Harper catches Ben’s eye across the room and offers a warm smile. He looks away without acknowledging her, his expression shuttering closed. Something flickers across Harper’s face—hurt, maybe, or frustration—before she smooths it away and guides us toward him.
Ben hands Evie a bowl of stew without preamble. “Wyatt’s secret recipe. He won’t even tell Dane what’s in it.”
“It’s the juniper berries,” Wyatt says from behind the serving table—surprising us all by actually revealing one of his cooking secrets. “Everyone overthinks it.”
Evie laughs—a genuine sound—and I notice her shoulders relaxing.
Kari approaches next, her auburn hair almost matching Evie’s. She gives a small nod.
“What about dragon abilities?” Kari asks, studying Evie with curious recognition. “I saw you at Wildwater Falls when yourheritage first manifested. That must have been overwhelming to discover so suddenly.”
“It was,” Evie admits, tucking her hair back again. “Looking back, there were signs I didn’t understand. I grabbed a hot pan once without thinking—should have burned myself badly, but nothing happened.” Evie’s eyes brighten as she speaks, tiny amber flecks visible in the candlelight. “And lately, when I get emotional, the lights flicker, and I get these little sparks around my fingers.”
“Fire resistance makes sense for dragons,” Dane says, nodding thoughtfully. “Each supernatural background brings unique strengths to the pack—wolf, vampire, fae, angel, and now dragon.”
As Evie relaxes into the conversation, I notice her hair shimmering with a flame-like quality under the candlelight, tiny gold flecks dancing across her skin when she gestures animatedly. No one stares or pulls away; they simply accept these manifestations as part of who she is.
By the time dinner winds down, Evie is laughing comfortably with Harper and the others, all traces of nervousness gone. She leans toward me as the others clear dishes.
“Thank you for making this so easy,” she says quietly.
“You don’t have to thank me.” I push back from the table. “Come on, I’ll walk you back.”
Outside, stars dot the darkness above us. The sounds of continued conversation and laughter fade as we head toward her cabin.
“That’s what Ash Hollow does,” I tell her, watching her face in the moonlight. “We’re all different, but we’re family.”
Evie nods, a strand of auburn hair catching the silver light. “I didn’t expect to feel so ... welcomed. Usually, when people find out about the dragon thing, there’s this awkward moment where they try to hide their fear.”
“Here, different isn’t feared—it’s valued,” I say, remembering those early days when it was just Dane, Ben, Kari, Callum, and me. “When Dane convinced me to come here as a healer, I was terrified my fae heritage would make everyone suspicious. Instead, they just wanted to know how my healing could help build something new.”
We pause on the path, and I notice tiny gold flecks dancing across Evie’s skin as she gestures animatedly. No one at dinner flinched when it happened.
“I saw how you opened up when Kari asked about your abilities,” I say. “You lit up talking about them—no pun intended.”
“I’ve spent so long hiding parts of myself,” she admits. “It’s strange to just ... be.”
I recognize that feeling intimately—the relief of finally belonging somewhere that accepts all of you, not just the convenient parts.
“Ash Hollow is different that way,” I tell her. “Everyone here came from somewhere else—different pasts, different struggles. We don’t just tolerate differences. We understand them.” I think of my own path here, from the glittering halls of the High Fae Court to this place that feels more like home than anywhere I’ve ever been.
“I didn’t expect to feel at home so quickly,” Evie admits. “At the Lodge with Scarlett, I always felt like the outsider watching their happiness. Here, everyone just ... makes space.”
We reach her cabin, warm light spilling from the windows. Someone arranged flowers on the porch steps—a small, thoughtful welcome gesture.
“They’re not treating me like a guest,” Evie says, sounding slightly awed. “Or a potential threat.”
“Because you’re neither,” I say simply. “You’re pack.”
Looking at her confident posture now compared to her nervous arrival this morning, I feel a deep satisfaction. I’ve watched this pack grow from those first five of us into something extraordinary—and seeing each new member find their place never gets old.
“If you need anything at all, I’m just three cabins down,” I tell her while giving her a quick hug. “Day or night.”
Evie smiles, her eyes bright with genuine happiness. “Thank you, Lyanna. For everything.”
As I walk back to my own cabin, a profound sense of completion washes over me. I’ve helped build this place from the ground up, and watching newcomers like Evie find the same belonging I did makes every moment worth it. This is what we created—not just a pack, but a family.
Chapter 14
