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T hree days had passed since my father left. My tiger walked with him on the first night, and Tak was right. The next morning, I woke up with peace in my heart.

The first day without him was incredibly hard.

I stayed indoors, surrounded by my pack, who rearranged their schedules to be home.

Bear made me comfort food, Mercy cuddled with me on the sofa while I stared vacantly at the Lord of the Rings trilogy playing on the TV.

Between Virgil and Montana, I always had someone’s wolf at my side.

Even Krys, who wasn’t a conversationalist, handled a few small work errands on my behalf.

I’d known this pack was strong, but it wasn’t until my father left that I realized how blessed I was. They were more than family—they were my friends. When I was down, they lavished me with love and support. They didn’t leave the consoling to Lucian alone.

Although I wanted to search for my father in the nights that followed, my tiger refused to come out. She had said her goodbyes and understood the importance of letting go.

Lucian and I were the last ones remaining at the dinner table. We opened a bottle of red wine and were sitting beside each other, talking about life and what came next.

“How long is Cleo going to stay in her room?” I asked. “It’s not healthy. I went up there this afternoon and painted her nails, but she needs to come out and be a part of this house.”

“She’s not a part of this house,” Lucian said matter-of-factly.

He turned sideways in his chair to face me.

“She belongs to another family and doesn’t want to get attached.

She’s also traumatized and a little scared of us.

Well, some more than others. I can scent what she won’t tell everyone.

They’re still searching for her family, so she’s in a state of limbo.

It might be easier for her not to get attached to us.

It’ll just make it harder when she leaves. ”

“She should at least come down for meals.”

“This isn’t her pack. Wolves consider eating a sacred space for bonding, and she knows that. It’s not because we’re being dicks, but we’re not going to drag her down against her will.”

There were deep-seated customs beyond my understanding for each animal type. There was much to learn from a wolf pack.

I finished my wine and set the empty glass on the table. “Maybe it’s time to make some tough decisions about what to do with her. The longer she stays up there… Well, I can’t imagine that’s good for anyone’s mental health. She could live with a family.”

“For adoption?” He scoffed. “Couples want babies. You hardly ever see anyone taking in teens. That’s why they still have Breed orphanages, and that’s no place for young.”

“Maybe I can help speed up the search.”

Lucian abruptly put his arms around me and gave me a soulful hug.

Talking about everyone else’s problems diverted attention away from my own, but I hadn’t felt right all day.

This morning was the first time we didn’t hear my father’s tiger roar, and you can hear a tiger up to two miles away.

I thought maybe we’d missed it, but when dusk greeted us with silence, Tak sent a search party.

I wondered if they would find him in animal or human form. I hoped maybe he had run away, but that would never give me the closure I needed. He deserved to be buried, and I wanted him close so I could visit his grave.

A tear slipped out.

“I’m sorry,” I said, reeling back. “You should get some fresh air. This must be killing your nose.”

He dried my cheek. “Your pain is mine, female.” Lucian pulled me onto his lap.

“Your purr is like a sedative.”

“Good.”

I stroked the back of his hair. “You know that Charles Dickens line: ‘it was the best of times and the worst of times’? I finally understand. At least I’m not alone.

Now I know why he wanted me to build a family.

It wasn’t about having children or carrying on some role; he wanted me to have support and love.

I can’t imagine going through this by myself. ”

Footfalls overlapped across the outside deck before the back door opened and everyone eventually filed into the dining room. My stomach sank at their doleful expressions.

Steeling myself, I stood and gripped the back of Lucian’s chair while dreading the words that would change my life.

Tak’s long hair was unbound and free, and it slipped across his shoulders when he knelt and took my hand. “We found your father. Krys marked the spot where his spirit departed. He chose a beautiful place overlooking the river to be buried.”

Even though I had mentally prepared myself for the loss, the grief hit me hard and fast. Overcome with emotion, I sank to the floor and sobbed.

Tak stroked my back consolingly. “I asked Krys to bring his body back so we can prepare him for burial. He asked to be wrapped in ceremonial blankets. In fact, he was adamant against a coffin. Said something about claustrophobia.”

A laugh burst out of me, and I sat back on my heels.

“Always cracking jokes even in the end.” A flood of tears ran down my cheeks at the thought that I would never again hear his laugh, never feel his arms around me, never see that twinkle in his eye when he told one of his stories.

My chest constricted as hot tears welled in my eyes.

Tak gave a joyless grin. “We’ll give him an honorable burial at dawn.

Salem and Lakota will prepare the gravesite.

I’m not a spiritual leader, but I’ll bless the site before the ceremony.

It was a privilege having him in our home.

We had much in common, and I won’t forget his stories and what he gave to make this world better.

Anything you need, let me know. Anything . ”

I forced a nod.

“All right!” Virgil said through gritted teeth. “Give me a second, will you?”

Everyone turned around to look at Virgil, who was kicking off his sneakers with a sheepish grin.

“Small hiccup in the plans,” he announced.

Tak rose to his feet. “What’s this about?”

Virgil swaggered through the room and crossed his arms, his cheeks flushed and gaze fixed on the floor. “I’ve got an announcement.”

