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It didn’t matter that the building had a sagging porch and peeling paint.

We could imagine that it would become our home.

Evan was already training as a carpenter to meet that dream.

Both our notebooks were filled with scribbled plans for renovations, although Evan denied that my slide from the top floor and chocolate fountain were practical.

When I was sixteen, lying underneath the tall oak in fall, Evan turned to me with an unusually solemn expression. “You won’t leave me like my dad did, right?”

I squinted through the bright sunlight. “Never.”

He held up his little finger. “Pinkie promise that you’ll be my fated mate.”

I scrunched up my nose. “Are fated mates even real? And if they are, aren’t they meant to be between Omegas and Alphas?”

Evan frowned; hurt flashed across his face before he could hide it. “Why does it matter that I’m a Beta? Ain’t we pack?”

I nodded hurriedly, linking my pinkie with his. “Forever fated.”

When a flurry of acorns bounced off my head, I startled.

“Ouch.” I yelped, covering my head.

Evan rolled on top of me.

“I’ll protect you.” He giggled. “The tree is throwing confetti at us.”

The breath caught in my throat.

Had we just officially mated? Become married?

I shrugged Evan off, and he sprawled onto his back with his hands behind his head.

I glared at the tree. “I reckon that the tree is trying to say something else.”

“Like what?”

“Like trespassers should get the hell out of its garden?”

“Hey, we’re not trespassers. We’re the future owners of this place.”

“Hmm, funny since we have about twenty dollars between us.” I pick up a smooth acorn, turning it over in my fingers. “Perhaps, the tree is saying that it’s not dead.”

“How’d you get that from an acorn?”

“Because it’s a tree baby.”

I hurled the acorn at Evan, and he dodged.

“Now, Berry.” He tutted. “Is that any way to treat our baby?”

I dove on him, tickling him ruthlessly. “Who said that I’d be the one to care for any future babies?”

Evan could barely talk through his laughter. “M-m-ercy…okay, okay, you’ll be the Omega boss when we l-l-live together in Acorn Inn…”

“Where?”

“Acorn Inn. This place where our tree babies will grow.”