Chapter 3
Goodbye.
Henley
The pack used compulsion so we could all sit together at graduation.
So, while all the humans are graduating in alphabetical order, the pack is graduating in order of seniority.
Which apparently means me first, then Parker.
I’m not sure that’s how it’s supposed to work, but Parker won’t budge on it.
If the humans think it’s strange that the ‘beautiful clique’—as they so named us—are sitting together, they don’t let on. Maybe they’ve just grown used to the weirdness.
When it’s the pack’s turn to get our diplomas, the stands erupt with cheers from the pack. They’re by far the loudest, which doesn’t surprise me. Parker always complained that the pack was noisy, but I still think it’s quieter than the voices in my head used to be.
As soon as graduation is over, we head to Parker’s parents’ house for a graduation party.
The entire pack is there, and there’s a huge bonfire and multiple grills cooking food—mostly meat.
Before the celebrations get too loud, Dad proposes to Hailey.
It’s a sweet moment with the pack, and I’m glad that I got to witness it.
Dad and Hailey are absolutely beaming for the rest of the evening.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen my dad this happy.
And I know that nobody deserves it more than him.
He lost his mate at such a young age—they hadn’t even gotten to complete their mate bond yet.
And Hailey is the same. She lost her mate the very same day she met him.
I can’t even imagine the kind of trauma that causes.
It makes me appreciate Parker that much more.
The pack happily welcomes Hailey—she’s decided that she will be moving here and leaving her current pack.
She, like my dad, left her pack after her mate died.
Unlike my dad, she didn’t move to the city.
Instead, she joined another pack far away from home.
So she’s not leaving family behind in her old pack.
Her family lives far away, but they’re overjoyed that she found somebody.
I sit down by Blaine and Will at a picnic table. They both have a large plate piled with meat. I eye the food, used to the large portions.
“Are you ready to leave in the morning?” Blaine cuts off a large bite of steak and stuffs it in his mouth.
I nod. “We’re packed. How about you guys?”
Blaine and Will are coming with us to Florida, and I am so glad they are. I don’t think I could handle the trip without them. At least Parker won’t be without all of his pack.
From being around wolf shifters all the time, I’ve found out that they need a pack. What my dad did, leaving for many years, isn’t normal. And it makes me sad to think about all the years he was without a pack. He says that I was enough for him, but it’s not the same. He needed them.
“I’ll pack before bed.” Blaine shrugs.
Will rolls his eyes. “You’re not borrowing my underwear if you forget to pack any.”
Blaine scoffs. “I’ll be fine. Not all of us need to pack a month ahead.” He stuffs another huge bite into his mouth.
“I didn’t pack a month ahead,” Will objects. “I just started my list last month, so I wouldn’t forget anything when I packed. I guarantee that one of us will be making multiple trips to the store to get things we forgot, and it won’t be me.”
Blaine grins smugly. “You’ll be coming with me, so technically we’ll both be going.”
I chuckle, watching them argue.
At least Will isn’t just grumpy with me. ‘Grumpy’ is practically his entire personality.
Blaine turns to me. “When I asked if you were ready, I wasn’t asking about your luggage. I want to know if you’re mentally ready.”
I swallow hard and shrug. “I don’t know, honestly.”
He pats me on the shoulder. “It’ll be all right, Vixen. You’ll see.”
Will rolls his eyes again. “I thought Parker told you to stop calling her that.”
“He did,” Blaine smirks. “But he’s not around, is he? I can call her whatever I want when he’s not around.”
I tap my head. “He may not be physically around, but he’s always where I am.”
“I know. I enjoy needling him.” He picks up a barbequed chicken wing and pulls all the meat off in one single bite.
Once again, Will rolls his eyes. “How did I ever become friends with you?”
“Through persistence and perseverance.” Blaine grins.
“Are you two going to be okay being in the same car for thirty eight hours?” I raise an eyebrow as I look between them. “One of you can ride with Parker and me.”
Blaine grins widely. “I’ll be fine.”
Will, on the other hand, looks like he sucked on a lemon. “Thirty eight hours? It’s really that long of a drive?”
I nod. “Yep. Parker has already booked the hotels that we’ll stay at along the road. We’re going to stop twice to sleep, so it’ll be three long days of driving—about twelve to thirteen hours of driving each day.”
Will groans. “I’d say I’d get in the car with you and Parker, but I’m not sure what’s worse—the two of you flirting or Blaine’s entire existence.”
