Page 62 of Marcus-stiltskin

“How did you come to know her?”

“We were in our witch apprenticeship together.”

The arbitrator raises an eyebrow. “That is a very late apprenticeship.”

“I was adopted and unaware that I was a witch until I was attacked at work a few weeks ago.”

“Interesting. And what do you do at the Wild Hare?”

“I’m a dancer, your honor.”

She nods. “As the owners of the property you destroyed do not see fit to press charges, I do not see the need to pass this matter onto the district attorney. Anything else?” She looks around. The room is silent, the Lamar side of the room still stunned. “Neil?”

“All rise,” the bailiff calls.

We all stand as the arbitrator carries the baby to Zelda Lamar. “Congratulations, grandma. Best of luck to you all.” She turnsand floats out of the room, ridiculously graceful for someone taller than most of the men in the room.

Marcus turns to me with a raised eyebrow. “So.”

“So,” I repeat.

“That was…something.”

“Yep. It sure was.”

He stands and offers me a hand up. “So I’m guessing this is officially the end of your time at the Wild Hare?”

“I think the universe has been telling me that for the last few weeks, I just refused to listen. It’s probably for the best. I’m getting old. They would have definitely put me out to pasture with Ramona soon enough.”

Marcus rolls his eyes and chuckles. I turn to head to the door, only to be stopped by Zelda Lamar, of all people. “I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for this family. Both of you. The Lamar pack owes you more than we can ever repay…not just for taking care of the baby, but for being the person Alyssa felt like she could rely on in her time of need.”

I smile awkwardly and nod. “Hopefully, this will be a positive turning point for all of us,” I say diplomatically. I don’t hate the Lamars, but I would not be sad at all to never see them again, especially when Zander keeps his distance from us instead of offering an apology to Marcus. The rest of the Lamar pack walks by without a word. I’m sure they’re still stunned, but a small part of me cannot get over the sense of mild betrayal, of feeling like I was part of their pack until I became a witch and it became inconvenient.

“You’re quiet,” Marcus says, taking my hand as we get back into his truck.

I pause for too long a moment, trying to put words to it.

“The Lamar pack were the first friends I thought I had here in town. Zander and I used to be close. I was there the night hemet his mate, Nolig. It just sucks. He didn’t even offer you an apology.”

He threads our fingers together and rubs his thumb over mine. “Some people’s worlds are very small. He’s the Beta, not the Alpha. His job is to be inner facing–watching the pack, protecting it. It’s the Alpha who is looking outward. In his mind, he did nothing wrong. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

“He could have killed you.”

“Not with my badass witch girlfriend at my side.”

I laugh and shake my head. “I think you mispronounced dangerous.”

“Let’s go home. I want to carry you to bed and pass out for the next eight hours because that baby put my normal fucked up sleep patterns to the test.”

“Yesss…sleep.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

In Which There is an Abundance of Babies

It’s close to noon, but a nap is definitely in order for us. Back at the fire station, we curl up as soon as we can get our shoes off and Marcus’s prosthetic is safely on the side of the bed. He wraps his arms around me, pulls me close, and we curl into a comfortable burrito of blankets as all the sleep I’ve been missing pulls me under.

The sun is setting when I wake hours later to find Marcus rolling to sit up.

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