18. Answers and Aftermath

MARIGOLD

I t takes hours to gather the bodies into trucks and return them and the remaining Granite Ridge wolves to their territory. They’ll have to handle their own burials. It’s a relief to get them out of our land.

Sienna stands alone, her face ashen, as she directs her wolves.

“Do you want to stay and help her?” I whisper to Jasper. After everything that has happened, a feeling like pity wells in my stomach.

“Absolutely not. Our pack needs us,” he answers immediately. Turning away from his former pack, he buries his face into my neck. The rise of his chest is comforting against my curves .

He’s quiet on the drive home.

The moon peeks over the treetops. Heath stands in the middle of the gathering, leaning on a crutch. His left leg is bound up tight.

Hawthorne holds onto Crickett who is quietly weeping. Perhaps it’s the shock of the day or the destruction of her beloved kitchen. My grandmother has already patched Hawthorne. Bandages wrap his torso, one bicep, and the opposite thigh. Despite leaning on his mate, he looks decent with color in his cheeks and a tired smile. Daisy keeps calling him a mummy.

Exhaustion permeates the entire pack. No one is injured worse than Hawthorne, and most only have shallow cuts and bruises. Through the pack bond, I can feel a sense of relief, multiplied by my bond with Jasper. Quiet discussions buzz around us.

My mate’s arm wraps my shoulders, holding me against his side. It’s comforting. My hand rubs wide circles across his back, trying to offer as much comfort as I draw from him. He tightens his grip and presses a kiss to the top of my head. The air leaves my lungs in a contented sigh.

His pale hair is silver in the moonlight, a fine highlight outlining his straight nose and high cheekbones. Reaching up, I wipe a spot of blood off his jaw.

Hazel’s brown eyes connect with mine. A wry smile curves her lips. It looks like she already knows about our decision.

“Did you tell?” I whisper, frowning at Hazel.

“Slate kinda figured it out.” He shrugs, glancing up. “And he told Hazel, looks like. ”

“If she didn’t already know.” When I think about it, it’s surprising she didn’t see through us the moment we walked out of the bedroom this morning.

Our musings are cut short by Heath raising a hand. Silence falls across the clearing instantly Dozens of eager faces watch their leader.

“In all my years as your Alpha, we’ve never faced a threat this grievous. And despite our injuries, we are all still standing,” Heath says, “more or less.” He chuckles, motioning at himself.

“We have proven that loyalty and kindness are stronger than greed and revenge.” The pride in his voice is unmistakable and it echoes through the emotions of our packmates like warmth spreading from person to person.

Slate takes Hazel’s hand where they stand beside her uncle.

Heath glances over at them. “My heirs proved they can lead our pack without me. Their quick thinking and wise decisions saved many of our lives and homes.”

Hazel’s cheeks flush and her eyes go to the ground.

“That being said, it looks as though the damage to my leg will be permanently disabling. I believe it is best if Hazel and Slate take up the mantle of Alpha in my stead. They are capable and ready, and I know all of us will support them as they grow into the role.”

Murmurs of approval echo around us .

Hazel’s mouth falls open, but she allows Heath to pull her into a one-armed embrace. He converses quietly with Hazel and Slate.

Jasper’s arm around me goes slack. His expression echoes Hazel’s. But while Hazel recovers as Heath speaks to her, Jasper continues to blink dumbly at our leaders.

“Are you okay?” I ask. His mouth snaps shut. “What's wrong?”

Like breaking from a trance, he looks down at me. “He just stepped down.”

“Yeah, pretty sure we all saw that happen.” He frowns at me like I’m missing something. “Jasper, what’s upsetting you?”

Clearing his throat, he explains, “My father always said I would never be Alpha until he was cold in the ground. He never would have handed his role over to anyone. The fact Heath would willingly retire and give up his authority.”

“Oh,” I say, understanding finally. Yet again, our pack has surprised him.