“Hey!” Blaine objects, but then he stuffs an entire hot dog in his mouth.
“Gross.” I turn my head, not wanting to see his piggish habits.
“Ah, Vixen, you know you love me,” he says through a mouth full of food.
A shadow eclipses Blaine. “Are we going to have to talk about you flirting with my wife… again?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Parker, if you think Blaine talking with a mouth full of food is flirting, you and I need to talk. Because that—” I point to the friend in question, “doesn’t do it for me.”
Parker kisses the top of my head as he sits down beside me.
“I’m offended,” Blaine says after he swallows his food. “I’ll have you know that I’m quite the catch.”
Will snorts. “If you’re going to catch anybody, it’s going to be you doing the chasing. No doubt your mate will run the other way—probably screaming.”
I chuckle. “Hey, he’s not that bad. I’ll have you know that half of the girls in our class were in love with him.” I give Will my best innocent expression. “The other half were in love with you.”
“Nah, they liked Parker,” Blaine says.
I shake my head. “No. Some did, but they gave up on that once they realized they didn’t stand a chance against me.”
Parker chuckles. “You’re right—because you’re far superior to them.”
My cheeks warm. “No. Not because I’m better than them. It’s because of the mate bond. They can’t compete with that.”
“Nothing can compete with a mate bond.” Parker turns to his large plate of meat. He looks in front of me. “Where is your food?”
“I had a hot dog,” I answer.
One hot dog. Because I’m not a shifter with a huge appetite. Also, I want to save room for s’mores later.
He laughs. “Of course you’re going to stuff yourself with sugar later.”
“The best part of any bonfire is the toasted marshmallows,” I defend. “If you weren’t a meat obsessed shifter, you’d agree with me.”
Before he can respond, the entire crowd around us goes quiet. As one, they turn. I wonder what’s going on, so I look to see everybody looking at Alpha Adam.
Ah, it’s a wolf shifter thing.
For the most part, I feel like I’m part of the pack. Everybody makes sure to include me so I don’t feel left out. But when things like this happen, it reminds me that I am different. I’m not part of the pack, no matter how much I wish I were.
Adam stands straight as he addresses the crowd. “Tonight, we are here to celebrate all the seniors in the pack who have graduated from high school.”
Everybody claps and cheers. I share a grin with Parker. We’re both extremely happy that we’ve finished school.
Once the crowd stops cheering, he continues. “Yes, well done. With this marks the end of our pack going to public school as we’ve decided it’s time to educate the pack from pack lands.”
Everybody cheers again, and I frown.
Really? They decided that now? Now that we’re done with school.
“That is ridiculously unfair after they forced us to go to public school,” Blaine complains quietly to us.
“We’re also saying goodbye to four of our pack members. Tomorrow morning, Parker, Henley, Blaine, and Will are leaving for the summer. They’ll be going to spend time with the phoenixes at their compound so Henley can get to know others like her and learn how to control her powers better.”
My face grows warm as pack members turn to look at me.
Even though it’s been a few months since we figured out that I’m a phoenix, everybody is still in awe over the news. It makes me excessively uncomfortable.
“So make sure you say goodbye to them, and enjoy your night!” Adam finishes.
Everybody cheers again.
I turn to Parker. “When will everybody stop being so weird over the fact that I’m a phoenix?”
“Never,” Will answers. “It’s like finding out unicorns are real. And you’re the alpha’s mate, so you should get used to the stares.”
Parker shoots him a glare before turning to me. “Everybody is used to you. They love you. But Will’s right—you are special.”
“I didn’t say she was special.” Will crosses his arms over his chest.
I’m still not so sure that they’ll ever get used to me. I get the feeling the pack would be happier if Parker’s mate were a wolf shifter. And I can’t blame them for thinking that—they’d be right. I complicate Parker’s life. It’s why he has to give up his summer and go to Florida with me.
Parker frowns. “I wish you’d stop thinking things like that.”
“Sorry. You shouldn’t listen all the time.” I play with the hem of my dress, trying to distract myself.
He leans closer. “It’s my job, as your mate and husband, to make sure that you’re happy.
I’m not going to stop listening to your thoughts.
Instead, I will strive to make you happy anytime you’re sad.
I’ll call you beautiful when you feel less than.
And I will promise you that, no matter what anybody else thinks, you are mine.
Nobody is changing that. Even if I had to leave this pack to prove that to you, I would. ”
I gape at him.
He would leave his pack for me?