Chapter 22

Six Months Later

Alistair woke Friday morning feeling antsy. He'd slept like hell and now his back hurt from the tossing and turning. His elephant was noisy in his head too, murmuring and grumbling.

But he didn't know what was causing it.

On Fridays, he handled the norms, feeding and caring for them, and then he'd be shifting before the arrival of an elementary school class that was going on the safari tour, the small group of fifteen first- and second-graders split up among the blue camo-painted Jeeps.

After making his way to the kitchen, he brewed a cup of coffee and scrolled through his email.

There was an alpha meeting scheduled for after the tours were finished for the day to discuss the lack of soulmates from the free VIP tour coupons the park had been sending out for the last couple years.

When they'd first implemented the tour coupons, he'd been sure that many of their unmated people would find their soulmates. While a lot of their people had found their soulmates recently—eighteen at last count—few had come through the free coupons. They were planning to implement an email coupon for a change of pace, to see if more people would respond to a free VIP tour arriving in their email instead of the actual mail.

He'd been single a hell of a long time.

He'd never had any children or a mate of his own. He had a big family though, with brothers and sisters and nephews and nieces. He and his nephew Indio had been in the same memory, and Indio had come with him when he'd joined up with the other alphas at the safari park. Then his two other nephews—Cael and Kelley—had followed from their memories and joined with Alistair.

He would love to find his soulmate, he just wasn't sure it would happen. Because while he didn't consider himself old at forty, he knew he was no spring chicken and maybe it wouldn't happen for him.

By the time he'd dressed in coveralls and made his way to the norms' paddock to feed and care for them, he wasn't in any better of a mood. He felt like his elephant was going to flay him alive trying to shift.

But there wasn't any reason for the anxiety he was feeling.

It wasn't like he was in danger or fearful of anything.

Except maybe growing old and dying alone.

Sighing, he rubbed the space over his heart and trudged to the maintenance shed after he'd finished taking care of the norms, including the unofficial park mascot, Tank the cantankerous moose. Once inside the shed, he cleaned up and stripped from the coveralls, putting them in the bin to be washed, and then left the maintenance shed and walked through the gate to the path, following it out to the park.

He wasn't sure why he was walking into the park, or why his elephant was suddenly so interested in where he was going, so he just kept moving.

It was lunchtime, and the scents of food cooking in the stalls was enough to make him take a hard left and grab a burger from Tarquin and Lucy's stall. But instead, he stopped and looked around.

"You okay, Alistair?"

Alistair rubbed the space over his heart again and looked at Xavier, one of the lions who handled park security, who was out on patrol. "I'm good, I think."

"You look like you're looking for something," the young male said.

Alistair tilted his head and inhaled, sorting through the scents of food and people, but he didn't pick up anything out of the ordinary.

Still.

Something was going on.

"I think…" Alistair said as realization filled him. The reason for his elephant's anxious feelings and dragging him out to the park? Because something new was here within the walls. Someone new.

"Think what?"

"I think my soulmate's here."

"What? Where?" Xavier asked, looking around.

"I don't know," he said. He smiled at the male and clapped him on the shoulder. "But she's somewhere. I can feel it in my bones. My elephant dragged me out here, so he sensed it."

"Wow, that's amazing! So you're just going to walk around?"

"Yep."

"Well, good luck, man!"

"Thanks."

Alastair nodded at Xavier and started walking. He wasn't sure where his soulmate was, just that he was certain she was within the tall stone walls. He just had to find her.

Ginny could not stop smiling. After many, many months of hard work alongside her soulmate, the carousel was finally ready to open to the public. She hadn't been able to sleep last night out of excitement for the coming day.

Well, it wasn't just how excited she was to see the carousel actually working and also starting her new job as carousel operator, but it was also because she had amazing news to share with August…she was just looking for the right time.

Some news needed to be shared in an epic way, and this was one of those pieces of news.

Stomach fluttering, she made her way to the section of the park where the carousel now proudly gleamed in the spring sunshine. The park would open at ten, which was in less than an hour.

