Page 92 of Tangled Fates

Levi smiled. “Me, too.”

Hudson stood to his feet. “I’ll be the first to go check on him today.”

I furrowed my brow. “You’re not hungry?”

He reached for a pancake and took a massive bite out of it. “There, better?”

I laughed with glee. “Yes, thank you. Now, go. Let me know how he is when you see him.”

“Will do,” he said as he made his way for the door.

“And for God’s sake, put a damn shirt on!” Levi called out after him.

I ate a few more pieces of fruit before I stood myself. “I want to go check on everyone, make sure no more healing has to take place.”

“Do you have the energy for that?” Dean asked.

Levi waved his hand at us. “You go with her. Take some food and make a day of it. I can clean things up around here, and then I’ll come find you when I’ve cleaned up.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

Levi winked as he stood. “I’m more than sure. Go on. Go put on pants and head out with Dean.”

I looked down at my bare legs. “I guess I should do that, huh?”

Dean grinned. “Wanna try doing it without going upstairs?”

I closed my eyes and thought about the outfit I wanted to wear. I wanted something easy-going, but powerful. A statement piece that showed my prominence in the pack but still allowed me to be approachable. I envisioned a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans covering my legs that came all the way up to my waist. And tucked into the waistband behind a thin black belt with a chrome buckle was a soft yellow, flowing blouse that fell just slightly off my shoulders.

With matching flats to boot.

“So? What do you think?” I asked as I gave them a small twirl.

Dean smiled brightly. “You look amazing.”

Levi whistled lowly. “Knock ‘em dead, gorgeous.”

I blew him a kiss. “You know I will.”

Dean offered me his arm. “Come on, let’s go check up on everyone.”

We didn’t have to go far to check on them, though, because the second we stepped out of the house, a chorus of cheers and applause erupted from the front yard. The entire pack had gathered, with Hudson right behind them, smiling and staring at me with pride in his face. They whistled and howled toward the sky, a thunderous sound that reverberated through the marrow of my bones and filled me with the strength I needed to keep pressing onward. And as I gazed out over the throng of shifters that had gathered to welcome me into another arduous day, I felt it. I felt what it meant to be part of a pack. For the first time in my entire life, I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself. Something greater, better, and more than I could have ever carved out for myself back in Los Angeles.

This place was my home. These people were my people. And so long as I was alive, I would be their Alpha. Their leader. Their guiding light and healing hand.

I wanted to be the woman my father had always dreamt of watching me become.

But more than that, I wanted to come home.

And it felt like I had finally arrived.

30

RAVEN

I flung open the front door as the rest of the sun set behind the forest trees.

“Holy hell, what a day.”

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