“Mom?” Nero asked quietly, like he couldn’t believe it.
“Yup! We all know her,” Sage said with a grin. “We can take you straight there, if you want!”
Emotion filled Nero’s eyes. I felt so much regret, in hindsight, for misunderstanding him. He was just a man searching for his family, the same as I’d been doing my whole life. Perhaps we were more similar than I’d thought.
“I want to go now, but…” Nero glanced at Starry, who was nodding off in Sage’s lap. The night’s excitement had finally caught up to her. “Your kitten, um, seems to be tired.”
Nishiki leaned in and said, “Er, the kitten is actually their daughter. Long story.”
“O…kay.”
“But I’m tired, too, if I’m being honest. Keeping up with all you four-legged shifters was a struggle.” Nishiki yawned. “I’m fine spending the night here first.”
It was settled. Nishiki and Nero, reunited after months, went off in their own little corner. Sage and I found a small alcove nearby to rest with Starry, while Remington found a space in the middle.
Sage nestled up into me as a wolf, with Starry curled up at his belly. I spooned him from behind as a man, a position we both enjoyed.
“Tonight was wild,” Sage murmured.
“It was.”
“But y’know, Xander, I’m really proud of you.”
I blushed. “Why?”
“’cause the Xander I first met never would’ve apologized like that. You would’ve been likegrr, I’m gonna bite your head offinstead.”
“I was notthatbad.”
“You totally were.”
Starry mewled.
“See?” Sage said, grinning. “Even our baby agrees with me.”
I snorted a laugh. “She didn’t know me back then. She doesn’t get a vote.”
With a big smile, Sage licked my cheek. “Well, I’m glad you’re the alpha she deserves.”
I was glad about that, too.
