Epilogue - Skye
Six days. Six fucking days.
I was in heat for nearly a week after years of lasting maybe three before it leaves me exhausted and drained like I’ve been poured full of hormones, then let out like a balloon.
This time, it’s different. I’m bonded to five of the most loving, caring men, and they haven’t let me feel the heat drop at all.
Every time I seek out somewhere quiet, or they feel my mood shifting, one of them is there, not to drag me into activities or be busy, but just to exist with me.
Once we were sure the aftershocks of the heat were absolutely dried up, Teddy took me back out on the horses, riding through the far off fields, holding hands with me as we watched the sun creep through the sky and watching the few cattle he’d kept grazing in the distance, our matching bites making me sniffle before I stood up in my stirrups and leaned over to give him a kiss.
Lucas had joined me in the library with cups of tea, shuffled his ass onto the other side of the sofa, and tucked my feet in his lap, sitting silently as we leafed through pages together.
Fury caught me in the kitchen making dinner, shouted out to the Alpha-lexa and pulled me into a dance with him, laughing when I stepped on his toes until he stood me on top of his feet and just swayed…
In their own ways, my pack shows me how much I belong, how much they love me, and I try to show them as much as I can in return.
I would never have believed it a year ago if I could tell my younger self that sometimes freedom doesn’t mean being alone, doesn’t mean running constantly.
Sometimes it means finding yourself, and sometimes it means finding people who love you enough to support your dreams, and that’s what I have with pack Amberwood. With my pack.
After the heat, I had the sweet misfortune to be able to sit out on the porch with Natty and his pack before they left for his heat, and heard all about the noises they’d had to listen to out in the apartment.
How he had walked in at one point to check I was okay, only to find me with three Alphas knotted in a hole each, and my dumb, hormone-hazed ass gave him a thumbs up.
He complained to me for half an hour about how unfair it is that I had an extra hole over him, forgetting that his pack is made up of a female Alpha, and two Alpha men, so he is perfectly capable of having everyone at once, too.
Apparently, my bestie hadn’t thought of that and promptly excused himself, ‘just to check something.’
Some woman from the Shifter Council came to speak to Atlas, too.
Fury told me her name was Maria something, and she’s the one in charge of dealing with the crimes that Brynn’s pack committed.
Although Brynn was suspiciously missing when she made it to the site, as was Oberon and Natty’s pack for whatever reason.
I had asked Natty, but he promptly shut up like a clam, only telling me that Oberon is into some very secret stuff and wasn’t allowed to speak about it outside of the pack.
Obi had used his ridiculously powerful bark to basically compel Nat into complete silence—something I am very glad that my Alphas can’t do.
It gave me a sort of healthy respect for the polar bear shifter, and more than a little fear for my friend.
Though having walked in on him obliterating the lion’s ass whilst whispering the sweetest nothings in his ear, I’m still a little stuck on my opinion.
We’ve had them over a few times since the whole drama with Butcher, Anna, and the wolf pack.
I’ll admit it's so nice just to have friends. Lucas finally put his foot down with the hospital, taking some time off, and rescheduling therapy to deal with the loss of his two previous Omegas and how bonding with me has brought up old hurts. I can’t tell him enough how proud I am of him, and hearing the stories about Tomas and Maggie when Prue comes to visit warms my heart in ways that go beyond pride. I love him. I love them all so much.
It’s been a month since my heat now, and I’m back in Bowline again.
The door slams open as I’m serving drinks, customers scattering from the sound.
Fury growls, throwing his cloth into the basket under the bar and stepping out to meet the absolute behemoth of a man that's just stormed in. He’s tall, broad, buzz cut, and clea-shaved, but his eyes shift between yellow and green as the light catches them, and the pupil is an honest-to-goddess slit rather than round.
Immediately, my wolf is up and pacing, telling me this guy is nothing but trouble, and we need to hightail it the fuck out of here as quickly as we possibly can.
“What you doing here, King? Didn’t think I’d hear from you for a while.
” Fury approaches him cautiously, and I can feel the tension vibrating through my Cardinal, the anxiety in the bond despite his outward confidence.
