Page 49 of The Alpha's Arranged Bride

“His hands?” She closed her eyes and blew out a long, pained breath. “His hands.”

“Yes.”

“His hands for your hands.”

“I don’t think—”

“Of course that’s why Rome sent them,” she spat vehemently. “Even in his darkness, he’s a goddamn poet. He could have sent his head or just one finger. We’re wolves. We would have known him by scent, or at least you and Castor would. Oh my god.” Her head snapped up and her eyes welled with tears again. “Castor. No matter how bad Alexander was, no matter what he did, he’s still Castor’s father. I need to go to Briar May first. No. Together. We need to tell them together and then we’ll go to Kieran.”

He couldn’t stop himself. This time, he was the one who pulled her in tight against him and there was nothing hesitant or awkward about how he wrapped his arms around her. She wasn’t hesitant or awkward about beingheld. She melted against him, leaning so hard that she was totally reliant on his strength, giving herself up to him.

He found her hand and twisted their fingers together, linking them and holding on.

This was his life now, the door to Arizona slammed shut. It was everything he’d known, but now he could truly put it to rest. Rome was right. That was finished. He could step forward and find his way. Maybe that meant forcing himself to remember all the things he’d forgotten, but even if he never could bring it back—the goodness of his childhood and memories of his parents and grandparents and other packmates—he had a family of his own to love. He had a mate.

He would have a pack.

“I’m sorry, Prairie Rose.”

She hugged him tightly around the neck. “No, I’m sorry. You’re right about everything and Rome even confirmed what I already knew in that letter. There would have been no stopping him. You had nothing to do with this. He gave me the greatest gift. He made it possible for us to be a family, finally and forever.” She peppered the side of his neck with soft kisses. “You’re also right about Kieran. We need to go to him immediately. We need to gather the rest of your pack too. I’m sure he’d agree with that. I’ll go with you. I’ll help you with everything. You’re not alone any longer.”

He closed his eyes against the sting burning there suddenly. He knew what it was now, that prickle that warned that the deepest things he could possible feel were about to assault him. “Thank you.” It was the least he could do when he couldn’t tell her just how much that meant to him to have her by his side, even in this.

He was definitelyno longer without people who cared for him.

He was no longer lost. He was no longer beyond love. He was no longer beyond redemption.

Chapter 20

Prairie Rose

She’d always thought she had an open heart. She’d never kept it carefully guarded and she’d allowed herself to be hurt in the past. Anyone could have done it, which was what happened when you were too kind and too trusting. She thought she knew what it meant to love and to be proud, but she had no real idea until she stood with her family and the rest of the pack, watching their pack wiseman make his way down the line of men, women, and children who used to belong to the Phaethon Pack. One by one, they gave their oath, repeating his solemn words. A palm was held out and a quick, shallow cut made across the palm. Bright red droplets landed on the pristine white snow.

Prairie Rose shifted because her feet were freezing. She’d helped get ready for the pack run and the feast held at the big cabin to follow. It was snowing and windy, but also warm enough that the snow was sticky and soaked through her boots in no time at all.

As the wiseman neared Agnar, she held her breath. Her chest swelled as he held out his hand.

“I, Agnar, swear loyalty to the Nightfall Pack. A Nightfall I am now and a Nightfall I will remain. With my oath, I promise my help, my hands, and my wisdom to my alpha.” Agnar held out his palm and with a quick flash of a fresh blade, red welled up on Agnar’s palm. He closed it, making a fist, and the droplets beaded and slicked off into the snow.

He was the last to give his oath and a cheer erupted from those assembled around her.

Kieran’s twins walked with the wiseman, carrying a dish with blades to be cleaned and fresh blades. Since there were so many people giving oaths, Kieran decided it would be impractical to stop to sanitize after every single person.

She felt the wild energy rush through Levi and Blake, who had stood in the line right before Agnar. No one flinched or made a sound at the cut on their palm. She knew how much those hurt, shallow or not. They’d be healed within a matter of hours, since they were shifters.

Both boys turned and said something to Agnar, and it brought a prickling to her eyes and a rush of warmth through her when she watched how effortlessly he hugged his sons. Even a week ago, it was still hard for him. She knew he loved them, but maybe it wasn’t that he had such a hard time saying the words. Maybe they just all knew how insignificant and tiny those words were in comparison to how overwhelming and huge their emotions were.

They’d brought the box to Kieran ten days ago. He’d thought it was best to keep Rome out of it. Only the three of them knew what he had done. Kieran wanted to spare their parents and the rest of their family, those closest to Rome, more pain. He also wanted to keep Rome safe from anyone who had ties to Alexander who might want to start another cycle of killing and revenge.

Agnar and Kieran went together to personally inform every member of the Phaethon Pack that Alexander was dead, but their lands were gone. Kieran had extended a formal offer to every single person to join the pack officially with a blood oath ceremony. He didn’t force anyone, but anyone who didn’t want to join the pack would have to leave. They would be given IDs if they didn’t have them and some money to get them started wherever they chose to go. No one was rejected or turned away.

Not a single person took that offer. Everyone wanted to stay.

When Agnar went from home to home, his people were glad to see him. Now, he slapped men on the back, and shook hands with the women. Stopped to talk to the children. He was warm and they could tell that there was so much about him that had changed. Some still seemed astonished, and others were guarded and wary, even after taking their oath. Either way, they were welcomed as part of the Nightfalls and would now be given a permanent home.

Snow might have been falling in huge, fluffy flakes that would have been gentle if not for the stiff wind driving them, but the air itself felt warm and heavy. It was more than just the promise of spring coming soon. The whole woods where they’d gathered felt like brand new life had come before those longer days and the awakening brought on by a stronger, warmer sun.

After the congratulations, people started to pair off into groups for the pack run. It would be the newcomers first. Prairie Rose watched as Zora and her mom took charge, helping the women gather to head to a different part of the woods. They would shift in groups, men and women, and then join each other in the middle.

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