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Dom gripped my shoulder. “I heard Gregory, but it’s your opinion I trust.”

“Even after I let you down?”

His mouth twisted ruefully. “I let you down first.” My forehead wrinkled and he sighed. “I knew you wanted to visit the Ghost Pack and I resisted. I kept putting you off, even while letting you travel the country.”

“Why is that?”

He shook his head. “You know? I don’t know why. When Trent came back from their lands, it spooked me. Then your dad died, and somehow it all became connected in my mind.” He swallowed, glancing away from me. “I kept having this feeling that if I let you go there then I’d lose you.” A self-deprecating laugh huffed from him. “Guess I wasn’t wrong.”

“You haven’t lost me,” I contended, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re talking about Gregory.”

“Right now we’re talking about Gregory, but we both know it’s only a matter of time before you go back for Dru,” he replied knowingly.

“That doesn’t mean I’m leaving the Pack,” I argued and he dropped his gaze. “Am I?” I asked, the world tilting under me as I considered the possibility. “Am I leaving the Pack? Is that what you’re trying to tell me? Dru or our Pack?”

“No.” He grabbed me by the back of the neck, shaking me lightly. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all.” He tilted my head so we were eye to eye. “I’ve waited a long time to see you happy.” He smiled ruefully. “I just didn’t expect your mate to be a different species.” I thrust my arm out and he dodged, chuckling before he sobered. “It’s just this is the first time in years I’ve seen you so focused. She’s what you want and I support you completely. I just don’t want you to think you need to do this alone. We’re your Pack, we’re here for you.”

I nodded. “I know that. It’s the reason I came back. I know I can’t do this alone, not if I want to do it right,” I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat as I admitted, “I want to do this right. I messed up the first time with Dru but there’s nothing more important to me than keeping her safe and happy. She feels like home.”

“Then we do this….together.”

“Together,” I echoed as the door to the Pack House opened and Anna and Gregory stepped out.

“Is everything alright?” Anna inquired, looking between us and we nodded. “Gregory says it’s time.”

“You’re going now?” I asked in surprise and he nodded, giving me a shrewd glance.

“No time like the present, otherwise you’ll beat me there,” he replied, his hands resting on his cane. “And I don’t think Mildred will appreciate another surprise visit from you.”

“You think she’ll be more welcoming to you?” I asked doubtfully, remembering the way she’d blasted him off their lands. “She seemed as happy to see you gone as she was me.”

“Let’s just say, I know her better than she realizes.” He smiled grimly. “If she was as unhappy as she said she was at seeing me, then I’d be dead not limping.”

“Comforting,” Dom muttered, his gaze sweeping over us. “You two are certifiable.”

“I’m going too,” Monster announced, appearing behind Dom, Jess hot on his heels.

“No,” several voices spoke at once, including Dylan who had been lurking around the corner of the building.

“You can’t stop me,” Monster said defiantly and Dom’s nostrils flared.

“Can’t I?” Dom questioned dangerously. “I am still your Alpha, am I not?” Monster didn’t bend, meeting Dom’s gaze unflinchingly. “You are underage and under the custody of your father, who I’m positive doesn’t want you running directly into a dangerous and volatile situation.” Dom tried a different tactic but Monster wasn’t swayed.

“I’m going.”

“No, you’re not,” Jess snapped, tugging on Monster’s arm, but he didn’t budge from his stare down with Dom. “You are not going. Why would you even want to go? They don’t exactly like us.”

“Some of them do,” he replied and I knew exactly who he was talking about. “She needs my protection.”

Jess’s eyes narrowed and then she screeched, “This is about a girl?” She threw her hands up and we all flinched. “Of course it is. Of course it’s a girl. What was I thinking? You’re sixteen so of course….girls.”

“You were sixteen when you met Dom,” he retorted and she pointed her finger at him, almost poking him in the nose.

“Seventeen going on eighteen, thank you very much and we’re mates, totally different situation,” she corrected him and he looked down. “It is a totally different situation, right? Right?” She asked a little desperately, glancing at Dom. “Please tell me it’s different,” she begged and I stared at my feet, not wanting to be the one to tell her. “Oh God, I’m not ready.” She crouched, staring blindly at our knees. “I thought I had time….boys take longer to mature.” She smacked Monster’s shin and he jerked. “Why do you have to be so advanced? Can’t you just not do this?”