“Cass, my friend,” Brock said, “I wouldn’t have it any other way. For Evie, everything. I’d give her the entire world if I could.”
“You already did,” I squeaked, and Brock and Cass both whirled on me as I sniffled. But they didn’t comment on my emotional moment. Cass leaned his head against my shoulder, and Brock squeezed my thigh beneath my dress.
“What do you say I get out of this dress and we head off on our next adventure?” I asked Brock.
He grinned. “Getting you out of this dress has been top on my list all night.”
Cass chuckled. “Finally, my girl’s getting as much action as I am.”
Before Cass could elaborate, I shot to my feet, picking up Caleb. “I’ll change. If you can grab our bags, we can leave right after,” I told Brock.
“The happy couple is leaving for their honeymoon!” Cass announced the second I stopped talking. “Let’s gather round to see them off so they can go have lots and lots of hot sex!”
The wolf pack threw their heads back and howled into the descending night. I laughed, working to ignore the fact that my dad was out there among them somewhere.
“Cass might be drunk,” Brock commented, but I wasn’t sure. Sex was always Cass’ favorite topic and he knew he had to babysit, so he’d better not be.
By the time I returned in my signature tight jeans, crop top, and kickass boots, everyone had gathered, and they were cheering, hooting and hollering, basically making as much noise as you might imagine a hundred-plus-odd supes could make.
Brock stood at his truck, our bags loaded, “Just married” scrawled across every window except the windshield. Silently, he extended his hand toward me, and wolves and witches whistled and yelled some more.
“Evie…”
The one word had me searching for the one person I wanted to be sure I saw before I left. “Dad…”
The crowd parted so he could wheel forward, Cho pushing him along the rough terrain of Brock’s land—ofourland—until he was close enough to continue on his own.
“I’m so proud of you, my daughter. You’re strong and magical and beautiful, inside and out. You’re fit to lead these people who surround you.”
“This is Brock’s pack, not mine,” I answered my dad. “He will be leading them, not me.”
My dad shook his head gently, his dark hair sliding along his head. “Now that you’re married, what’s his is yours, and these wolves look up to you already. I have no doubt you’ll prove a fit leader.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but shut it in the end, and simply nodded and smiled.
“Your mother would have been just as proud of you as I am,” he added, and I sniffled.
“Thanks, Dad,” I said over that pesky lump in my throat.
“Now, go have some fun with your husband. You’ve earned it.”
I tried not to consider what he might be suggesting, especially with Cass and Tianna laying on the sexual innuendo as thick as icing on a cake for their eager audience. Nodding rapidly, I stepped to Brock instead.
“Say goodbye to Daddy,” I told Caleb while Brock leaned down to kiss our son’s forehead.
“Come to Uncle Cass.” My bestie was approaching us, his hands outstretched.
“You’re sure you can handle him while we’re gone?” I asked.
Cass brought both stubby hands to his hips, bringing my full attention to his rhinestone booty shorts. It seemed as if every single light in the forest reflected off his attire. “Of course I can handle him. If I can take down giant trolls and demons, I can surely handle a little rug-rat for a few days. He and I are going to have so much fun. I have the whole week planned out. We’ll hit the bar every night to pick up the fae ladies.”
Suddenly Tianna was right behind Cass, her arms crossed, a scowl pressed across her face. He hip-bumped her. “You know I’m just kidding, T. The fae ladies are for the little man, not me.”
I panicked. “The ‘little man’ does not need to be going to bars. Maybe this was a mistake.”
Cass laughed, clutched his little potbelly, and then he laughed some more. “I’m just messing with ya, Eve. We’ve got it under control. I even bought this little baby piano for him to play with. Go have fun. T and Molly are going to help me.”
I glanced at Molly. She was drinking straight from a bottle of wine, dancing with both brothers at the same time, one pressed to either side of her, their hands all over her.
