“Definitely, and you keep in touch.”
“For sure.”
Once we’ve hugged it out, Mason leaves me and takes Omar’s hand again, with his free hand Omar gives me a two-finger salute, and together they begin to head up the hill to the parking lot where their vans are waiting.
Mia comes over next, taking my face in both her hands.
“You’re freaking cool, you know that?” she says.
“And you’re going to be a sick alpha one day.”
“Fuck, I thought I wasn’t going to cry.” She wipes at tears with the back of her hand. “Anyway, give me a hug before I fall apart completely.”
I pull her close as well.
“All set?” Olivia says, approaching red-eyed from saying goodbye to her father, though, of course, putting on a brave face.
“Yep,” Mia says, sniffing and wiping away a few more tears.
Olivia clamps a hand on my arm. “Keep doing what you’re doing, Max. And keep an eye on that doofus for me, will you?” She nods in Jasper’s direction.
“A close one,” I joke back.
As if they could hear us, Morven and Jasper turn and make their way over.
“Time to go, ladies,” Morven says.
“Bye, Max,” Mia says, stepping back.
“See you soon, guapo,” Olivia says with a wink.
“Max,” Morven says, stepping closer and extending a hand. “I have to say you’re full of surprises.” I reach out and shake his hand, the gesture running longer than I expected. Morven doesn’t seem to want to let go. “We owe you a great deal. The Rocky Pack will not forget that.”
“Thank you, sir,” I say.
“And I owe you as well,” he says, glancing briefly at where his daughter and her mate are waiting, their arms around each other. “You’re a good man.”
Finally, the handshake ends, and Morven turns to Jasper.
“You’ll be a fine alpha one day,” he says, shaking Jasper’s hand one last time. “And you’ll always have an ally in the Rocky Pack.”
Jasper nods, accepting this compliment, and then Morven turns, heading up the hill, Mia and Olivia following behind.
“You okay?” Jasper asks, noticing my tear-streaked face.
“Why does it feel like something’s ending?” I ask.
“It is,” he says, moving to my side so we can both watch the departing group gather at the top of the hill, then sliding his hand into mine. “But something is also beginning,” he says. “A new chapter.”
Katie appears at my other side, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders, nodding at the bro twins, who smile and nod back. Aisha joins us, slipping an arm around Jasper, and wewatch as Morven disappears over the crest. The others—Mason, Omar, Mia, and Olivia—all turn back one last time to wave. We wave back until it seems like we could stand here waving and crying all night. Then finally they’re gone.
I turn to Katie, who hugs me tightly around my waist, and I plant a soft kiss on the top of her head.
“You’ll see them again,” she says. “For now though, I guess we’d better go pack too.”
“Best-friend date when we’re back in New York?” I ask.
“It’s already in my Calander.”
