Page 65 of A Bear's Secret

The music changed. Now everyone stood, and Sloane got on her tiptoes, trying to see over the sea of bear shifters blocking her view. She tugged on Austin’s arm, and finally, he moved to one side a little.

Sloane gasped.

Quinn looked beautiful. She was wearing a mermaid-style lace dress with a high neck, her hair coiled in the back of her head. A young man — probably her brother, Sloane figured, since they looked a lot alike — walked her down the aisle, and the swish of the lace in her dress and its train was almost mesmerizing.

As she passed Sloane, Charlie, and Olivia, Quinn looked at them and winked, along with a grin that lit her face up completely.

Olivia sniffled and put a tissue to her face, and Charlie’s eyes were a little brighter than they should have been. One of Olivia’s mates — Sloane thought it was Jasper, but there were way too many people to keep track of — put his arm around her and held her close.

Sloane felt tears pricking at her own eyes.

“Friends, family, and loved ones,” said the justice of the peace, “We are gathered here today to witness the union in love of Hudson, Julius, and Quinn. Please be seated.”

Sloane sat. Then she reached under her seat and went through her handbag for a tissue.

“Shots!” shouted Cora.

Nearly a dozen pairs of eyes just looked at her, eyebrows raised.

“We’ve got a baby sitter until midnight, and I intend to make the most of it,” she said. “Who’s in?”

Sloane looked around. Part of her thought that she probably shouldn’t get drunk the first time that she met a lot of Austin’s family, but on the other hand, she was sure finding Cora hard to say no to, particularly because the other woman was now going around the circle of cousins, pointing at each person, and asking them if they wanted a shot.

Hunter and Ash just nodded, clearly amused at their mate.

“Sure!” said Charlie.

Her mates, Kade and Daniel, just shrugged, and Cora rolled her eyes at them.

Next she pointed at Olivia, but answered her own question before Olivia could say anything.

“You don’t have to,” Cora said.

“I’m okay,” Olivia answered, brightly. “I don’t want to get hammered, but I can do a celebratory shot.”

When it was her turn, despite her possibly-better judgement, Sloane nodded.

“Atta girl!” shouted Cora, who’d clearly already started partying. “Someone come help me carry these.”

Without waiting, she grabbed Sloane and Daniel by the wrists, seemingly at random, and Sloane let herself be pulled along.

Next to her, Daniel smiled.

“Welcome to the family,” he said to Sloane, and Sloane couldn’t help but laugh.

It took another ten minutes to organize everyone, and then a few more to coax the newlywed triad over, but at last, the fifteen of them stood around in a big circle, each of them with a shot glass of tequila in their hands.

“Okay,” Cora said, holding up her glass. “Here’s to Quinn and Julius and Hudson. May they always… have good stuff happen to them!”

Everyone laughed.

“The best stuff!” Olivia joined in.

“And may the best stuff get you through the worst stuff,” Austin said.

Sloane lifted her glass, trying not to cry again. Then she tilted her head back and let the tequila burn down her throat, shaking her head just a little as she did.

As everyone went to put their shot glasses on a tray, Sloane saw Trevor, out of the corner of her eye, put a hand on Olivia’s shoulder.

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