Page 79 of Shark 2

“Have I? You’re the one who seems to be struggling.” I yawned and tapped my free hand against my mouth.

Shamus growled and gripped the table with his other hand, now trying harder.

So, I gripped the table and started pulling the back of his hand down towards the tabletop.

Everyone cheered for who they bet on, some calling insults to “shark up” while others called words of encouragement.

With one more hard jerk, I slammed the back of his hand against the table, released it, and threw my arms up in victory.

“Kass, thirty and Shamus, zero!” I shouted. “How’s it feel to get defeated thirty times in a row?”

“I swear she cheats,” Shamus said as he rubbed his arm.

“How about darts?” I challenged.

His eyes sparkled. “Bring it!”

Tonka walked in carrying several bags and the scent of tacos immediately hit me.

“After tacos,” I said and Shamus nodded his agreement, rubbing his hands together at the scent.

Everyone got into a line to get some tacos.

Jong-min kissed my cheek as he stood beside me, smiling down at me. My formerly grumpy cat shifter male was much less grumpy ever since we’d officially become mates.

Grant stepped up behind me and kissed the side of my neck, right over his mark, making me shiver in delight.

Reed looped his arm around my waist and squeezed me against his side.

Not to be left out, Jong-hyun walked over, stooped in front of me, and placed a chaste kiss on my lips, giving me a wink before he turned around.

“Hey! No cutting,” I accused him.

“I’m protecting your front,” he replied.

Rolling my eyes, I stepped out of my mates’ holds and stepped in front of him. “No, you’re trying to get tacos before me. I thought we decided as a pack that I always get to eat first?”

“No, you tried to enact that and we all declined,” Jong-min countered.

“You said you’d rather I ate first, so you didn’t have to deal with me being hangry,” I reminded him.

“I said that for that day because you were being exceptionally hangry,” he countered back.

After filling up our plates, everyone sat together, eating, teasing each other, and enjoying the delicious food.

This was everything I had ever wanted.

This was my true, happily ever after.

Epilogue

“Who stole the tray of cookies?” Theo shouted. “Cassandra, was it you?”

“It wasn’t me, Mom!” she shouted back from the couch beside me, quickly shoving the last cookie into her mouth and chewing it as fast as she could to hide the evidence. Cassandra was four years old, a mage, had bright red, curly hair, and had been adopted by Theo and her mates three years ago. I absolutely spoiled the crap out of the adorable girl. I spoiled all of my nieces and nephews.

She wasn’t lying about not stealing the cookies. I had stolen the cookie tray and shared my spoils with all five of my nieces and nephews.

It was crazy how four years could bring so much change. Four years after my mating party, I now had three nieces and two nephews.

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