"Today's the day, Ginny?" Lexy, Win's soulmate, asked from the door of the candy shop where she, Trina, and Jenni made and sold various candy to park patrons.

"Yes! I'm so excited!"

"You look like it! Come here for a second, I've got a surprise for you."

Ginny changed direction and hurried to the candy shop, following Lexy inside.

"Hey, girl," Jenni said from behind the counter where she was pushing colorful gummy candies out of small molds.

"Hi!" Trina said as she fluffed a bow on a box of chocolates.

Ginny greeted the females. "What's up?"

"I wanted to do something special for the carousel's grand reopening, so I talked to Marcus and the other bears, plus Trina and Jenni, and we came up with an amazing idea."

Trina walked out from behind the counter with a wooden tray filled with treats.

"Okay, so I asked the marketing department to come up with some stickers for treats for the carousel, and they came up with these really cute ones. See? Some of them have the individual horses and some have the whole thing," Lexy said, pointing to a few spools of stickers. "We came up with a handful of treats to make for you, which we also put the stickers on the packaging as well. So we made classic round suckers—they're cherry flavored—kettle corn in individual bags, and Jenni's favorite thing to make—gummies shaped like carousels."

Ginny stared in shock at the tray of adorable carousel-themed treats. She lifted one of the palm-sized bright red suckers with a carousel horse sticker on the plastic covering that was tied with a gold ribbon.

"Holy crap, you guys! I didn't know you were planning to do something like this. It's amazing!"

"We've got a stand for you to sell the treats right at the operator booth," Trina said. "Whenever you need a refill, just call the shop and we'll run them out to you. There's a cash box in the booth that's got cash in it and a tablet so people can tap or swipe credit cards or their cell phones."

"I think you thought of everything!" Ginny hugged the females, her heart swelling with how much her friends cared about her and the carousel. Of course they'd been hearing her talk about it for months, and now the day was finally here.

"Be sure to come by on your break for a ride on the carousel, free of charge!" Ginny said before thanking them again. She took the tray with her, leaving the shop and hurrying to get to the carousel.

When she reached the carousel, August was standing at the operator booth holding a bouquet of red roses. He had on his coveralls, and there was something about seeing him in his work uniform that always made her heart pound.

She set the tray of goodies on top of the newly installed treat stand and hugged him with one arm, taking the flowers in the other.

"They're so pretty, thank you!"

She kissed him, her skin prickling as he held her close and his gorilla hummed, making his chest vibrate.

"It's your first day, sweetheart. I wanted to commemorate it and give you something special."

She brought the flowers to her nose and inhaled the sweet scent. "I love them, and I love you."

"The carousel looks great. Are you ready for it? Social media has been buzzing with news of it opening today. Joss said that ticket sales are way up."

"That's so cool!"

The marketing department, which consisted of a few wolves who had an office underneath the park near the marketplace, had been using the park's social media accounts to document the carousel's refurbishing and construction.

"I heard there's a class coming for a tour today and they get to ride it," August said.

"Yep, it worked out really well that the school had already scheduled the visit for today when it happens to be opening. They'll be here right before they get to have lunch, and then they're going on the safari tour too."

"I'll stop by and give you a hand since it could get pretty crowded," he said.

"That would be great, thank you."

She looked down at the flowers and then at her soulmate.

"Come here," she said. She set the flowers on the counter of the operator booth and took his hand, leading him through the exit gate and onto the carousel platform. She was right by her very favorite horse, the solid black one with the amazing mane that looked like it was flowing while he ran.

She looked up at August.

Her soulmate.

The male who had her whole heart.

He cupped her face and kissed her. She closed her eyes and melted into the sweet kiss. It took her a moment to open her eyes after the kiss ended, her mind spinning with thoughts of going back to the house underground and sneaking in a quickie, and the news she had to share on the tip of her tongue.

She realized he wasn't standing anymore, but had dropped to one knee in front of her and was now holding a ring between his finger and thumb.

