but right now? She could have cared less and just laughed at the sheepish look. Even without the wolf inside herself to be riled up he still made her feel hungry and eager. She wanted him to be rough, she knew that he was worked up and for him to hold himself back to try and be gentle with her she felt wouldn’t give him full satisfaction as it would for the wolf to unleash and do as it wanted. She could handle the wolf’s sexual hunger, and she wanted Andre to know that. She made a long, pleased sound as he entered her and her hands gripped and pulled at the back of his hair before sliding her nails down his back. If her body could sing it would have done so then, it had missed the time apart that there two bodies had shared in a while.

She gasped as his teeth bit her neck, though it made her shudder more in excitement. Her body was limber and moved easily with his thrusts, grunting with every thrust until she was crying out in pleasure. She pressed her face against his shoulder, moaning his name and whispering dirty things against his skin that she had learned over the course of their marriage. Yes, gentle was nice and it was what she would have preferred in the beginning of their marriage, but this? Wolf in her or not, her body thirsted for this as if the animal in her had never truly left her. She knew him too well though and even if most people would see them and think it was savage sex, she could tell something about him was holding back somehow. To encourage him to just fully let go she dug her nails deeply into his back and bit at his shoulder to urge the wolf on.

To enter her felt like heaven. It felt like a release his body had been longing for since the dawn of time. He sighed into her skin, but the sound that she made riled a devil inside him. He yearned for those sounds, and would beg on his knees for more if he had to. As she gripped, scratched, and pulled at him he thrusted harder. His hands dug into her thighs to pull her closer then gripped her butt as he pumped deeply into her. Still the wolf felt himself reigned back. He waited to lose control and hurt her far more than necessary in sex, but that fear was never realized.

Leave it to Andre to make things even more savage. He lifted his wife up and off of the counter, holding her by her butt and wrapping her legs around him until he nearly threw her to the ground. The wolf looked her over hungrily before lifting her up again and turning her over, grabbing her hips like a mad man before entering her again from behind. He groaned her name as he took her in his favorite position, running one hand up her back and into her hair to pull. He growled as he bucked against her and let go of her hair just in time to reach around her and massage her breasts. He was finally letting go and ravaging her rough like she had asked, but as always was taking the time to make sure she got hers. If they were going to make another baby they might as well get the most out of it. It wouldn’t hurt Andre’s feelings to go all night either.

The savage nature of his thrusts made her spread her legs wider, a sound of pleasure and pain coming from deep in her throat. She would take any pain and any harm to satisfy her husband and calm the wolf within him. She knew it paced inside his mind every second of the day and even though he would run it only mollified the beast for so long. It was an animal with primal instincts and it needed to be rough and harsh to feel any satisfaction for only then would it be truly tamed, at least for a period of time. As long as Andre felt pleasure she didn’t care if she felt pain and at the moment it was a blissful combination of both agony and pleasure. She looked fragile yes but having a husband like Andre had toughened her, she could take a lot more damage than she looked.

She gasped out loudly as he put her on the ground, her body shuddering as her back hit the hard floor but she could only concentrate on his plunging hips. She easily complied when he turned her so her back faced him, knowing how much he enjoyed sex this way. She cried out when he pulled her hair then moaned right after, her head leaning back as her hands tried to grip the floor to keep herself steady, her body jolting harshly with every thrust and the sounds coming from her were endless and reaching higher and higher in pitch until she climaxed, but her body did not relax, staying tense and ready for more.