“It’s unbelievable,” he says, his voice scraping. His happiness for his brother is tinged with sadness, though I would have missed it if we weren’t connected with a deeper bond. I know him well enough to be confident it isn’t jealousy, but a mourning for a family other than his own. The differences between Heath and Ferris are vast, and I know sometimes those differences feel painfully unfair .

“You’ve always belonged here,” I murmur, tugging him into a tight hug. “Not there. You’ve always deserved a family like this.”

His hands grasp me like I’m his lifeline as he breathes in the smell of my hair until his breathing evens out. By the time we’ve broken apart, the gathering has dissolved. Hazel stands by Heath, accepting congratulations from various lingering pack members.

“Are you two done?” Slate asks, his fake irritation giving way to a smile.

Jasper smirks and I pinch the skin on his side in a silent warning. “Sorry, yes,” Jasper says, “Alpha.”

“We’d like to talk with you later. Can we stop by your cabin in a bit?”

“Of course,” I say over my shoulder as Jasper pulls me away and spins me to face him.

“I don’t think I want to share you once we get home,” he whispers in my ear.

“This sounds important.”

“So is checking on our cabin,” he says. “I have a surprise for you.”

“So impatient,” I tease, anticipation prickling in my chest.

Before I can protest, he reaches under my knees and scoops me up in a bridal hold. “Hey!” I protest, kicking my legs. My fingers wrinkle his shirt. Striding through the trees, he peppers my forehead, my cheeks, and my nose with kisses.

“Hold on!” he says, tipping me up until I’m hanging over his shoulder, freeing up his other hand to open the door. My shriek turns to a giggle as he slides me back into my original position.

As we step over the threshold, he gives me that cocky grin. “Welcome home.”

“Everything looks untouched. We got lucky,” I say, surveying our living room.

“Do you like this cabin?” Jasper asks. He lets me slide down his body until my feet hit the ground.

“Yeah, it’s great.” I look around to see if he made any changes, wondering when he had time to arrange a surprise.

“Really?” he asks quietly.

“Yes, I love it.” I laugh, quirking one eyebrow at him.

He takes a deep breath. “Good, because I bought it from the pack. It’s not a guest cabin anymore, it’s all ours.”

The words take a moment to snap into place. “What?”

“We can get something else if you like,” he quickly says.

“No, that’s amazing.” My feet leave the floor once more as he hugs me around the waist and lifts me up. My fingers curl into the back of his hair. “It’s perfect, but when did you have time to buy it?”

“Last week.”

We settle on the sofa and I grab his hand, my legs across his. Looking at his fingers instead of his eyes, I say, “I feel bad though. I don’t have a lot of money, but I can help.”

His deep laugh breaks my thoughts .

“What?” I demand, a blush coloring my cheeks.

“I’ve been putting away money from my family for years, in case I ever had to run. They have more money than sense. You don’t even have to work if you don’t want to. The cabin barely put a dent in it.”

“Are you kidding me?”

It makes sense. I don’t know much about cars, but his car seems expensive, and he never seems worried about how much things cost.

“I want to buy you a car too. Something yellow.”

Shaking my head, I squeeze his fingers in warning. “No way.”

“You can’t stop me from getting you gifts.” He pulls my hand against his chest so I can feel his heart.

“Yes, I can.” My eyes narrow into a glare.

A soft knock interrupts our argument.

“Come in,” I say, releasing him and swinging my feet to the floor..

“You deviants better be wearing clothes,” Hazel grouches, pushing the door open.

“It would serve you right, after how you and Slate have been,” I tease. Jasper buries his face in the crook of my neck and laughs silently.

“Why do I have a feeling you guys will be worse?” Slate sits in the armchair opposite us and pulls Hazel into his lap.

“So what’s going on guys? I need to get my mate to bed,” Jasper asks, a frown creasing his brows.

Hazel’s eyebrows shoot up.

“For sleep,” Jasper growls. “It’s been a long night. ”

That’s an understatement as the pale morning light begins to filter through the curtains of our cozy living room.

“Well, we are going to be Alphas,” Hazel begins, pausing like she isn’t sure how to continue.

