Page 133 of Red River

"That’s strange, right?" I muttered, trying to distract myself from the nerve-wracking moment about to happen.

"Yep. A true mystery. Could it be what they say about TM children in general? About their increased chances? Or something more? Because Skye has some ideas…"

"Hmm," I hummed, though my mind was too full of everything else to focus on the mystery right now.

"It’s probably Storm’s doing," Aiden chimed in, stepping closer and peering up at me as if trying to read my mood. He clearly remembered who had helped Jan and Day find each other. "I’m gonna ask him about my True Mate."

"Aiden, I don’t think that’s the best idea. Maybe when you’re older, but for now, let’s not bother him with that."

"I doubt Storm found their mates," Archer said. "Skye thinks there’s someone else in your family who made it happen. One of your brothers… apparently, he’s pretty special."

Something clicked in my mind—memories from years ago, surprising events tied to one of my brothers, Snow. I was just about to say something when I felt a tug on my sleeve.

"Dad, I gotta pee," Lake muttered, pulling at my arm.

"Uhh… You’re gonna have to hold it for a bit. The wedding’s happening right now—"

"I caaaaaaaaan’t!" Lake whined.

Igor stepped closer. "Come on, Lake. See that trash can over there in the shade? I’ll take you there, and you can go," he offered, taking Lake’s hand protectively.

I sighed in relief. "Thanks, Igor."

Over the past few months, the change in Igor had become even more obvious—and permanent. I was now sure that Thomas had been right—Igor really did have what it took to be a leader. His energy had firmly settled into something calm and steady, a lot like Archer’s. He trained with Archer all the time now, even thinking about entering his first Muay Thai competition at the local level.

At school, his grades were solid, and his relationships with his brothers had never been better. More and more, they looked to him as their second-in-command.

It was hard to believe how much had happened in just a few months—how my rebellious teenage son was growing into a strong, level-headed young man. And a very handsome one at that.

Physically, he’d changed too. In these few months, he’d put on muscle and grown almost an entire inch.

Even his video channel reflected his transformation. He was posting progress videos showing how many push-ups or muscle-ups he could do now, along with short clips from his martial arts practice.

I glanced at the man who’d had so much to do with that—Archer. His influence was undeniable.

I moved closer, clinging to his elbow and practically pressing myself against his side. "I love you, you know that?" I whispered. "And thank you for bringing me here today."

Archer scoffed lightly. "River, I’m happy to be here. You have no idea how much. It’s easy to run away from problems, but facing them? Trying to fix things? That takes real courage. And you’re doing it today—pushing through fear and stress. I’m so damn proud of you."

My throat tightened.

Just then, Igor was back with Lake, and I turned toward them.

"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath. "Let’s attempt our stealthy trip to the back of the house."

"Yes, let’s move," Riley hurried, slipping his arm through mine.

He’d also grown a bit in the past few months. College was going well for him, but he missed us. I glanced up at him and realized, with some annoyance, that he was now so much taller than me. In fact, out of all the adults in my family, I was officially the shortest omega. At 5’4", I was practically a hobbit compared to my dad, who stood at 5’8", and now Riley had more than two inches on him!

Our whole group moved toward my parents’ backyard. The front gate was wide open, and there was no one in the parked cars. As we walked past them, I spotted a few catering staff moving between a van and the back entrance of the building.

I held my breath as we rounded the house.

And then I saw them all.

A huge crowd had gathered on the lawn. Luckily, thanks to the slight slope of the yard, we had a pretty decent view of the main tent and the flower-draped stage.

And there, standing right in the middle, were my brother Rain and his fiancé, Kay—a tall, striking omega with breathtaking beauty.

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