Page 54 of Remy & the Wildcat

“What will happen to the houses in the old town?” Linus asked.

“They belong to the town,” he said. “It’s just like Copper Creek. There’s no one to run the town anymore, no one living there except a few humans who worked at the factory. Marty said he’d put in a call to some agencies to see about shutting down the factory and cleaning up the town, but it won’t be our responsibility.”

“I think you’ve got a great home here,” Jenna said. “And the wildcat pride is so welcoming and kind.”

“We can be that way because we’ve got kind and welcoming alphas,” Mila said with a smile.

Remy walked his family and friends out to their vehicles and returned a few minutes later. He spoke to the wildcats who were gathered and had waited out the whole time she was healing. Even though she hadn’t really been able to see or hear everything around her, she’d felt their presence and their worry, and knew they’d watched over her along with Remy’s mom and friends.

She was feeling one-hundred-percent blessed to have found her truemate.

Remy stood next to her and faced the pride.

“There are less of us in the pride now,” he said, his voice strong and filled with the authority of his alpha nature. Her whiskers twitched as she gazed up at him. He was one sexy male. “Thyme nearly gave her life trying to save the pride. I’ve spoken with our only elder—Liam—and we’ve decided to move forward with the ascension ceremony. As dawn is coming in a few short hours, we’ll have it tonight when the sun sets, and then the laws of this pride will be changing. A new elder will be appointed alongside Liam and there will be rank fights to set up a new order of authority within the pride, something that’s been lacking here. While Thyme and I will have the full authority, there will be others who, along with the elders, will help to bear the burden in shaping our pride as we move forward with a new chapter. For the next week, Thyme and I will be hearing from any who have questions or concerns, so please don’t hesitate to come see us, or speak with Liam. In the meantime, I’m going to shift and take my newly-healed mate out for the run that we should have had, if it hadn’t been interrupted by the murderous intentions of a few wildcats.”

“We’ll join you,” Marty said.

“I second that,” Mike said. “I didn’t even get to bag one of them bucks that ran around us.”

“I’m in,” Dana said.

Remy smiled at Thyme as the pride agreed to go for another run, even though they’d already been in their shifts. She knew it was a testament to what they’d heard from Remy and their approval of the changes that they were planning to make.

She and her mate had a lot to talk about, not only with what had happened tonight but also the changes they were planning to make to the pride. They’d spent a lot of time over the last week talking about the pride and how to make it better. It was good to change with the times, rather than be left behind as some archaic monstrosity no one wanted to be part of.

She was thankful for Remy, for the pride and their friends, and mostly for the black-furred healing wolves that had bit the hell out of her and saved her life.

Remy felt amazing as he and Thyme headed back to the house after the second shift and hunt of the night. The sun was coming up now, golden light filtering through the trees as the night faded into blue skies and fluffy clouds.

He and his mate had taken down a buck and the pride had celebrated with them as they shared the kill and reveled in the hunt. Now, as they shifted back to their human forms and dressed in the kitchen of the house they’d chosen, Thyme smiled at him with a sleepy expression.

“I’m so freaking exhausted,” she said. “I felt energized when I first shifted after the healing, but not anymore.”

“I’ve been bit with venom before, so I know how you feel.”

She looked out the sliding door. “The pride’s milling around.”

“I think they want to check on you.” He slowly drew her close, and cupped her face. “Sweetheart, I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you. I’m so glad you’re safe and with me still.”

She brushed her lips over his once, twice. “I’m glad I’m still here too. Thank you for everything—for bringing your healer friends, for taking care of Leif and the others, and for running with me again in your shift. This has been the longest freaking night of my life.”

He looked out the door to the sunrise. “Night’s over, sweetheart. A new day’s waiting.”

They stepped out and the pride clapped and cheered. Thyme leaned against him with a soft sigh. “Thank you, everyone. For those who supported Remy and stood with us, to those who watched over me while I was healing—thank you from the bottom of my heart. Remy and I are looking forward to the ascension ceremony tonight and becoming the rightful and true alphas of the pride. Now go home and rest, we’ll meet back here at five and have a cookout before the ceremony. Then we’ll party all night.”

The pride cheered and Remy grinned.

He kissed the top of her head. “You’ve got the best ideas, sweetheart.”

“My current idea is to get to Marin and the bed before I pass out.”

“After we chat. I have a lot to tell you.”

“Of course.”

They said goodbye to the pride and got into the car. Remy drove back to Marin and told her everything he’d learned while dealing with the ones who’d tried to take everything from him.

She listened quietly and didn’t ask questions until the very end.

---