Her eyes widened and everything she was going to say slipped from her mind.

"I love you so much, Ginny. Since the day you stole that park SUV and broke the security bar that I'd just fixed, you've been the most important person in the world to me, the center of my universe, and the very best thing that ever happened to me. The day your brother took over the pack, I asked him for permission to marry you because he's your older brother and your family and it's important to me that he was included. So I'm asking you, sweet Ginny…will you marry me?"

She looked at the ring sparkling in the sunlight, the band of tiny diamonds held a heart-shaped diamond in the center.

August looked up at her with the sweetest smile.

"I'm pregnant."

His brows rose.

She blinked in surprise at her own outburst, and then she laughed.

"I'm pregnant!"

He stood and caught her up in a hug, lifting her feet off the ground, whooping a cheer. "You are? That's amazing! Holy shit!"

She kissed him with a laugh and said, "Easy on the swearing there, sailor."

"Oops, I'll be more careful." He gave her a kiss and then said, "You didn't answer me, you know."

He brought the ring up between them. She took it from his fingers and put it on. "Perfect," she said. "Just like you. Yes, I'll marry you, August. I can't wait to be your wife."

"I can't wait to be your husband," he said. He kissed her again, and this time she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself close. Happy tears stung her eyes.

She was pregnant with her soulmate's baby and now they were engaged, and to top it all off, he proposed to her in her favorite place in the park—the carousel.

"I love you," she said when the kiss ended.

"I love you too," he said.

They stood in a sweet embrace for a little while longer, until his walkie beeped and he was called to the entrance where one of the ticket booths needed fixing.

"I'll be back before the kids go on their carousel ride, and then we can go to lunch," he said before he left. "Good luck on your first day. You did an amazing job. I hate that we finished up the carousel and we're not working together anymore."

"I'll miss it too," she said. "It was so much fun."

"See you at lunch, sweetheart."

He gave her a quick kiss and walked away, leaving her to get the carousel running with a few tests and making sure everything was in order.

Six months ago, she'd come to the park trapped in a cage, scared out of her mind and on the run for her life. Despite all the hardships and loss, she'd made a new life for herself with August. She wasn't living in fear anymore, always looking over her shoulder.

Now she was operating a carousel, mated to an amazing male, and pregnant with his child.

Her life had changed forever the day she'd run away from her pack in fear for her life, but she'd run right into August and his gorilla, who protected her with everything they had.

She'd never have a shortage of love and affection, that was for sure.

Pressing her land lightly to her belly, she whispered, "I love you already, sweet baby. I can't wait to meet you."

And then she pressed the button to turn on the carousel, the lights flickering to life and the music playing softly from the speakers hidden in the center. As the carousel spun gently, she felt the sweetest sense of peace wash over her. It was incredible to know that no matter what challenges lay ahead, she and August would face them together.

As the music filled the air, she was sincerely grateful for the road that led her to August and the Amazing Adventures Safari Park, and for the precious life growing within her.

She'd finally found her true home.

Thank you so much for reading August! I hope you enjoyed hanging out in the park with the shifters! The series continues with Book Nineteen—Alistair—scheduled to be released November 1, 2024. You can preorder Alistair's book HERE from your favorite retailer!

Alpha elephant Alistair was beginning to think that he'd be alone forever. But when a beautiful woman shows up at the Amazing Adventures Safari Park with her class for a private tour, he knows he's found his soulmate. Since humans don't know shifters exist, he'll have to win her heart and trust before he tells her the truth.

Maggie loves being a substitute teacher and is thrilled with the opportunity to take her class to the park for a private safari tour. When she meets a park employee named Alistair, she can't help but think her wildest romantic dreams are coming true, especially after her history with bad relationships. Then he shares a startling truth with her—shifters are real!—and her whole world turns upside down.

Now that Maggie knows the truth of shifters, she has a choice to make: stay with Alistair and keep the secret from everyone, including her family, or lose the only man who's ever held her heart.