Epilogue
Two months later
Harold dropped a dead mouse in front of Ezra's feet. "No. No, Harold. I'll lock the cat flap if you keep bringing bodies inside."
Ulric chuckled at him as he ate another lacy oatmeal cookie. Ezra was in the middle of baking. He didn't want to pick up the dead mouse.
"Make yourself useful and pick it up." He glared at Ulric.
"Why me?"
"If I have to do it, I have to stop baking, and then you won't get any more cookies."
Ulric looked at the cookies on the cooling rack. "I think there is enough for me."
"Nope. You won't get a single cookie more." Ezra pointed the spoon at him.
Rourke who'd been looking through some papers, sighed, got up, and grabbed the tail of the dead mouse and carried it toward the window, which he opened and then promptly threw out the carcass. "There. Not so hard." He went to wash his hands in the bathroom, and Ezra sent Ulric an evil glare.
He grinned and stole another cookie, but sat up straighter right after having taken a bite. "Car." He spoke around the mouthful and chewed in a hurry. Rourke came out of the bathroom and listened.
"The Ford."
Ulric held up his arm, showing off the goosebumps telling them a witch had gone through the ward.
The Ford? The one Ezra had stolen when he'd gone with Jiprix?
Rourke and Ulric more or less stampeded toward the door. Ezra turned off the oven and dried his hands on a kitchen towel before following.
When he exited the pack house, Jiprix had stepped out of the rusty red car.
He looked between Ulric and Rourke, then his gaze landed on Ezra, and he grimaced.
Half his face was raw. The scarring had not yet settled, and Ezra could only imagine what his body looked like underneath his clothes.
It made him wince. Shixyll had done that to him.
"Jiprix." Rourke's voice was growly.
"Alpha Flint." Jiprix dipped his head. "I came to return the car, and...eh..." He held out the key, and Ulric grabbed it without a word.
"Nataz is the new clan leader, and she wishes for the two of you to speak."
Rourke raised an eyebrow. "I assume she has my number."
Jiprix nodded. "She'll contact you."
It was so weird to see him without piercings on half his face. Had they been taken from him because of his failed mission, or was it to give the skin a chance to heal?
Jiprix glanced at Ezra again, but Ezra didn't know what to say. When he'd been back at the clan, Jiprix had been the person he'd liked the most, but he'd deceived him.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Ezra."
For his loss, but not for trying to kill him or trying to kill Rourke. Ezra stepped closer to Rourke and hooked his arm in his. Jiprix watched the motion with widening eyes.
"And I'm sorry for yours." Ezra gave a short nod.
Jiprix dipped his head in acknowledgment. "I'll...eh...leave now. I'm...eh...I'm sure we'll see each other again."
Ezra didn't reply, and Rourke untangled his arm only to wrap it around Ezra and kiss his temple. Jiprix stilled, his eyes jumping between Rourke and Ezra. Then he turned around.
No one spoke until he was far enough away to be unable to hear them.
"Who's Nataz?" Rourke looked at Ezra.
"She was there on the field. Short, rather round, dark brown hair streaked with gray."
"She's old?"
Ezra shrugged. "Early sixties."
"And her skill?"
"Stop bleeding."
Rourke stared at him. "She's a healer?"
Ezra grinned. Rourke always wanted people to be healers. "No one is a healer. She can stop wounds from bleeding."
Ulric rubbed his neck. "Does she have any deadly skills?"
"She can throw fireballs, draw power from familiars, normal things."
"But not having blood pouring from the eyes, nose, and mouth?"
Ezra shook his head.
"Why would they choose her as leader?" Rourke frowned. "For decades, they've fought us with everything they have. Why pick someone more inclined to stop bleeding than cause it?"
Ezra wasn't sure. Nataz had a high standing, she was important to have on the battlefield, but not because of the damage she inflicted. No, her main purpose was to keep people alive. "Maybe they're tired of war too."
Rourke and Ulric exchanged a look, then Rourke focused on him again. "Do you think so?"
He didn't want to get their hopes up, but he did. "Nataz isn't blood-thirsty. She's a witch, but she prefers to win with as little bloodshed as possible."
"Win?"
Ezra shrugged. "She won't back down. She won't give up land--"
"I don't want land. We have what's ours, and it's enough. I want peace, I want us to be able to build our lives here, expand our business, and have money to invest in the pack." He gestured at the pack house.
It was what he wanted. He'd mated Ezra to get it, had sacrificed himself to get it. "Nataz is more likely to leave us be than Shixyll ever was."
Rourke pulled him into his arms and kissed him hard. "We can have peace?"
Ezra nodded. He believed so.
The way Rourke's eyes sparkled had Ezra smiling. "You should talk to her first, though."
"Or you can talk to her."
"Me?" Ezra stared at him. Had he lost his mind?
"Yes, you. You're the alpha's mate. You rule this pack, you can negotiate with the witches."
"I don't rule this pack."
Rourke grinned and nuzzled his neck. "You're above them all, love. You can order Ulric around as much as you want."
Ezra huffed. "He wouldn't remove the mouse when I told him to."
"When it's something that matters, he'll do what you tell him to."
Rourke had explained his status many times, but Ezra wasn't comfortable with being in a position of power. "I think it's best you talk to the witches. They don't respect me."
Rourke interlaced their fingers and tugged him toward the pack house. "We'll go to the meeting together if there is one. I could use your input, and I want to know everything you can tell me about the people there."
Ezra nodded. He was curious about what Nataz would do.
"I need to get back to my--" Before he could say cookies, Rourke had thrown him over his shoulder and was headed toward their room.
"Nope, we have something more important to do."
"Rourke!"
"Yes, honey?"
"Put me down!"
"When we reach the bed."
Ulric rolled his eyes and went into the dining hall instead of following them back to their room.
"Rourke!"
Rourke laughed, and Ezra grinned despite feeling ridiculous hanging over his shoulder.
"I'm gonna make you feel so good."
"Shh."
Rourke patted his ass. "They already know."
"No need to talk about it where everyone can hear."
Geri exited his room and sighed loudly at the sight of them.
"Sorry!" Ezra gave him an awkward wave which made him grin and shake his head.
Rourke's laugh echoed in the corridor, and Ezra's heart swelled. Never had he believed he'd live in a place like this, be surrounded by monsters, and love every minute of it. It was more than he'd ever dared dream of.
"I love you." He spoke in a whisper.
Rourke tilted forward and had Ezra slide down his body. He held his gaze for a moment. "I love you too." Then he kissed him slow and carefully before more or less pushing him toward their room. "Now get a move on!"
Ezra gave him the finger and ran ahead. He didn't have the slightest chance of outrunning Rourke, but he didn't care.
When strong arms wrapped around him from behind, he squealed with laughter.
THE END