“Pretty sure that’s been the case for like six months,” I mutter, trying to not giggle. Exhaustion strips away my filter, making my words goofy and thoughtless.

Slate rolls his eyes. “You know what we mean.”

It’s too easy to tease him. Hazel’s grin mirrors my own in a moment of female solidarity.

“I’m really excited for you guys. You’re going to be amazing,” I say.

Hazel’s blush is back, and Slate’s hands tighten around her waist, probably sensing her discomfort. “Thank you. But we are going to need our own second-in-command.”

“Yeah?” Jasper says.

“Of course,” Slate says.

“We’d like you to be our Beta,” Hazel blurts. Jasper freezes, his brows furrowing.

Squeezing his arms looped around me, I reassure him, “Who else would they want?”

He takes a slow breath. “I appreciate that. But I’m going to have to talk with my mate about it.” My hand covers my grin.

“Marigold, you don’t have to be Beta too if you don’t want to. Don’t get me wrong, we’d love to have you. But if you’d prefer not to, it’s fine. I don’t care that it’s tradition for mated pairs to take the same position. This pack breaks with tradition all the time. I mean, Crickett isn’t Gamma with Hawthorne,” Hazel says. She’s right. The tension in my shoulders unravels.

“So basically I don’t have a choice?” Jasper asks, his smirk softening his words.

“Correct,” Hazel teases back.

Jasper huffs. His voice drops, speaking only to me. “Sunshine, how do you feel about it? Should I accept? And we can get back to them about what you want to do.”

I can tell he wants to. Despite his calm exterior, excitement bubbles through our bond. I’m excited too. He deserves the position after how hard he’s worked to prove himself. Not to mention, his natural ability and dominance dictate that he should be second after Slate.

“Yeah, you should. You’re the best man for the job,” I say, kissing his cheek.

“Alright,” he says.

“Wonderful!” Hazel’s smile is genuine. I thought it was Slate’s decision to pick Jasper, but seeing Hazel’s expression, I realize it was her. I should have known. Slate defers to Hazel as often as possible.

“I’ll be happy to talk details tomorrow, but it’s extremely late,” Jasper says, releasing me to stand. Hazel and Slate both hug him.

I throw my arms around Hazel. “Thank you for supporting him,” I murmur in her ear.

“I should thank you for the same thing.” Her arms squeeze my ribcage. “Good night,” she says, waving as they head out the door. It closes with a click .

“Well, Sunshine?” he purrs, turning away from the front door.

“Honestly, I want to keep teaching. I’m not made for leadership, and I love my students” I say, my heart in my throat.

“Not a problem.” He’s unruffled.

“Are you okay doing it alone?” I ask.

Jasper chuckles. “It’s fine. I want you to be happy, and I think I can handle things. I’ve got plenty of support. I mean, my brother was Beta for a few years before Hazel joined him.”

“You’re going to be amazing,” I say, completely confident that he will be the best Beta possible.

“And if you change your mind, or get sick of those kids, you have a right to be Beta. The option doesn’t go away because you decline right now.”

“Thank you.” I exhale, tension seeping away.

He stalks forward, closing the distance between us. I step away from the coffee table, toward our bedroom door.

“Marigold, where are you going?” he says, his voice dropping to a rasp that feels like velvet sliding across my ribs.

“Bed?” I ask.

“Come here.” His command sends a shiver down my spine. His scent fills my lungs as he reaches me, hands going to my waist.

“No thanks,” I say, sliding out of his grasp and pulling my shirt off in one fluid move. He reaches for me again and I shimmy out of range. My hands fold down my waistband, sucking in a breath at the cool air brushing my skin.

“You are really something.” He darts forward, catching me around the waist. His body hems me in against the kitchen counter.

“And you are wearing entirely too much clothing.” I giggle. To emphasize my point, I tug at his shirt, pleased when he allows me to strip it off. I stop when his shirt is over his biceps and elbows, blocking his face. He has to reach to pull it off the rest of the way.

