Terrent cut a hard look at the doctor. “Bullshi—baloney.
She doesn’t have demon-fighting abilities. Unfortunately.”
“Yeah.” Shannon stepped toward Terrent’s other side.
“We’re sticking with Terrent’s pack. No matter where we have to go.”
Andrea nodded, standing by her friend. “We need a cool name, though.”
“How about the bad-asses?” Shannon asked.
“Terrent’s bad-asses?” Andrea clapped her hands together. “That’s awesome.”
“I agree, that is awesome.” Jase Kayrs stalked from the parking lot. “I’m in.”
Terrent coughed. “You’re a vampire. You can’t join my pack.” If he had a pack, which he didn’t.
“Sure, I can,” Jase drawled.
“You’re not a wolf.” Terrent’s mind spun.
“So?” Jase stood next to Maggie. “I spoke to Dage, who laughed really hard, by the way, and then agreed I should join your wandering pack. Where you go . . . I go.”
Terrent rounded on Bobbi, Shannon’s mother. “Do something.”
She nodded, striding forward to stand by her daughter. “I agree. I hereby join Terrent’s bad-asses.”
One by one, every member of the pack stepped into the center of the clearing. Joining his pack.
Finally, Gerald grinned and stepped forward. “Well, Alpha? Where are we going first? Werewolf hunting?”
Warmth slammed through Terrent with such force he would’ve stepped back, except there was nowhere to step.
People surrounded him. People who wanted to be his. A home. A family. Finally.
His mate was correct that he felt an odd guilt about being the only surviving Skene pack member. And he truly was guilty as hell for taking vengeance on the three who’d killed his people. Yet, he’d fought for and protected the world for centuries. He could continue to do so with a new pack, with a new home. They needed his help.
He glanced at his mate. “Well?”
Maggie fought to keep tears from her eyes. The people had banded around them, offering everything. The hope in Terrent’s eyes, the warmth there, made her heart actually swell. “I, ah—”
Andrea nodded. “Please stay.”
Maggie swallowed. The sense of belonging surrounded her in a welcoming warmth. “I might want to travel and meet my people. Someday.”
“We’ll all go visiting,” Shannon said.
So this was what family felt like. Her damn memories might never return, but she had waited long enough to start living again. She had all she could ever want being offered to her. Maggie smiled at the man she loved. “I feel like a bad-ass.”
Terrent exhaled slowly. The crowd around them seemed to hold still. Finally, Terrent nodded. “Looks like you have a new Alpha.”
The people erupted with cheers, several hugging, several smacking Terrent on the back.
He cleared his throat. “I will need to leave once in a while when the Bane’s Council requires my help.” He nodded at Nash. “Though, I’m sure we could find someone else willing to fight with them.”
Nash’s slow grin provided an easy answer.
Terrent nodded. “However, we live here, and we’re keeping the same name. No bad-asses.”
Maggie shook her head at the slow wink Andrea gave Shannon. They’d probably have new Tshirts made by the end of the day. God, she was going to love it here.
Terrent eyed the girls. “I guess my first official act as Alpha will be to punish the saboteurs.”
The girls stopped smiling. Slowly, they both nodded.
Maggie stiffened. Oh, no. He wouldn’t keep them from the national competition, would he? She held her breath, too.
Glancing around at the scrub brush surrounding the clearing, Terrent stopped to face the girls. “You two are in charge of restoring this clearing to its formal pretty, flower-ing, welcoming glory. In time for my wedding next spring.”
Maggie gasped. “You mean it? A wedding with a dress, music, flowers? A real wedding?”
“That’s what you’ve always wanted,” Terrent said with a grin.
The girls erupted with happy squeals.
Their glee had him holding up a hand. “And never, never, ever, do such a thing again.”
“We won’t.” The girls rushed forward to hug him.
The panic on his face warmed Maggie right through. Deciding to rescue him, this time, she tugged on his arm. “Let’s go unpack. I want to settle in before we start all the new training and stuff.”
She turned and tripped.
He caught her, sweeping her up. “We’ll be back, pack.”
Snuggling his face into her neck, he strode around the corner and set her down away from prying eyes. His own serious eyes met hers. “Are you sure you want to live here?”
“This is home.” She pressed up on her tiptoes and kissed him full on the mouth. “I love you.”
He grinned, sliding his arms around her waist. “I love you, too, my little wolf. Forever.”
