Page 134 of Meet Your Maker: Part One

I cross my arms, leveling them all with a glare. “That’s not an answer.”

Shadow shrugs, their green eyes sparkling with amusement. “If you want the truth, we’re not sure. You were fast, though—way too fast for us to keep up. But you definitely had that sleek, predatory edge to you.”

“Right…the shadow walker couldn’t keep up with me. I call bullshit.”

Ben chuckles, and calls from the kitchen, “Whatever it was, it was magnificent.”

Tomas nods, his golden eyes locking on mine. “And dangerous. Wouldn’t want to be on the other side of those claws.”

My stomach flips, heat crawling up my neck. “You’re all the worst,” I mutter, reaching for the last waffle to hide my embarrassment. “There should be a law…” I grumble.

“You’d think she’d worked up an appetite or something,” Ben’s eyes twinkle with way too much mirth as he sets down a fresh batch.I bet his animal side would tell me what I shifted into.

I try mean-mugging them for a few minutes, but they’re united in keeping my animal a secret from me. Eventually, I give up and dig back in, finding it impossible to stay angry with waffles in my mouth. Sweetness and warmth flood my senses, each bite a counterpoint to the wildness that still thrums just beneath the surface of my skin.

I swear if this was my last meal on earth, I’d count it as a triumph.

We laugh between mouthfuls, reckless and easy. Shadow flicks a strawberry at Ben, who catches it in his mouth with a playful growl. Tomas’ eyes gleam with approval, his smile soft and open as he watches us. The bond between us hums in the background, a thread of gold tying us all together.

Breakfast leaves me warm, full, and drowsy, but I can’t escape my nose. I stink and I’m itchy, I won’t be able to relax until I’m clean.

Standing under the steaming spray, streaked with dried mud and twigs tangled in my hair like forgotten ornaments, I washaway the remnants of the night’s wildness, dried in sticky patches and still clinging to my skin.

Hot water sluices over me, but it’s their hands that truly do the work. Ben’s fingers anchor my hips, his grip firm and possessive, while Shadow’s mouth traces fire along my shoulder. My back meets the cold tile, the shock grounding me even as my mind fogs with delirious need.

They take me in tandem, their touches fierce, each movement a deliberate act of reclamation. Their scents layer over me again—ginger and ashes, pine and cardamom—staking their claim. My mind quiets, instincts humming with the certainty that this is right. I almost smell like myself again. As soon as Grayson rises, I’ll rub all over him, and then… then I’ll be properly perfumed.

My Alpha’s molten gaze holds me together, his silent approval as potent as any touch. Even as I fall apart, it anchors me. When my release finally claims me, it’s a rush of surrender—pure, instinctive, and wilder than I’ve ever felt before.

By the time we emerge, the packbed calls to us like a siren’s song. I sink into it, surrounded by warmth, strength, and the unshakable sense of being exactly where I belong.

***

I stretch languorously, feeling a glorious ache in muscles I didn’t even know I had. My fingers brush against my ring, the cool metal a reassuring contrast to the warmth cocooning me. I lift my hand, watching the stone flash blue-green in a shaft of afternoon light.

Bonded. Engaged. The thought does a giddy little two-step in my brain before I slip back into that hazy place between waking and sleep. Who’d have thought I’d be here—wrapped up in myAlpha, in all my mates, snuggled down in a whole heap of happiness?

I drift for a moment, floating on the edge of consciousness. Through the fog, I glance over my shoulder at Big Daddy Wolf. His hair’s a mess, curls tumbling over his forehead, his face relaxed, jaw softened by stubble. Even his wolf seems content, probably snoozing right along with him. He looks so peaceful, and Lord knows he’s earned a lie-in.

But Ben and Shadow are already up. A quick check of their bonds tells me they’re busy with something—a buzz of industriousness threading through their emotions.

My heart squeezes, a wave of affection pulling me deeper into drowsiness. The universe finally feels like it’s cutting me some slack.

A whisper of a thought nudges me awake again: maybe I should check on Grayson. He’s probably sprawled out in his suite under the house, dead to the world until sunset. I smirk.Sure glad I don’t have to sleep all day.

A sharp clang echoes through the open window, snapping me fully awake, followed by a high-pitched puppy bark. Sumi must be supervising Ben and Shadow, which probably means something’s getting chewed on that shouldn’t be.

Careful not to wake Tomas, I slide out from under his arm. He lets out a little grunt, his lips tugging downward, like he knows I’m leaving and doesn’t like it one bit. My heart melts as I press a kiss to his forehead and whisper, “Be right back.”

Chapter Fourty Eight

Emerald Skies

— Sunday —

I pull on the long blue dress draped over the chair and slip into a pair of flats—good enough for round-the-house wear, but useless if off-roading’s in my future. My hair’s a mess, but I tug it into a quick braid. Ain’t no point in trying to be fancy today.

As I open the door, a breeze rustles the curtains, carrying the faint scent of rain. I pause, eyes drifting to the horizon. A smudge of dark clouds gathers in the distance, but it’s May in Mississippi. If we didn’t have a storm brewing, I’d be worried.

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