Page 381 of Alpha Mates

“Hold my hand like this and hit the neck as hard as I can,” he answers as he lifts his palm up.

“That’s my boy,” I say, smiling proudly as I pull him in for a hug. We pick up his crayons and colour side by side until Julian shouts for us. “Alright. Time to go, kid.”

“Dad,” Levi calls before I can reach the door.

“Yeah, bud?”

“Thanks,” he says.

My cheeks hurt with the smile that tugs out of me. “Anytime.”

“Emitt, stop crying,” Isabel grumbles as he sobs over her shoulder for Goddess herself to hear.

“I’m t-trying,” he stammers, but it doesn’t look like it with the way he clings to her. “I’m trying!”

“Beckett,” Isabel begs and he’s at their side in a moment to gently peel Emitt off so the rest of us can get to her.

I go first, smiling as her nervous brown eyes meet mine. “Don’t get yourself kicked out.”

Her lips twitch, that nervousness turning into mischief. “No promises,” she teases before we crash together for a hug.

When the Board offered our pack a place at the Academy, we didn’t really know what to do with it—if we should send anyone at all. The place was meant for the best, brightest, and strongest creatures you could find, and it was a massive honour to be accepted, but it was also supposed to be brutal.

The Board had asked for Kat, but we barely managed to convince her to stay with the pack, so that was a hard no. Then Isabel offered, and suddenly, I couldn’t think of anyone better.

We break apart and she grins up at me—just before a short hellion dives for her again. Emitt clambers back into her arms, sobbing all over again like he’s her best friend and not the pair groaning behind us.

“Who’s going to send me porn now?” he whispers, and my eyes damn near shoot out of my head. I glance at Levi, but he’s too busy playing with Damon to notice.

“You’ll survive,” she whispers back, snorting as Beckett claws Emitt away so he can get his own hug. I step back, dragging Emitt with me so the rest of them have space.

“I’m going to miss you,” he says, hugging her tight. “Write to me all the time. Okay?”

“I’m going to drown you in letters,” she vows, making him smile while he tries to keep his tears back, and then Julian’s no better.

“Can I have her now?” he asks, making Beckett step aside as Isabel turns to Jewels with wobbling lips.

He basically jumps on her, squeezing her like his life depends on it, and she does the same.

“Don’t make me cry, Julian,” she begs against his shoulder. He laughs—but it’s tight, like he’s holding on by a thread. “Maybe I’ll find him there,” she whispers, and my heart breaks for her.

“I hope so,” Julian replies, giving her one last squeeze before they break apart.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” she says as she shuffles to one of her waiting duffels and pulls out a present wrapped in blinding red paper. “Here’s a little something for both of you.”

“You didn’t have to,” Julian says as she hands it over to him.

“Of course I did,” she replies, grinning. “Just promise to stay in one piece until I get back.” She glances at Beckett. “Especially you.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Beckett says, sniffling as he tries to sound strong. I release Emitt and this time he goes to his mate, who clings to him the moment he’s in reach. “You live your life and have a good time out there. I want stories for days next time I see you.”

Isabel laughs, wiping her cheeks. “You got it.’

We all hug her again, barely managing to let her go before we watch her slip into the waiting car.

Our best warriors will take her to the Academy and make sure she’s all set before making the journey back home. Isabel wouldn’t be back until she quit or graduated, and the latter could take any amount of time in the Academy. But I wasn’t worried about her. Isabel was a powerhouse.

We wave to her as she crosses the borders, and don’t stop until her disappears behind the trees.