Page 70 of Bait Wolf
“The system let you down,” Coal finally said. “The dregs of Lunar City found you and made you a victim. It almost killed you.”
I blinked, the reality that Coal was not angry withme, but at the fact that I had been put in that position, made my eyes sting all over again. Coal was right. None of it had been fair.
“I thought that night—” I choked, unable to go on for a moment. “I thought the fight night would be my last. Instead, I found you.”
“We found each other,” Coal corrected. “We get another chance to live the life we want. Together.”
“I don’t know how I got so lucky.”
“I’m the lucky one,” Coal said. “Somehow I went from nearly losing everything to gaining everything.”
My heart warmed.
When we finally collected ourselves enough to get back on the road, it only took a few more minutes to get back to Coal’s house—our home.
As soon as we walked through the doors, the sound of kids’ shows on the TV and the smell of something delicious reached us.
“Oh, looks like your daddy’s home,” a female voice said from the direction of the living room and a little girl squealed.
Excitement and nerves bubbled up inside me as the cutest little girl I had ever seen came bounding to me. She came to about my waist, with long, tangled brown waves and huge gray eyes, the same color as Coal’s.
I found myself lowering to her level, meeting her curious gaze as she stopped in front of me.
“Are you Coal’s mate?” she asked, appearing very concerned.
I nodded.
“Yes,” I said somberly. “I’m Ember. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
She watched me for a long time, searching my eyes. Finally, a tentative smile lit her face.
“So, you’re going to stay with us?”
I found myself glancing up to meet Coal’s warm gaze before I nodded.
“If you don’t mind having me,” I said. “I’d love to be part of your family.”
She seemed to consider for a moment and then nodded, reaching out and suddenly gripping me by the hand and pulling me along after her.
“Come on,” she said, waving Coal along and then turning to explain to me, “we’re watching my favorite movie!”
Coal’s friends were sprawled out on the couch, filling the living room with their large forms.
They all looked tired but smiled when they saw me.
“Looks like the lovebirds are back together again,” Everest said, standing. “Glad you’re back home.”
I smiled, touched that they cared.
I’d never had friends who would show up like this, right when they were needed.
“How is Seymour?” Coal asked gravely.
Everest’s normally bright gaze dropped to the carpet.
For a moment, he couldn’t speak.
“Still hasn’t woken up,” Aspen said, coming up behind him and patting his shoulder. “But he will, right buddy? That’s what the doctors said.”
