Booker muttered, “I learned patience from surviving you,” which earned him a swat from Mira and a rare full laugh from Elias.
Then Mira turned dreamy. “And I’ll have grandpups. Eventually. No pressure, of course.”
Booker nearly choked on his drink. “Mom.”
I bit back a smile. “We’ll take our time deciding where to live first.”
Mira leaned forward. “Speaking of that, have you two thought more about it? Timber Ridge has room for you. There’s a lovely house available on our street, with plenty of room to build a family.”
Elias added, “We’d like you close, but only if it feels right. A mate bond needs space to grow where it feels steady.”
“We’ve been talking it through.” Booker’s gaze slid to mine. “But we’re not rushing into a decision.”
“Every place we’ve been has felt like a part of our story.”
Mira reached over and squeezed my hand. “Take your time. Home is something you build, not something you hurry.”
Booker smiled at her words, and something in my chest warmed. I understood then why he grew into the man he was. He’d been raised in a house where strength came wrapped in gentleness.
Elias leaned back, pointing at Booker with his fork. “And if he ever forgets that, you let us know.”
“I won’t forget,” Booker grumbled, brushing his shoulder against mine.
We were still smiling when the kitchen door swung open, and Bexley emerged. I’d met the grill chef earlier, when Booker took me around Timber’s Treasures to introduce me to everyone.
The polar bear shifter nodded at Elias, but his gaze lingered a beat too long on the doorway, his nostrils flaring subtly as if catching a scent on the breeze. Something in his posture pricked my echo-sense.
I nudged Booker under the table. “Think Bexley’s okay? He looks distracted.”
Booker chuckled. “Polar bears are broody on a good day. But yeah, something’s got him rattled.”
Mira leaned in conspiratorially. “I heard he’s been like that all day. Snapping at suppliers and burning perfectly good steaks.”
I felt a sympathetic twinge, wondering if his bad mood had something to do with finding his fated mate. If he had, I had faith all would work out in the end…like it had for Booker and me.
Life with my wolf was everything fate promised...and more.
EPILOGUE
BOOKER
Alara’s fingers laced through mine as she stepped beside me to watch our children from the front porch of our cabin.
After spending time in all three of our “homes,” we’d decided that our permanent base was with the Wilderness Pack, but we made frequent visits to Timber Ridge, as well as Nightbriar a few times a year.
This cabin was where our hearts lived, though. It was where our pup and kittens had been born, where they would grow up, and where they would return once they were adults who needed to come home.
Lilia, our six-year-old pup, growled at the elderly wolf she was facing off with. Then he was attacked by two cubs, our five-year-old, Porter, and three-year-old, Addie. My dad fell to the ground and howled like a pack of fully grown shifters had taken him down.
Alara giggled when, not to be outdone, Lilia leaped onto the pile of wrestling animals.
“How about we take the kids home with us tonight?” my mom suggested as she meandered from the house onto the porch.
My wolf immediately perked up, extremely interested in this plan. My cock stiffened, definitely in full agreement with the idea. I fucking adored my children and wouldn’t trade a second of the time I spent with them. But it had been several months since Alara and I had a night alone together. And she’d been a little more demanding in that department lately. As she always was when she was carrying one of our babies.
Unfortunately, that meant a lot of quickies and quiet fumbles in the night. I was ready to really celebrate knocking up my mate again by taking my time, worshipping her body, and making her come so hard she forgot her own name. Just so long as it was mine she screamed.
Alara tried to play it cool, but I didn’t miss the hitch in her breath or the slight acceleration of her pulse. I bit back a smile when I met her pretty gray eyes, and her cheeks bloomed with pink. “Um, that would be…sure. No problem. We can…um, pick them up tomorrow?”
