Saving Scarlett by R. E. Butler

with Scarlett’s family.  He felt an edge of urgency surrounding them now that they were heading home.  Yes, Scarlett was carrying their cub and they were fully mated now, but her dad didn’t really seem like the sort of guy to just roll with the punches.  They had no idea how he’d reacted to discovering that she was gone.  Scarlett was worried about her mother and brothers, especially Christian, who had helped them get away from Bent Creek safely.
    While he was packing, Scarlett and Ray went with Max to get snacks for the trip home.  They’d considered leaving in the morning, but the drive would take eleven hours no matter what time they left, and he and Ray were actually hoping that Scarlett might be able to sleep on the trip so she wouldn’t be so exhausted.
    “The house is going to seem really empty with you guys gone,” Miles said as he came into the basement.
    “We’re going to miss being here, too.  You guys could always come live in Ashland.  There are rooms left in the boarding house.”  He and Ray had separate bedrooms on the third floor of the large house.  They would be picking one room as their own and the other would be empty for someone else.
    “I don’t think your dad would leave King, and I wouldn’t go anywhere without him.”
    “There are only two groups at the house without mates now,” Wes said, thinking of the trio of cousins – Dylan, Chase, and Hunter – and Melody’s uncles, Jax and Holden.  “There’s always a chance that some more lions could join the pride, though.”
    “The kids are growing up, too, right?  It seems like ages since the Fallons left.”
    Wes nodded, zipping up Scarlett’s bag.  “John’s son, Henry, is sixteen, and Jilly is eighteen and mated to twin panthers, although they aren’t living together technically yet.  Grant’s two kids are ten and eleven, and Aaron’s three kids are ten, eleven, and twelve.  Our child will be the first one born at the house, though.  None of the other mating groups at the boarding house are pregnant.”
    “I hope you’ll be coming back to visit often,” Miles said, offering to carry one of the bags upstairs.
    “We will, as long as you promise to come out to Ashland to visit.”
    “I’m sure I can get your dad to make the trip,” Miles said, smiling as he put the suitcase down near the front door.
    By the time Ray, Scarlett, and Max returned with snacks, Wes had packed and cleaned up the basement.  Scarlett walked into the house and right into Wes’s arms.  She sighed softly and snuggled close, and he chuckled and kissed her forehead.
    “I missed you,” she said.
    “Missed you, too, love.”
    While Ray organized the snacks in a soft-sided cooler with some ice packs, Scarlett showed Wes the cell phone they’d picked up.  Ray glanced at Wes.  “I put her on my plan.  When your contract is up, we can add you to mine and that way we just have the one bill to deal with.  Maybe we can get a better price, too.”
    Scarlett put the phone inside a pink glitter case and said, “I need your cell number so I can put you in my contacts.”
    Wes entered his number for her and she sent him a text immediately – the words ‘I love you’ followed by several pink hearts.
    After saying goodbye to Max and Miles, they were on their way to Ashland.  Wes was driving the first leg of the journey.  He felt his anxiety spike a little and couldn’t exactly explain it outside of generally worrying over what would come once they spoke to her family.  He’d never been one for confrontation, but he was willing to fight for Scarlett, no matter what came.
    Scarlett opened the browser on her phone at Ray’s urging and looked up the community college near Ashland, to see if they had a program for a teaching certificate.  “I need to work, though,” she said as she scrolled down the screen.
    “No, you don’t,” Ray said vehemently.  “You said you wanted to teach and we want that for you.  Wes and I make