Page 31 of Mates for the Rejected Wolf

She nods slowly. “No rest for the wicked, I suppose.”

I grip her hands a little tighter. “Well, that just means we have to remain in one another’s lives for a little longer, doesn’t it? We can’t break up the team now.”

“You want to break up the team in the future?” She cocks her head to one side, seemingly trying to figure out what I’m thinking.

“I…I don’t know if that’s up to me. It’s really up to you.”

She pulls me closer to her. “I know what I want. I also know that it isn’t the most conventional way to live, but does that matter? Do we have to worry about how others will perceive us, or should we just be happy and live our lives?”

I smile at how bold she can be. “This isn’t just you thinking about crossing the line between wolves and dragons, though,” I remind her. “This is you crossing that line with more than one dragon, who you probably shouldn’t be considering in the first place, and two wolves on top of that. This might cause some backlash. Is that something you are willing to deal with? It isn’t going to be easy.”

“Haven’t you learned that I am stronger than that?” she asks, looking extremely determined to get her way.

“Yeah, you’re right,” I agree. “But what about the other guys?”

“I think you already know what we want,” Roddrur says from behind me. I didn’t even know he had come into the room, but there he is. Slane too. “We all know how crazy this is, but we also know this is exactly what we want. And before you say it,” he holds up his hands to silence me before I can get a word out, “I know this will mean me being more public. I know this will leave me in a position where I am exposed and vulnerable, but I need to start living my life. I want this to be the way that I start living my life.”

A smile breaks out across my face. “Okay, well, I can’t argue with that, can I? But we’re going to have to find somewhere a little bigger to live…”

“Or we could just expand Jace’s place,” Fern offers. “I don’t know about you guys, but I have gotten pretty used to being here. I like it, away from everyone out here. This kinda feels like our home.”

We all look over to Jace, who is just starting to come back around, with a silent agreement that this would be a good move for all of us, as long as Jace is into it. It’s oddly perfect, just like us.

19

SLANE

Istand back and watch as Jace hammers in another board, happily expanding his home so we can all fit in it together. Even though we’re invading his space and making his home our own, he’s happy. Happier than I thought he could be. He’s grown in to a brand new version of himself, no longer the lone wolf bad boy only hooking up with women for one-night stands. I love that for him. He’s an awesome guy, which only makes me sadder that we spent years not really knowing one another. I guess all of this had to happen in the exact way that it did for us to end up in this position. Happy and together, all of us.

“You think he’s okay?” Roddrur asks me quietly as he watches Jace too.

“The medicine you made seriously cured him,” I say with a laugh. “All that time spent hidden away in your cave, creating medical miracles, was worth it. I don’t know where we would be without you.”

He nods thoughtfully. “It’s in my blood.”

“Along with being a royal, right? That’s in your blood too?”

Again, he nods.

“I know it’s been a little while now, and we still haven’t heard from any of your dragon enemies, but are you still worried? Because I think about it all the time.”

He shrugs. “I’m probably always going to be worried. There’s no telling what will happen next. If more dragons end up in Iron Mountain, then it will really be time to freak out, but if I just take it one day at a time, then I think I can survive.”

“You know you always have us; we’re here for you. If the dragons do come here, we will defend you to the end, you never need to worry about that. I mean, we’re always together now, aren’t we? Nothing will ever get in our way.”

He pats me on the shoulder and smiles a grateful smile.

We’re so lucky to be a little pack of our own. But we need to speak to our actual pack soon, to make sure we will always have the support of the Iron Mountain wolves. Because we’re going to need it. Not just for any more fighting that might come our way, but also because of our relationship. We aredefinitelygoing to get a lot of shit thrown at us, and if we at least have their support, it will make things a lot easier. It isn’t something that I’m looking forward to, but I’ll do whatever it takes.

I leaveRoddrur where he is and seek out Fern, because it’ll be up to her when we finally face Echo and the pack elders. Jace and I have been happy to wait until she is ready, because it’s her father who’s going to have a big impact on all of us.

I find her standing at the edge of the property line, looking out wistfully. Or maybe she isn’t really looking at all. Maybe she’s just thinking about everything, trying to process it all. It certainly has been a crazy time, during which all of our lives have been permanently changed. I can understand why she might need a moment to take it all in.

She turns when she hears me approach. “Slane, hi. I was just…”

I stand beside her and smile. “Thinking?” I finish for her with a smile. “I know you have a lot on your mind. It’s been a wild few days, and I’m sure you have a lot going on in that head of yours.”

She nods.“I think it might be time to face my father. I want to speak with him and finally get some answers.”

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