The relief hits me like a wave—so sudden, so overwhelming, it nearly pulls me under. My chest heaves. A sound breaks free from me, a mix between a laugh and a sob.
“Oh my God,” I mumble.
All I can think is that we’re not being split up. She’s not going to lose any of us.
Korbin chooses that moment to step into the kitchen, and he stops dead in his tracks when he sees me sitting in the chair, the food left unattended and the state of my face.
“What happened?” he demands, already moving toward the stove to turn it off and move pans off the burner. Only then do I smell the awful burned smell.
I can’t speak. Still too shocked that everything we’ve wanted is happening.
“Milton, what the fuck is going on? Are you trying to burn the house down?”
I shake my head, still unable to form words. Then it’s like something clicks into place and my mouth opens.
“We’ve been traded.”
Korbin’s face drains of color, much the same way mine must have when Gary told me.
“Are we on separate teams?” It’s the only question I cared about too when I heard.
“No, we got the same team.” The corners of my mouth turn up, and I can’t help the excitement in my next words. “The Krakens.”
“No fucking way. We’re both going to the Krakens?”
I nod.
"We have to meet with Gary this afternoon and do a press release.”
Korbin exhales, dragging a hand down his face. “About damn time we’re off this sorry-ass team. And together. It wasn’t our doing, but it’s still what we wanted.”
Lincoln enters the kitchen, hair rumpled, eyes still heavy with sleep. He stops dead when he sees us.
“What?” he asks. “What happened?”
“We got traded,” Korbin tells him. “To the Krakens.”
Lincoln stares at us. “You’re shitting me.”
“It’s true. I just got off the phone with Gary. We have a press conference this afternoon. We’re moving to a better team. And we’re still together.”
The weight of everything crashes over me all at once.
No more toxic locker rooms.
No more biting our tongues.
No more matchmaker vultures circling us.
No more pressure to bond with someone else.
We’re going somewhere safe.
My eyes drift out of the room. I can’t see her, but I remember how she looked, curled up in her nest with our marks nowon her, our scents wrapped with hers. She’s still resting so peacefully, totally unaware of the amazing news that just shifted our world right under our feet.
Lincoln smiles softly. “Let’s go wake up Bayleigh and tell her.”
Chapter 60
