Buckle takes a breath and nods for me to continue.
“I need to go to Hawk Ridge.”
“No,” they say together.
“What do you mean, no? This ismychoice. I choose peace over Hawk Ridge.FuckHawk Ridge. I deserve to live without looking over my shoulder every day. Without having to check in for my safety.” I make air quotes around the word safety. All Anya’s check-ins did was keep me scared. “I want to live without wondering if I should have tried to be a Beta my parents could love. Even though I don’t think it would have made a difference. The second my designation manifested, I was dead to them. Hawk Ridge has been alive in my heart for a decade. I can’t keep living with this… this… ache.” I press a hand to my heart. “It’s a literal ache. I want it gone, and I think confronting my parents and severing this tie will do that.”
“You’re not going alone,” Buckle says.
“Of course not. Showing up with my mates will mean more than going alone. I have backup. Protectors.Hope.” A real future. One that I want more than anything.
Buckle nods. “This will be good for you. For us. I think you’ll finally be able to heal, or at least work at it without Hawk Ridge looming over you.”
“Exactly.” I nod sharply and stuff another donut hole in my mouth to give me something to do. My cheeks burn and I’m not sure if it’s embarrassment or what. “Anyway, I’m thinking next weekend if you’re both available, we should make the trip. Anya’s call the other day and her showing up today kind of freaked me out. I might have sounded brave on the phone, but I’m still terrified of her and my parents. I’m afraid they really will try to marry me off against my will.”
“What’s your plan?” Perry asks.
“Oh, confront my parents and tell them I’m done with their games. Thisshouldbe a win-win for all of us, but it’ll also humiliate my parents.”
Perry snorts. “They deserve to be humiliated after how they treated you.”
I don’t disagree, but I hate the idea of humiliation after what they’d done to me as a teen.
Perry drops his hand to my thigh and squeezes. “Whatever happens, we have your back. We’re not letting your Kettle take you. Got it?”
“I know. I trust both of you.” I drop my head to his shoulder.
My phone vibrates, and I push to my feet. “But enough about that. It’s time for our romantic ride around town.” I grab Perry’s hand and pull him to his feet.
Buckle’s cheeks twitch before he grins and takes my offered hand. It takes everything in me not to skip all the way to the carriage.
The two white horses stamp their feet and shake their heads. They’re enormous, at least to me they are. I’ve never really been around horses. The carriage is pink with glitter. I can’t help the grin. Iloveglitter.
I show the driver my QR code and he helps all of us up onto the bench, where he lays a fluffy blanket over our laps.
“Hot chocolate? Hot tea?” The driver offers and we each get a cup of hot chocolate. “Cookies? Scones?” Again, the three of us snag a cookie.
Our breaths puff out in front of us, but we don’t care. Soft romantic music plays from somewhere in the carriage. I snuggle into Buckle’s side and reach for Perry. I kind of wish I was in the middle, but Buckle runs hot and we decided he’d be best in the middle because of it.
The soft murmur of Mink Hollow residents enjoying the food trucks blends in the background. The buildings around downtown feel more magical, decorated for Valentine’s Day. So much red, pink, white, and glitter. So many hearts and stars. I love it here. Love the people. Love the magic. Love my mates.
I suck in a breath and try not to seem like an entire epiphany just happened. Of course, I love Perry and Buckle. I think I’ve loved them for a while, but it feels too soon to say the words out loud. What if they don’t feel the same?
I shake my head. They love me, too. I know it. Maybe we’re all too scared to say it yet. Maybe Hawk Ridge hangs over all of us. I snuggle in closer to Buckle. The moon shines in the darkening sky. Stars twinkle and not for the first time I wish I could take a picture with my mine.
