Page 90 of Mate Night Snack
Emmett considered it. "I think Varric would probably love it. The Council's always been interested in connecting isolated communities, sharing knowledge and resources. And God knows we've got the space and the security for it."
"It wouldn't have to be huge. Maybe twenty, thirty people to start. Just a long weekend, some workshops, some socializing." The idea was gaining momentum in her mind, possibilities unfolding like flowers in the spring air. "We could call it the Hidden Wonders Gathering. Make it an annual thing."
"I love it." He squeezed her closer. "And I love watching you build something that matters."
"We're building it," she corrected again. "Everything good in my life, we're building together."
“Is this your way of asking me to build a guest house for these gatherings?”
She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. “No. Not yet. But since you had the idea…”
He chuckled and pulled her in closer. “Well, let’s see how the Inn may hold up first, but I wouldn’t mind expanding on some land for retreats like that. Would be good for all the businesses around here.”
Katniss nuzzled his neck and gave him a kiss. “I love you.”
They leaned into a deep kiss with promises to lead to something more until Emmett pulled away reluctantly. “I just remembered. Miriam said something about dinner tonight for an anniversary?”
“For what?”
"The show, I think. Or maybe our marriage. Or possibly just the fact that it's Tuesday and she felt like cooking for a crowd." He shrugged. "You know how she is about finding excuses to feed people."
Katniss smiled, warmth blooming in her chest at the thought of another evening surrounded by the people who'd become her family. "I should probably shower and change, then. Can't show up to my own celebration looking like I've been wrestling with audio equipment all day."
"You look perfect," Emmett said, but he was already standing, offering her his hand. "But if you want to get fancy, I won't complain about the excuse to put on a clean shirt."
As they headed inside, Katniss caught sight of her reflection in the hallway mirror. Six months of marriage, of stability, of work that fulfilled her soul had left their mark in the best possible way. Her face had lost the sharp edges of constant stress, her eyes held the kind of peace that came from being exactly where you belonged, and the protective sigils beneath her skin gave her a subtle glow that seemed to come from within.
She looked happy. Genuinely, completely, radiantly happy.
"What are you smiling about?" Emmett asked, following her gaze to the mirror.
"Just thinking about how far we've come. How different my life is now from what I thought it would be." She turned to face him, reaching up to straighten the collar of his shirt. "Six months ago, I thought I knew what I wanted. Now I can't imagine wanting anything other than this."
"This?"
"All of it. The show, the town, the people we help, the life we're building." She kissed him again, deeper this time. "You. Always you."
"Always," he agreed against her lips.
This was what happiness looked like, she realized. Not fireworks or dramatic declarations, but quiet moments and shared dreams and the simple certainty that tomorrow would be even better than today.
She'd found her calling, her home, her person.
Everything else was just the beautiful details of a life well-lived.
39
EMMETT
The Council Glade looked different in the late afternoon light, softer somehow, as if the ancient trees had learned to bend toward joy instead of just duty. Emmett stood near the sacred circle, watching three young shifters practice the meditation techniques he'd been teaching them, their faces serious with concentration as they worked to find the balance between human reason and animal instinct.
"Remember," he said quietly, "it's not about suppressing your animal. It's about partnership. You're two parts of the same whole, and both parts deserve respect."
Marcus, the youngest at seventeen, cracked one eye open. "What if my wolf wants to chase that squirrel over there?"
"Then you acknowledge the want without acting on it. Feel the impulse, understand it, then choose what serves your higher purpose." Emmett smiled at the boy's frustrated expression. "It takes practice. Took me years to get it right."
"Years?" Elena, nineteen and fierce as her mountain cat, looked appalled. "I don't have years. I shift every time I get annoyed, and my little brother annoys me constantly."
