Mira hopped out of the truck before Leo could open her door and hurried to the porch, hugging her parents.
“We’re so happy for you,” her mom said.“I can’t believe you shifted!”
Her dad hugged her mom and Mira together.“It’s a wonderful thing.”He shook Leo’s hand, and her mom gave him a hug.
“Thanks for coming,” Daphne said.“Would you like some coffee?”
“I could go for some plus whatever that sweet blueberry confection is that I’m smelling,” Mira said.
“That would be their freshly made blueberry donuts, they’re delicious,” Daphne said.
They walked into the bed-and-breakfast to the dining room, which was a mishmash of eclectic tables and chairs that didn’t match but somehow fit together.The owner brought out a plate of donuts and greeted Leo and Mira, then disappeared, leaving the four of them with a carafe of coffee, mugs, and donuts that smelled incredible.
After a few minutes of delicious donuts and piping hot coffee, Mira cleared her throat and wiped sugar off her fingertips.“So first, I wanted to clear the air.It hasn’t been long since I’ve known the truth about myself, but it’s all I can think about.Well, at least whenever I’m not thinking about Leo,” she said with a chuckle.
Leo grinned at her.
She continued, “But I wanted to say that I’m not mad at you for keeping things from me.Iwas,and I think it was a justified anger, but I also know that it would be hard to find the right time to talk to someone about such a devastating thing.Especially knowing my biological family is gone, and the Wiccan who cast the spell was dead and couldn’t undo it.You protected me the way you thought was best, and I have zero regrets about my upbringing.The house is family to me.Idowish I had memories of my biological family, I mean, I have a twin brother I’ll never know, but I’m alive because my parents trusted you, and you’ve always been so good to me.”
“You’re our daughter, no matter that we aren’t connected biologically,” Gideon said.“I am sorry for the deceit.I was a coward.I was afraid you’d hate us and leave.”
“I’m sorry too,” Daphne said.
Mira stood and moved around the table, and they met her in a warm embrace.Leo’s chest went tight because he’d never really had that in his own life.But he could have that with Mira and their future children.He’d be the best damn mate and father on the planet.
When Mira returned to her seat after giving Leo a kiss on the cheek, she explained that staying in Thorn Hollow was the right choice for them.
Her mom said, “Won’t you miss being on the road with us?All the interesting places we visit?”
“Sure,” she said.“But here’s the thing.Why do you have to keep moving?You said you were settled in Washington until that wolf pack tried to abduct one of the house members, but that pack is dead.Would you be safe now to stay in one place?”
Her parents exchanged a look that Leo knew was an entire conversation without a single word spoken.He knew what they were going to say before they said it.
“When you were young, we stayed in one place to give you something of a normal life,” Gideon said.“When those deranged shifters attacked us, we knew we’d stayed in one place long enough.Being nomadic is in our blood.”
“Even when we were certain the danger had passed, it just felt wrong to settle somewhere permanently,” Daphne said.
Her shoulders drooped slightly as she nodded.“I understand.With me staying with Leo, I was hoping you might want to put down roots here.”
“You’ve found where you belong,” Daphne said, reaching across the table and squeezing her hand.“That’s all that matters.We’ll change our travels so we can cross through Northern Ohio a few times a year.There are many festivals year-round that we can take part in.”
“And you’re always welcome to drive or fly out to meet us for a visit anywhere,” Gideon said.
“I’d like that,” Mira said.
They spent a few hours at the bed-and-breakfast, hanging out with her family and friends, and packing up her belongings from the RV that had been her home for years.They agreed to stay there until the weekend, and Leo promised to bring Mira back the following day while he was at work so she could hang out with them.
“So?”he asked as he headed toward Thorn Hollow.
“Well, I kind of thought they’d want to settle down somewhere, but I guess it wasn’t just danger that kept them moving.It’s because they like it.”
“Seems like it,” he said.“Will you miss it?I worry I won’t give you such an exciting life.”
“I’ll miss some aspects of it.I mean, I’ve traveled all over North and South America with the house, and I’ve met interesting people and seen incredible sights.But I’ve always wanted to just be in one place.Coming to Northern Ohio brought me everything I’ve ever dreamed about, and it’s because you came to the festival with your alphas.”
“I’m so glad they asked me to be part of their security team.”
When they were about to cross the line into Thorn Hollow, Leo glanced at the truck’s screen and saw No Service in the corner.Even the little SOS icon was missing.
