Page 64 of Homecoming

Osca sighed. “Yes.”

“She was a bitch to me.”

“Yes. I stopped her, and I will stop you. Just so we are clear. You are not carrying this to the next generation,” Osca murmured in his wife’s ear.

Ligo hugged Orla. “Finish your smoothie.”

She chuckled, and Iro handed her the smoothie. “Drink up. After this, we are having a barbecue.”

“Wait, is that what Shon and some of her relatives have been sneaking around since dawn?”

“Correct.” Iro laughed. “Having the meet-the-parents moment is always fun.” He looked to Breelin and his sister, focusing on Avenar. “Well, usually.”

Figures were walking up the path on the ocean side, and when Orla identified the short white hair and silvery eyes, she sprinted past everyone and ran for the woman in the flowing cotton dress and wide-sleeved shirt.

Orla ran past Serin and sobbed, “Belle!”

Belle caught her and rocked back on her heels. “Hey, Orla. So, the giant squid, huh? Island gossip is unbelievable.”

Orla felt that Belle was thin but strong, just as she had always been. “How are you feeling? Are you good now?”

“I am good. Rang the bell. I was in the islands recuperating when Serin mentioned that you were having a little celebration. I am up for a party.”

“Oh, my god. This is the best present ever. Thanks, Serin!”

Serin helped Belle up the hill. “Come on. She needs to sit. She’s cancer-free but still not as sturdy as she used to be.”

Belle looked behind her. “Looks like you have more guests arriving. You might want to help the short one up the hill.”

Orla felt her eyes go wide and saw the boat pulling up and being tied. When the female figure stepped onto the dock, Orla gasped, but when the small figure jumped onto her and was carried toward the steps in the hill, Orla bolted down the path, and Jane grinned as they met. “Hello, Orla.”

The hug was tremendous, the little voice squeaking, “Anorra!” He had golden hair, bright grey eyes, and a mask of darker skin around his eyes. It was like he was wearing a tanned mask.

Jane laughed. “Congratulations. We are here for a party, so if we get to a flat surface, you can watch how fast he can run now.”

Orla put an arm around her and helped her up the steps with her excited, wiggly burden. The moment they got to the top, Jane put her son down, whispered to him, and he darted toward the men gathered around the food prep.

Jane snorted. “He always seeks out the guys.”

Orla grinned, and they went to sit with Belle. Terro ran around like a little loon, and as he prodded at the alphas for attention, they looked at him with surprise and turned shocked gazes toward Jane.

Jane muttered, “Huh. I think they have figured out something I have been wondering about.”

Orla blinked. “Oh, so his dad has a distinguishing feature.”

“Well, it would explain the birthmark around the eyes.”

Terro barrelled toward them, and Orla caught him up. “Come on. I want to introduce you to your new uncles properly. There are a lot of them.”

She laughed and took Terro to meet the others.

When she introduced him to Ligo and Iro, they stared at him. He stared back and then looked away as if they weren’t what he was looking for.

“Weird. This is Terro. He’s Jane’s son. So, what do you see when you look at him.”

“Someone we know.” Iro looked at the toddler. “Hey, little guy.”

Terro looked at him and then stuck his arms out in demand.

---