Page 74 of Cold Foot Croc

Through the small kitchen was a bedroom with two bunk beds, and there was a loft above that looked like it had two twin mattresses on the floor.

The Crew had created a safe place for Breah to sleep while Raynah Changed, and they had created a place for them to spend time together as well.

She loved this place even more now.

“You guys are something else,” she uttered, looking around at them, all crowded into the small home. King and Reed were standing just outside the door, wearing matching smiles.

Raynah nodded over and over, at a loss for words.

“You’re worth it,” Wreck said, breaking the silence. “Just so you know, we’ve all said at different times how you were always meant to be here. Katrina was supposed to drag you out of Cold Foot, and you were supposed to escape and join us. You and Breah. You weren’t on the list, but you should know Beaston sees you with us.”

“I was thinking about leaving this whole time,” Raynah admitted.

“We know,” Katrina said. “We could feel it lately. We had to be patient and not put too much pressure on you, so you wouldn’t feel trapped here. We wanted you to choose us.”

She belonged? She belonged. She really belonged?

“I take it back,” she said. “I won’t eat any of you, even if you tell too many dick jokes or rap about my butt.”

The Crew broke out into laughter, and just like that, the overwhelming moment lightened. Raynah would think about all of this deeply later tonight, when she was home and snuggled up next to Garret in bed. She would mull over everything that was happening here, and accept the beauty of it.

But for now, her skin was crawling with the urge to slip into that steaming water outside.

“Your eyes,” Garret said from beside her, brushing his fingertip over her cheek. “We should let you get to it.”

“Will you stay?” she whispered as the Crew filed out of the little home.

Garret nodded. “Of course.”

“I won’t hurt you or Breah. My animal knows you. She won’t hurt anyone here.”

“I know. I’ll stay.” He paused for a second, and then leaned in. Against her ear, he whispered, “I’ll always stay.”

Oh, he knew the weight of those last three words. She could tell.

I’ll always stay.

The fear was gone now.

The testing was done.

She was safe with the Cold Foot Crew.

She was safe with Garret.

No matter what happened from here on out, she would protect this life with the people she cared about.

No more urges to run for Raynah.

She and Breah were home.

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