17. Remy
Four Months Later
"Thank you all for coming out today," the sheriff's voice rang out, steady and calm, cutting through the low hum of conversation.
He stood in front of the new ‘Welcome to Pecan Pines’ sign, a large, dark cloth draped over it, microphone in hand.
"I know it’s been a bit of a wait to replace the old sign, but I think you’ll agree—it was worth it."
I stood off to the side beside Colton, near the edge of the crowd, watching as the sheriff gestured toward the sign. The crowd gathered seemed to hang on the sheriff’s every word.
Cooper stood a few paces away from the sheriff, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, clearly pleased with the work that had gone into the project.
Cooper took the mic next, a rare smile tugging at his lips. “And I’m especially excited to show this to you all,” he said, glancing over at the sheriff. “Though, I have to admit, my pack might have had something to do with why we needed a new sign in the first place.”
The sheriff leaned back with a chuckle. “Time for a new one anyway, Cooper. That old sign was so faded, you could barely tell if you were coming into town or leaving.”
The crowd broke into laughter.
“Alright,” the sheriff said, turning back to the mic. “Without further ado, let’s get to it.”
The high school band launched into a triumphant fanfare, a little off-key but full of heart. Two members of the pack pulled the cover off with a dramatic flourish, and the crowd fell silent.
The new sign was stunning. It had the same vintage design as the old one, but this time the colors were brighter, richer.
The hand-painted backdrop captured the mountains and woods surrounding Pecan Pines perfectly, every tree and ridge popping with detail.
But that wasn’t what everyone was staring at.
Down in the bottom left corner, was something that definitely hadn’t been on the old sign. It was a large, unmistakable logo.
“Sponsored by Briggs Barbecue,” it read in bold letters, accompanied by a little illustration of a pig wearing a chef’s hat.
I heard Colton mutter something under his breath, but I was too busy watching Cooper. He was staring daggers at us.
The sheriff chuckled, stepping in to break the silence. “Well, there you have it, folks,” he said. “And of course, a big thank you to Briggs Barbecue for sponsoring this beautiful new sign. Maybe we should all head there tonight and celebrate, huh?”
The crowd laughed again, a few people shouting their agreement.
But all I could focus on was Colton’s gaze on Jesse, the air between them feeling like it dropped ten degrees, and Cooper, who hadn’t stopped glaring in our direction.
* * *
The loud groan Colton let out as he sank into the sofa was impossible to ignore.
It was quickly followed by a deep creak from the couch, loud enough to rival the groan itself. The sound made me bite back a laugh.
Colton didn’t seem to notice—or care. His arm draped over his eyes, and his head tipped back, as if the weight of the day had finally caught up with him.
I leaned against the kitchen counter, watching him, trying to figure out how much of his mood was exhaustion and how much was sheer frustration.
And I couldn’t really blame him. The morning had been… a lot.
Cooper had pulled all of us—me, Colton, Jesse, and even Ethan—into his office after the big reveal. Just remembering the look on Cooper’s face made me want to crawl under the nearest piece of furniture.
I couldn’t even pinpoint how the Briggs Barbecue logo had ended up on the new town sign.
Somewhere in the haze of late-night decisions and half-serious jokes, someone must have thrown it into the mix. Probably Jesse.
No, definitely Jesse. It was his job to get the finalized design to the sign maker. And somehow, between the jokes and whatever distractions he had going on, it slipped through.
On the drive to the pack lands after the sign reveal, I’d overheard Colton muttering under his breath about Jesse.
Something about not being able to keep his pants on long enough to double-check a simple file. I hadn’t asked for context. Knowing Jesse, I probably didn’t want it.
When we arrived at Cooper’s office, the tension was thick, like something was about to snap. Cooper had his alpha face on: calm, composed, and utterly unreadable.
But I’d seen an angry pack alpha before. This wasn’t it. He was trying too hard to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching, like he was stifling a laugh instead of trying to dole out punishment.
