Page 61 of Betrayed Auctioned Mate

“Good luck, Keira,” she sighs. “Don’t call me again.”

“I won’t.”

I end the call and stare at the phone. I wait for it to hit me. But there’s no sadness, no regret. Only peace.

In the clear blue afternoon, Rosecreek takes on a glow like I’ve never seen. I walk into the sunlight and start east, toward the water, gliding weightlessly through the town that is now mine.

Down by the lake, through a break in the trees at the end of the path, I see the pack gathering around a smoking firepit near the water’s edge. Rosa’s setting up the picnic tablewith Veronica’s help, and Aris carries a cooler toward the firepit with Bigby at his side, chatting. Rafael is already down by the water, talking animatedly with Percy while he sets up the grill. The sun is dipping lower in the sky, casting a golden light over everything, making the water sparkle.

People call out greetings to me as I pass through the space. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zane sitting at the fire with his head low, peering across the flames at Maisie, who watches the water with an odd look on her face.

I spot Ado standing on the shore, silhouetted against the light. He peers over his shoulder and smiles as if he can feel me there.

I smile to myself. This is my life now. And for the first time in years, it feels right.

When I reach him, Ado wraps an arm protectively around my middle and holds me flush against his side. He noses the side of my hair, then kisses my temple.

“Everything okay?” he asks, his voice warm and low.

“Yeah,” I say, leaning into him. “Everything’s perfect.”

Together, we walk back to the firepit, where the rest of the pack is waiting. The sound of laughter and the smell of grilled food fill the air, and as the sun sets behind the trees, a sense of belonging settles in me and stays.

Epilogue - Ado

The street lights blur as Keira and I stumble out of the cab, laughing and leaning into each other for support.

We were out far later than we’d planned. The night air is cool against my skin, but the warmth of the alcohol buzzing in my veins keeps me comfortable. The distant hum of cars on the freeway that runs north along the outside of town fades into the background as I focus on her, her arm around my waist and her head resting on my shoulder.

“Careful now,” I tease as she nearly trips on the curb. I steady her, my hands firm on her waist.

She looks up at me. Her blue eyes are bright with mischief and life. They seem to sparkle in the yellow light.

“I’m fine,” she giggles, though she’s clearly more than tipsy. “It’s you I’m worried about. Can you even make it up the stairs?”

I smirk. “I’ll manage. But I might need some motivation.”

Keira rolls her eyes playfully, then stands on her toes to press a kiss to my jaw. It’s soft, a little sloppy, but it makes my heart race anyway.

“How’s that for motivation?” she whispers.

“Pretty damn effective,” I murmur, grinning as I scoop her up into my arms without warning.

She lets out a squeal of surprise, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Ado! Put me down! You’ll drop me!”

“Never,” I say, carrying her toward the entrance of our tiny, cozy apartment building.

I kick open the door with my foot and navigate us into the lobby, her laughter echoing through the space.

The elevator ride is a blur of stolen kisses and whispered jokes. My head already aches—the hangover tomorrow will be tremendous—but I’m buzzing with too much joy and contentment to care. Before long, we’re at our door. I manage to fish out the keys from my pocket without putting her down. Keira cheers at that, kissing my cheek with a cartoonish flourish.

When we finally make it inside, I set her down gently on the floor, her feet coming down on the hardwood with a soft thud. The familiar scent of our place surrounds us—clean linen, a hint of the flowers Keira insisted on keeping by the windowsill, and just a trace of her perfume lingering in the air.

It must be two or three in the morning. When the pack asked us if we wanted to come out, we both initially said no—introverts that we are—but then decided we’d have fun once we actually got there. No surprise, we did.

“Hungry?” I ask, kicking off my shoes and heading toward the kitchen. I know her well enough now to know that Keira is always hungry at the end of a long night. “I can make us something.”

Keira flops onto the couch, stretching out like a cat. “Only if you’re cooking breakfast food. I’m in the mood for waffles.”

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