Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Then you bashed him upside the skull with a bat?”
“And your Alphas came running to the rescue from all corners of town?”
My head bobs at Izzy and Violet’s questions, then Izzy sighs contentedly.
“Man, I love mated life.”
“Nothing beats it.”
The three of us all turn to Bec, her eyes going wide as she waves her hands in the air. “Hey, I’m still thinking through the pros and cons.”
“Think about this any longer, and you’ll all be old and gray before you decide.” Violet sounds amused as she leans back in the plush armchair, arm hugging her enormous baby bump.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to be pregnant with one baby, not to mention two. But, she’s a beautiful sight to behold.
After my Alphas and I had gone to the police station to give our statements, and we all met August Moore, Ezra’s new attorney, we returned home to many unexpected guests.
Not that I mind one bit. Small town living is growing on me, along with actually having friends for once, instead of colleagues who would sell their grandma’s soul to get ahead.
Nikki trots her way into the living room and puts her front paws on my knee, asking to sit in my lap, so I scoop her up.
“Aww, look at her little star!” Izzy gushes with unconstrained glee. “Is she the Law Dog ‘round these parts?”
“We share that title, ma’am.”
All of us look at the doorway to the kitchen, where Ezra stands, smiling, putting on that Southern charm.
“Well!” Izzy fans herself dramatically.
“May I borrow you a minute, cowgirl?”
My face flames at the nickname, but I rise with Nikki in my arms and go to the kitchen with Ezra.
As soon as we pass the fridge, out of view of the living room, he grabs my free hand and pulls me close, careful not to squish Nikki, whose head he puts his hand on gently before dipping down and kissing my lips so tenderly, my toes curl.
When we separate, my eyelids flutter. “W-what was that for?”
“A thank you. For helping me not lose myself completely and doing something I’d regret.” Another kiss, light and quick. “Mind you, I’d love to beat that fucker to death, but going to jail again, being torn away from you, that I couldn’t bear.”
The waves of happiness that wash over me are warm and make my skin tingle.
“I would have whisked us all away to another country. One without extradition.”
He laughs, loud and truly happy, runs his thumb across my lower lip. “That would’ve been quite a feat with all these animals in tow, that’s for sure.”
I can’t help but smile. “Well, I’m glad it didn’t come to that.”
His expression falls serious, his head bobs. “Me too, cowgirl.” His pale eyes bore into mine. “I love you, Adley.”
Elation. Utter elation is all I feel right now. “I love you, too, Ezra.”
“I was thinking ‘Springer’s Sanctuary Stout.’” Vaughn frames the words in the air, one by one, in front of him as he says it.
“Great alliteration, honey.” This from his grinning author Omega.
“Oh! I love that. I can convert the logo into a label for you to print and post signs in the restaurant.” Izzy is more excited than I’ve seen her—well, in the last thirty minutes.
We set up all the outdoor tables, turned on the electric stake lights along with some battery-powered fake candles on the tables, and just as I was taking out my phone to pull up my Foo-D app, Vaughn had stopped me.
“No need for that. I’ll be back in an hour.”
He’d left with Quinn, leaving Ben and Violet here, and when he returned, a van pulled in behind his SUV.
Vaughn had brought trays of Italian food and cases of bottled beer from his restaurant. In the van behind him was surprisingly Liz, who arrived with a shy young man, both of them hauling pastry boxes.
I don’t know what came over me, but tears streamed down my face, filled with gratitude and love. Izzy, Violet, and Liz had formed a group hug around me, and I cried even harder at first, until Bec mumbled outside the huddle, “Stop with the blubbering. I’m starving.”
Despite the harshness of her words at face value, I know she was trying to help me snap out of it and make me enjoy myself.
At least, that’s what I’m going to believe.
Once we were all seated and eating, most of us got some alcohol in our systems, and Vaughn and Jasper told me more about the plan of brewing a beer in honor of the sanctuary and donating the proceeds to us.
“I can’t believe you’re willing to do that,” I breathe.
“Crescent Lake sticks together. Always has, and always will.” Vaughn raises his beer bottle, and the rest of the table all raise their bottles and glasses in kind, toasting their nearest friends before drinking.
We’d let the dogs outside, and they stuck to my side and behind me like glue. I’m pretty sure they felt the energy in the air from the earlier encounter, and they’re on guard duty.
The young man who came with Liz is her pastry chef from Cuppa, Nathaniel. He’s a shy, but kind Beta. Tall with mousy light brown hair and honey-colored eyes. He’d thanked all of us for letting him tag along when Liz burst out laughing.
“We’re party-crashers! We just showed up.”
“You’re always welcome.” I had wanted to be reassuring, not only to let them know we’re all friends here, but also because Nathaniel looked horrified to learn that.
Jasper leans around the corner of the table between us. “How are you holding up?”
I grin at him and sip my beer. “Much better now. Having everyone here with us is really nice.”
He grips my free hand and squeezes. “I don’t know that I’ve ever felt so warm and fuzzy, to be honest.”
I giggle, and he pulls the back of my hand to his lips, his gray eyes grow hooded.
“Just wait until everyone leaves. Your Alphas are going to make you forget all about what happened today.”
It’s with a renewed thrill in my bones that I look out at all our friends, laughing and smiling, chatting animatedly, that I know for certain, this is where I’m meant to be.
Right here, with my friends, my animals, my pack.
And maybe, just maybe, with Uncle Jim smiling down on us all.