"I always knew you were hiding a backbone under those stupid long dresses." Her smile faltered. "Though Maddox tells me you said you'd come to take me back home."
"Maddox is the father of your…" Faith trailed off, not sure what term to use. Baby? Pup? "…child?"
"Maddox is my mate," Hope said firmly. "My husband."
"Your sister prefers to call me devil."
Faith followed the sound of the deep, masculine voice to the break in the forest where Hope had been. Sure enough, a familiar, towering alpha came walking out from the trees.
Instantly, Faith was on alert, her joy overtaken by wariness. She might not believe that all alphas were devils anymore, but that didn't mean she trusted this one in particular.
"And your mate threatened to slap a muzzle on me," she shot back.
Hope rolled her eyes, obviously unimpressed. "I had a feeling you two wouldn't get along. It's a bit of a cliché, though, don't you think—husband vs. the in-laws?"
Faith tilted her head in acquiescence. She could learn to deal with Maddox if that's what it took to ensure Hope's happiness.
"I know I was acting a little…erratic when I first arrived here," she began.
"A little?" Maddox said. "You shot the roof off Evander's!"
"I did not," Faith snapped. "It was only two shots, and technically, I was aiming at Troy both times."
After a long moment, Maddox dropped his scowl. "Well, that's understandable," he grunted. "You're forgiven. And, uh…since you're my omega's sister, I guess you can come to our house sometime."
Hope squeezed Faith's hand before she could respond. "I need you to know I'm not leaving the Boundarylands. This is my home now. This is where I belong."
Faith studied her sister's face. Hope looked happy—truly happy, for the first time in her life. She had always had a restless spirit, earning punishment after punishment from their parents for her petty rebellions, but now there was joy and peace in her eyes.
For the first time, Faith realized that her sister hadn't given anything up to be with her alpha. She hadn't compromised her beliefs or forfeited her future. Being here in the Boundarylands—obviously in love, and expecting her first child—had fulfilled her dreams.
Faith threw her arms around her sister. "I know that now. I finally understand."
When Hope released her, there was relief in her eyes—but also concern.
"And now you're with Troy." It was more of a question than a statement. Hope's gaze traveled down, and Faith didn't need to be told what she was looking for—a sign of a claiming bite, proof of a bond between her and Troy. "…Or are you?"
Faith glanced at Maddox. As much as she longed to talk to her sister about this, the last thing she wanted was Mr. Psycho Eyes listening in.
Sensing her reluctance, Hope turned toward her mate. "I'll meet you back at home."
"I don't think that's a good idea," he said menacingly. "I don't trust her around you."
Faith might only be five-foot-four and barely a hundred and ten pounds, but she wasn't about to stand for this. "Stop your bullshit, Maddox. I don't care if you don't like me, but you have to know I would never hurt my sister."
Hope's eyes went wide. "Did you just swear, Little Bird?"
Faith blushed. "Maybe a little."
"Oh my God, Troy really is rubbing off on you."
"That's one way to put it," Faith said with a wink.
"Okay, enough," Maddox said, holding his hands up. "I really don't want to hear where this is going."
Hope laughed as her mate retreated across the clearing. The women watched him go, waiting until he had disappeared into the forest before resuming their conversation.
"So…how is it going with Troy?" Hope asked delicately. "I know this can be a hard transition, especially for people with an upbringing like ours."
"I don't know," Faith said honestly. "One minute, I want to kill him, and the next, I want to kiss him. I go from wanting to run away, to wanting to build a family with him—sometimes in the space of seconds. Honestly, it's like I'm being torn in two different directions."
Hope nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, it's like that at first."
Faith blinked. "It is? You mean…you felt this way too?"
"Every omega I've ever met has some version of the same story."
Faith was taken aback—there were others like them here?
"How many omegas do you know?"
"Four others in this settlement," Hope said. "Five now that you're here. They're all wonderful. I'll have to introduce you soon. As long as you promise not to yell at them like you yell at Maddox."
Faith allowed herself a hopeful little smile. Imagine—other women who'd gone through the same thing, who could answer her questions, who could share their experiences and advice. Suddenly, it felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"I promise—and I'll even stop yelling at your mate, as long as he treats you well."
Hope laughed and slipped her arm through Faith's. "Oh, he does. Just wait until you see the bathroom he built for me. Come on—let's walk a little more, and we can fill each other in on the last five years, and you can tell me all about Troy." Hope wrapped her arm around Faith's shoulder as they started into the trees.
"Wow, that's a lot to cover," Faith said.
"That's one of the nicest things about living here in the Boundarylands," Hope said. "We have all the time we need.”
Chapter Thirteen
Troy wasn't surprised to see Hope walking by his omega's side when she finally made her way back home.
He'd been listening to the soft hum of their conversation for hours, resisting the urge to focus on the words, giving Faith the privacy she was entitled to.
He might not get every aspect of her complicated relationship with her family and her past, but it was pretty obvious that she needed this time with her sister right now.
Not just
