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Karma, who just happened to be sitting in the office with her mate, was kind enough to get a little teary eyed at our leaving, but like a sun shower, she smiled through it. “I hear it’s beautiful there. Warren, we need to go up to the Pacific Northwest one day so you can show me where you used to roam.”

One thing led to another, I called Tyler to come to the office, and my faint dread at telling them we were leaving turned into a celebration of all things positive in the future. Karma sent for sparkling cider and little frosted cakes that the pastry chef had just coincidentally baked that morning, and we toasted multiple times and ate until every crumb of the delicious pastries was just a memory.

We would be leaving the next day with our minimal possessions, headed from the midsummer desert heat to the coolforests of my childhood home. Funny how hard I’d tried not to live there, had so many plans and ideas that had completely changed direction when the company I worked for decided to downsize.

I wondered if all of it had been part of Fate’s plan from the start. Certainly, if anything had been different, I’d never have met my mate. Just lived in my fancy apartment, one more drone in the company that never truly appreciated me.

Karma, Warren, and a bunch of Animals staff waved goodbye as we traveled down the long drive toward the highway. Even with the AC on, the car was warm, but it would soon be plenty cool. “How do you feel about ancient trees and a lot of rain year round?” I asked.

“It’s a little late to address that now.” He poked my side and took a deep drink from the water bottle that had become his constant companion since the pregnancy test came back positive. And actually before. In the desert, you drink all the time. “But it sounds perfect.

We drove part of the distance the first day then stopped to visit the Grand Canyon, letting our animals frolic in the pine forest not too far away and sleeping in our fur beside a stream. I would have loved to hike to the bottom of the canyon, but with a pregnant omega, I chose instead to treat us to the Skywalk. We strolled its curved length while talking about coming one day with out little one to camp at the bottom. So many plans were different now. And better.

The next morning, we pointed the car northwest and drove until we came to a nice resort where we spent another night in our skins, dining in the beautiful restaurant and lounging by the pool. Bruno probably would have preferred we drive like the wind straight to the den, but I considered this our honeymoon, and I wasn’t going to give that up even for my old mentor Kendall.

Tyler loved every new landscape we entered, so we stopped here and there to take little hikes and in the end it took us five days to arrive. Worth it, even when Bruno growled at me. But not at my mate. He took one look at him and flashed a rare grin. “This is the perfect place to raise a family, Tyler. We hope you’ll be very happy here with us.

The job came with a nice house. Not Kendall’s because I had made it very clear that I would not be taking the beta’s home. Bruno pointed out he hadn’t mentioned it, but I knew what tradition dictated. Bruno led us to a brand new house, cedar boards still golden, multiple windows gleaming.

Tyler ran inside and I could hear his sounds of delight from where I stood on the porch with the alpha. “When did you build this?”

“When Karma said you’d be along eventually.” He smiled again. “About a year ago.”

“How did she—” But why ask? Where Karma was concerned there were no answers. “Do you really think she’s human?”

“That and something more. If Warren knows, he’s not talking. Like the house?”

“My mate does, and that’s what matters. Thank you, alpha, for your patience and your faith in me. I will do my very best to make sure you never regret it.”

“The job was always yours. Go on in and check things out.” He slapped me on the back. “Welcome home. The beta ceremony is tonight.

When I entered the house, Tyler ran up and grabbed my hand. “Come and see. It’s all furnished and has pots and pans and dishes and even the pantry is stocked. Your den really must love you.”

More like respected the position, but I’d do my best to earn their good feelings. They’d also probably been aware of my disinterest in returning, so I might have some work to do on thatfront. But my mate was thrilled with our home, not huge but two stories and a loft. One bedroom empty. It would be the nursery.

When the sun set, the whole den came to escort us to the gathering area where a fire blazed. I stood in front of them and took my oath to put the den first before all others, to care for every member like family, and to do this job until it could be passed on to another many years in the future.

Like Kendall, I would stand firm and never desert the position. Second only to the alpha, I would be a representative of our den when facing others and be responsible for many things. I was tattooed with our den’s symbol on my left shoulder blade. The alpha’s was on the right. And though it stung, I stood straight and firm, my mate at my side.

The pack shifted and ran then, and my bear, who had enjoyed the desert, surged with joy at being in his beloved forest. Once again I was reminded of how I’d kept him from things he loved, but he roared and brushed those feeling aside. He wasn’t big on the past or future, gifted with living in the moment.

I could learn a lot from him, and it was time I listened better to his wisdom.

When Tyler’s steps flagged, he waved me on, turning back toward home, accompanied by several of the omegas. I hesitated but then realized he needed this. They were showing their care for their beta omega. They would be his friends and companions, and he would listen to their worries and be a link between me and those omegas who were not comfortable coming to an alpha with their problems.

He’d be great at it. At Animals, in our short time there, he’d already become a fixture among the omegas who gravitated toward him.

We’d only been here a few hours, and while we’d talked about looking things over and deciding, we’d leapt right in withboth feet and four paws each. Into our new life. Our new world. Our joy.

This was where our cub would grow up and make friends. Finally, those of us still running turned back toward the fire for the feast. It was a reconnecting with old companions and meeting some new ones.

It was home.

Chapter Fifteen

Tyler

The sun was shining, and a beautiful breeze flowed through our open windows. It was a perfect day to go for a run with my mate. I grabbed the tote bag I’d put our picnic in and walked to the alpha house where he was finishing up his workday.