Epilogue
The next day, I sleep in until midday, which is so unlike me that when I eventually wake up, I refuse to believe it until Jackson shoves my phone in my face, and then tells me I need to get dressed and come downstairs.
More than a little mystified by what he has to show me, I dutifully pull on a t-shirt and sweats before following him downstairs and out of the front door. Only to come to a sudden stop as my mouth falls open.
"Surprise!" Talis screams, throwing her arms in the air. She overbalances herself enough that Dayne has to catch her and put her back on her feet again with a tired sigh.
But I'm not looking at her. At least not anymore. I'm looking at the U-Haul truck behind her that my sweats-wearing packmates are busy unloading. "Uh, why is all my stuff in that truck?" I ask no one in particular.
Jackson slings his arm around my shoulder and leads me down the porch stairs. I'm barely aware of his presence as I approach the truck that looks like it's filled with everything I own.
"We packed up your cottage and brought it down. Looks like the timing was just…" Talis does a loud chef's kiss.
I'm unable to take my eyes from my whole life packed without my knowledge or agreement. "And if I'd left to come back to Hardin?"
No one speaks.
"Then I'm sure," Dayne says, stepping into the breach, "that everything would've worked out in the end."
I turn to glare at him.
He holds his hands up and backs away. "Nothing to do with me. I warned Talis you might not be as pleased. But I'm guessing she was right about you deciding to stay?" His eyes go to the bite on my neck.
Even though Jackson bit me hard enough to break skin, the bite itself has completely healed and now there's only the faintest outline.
After Jackson made me scream several more times, he brought me home, and we had a more interesting shower than the one we'd had before. It was in the bathroom mirror that I saw the bite for the first time. That was when it finally felt real, that Jackson and I were mates and would be forever.
Before we went to sleep, I had one brief moment of doubt. What if there were still feelings, deep hidden feelings between Jackson and Lara and he didn't know it. And like the mind reader he's proving himself to be, Jackson sensed something was wrong. So, I asked him. He told me that he'd warned Lara to never come back to Dawley, that she'd upset me-his mate-and if she ever returned, he'd hunt her.
Mate.
I grin up at Jackson, who's gazing down at me with a smile in his eyes. "Yeah."
"Well, looks like it all worked out in the end. If you haven't already, you should probably let Harvey know you're quitting. It's not like you can watch the surgery from Dawley, can you?"
Dayne and his big mouth.
Jackson's eyes narrow. "Watch the surgery?"
I force a laugh. "Funny story…" I duck under his arm and sprint back to the house. "Riley, save me!" I shriek after one darting glance confirms Jackson is in hot pursuit.
Riley, who's standing on the porch, takes one look at me and Jackson and turns to walk back inside.
"Traitor!" I shout after him.
Although he shakes his head as he goes, I'm almost certain I caught the hint of a smile on his face before he turned around.
It's a smile, and I'll always take a smile, no matter how small.
It'll take time to make Riley feel secure that this is home, well, at least until the Dawley-Stone house is built. But I'm determined to ease his pain. I know it's not going to be easy, but nothing worth having is.
Just as I'm about to sprint up the stairs, Jenna rushes toward me, forcing me to stop or knock her down. "Wait, Regan. I have to talk to you."
Her eyes are red-rimmed from crying, but there's a determination in her eyes I've never seen before. But Marshall, coming up fast behind her, is practically crackling with fury.
I turn from Marshall back to Jenna. "What is it?"
Jackson stops at my side as we abandon our game in the face whatever has Jenna so upset and Marshall so furious.
Jenna raises her head and stares me in the eye. "I'm leaving the Blackshaw pack. I'm requesting sanctuary with the Dawley-Stone pack. Permanent sanctuary."
Everyone stops moving. Everyone, that is, except Marshall, who grabs Jenna, throws her over his shoulder, and marches her back in the direction they came from. "Like hell you are."
"Uh…" Talis starts from somewhere behind me.
I raise my hand to silence her as we all watch Marshall stuff Jenna in his car. "Shhh, I'm thinking."
Can submissive shifter, Jenna, find her happiness with the dominant wolf, Marshall?
Find out in the upcoming book.