Something about this guy has my Alpha bothered, and I shift closer to Deacon at the other side, trying not to cower, but also letting him know that I will absolutely throw him for fodder and getaway. He doesn’t seem to mind.
“Evening, Anthony,” Of all the voices I was expecting from him, it wasn’t a cheery Australian accent chirping from this…
Mob looking beastie. “Just came to ask a favor, is all.” There’s a dangerous light in his eyes, and I’m quick to catch on that it’s all an act, with Fury playing along nicely in front of all the customers.
Fury nods his head, hair bobbing in its ponytail, before he comes back behind the bar, pouring a glass of water for the other Alpha, whilst he stands at the bar, eyes scanning the room and nostrils flaring like he’s trying to track someone. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for someone… An… Omega,” The air leaves this ‘King’ guy, and he deflates ever so slightly, a scowl on his face, his odd eyes locking on me, “And your Omega knows her.”
Fury steps in front of me, shoulders squared and a low wolf-rumble in his chest, “She’s off limits, King, you know that. She’s mated to my pack.”
King scoffs, shaking his head, “I could gut you before anyone in here would make a move.” He stiffens then sighs, “I didn’t come here to fight, wolf. I did come to cash in my favor. You remember when I took that… Detour, last time we met? I met my scent match…”
Exhaling loudly, I watch the two men for a second before Fury bursts into a grin, slapping the other man's shoulder heartily, “Congrats, big guy, how does it feel to be a mated man? At least I’m assuming you’re a mated man now, given you stormed in there like a big heroic bastard.
The girls love that shit. At least from what I’ve seen of Skye’s bookshelves.
” He laughs when I give him the middle finger and saunter closer, a little less worried about the newcomer since Fury’s side of the bond has calmed to just a low, wary buzz now. “What’s she like?”
“I’m not mated.” Grumbling, King looks back at me again.
“The little slip of a thing shot me, then ran. She has no idea about shifters and thought I was crazy when your… When the person I was with started telling how much she’d pay if I could bring her shifters, and the Omega thought I was part of that business.
” His face has turns even more severe, those cutting angles of his jaw and cheekbones like knives. “I’d never deal in flesh.”
Oh. Oh, he is talking about… Trafficking? Shifter trafficking? Jeez, what sort of dark shit is this guy caught up in? There’s no scent from him either, even as I try to pick up anything, a hint of… Wait, I know that smell.
“Jasmine?” I say the name without thinking, and the big man tenses, eyes bright.
“Yes, that’s her. She was in that facility with you.” He nods solemnly, “Excellent aim, nearly took my cock clean off, but hit my thigh instead, thankfully. Took a while to heal, hence why I’m only here now. Have you heard from her at all?”
Shaking my head, I answer him, “Not since that last auction, she went with a pack who adored her, she was so excited to get out of there and telling me all about how they were going to support her and let her live her dream… And you’re telling me she ended up back there?”
There’s no answer, but he produces a slice of cloth, frayed at the edges and rumpled like he’s had it in his hands more often than not.
It has that sweet scent of night jasmine on it, her scent, and he holds it out for Fury, “Just in case you recognize it at all?” He sounds almost desperate, and my heart breaks a little for however scary this guy is, and how much reach he must have, yet he’s here asking me himself about an Omega I only knew for mere months.
Deacon’s chest rises next to me, and he stiffens, turning to get a better look at King.
Deac’s eyes flicker to me, silencing me before my big mouth opens and asks him what’s up, and I have a feeling that perhaps our resident bartender might know exactly where Jasmine is.
But Deac’s my friend, and King scares me a little, despite Fury’s apparent friendship with him.
My Alpha gives him the negative and side-eyes me, having caught a tinge of emotion through the bond before we watch the other leave, taking it easy on the door this time.
“What do you know, Firecracker?” Fury asks when the coast is clear and the customers have been served, leaving us some time to clean behind the bar.
I answer with a quick “nothing” way too fast, and he narrows his eyes at me, but lets it go for now.
He’ll probably spank me for it later at home. And I’ll love every. Fucking. Minute.