I don’t miss the opportunity to flit away again, luring him into chasing. A predatory smile lights up his face as his eyes begin to glow. I feint left but go right. He’s quick on his feet and grabs my hips as I pass him. Hands moving to my waist, he backs me against our dining table.

“Still want to go to bed?” I ask in a breathy whisper.

He lifts me until I’m seated on the smooth wood. “I’m good right here.”

“I think you’ll need to clean the table after this,” I tease.

“I think you need to shut up and kiss me,” he quips back.

Leaning in, I tilt my head to kiss him, but instead nip his pouty bottom lip and lean back. “Make me,” I purr.

His eyes glitter at my challenge. With deliberate movements, he pushes me back against the table and drags my sweats off, tossing them across the wood floor .

“Jasper,” I gasp as he drags me forward until my ass almost tips off the tabletop.

Eyes glowing, he kneels. His hands lift my calf, fingers skimming over the floral tattoo that climbs the back of my leg. “I love this.” He sets my leg over his shoulder and I swallow thickly.

Words fall away as his breath warms my sensitive inner thighs.

At the first swipe of his tongue, my back arches and a moan rips out of my throat. A blush warms my skin, but from the way his fingers dig into my legs, it's obvious he loves hearing my reaction.

“My mate,” he says against my skin, his words claiming me all over again. It takes me a second to realize the overpowering possessiveness isn’t mine. Feeling his emotions sends a thrill through me again. The connection goes both ways. His tongue swirling over me sets off stars behind my eyelids, and he groans at the shared pleasure. He’s gentle but relentless, devouring me until I’m breathless and boneless.

“Come on, baby, I don’t want to break the table if I get up there too,” he says softly, lifting me easily. I sink into his arms, secure in the knowledge that he’ll never let me go.

He lays me back across our bed, not breaking our connection for a second. His mouth is soft against mine. This tenderness intoxicates me in a new way.

“You are so perfect. I’ve never seen anything as magnificent as you with a weapon in your hand destroying our enemies,” he says. Glowing aqua eyes pierce my soul .

“Don’t ever risk yourself like that again,” I say, “I can’t lose you.”

Jasper frowns. “If I have to, to keep you safe, I’ll do it all again.”

I open my mouth to argue.

“Sunshine, you would do the same for me. Trust me to not be reckless.” The affection in his voice smoothers my spark of outrage. He further soothes me by kissing across my jaw and licking the skin below my ear.

“I trust you,” I breathe.

His gaze flicks up to me, halting his progress for a moment. The emotion through our bond is a tangle of gratitude and relief. Didn’t he already know I trusted him completely? But after his upbringing and then joining our pack where some wolves still view him with suspicion, I should have realized how much it would mean to him.

His mouth over my breast empties all thoughts from my mind. Nails scoring down his back, I urge his hips against my thighs.

The brilliant smile on his face makes my stomach flip. “Impatient?” he murmurs.

“For you? Yes,” I flirt. My hand closes around his length, drawing him against me.

“Whatever my mate desires,” he half-teases, half-swears, pushing forward to sink into me. Ecstasy buzzes under my skin.

The softness burns away as a frenzy builds between us. The night before, he was careful and controlled. That’s not what I want now. The hard planes of his body press into my curves as we set a brutal pace.

Soft breathy noises escape me, and he answers by lifting my knee against his chest to tilt my hips. My eyes squeeze shut, my body trembling. The feel of his skin against mine is almost too much.

Beautiful tension builds in every fiber of my being until I’m crying out curses. He slows, grinding into me. His release hits me through our shared bond, enough to break me a second time.

Jasper barely separates from me, his arms banding around me like he can’t tolerate the thought of not touching me. I listen to his heartbeat as we regain our composure.

I wipe my eyes, surprised to find wetness there.

“Are you okay, Sunshine?” he says, tightening his hold on me.

I nod, sniffling. “More than okay. I’m deliriously happy.”

He kisses my hair. “Me too.”

As the birds chirp outside our window in the morning light, I sleep deeply, safe at my mate’s side.