“Yep,” Ember said. “April, please don’t think our community here is made of a lot of glitter and happy cookouts. I mean—itisa lot of cookouts, that’s a fact.” She chuckled. “Wolves and their social time, seriously. But the glitter’s all in your head. And look, the entire pack knows who you are to our alpha. That’s an unconditional welcome beyond any other.”
April gave up pushing down her tears. Voice wobbling, she said, “Are you sure? I…Ember, I’m really broken right now.”
“Well, I’m not going to insult you with that whole ‘everybody’s equally broken’ crap. Sometimes life’s extra rough, and sometimes we have an extra broken season. But you’ve got the pack on your side regardless, and we’re more than willing to take on hard stuff with you.”
Of course they were. They’d proved it.
“It just feels…” She felt for words as if in a dark room, unsure what she needed to say until she said it. “It feels like too much of a gift. Like I’m not bringing enough to the table.”
Ember made a gentle scoffing sound. “Okay, this might be overstepping, but that’s one thing I’m famous for, so— April, if you believe in life mates at all, you’ve got to believe they’re not by chance. Fate or whoever chose you for Mal, and him for you. Who you are is already enough.”
April whispered, “So you don’t think—you don’t think Malachi should be with someone stronger, a natural leader…someone more like him?”
Speaking the words aloud showed her how worried she was. Malachi’s power and leadership were incredibly attractive. She loved to watch him lead with honor. She loved to feel protected by the man she was growing to love. Yet that didn’t mean she was right for him, and Malachi’s status made it even more vital that he be with the right person, the one who could measure up to his nature.
Ember’s smile was gentle, as though she saw everything April couldn’t say. “On paper, Aaron and I are a terrible match. We’re total opposites in about eighty percent of the ways two people can be opposites. But that wolf is mine, and I’m his, and leaving Virginia to join his life here was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
“Oh,” April whispered.
“Also? Don’t try to tell me for one minute you’re not strong, woman. You escaped a wolf pack on your own. You faced this pack with no idea whether we’d be safe or we’d hurt you. You kept it together while your wolf was bleeding to death, and you saved our big powerful alpha’s life.”
“But—but I could never do what Malachi does, shouldering decisions for the whole pack day after day, year after year. I’d collapse under all that.”
Ember shrugged. “So would I. So would Aaron. But none of us are alpha, so that’s okay.”
“And you think I can be good for him? I don’t need to be…” Maybestrongerwas the wrong word. “Tougher?”
Ember’s casual posture became serious, shoulders pulling back as she studied April. Quietly she said, “The tough ones usually need a safe place where toughness isn’t required.”
“Oh…” Sunshine poured into April’s heart, and she smiled. “I’m good at that.”
Ember raised her eyebrows in an exaggerated tease. “Right. Exactly.”
When her friend headed home a little while later, April curled up in Malachi’s giant leather chair and powered up her phone. Texts pinged in a few at a time from friends and acquaintances. Mostly memes. No one seemed alarmed by her weeks of silence. When she’d read them all, she dialed her mom. Mom hadn’t texted.
“April?”
“Hi, Mom.” She suddenly ached for a hug.
“It’s good to hear from you, sweetheart. How have you been?”
April tried with all her might not to break down, but the tears wouldn’t stay inside.
“Honey! What’s wrong?”
“I’m not okay, Mom. Something happened to me, and I’m not okay.”
Over an hour later, she finished the story. She sat with her arms around her knees, burrowed into one corner of Malachi’s chair. By then Mom was crying too. For a long time she didn’t say anything, just cried along with April, and the tears they shared over miles spread a balm over a sore April hadn’t known was so deep. Mom knew now. She had needed Mom to know.
She had no words left. She sat quietly until Mom said, “I’m so sorry, April. I’m just so sorry. I wish I could help you. Is there anything I can do?”
“It helps just hearing your voice. I wish…I wish I could talk to Dad too.” A few fresh tears fell.
“I’ve been sitting here wishing the exact same thing.” For a moment Mom was quiet again. “April, I want to come see you. Will the lupine you’re with let me come see you?”
She hadn’t even thought to ask Mom to come. “I’m sure he will, but there’s a lot going on right now. He’s still recovering, and most importantly the rogues might not have gone far, but he’ll be better in a few weeks. Maybe then we could meet halfway for dinner or something. If it seems safe.”
“I’ll drive the whole way if I need to. You just let me know the place and the day and I’m there.”
