Page 49 of Jasper

“Me too.”

After the mating ceremony, the pack would have a big party in the wolves’ paddock on the safari tour, and then they’d go for a shift and run. Jasper promised that though she couldn’t shift, she could still run around with him while he shifted. She’d never had a chance to do that before, so she was really looking forward to it.

Plus, being with the pack, which even though it had only been a couple weeks, felt more like home to her than her own pack had.

It was hard to believe that a whole entire wolf pack lived and worked in a safari park in New Jersey—and humans wereentirely clueless. Not to mention the other shifter groups who called the place home.

There was a bleating sound and Melody leaned over the edge of the tiki hut and said, “Oh! It’s Luna with Jonas! Hi, Luna!” Melody hurried around the tiki hut and gave her young friend a hug.

“Hi, Melody,” Luna said. “Jonas was jumping around like a loon and head-butting Mercer, so I brought him out for a walk.”

Melody squatted down and cupped the cute goat’s head. “You stinker. Causing trouble, huh?”

“It’s a good thing he’s so cute,” Luna said. “He always wants to come here to visit. I think it’s because of Tank and the other prey animals.”

“That makes sense,” Melody said as Jonas ducked his head and tried to grab one of her shoelaces. “Hey, dude, no chewing!” She pushed his head away with a laugh and rose to her feet.

“They should have named him Trouble,” Luna said. “So tomorrow’s the big night. Are you excited?”

“Very.”

Luna sighed dramatically. “I can’t wait until I find my Mr. Right. But Mercer keeps saying I’m not allowed to date until I’m thirty.”

Melody chuckled. “That seems excessive, but of course he just wants you to be safe and happy.”

“Well, I can be safe and happywithMr. Right. If he ever shows up.”

Jonas took that moment to start hopping around, nearly head-butting Melody in the knee.

“I think he’s ready to keep walking,” she said.

“I’d say so,” Luna said. “See you guys later.”

“Bye.”

Melody watched the teenager and little goat as they walked away from the safari tour, the soft bleating echoing in the air.

“She’s sweet,” Melody said when she returned to the tiki hut.

“No way Mercer lets her date, even when she’s thirty. He’s taking his brother-in-law status very seriously.”

“Do you ever wish you had siblings?”

“Yeah. It would have been nice not to be alone. You?”

“I think so too. But I also feel like I have lots of siblings here. Plus, your friends have assured me that when they find their happily-ever-afters, that we’ll all be family.”

In fact, the males were taking bets on who was next to get their soulmate in their friend group. Lucius was certain it would be him, but Alfie, Indio, Benjamin, and Patton were very certain it would be one of them.

Jasper slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “You’re my family, and having my friends be like family to you is so special to me. Having you in my life is the best feeling, and I hope my friends don’t have to wait too long.”

They were just about to kiss when she heard someone coming and pushed herself gently from his embrace.

“Later,” he murmured.

Her cheeks heated and a thrill wove through her.

She freaking loved Jasper so much.

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