“Spit it out,” Archer said. “Just remember: this probably isn’t the right time or place.”

“Oh, it’s definitely the right time.” Virgil looked up and raked back his dirty-blond hair, his eyes filled with worry. “I can’t hide this secret about me anymore.”

Montana sighed. “We know. You like men.”

Robyn elbowed her mate in the ribs.

Virgil looked aghast. “I like women too! Virgil Nightingale does not discriminate.”

Tak stalked up to him. “Eden just lost her father?—”

“I’m not here to talk about my sexuality. Montana’s the one who brought it up.”

“If that wasn’t your big secret, what is?”

Virgil stepped to the side where I could see him. “I’m not exactly a full-blooded Shifter. I’m part Gravewalker.”

To say the room gasped would be an understatement.

Virgil gave them a defiant look before turning his attention back to me. “Your dad must have clout in the afterlife. Usually if they stay behind, they wander. But whatever came for him is waiting, so we don’t have time for chitchat.”

I shot to my feet. “He’s… he’s here?”

Virgil closed the distance between us. “He has a message.” Virgil snapped his attention to the empty space on the right.

“No! That’s where I draw the line. I’ll deliver the message, but I’m not letting you inside me.

This ”—he gestured to his body—“isn’t a motel.

Besides, it doesn’t work like that. You can’t just possess a person like in the movies. ”

I watched in astonishment as Virgil carried on a conversation with thin air. “What’s he saying?”

Virgil’s turquoise eyes met mine, and he remained quiet for a beat.

“Your dad is a hard-ass now that he’s not lugging that oxygen tank around.

He’s also younger, but how they look when they die is personal.

He says he did a lot of good deeds in his life, so they’re giving him extra time to pass you a message. ”

“What message?”

Virgil stared at the blank space beside him and nodded. “I’ll tell her.” Then he faced me again, his voice softer. “Your dad says you have doubts about the afterlife, but he’s not suffering anymore. All his pain and troubles are gone.”

I wondered if Virgil was making this up just to make me feel better. “And what else?”

“He wants you to stop grieving. He says to bury him in the morning but throw a big party tomorrow night. Have a real good time. Remember him with laughter and music.”

Archer gave Montana a skeptical glance. I kept trying to search Virgil’s words to hear my father, but I was still unsure.

Virgil’s shoulders sagged. “He wants you to celebrate his life instead of mourning him. He wants your laughter to be so loud that it travels to his heart in the next life.”

A rush suddenly moved through me. Images flashed through my mind of our life together, and when I closed my eyes, I was surrounded by the laughter, love, and memories.

Every moment whisked by as if I were in the center of a merry-go-round, leaving behind a sense of peace.

And then, for just a brief second, I could smell him.

I snapped my eyes open. Lucian was looking around the room with a startled expression, his nose twitching.

“He loves you,” Virgil continued before putting his arms around me. “This is from him.” He squeezed tight. “You’ll always be his baby girl.”

I hugged Virgil and felt my father’s embrace.

Just as quickly as he came, his spirit slipped away until the room felt as lifeless as a tomb.

Though I wouldn’t see him again, I was grateful for the life and love he’d given me.

And I was especially relieved to know that he was at peace and on to his next great adventure.

Virgil stepped back and glanced at the empty space on his left.

“He’s gone. I can’t ever see where they go; they just”—he snapped his fingers—“disappear. He wanted to see you one last time but didn’t think he’d actually be able to talk to you.

Good thing I was here. Not exactly the coming-out party I planned, but you can’t say no to that man.

” Virgil brushed off his arms. “Well, that was a first.”

“Thank you.” While I had braced myself for the loss, the grieving, the loneliness—my gratitude and joy were restored. Knowing he’d stayed to make sure I would be okay made me appreciate the bond we had. It made me want to be strong for him. “That was everything I needed.”

Virgil smirked. “If I had a nickel for every time someone’s said that to me…”

Archer smacked him on the back of the head, then pulled him into a hug. “You did a good thing,” I heard him say quietly.

Virgil backed up. “Good for him, maybe not so much for me.” He studied everyone’s stunned faces.

“I know I have explaining to do about being a crossbreed, but that’s between me and Tak, so don’t give me those judgy eyes.

” He strutted to the doorway. “Also, if anyone has a problem with my sexuality, you better think twice. I know what some of you freaks like to do in bed and all over the property. Don’t make me name names. ” With that, he was gone.

I stared at the empty space and laughed disbelievingly. “I think I’m going to be okay. At least his last days were spent here. This was the home he always deserved—you were the family he always deserved.”

Lucian put his arms around my waist and offered a sympathetic grin, his golden eyes sparkling beneath his black eyebrows.

“Did you smell him in here?” I asked.

He nodded. “Chitahs sometimes catch a whiff of loved ones after they die. I guess he carried his scent with him in death—pine needles and maple syrup.”

Tak threw back his head and laughed.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a tender look. “What do I smell like? If everyone has a personal scent, what’s mine?”

Lucian flicked a cautious gaze to Montana before answering. “Sunshine and sunflowers.” He kissed my forehead. “You smell like sunshine and sunflowers.”

You have just read The Protector.