Still, the silence was suffocating. My instincts screamed at me to stay quiet, to let the guilty party dig their own grave. It’s practically a universal truth: the weakest link always cracks first.
And sure enough, Jesse broke. He stepped forward, hands raised like he was surrendering to some invisible enemy.
“Okay, okay, I’ll fix it!” Jesse blurted out, his voice almost too loud in the small office. “We’ll get another sign made. I’ll pay for it. And, uh, I’ll—” He hesitated, glancing at Colton, then at Cooper. “I’ll offer the restaurant for two… no, three fundraisers to make up for it. Happy now?”
Colton groaned— the kind that made you feel like you’d disappointed a parent. Cooper, on the other hand, just smiled.
It wasn’t a triumphant smile or even a smug one. No, it was worse. It was the kind of smile that said, This is exactly what I expected to happen.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was Cooper’s plan all along.
Let the guilty party confess, offer more than what was necessary, and sit back while they fell over themselves trying to fix it.
“Sounds like a plan,” Cooper said, his tone infuriatingly even. “Thank you, Jesse.”
Jesse slumped back into his chair, muttering something I didn’t catch. Ethan elbowed him, probably to tell him to stop making it worse.
Meanwhile, Colton hadn’t stopped glaring at him. If looks could kill, Jesse would’ve been six feet under.
Back in the present, Colton groaned again, louder this time, his arm still draped over his face. “Do you have any idea how much that’s going to cost us?”
I did.
Of course, I did. It was all he’d been talking about since we left Cooper’s office.
But instead of saying so, I found myself focusing on the sofa beneath him and the ominous creaking sound it made when he shifted.
Still, I knew this was my chance—an opening for something I hadn’t been able to say before.
I walked over to him, my heartbeat loud in my ears, and climbed onto the couch, straddling his lap.
His arm shifted slightly, as if he wasn’t sure whether to move it or keep hiding his face from me. I took matters into my own hands, gently tugging his arm away.
“Hey,” I said, my voice soft but teasing. “Look at me.”
When he finally did, his expression was a mix of exhaustion and simmering irritation. I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up.
“This isn’t funny,” he grumbled, his scowl deepening. “Do you have any idea how much logistics are involved in planning three fundraisers? Not to mention the?—”
I cut him off with a kiss, sweet and light, just enough to silence him.
His mouth stilled under mine, and when I pulled back, he blinked at me, slow and confused, the anger melting from his face.
“Stop thinking about logistics,” I murmured, leaning in again. This time, I let the kiss linger, teasing his bottom lip with my tongue—a silent promise of more, but only if he behaved.
He groaned, but it wasn’t the frustrated kind this time. It was deeper, softer, like he was finally giving in.
When I pulled back, he followed, leaning forward like he couldn’t help himself. I smirked and leaned just out of reach, earning a frown.
Before he could protest, I cupped the back of his head, tangling my fingers in his hair, and kissed him again.
This time, I didn’t hold back. My tongue slid past his lips, tasting him, coaxing him into the moment with me. He responded instantly, his hands moving from my waist to my back, tracing slow, deliberate paths that sent shivers through me.
I broke the kiss just long enough to catch my breath, pressing my forehead to his.
“If you’re good,” I teased, my voice a little breathless, “maybe I’ll finally think about moving in with you.”
Colton’s hands stilled for a moment. Then his grip tightened, his palm settling on my ass as he kneaded the flesh there, drawing a startled gasp from me.
His lips quirked into a half-smile, and I swore there was mischief in his eyes.
“You’re serious?” he asked, his voice low and rough.
I nodded, smiling so wide it hurt. “I’m serious.”
For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just looked at me, his gaze softer than I’d ever seen it. Then he pulled me closer, burying his face against my neck.
“You better not be messing with me,” he murmured, the words muffled but full of affection.
I laughed, threading my fingers through his hair. “Guess you’ll just have to be good and find out.”
He pulled back, looking at me with a crooked grin. “Challenge accepted.”
And as his lips found mine again, I knew—without a doubt—that this was home.
THE END