I paused outside, heart pounding like I was some clueless teen about to ask his crush out.
Ridiculous. I’d faced loan sharks, broken shifters’ arms, and survived a full-on ambush. But none of that compared to what I had planned today.
Inside, James was behind the counter, surrounded by half his pack.
Cyrus had flour on his nose, Rowan was trying to frost a cupcake and failing spectacularly, and Callum stood in the corner nursing a coffee like it was all beneath him.
James was laughing, eyes crinkling, cheeks pink. He looked good. Healthy. Happy. Whole.
Something in me eased at the sight. For days, I’d watched the tightness in his shoulders slowly unravel. He still had moments where he went quiet, gaze far away. We all did.
But the way he was now, grinning, leaning into Cyrus’ jabs, tossing sprinkles at Rowan like he owned the place, it was worth every bruise on my body to see him like that.
I stepped through the door, and immediately, the teasing started.
“Well, look who wandered in,” Rowan said, wiping blue frosting on a towel. “Didn’t think the bears let you off leash this early.”
Cyrus gasped. “Wait, is this a surprise date visit? James, he likes you!”
James just rolled his eyes. “He’s been liking me. You’re all late to the party.”
I leaned against the counter and gave them my best unimpressed look. “You know, most people charge for this much commentary.”
“We’re a full-service bakery,” Cyrus said. “Fresh bread, sass, and heartbreak.”
James looked over at me, and the second our eyes met, everything else faded.
“Hey,” he said, softer now. “This is a surprise.”
“I like surprises,” I murmured. “Sometimes.”
His brow furrowed just slightly, catching something in my tone, because James always caught the things I didn’t say.
I motioned to the back, and he stepped out from behind the counter without hesitation.
We moved into the little kitchen nook, away from prying wolf ears, though I could still hear Cyrus whispering to Rowan, “Ten bucks says this is a proposal.”
James turned to me once we were alone, eyes searching. “What’s up? Is everything okay?”
I didn’t answer right away. Just reached into the pocket of my jacket and pulled out the small velvet box I’d been carrying around for three days, waiting for the right moment.
James blinked at it, surprised. “Rafael?—?”
I opened it.
Nestled inside was his mother’s diamond ring. The one he’d sold to protect me. The one he thought was gone forever.
His breath caught. “You… you got it back?”
“I tracked down the pawnshop,” I said quietly. “I went back every day after you told me. The owner was stubborn, wanted double what he gave you for it. But I didn’t care.”
James stared down at the ring like it was made of something sacred.
“I only sold it because I was desperate. I never thought I’d—” He cut himself off, voice cracking.
I closed the box and gently pressed it into his hands. “It belongs with you. It’s a part of your family. Just like you’re a part of mine now.”
His hands trembled as he held the box to his chest. “I don’t know what to say.”
