“I’m not saying you should leave the pack forever,” Red went on. “But if that’s how you feel, it’s not going to change by itself. Sitting around and waiting for destiny to happen ain’t the way.”
His words hung in the air. Something clicked in my head, like an audible mental shift. Red was right. I wasn’t going to find meaning, or a fated mate, oranythingby just existing.
“When did you get so philosophical?” I mumbled.
Red cackled. “Don’t tell the others how smart I am, okay?”
I rolled my eyes. But Red’s words stuck with me like a burr. I hadn’tdoneanything in the months that followed Sage and Xander’s meeting and Starry’s subsequent birth. I always just lurked around the pack, helping out and letting the days go by. But I felt a flicker of guilt thinking about it that way. I genuinely loved my pack. They were the closest thing I had to a family. I was happy to help, but there came a time where I needed to help myself.
And that time was now.
* * *
“You’releaving?”Sage cried.
I slapped my forehead. I just had to pick the loudest pack member to tell first. Of course Sage couldn’t withstand blurting out the news that I’d asked him to listen tocalmly.
I started to say, “That’s not—”
But Sage’s shocked declaration had already spread around our small camp like wildfire. Len’s head popped up and he ran over, nearly dropping his book.
“Leaving? What are you talking about?” Len asked.
I groaned. “I’m not leaving forever. Sage made it sound more dramatic than it’s supposed to be.”
“I don’t understand,” Len said, brow furrowed in sympathetic confusion. “Where are you going?”
“Where’s Uncle Remmy going? Ooh, is he gonna get more books for us from the old house?” Lupa piped up. She was getting quite tall in her human form—her head was already at my hip, making it difficult to ignore her outspoken question.
“No, I’m not going to the manor, sweetie. I’m going away for a while,” I explained.
Lupa stared at me in that blunt and candid way children do. “Why?”
How am I supposed to explain my quarter life crisis to a child?
“Um, it’s complicated, Lupa,” I said.
My embarrassment turned into mortification as the rest of the pack showed up, all unable to ignore the loud conversation anymore.
“Wait, what’s happening?” Hugo asked as he stood beside his mate Len. “Are you okay, Remington?”
“I’mfine,” I insisted.
“How can you be fine if you’re leaving?” Sage cried. His eyes were as wide as a sad puppy’s. Thankfully, his mate Xander put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It immediately seemed to calm Sage down.
“Hold on,” Xander said, firm yet gentle. “Let’s hear what Remington has to say before we jump to conclusions.”
I sighed in relief. “Thanks, Xander.”
The whole pack was in front of me. My gaze slowly slid over them all. My fellow omegas—Len, Morgan and Sage—all amazing men and parents. Their alpha mates—Hugo, Dax and Xander—stood by them, strong and fierce protectors.
And then there were their kids, children I’d grown to think of as my own nieces and nephews despite not being blood related to any of them. My heart clenched as I looked down at Lupa, Leveret, Ashe and Starry. I already knew leaving them behind would be the worst part.
Was this really such a good idea?
A flicker of movement at the corner of my eye caught my attention. Standing off to the side from the rest of the pack was Red, the only other person who truly understood my feelings. He wasn’t anyone’s mate and he wasn’t related to anyone, either. But he’d proved his worth over and over again. There wasn’t a single doubt where his loyalties were.
But what about me? What did I contribute except legally owning the stupid wildlife reserve and the old, abandoned manor in the nearby human town? Those were justthings.Anybody could contribute those. It just so happened to be me, even though I hadn’t gained those things in a meaningful way. They were just my inheritance.
