Bonus Epilogue

SIENNA’S GRAND OPENING

Everyone was here for Sienna. I knew they would be. Her crew—the Misfit Shifters—were family. I crammed my hands into the front pockets of my jeans, scanning the crowd. Laughter and chatter filled the air. It was good to see everyone like this. Finally, they were fully at ease after everything they’d been through.

Serenity darted past me, waving a glittery sign that read Sienna’s Foxy Grooming: Grand Opening! She had the enthusiasm of a kid hyped up on sugar, and it was contagious.

Sienna moved to stand beside me, her fox flickering in her gaze when our eyes locked. She tried to mask her nerves with a confident smile, but I could see right through her. She adjusted the bright red ribbon stretched across the shed door. When it started to fall, I caught it just in time, fixing the fastens to keep it secure. Catching her eye, I winked.

“You’re loving this way too much,” she muttered, her lips twitching as if she was holding back a grin.

“Who, me?” I feigned innocence, holding up the oversized scissors I’d borrowed from the hardware store. “I’m just here to support you. Totally not here for the giant scissors or the big speech I’m about to make.”

“Big speech?” Her eyes widened. “Ben, don’t you dare.”

“Oh, I dare,” I said, turning to face the group. I set the scissors down and clapped my hands together, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Hello, hello. Thank you all for coming out to celebrate the grand opening of Sienna’s Foxy Grooming. This has been a dream of Sienna’s, and I’ve watched her pour her heart into bringing it to life. Crescent Creek’s pets are about to get a whole lot snazzier, and we’re all better for it.”

Laughter rippled through the crowd, and Sienna gave me a playful shove. “Thank you,” she said, her grin wide and genuine.

“Can I bring my eagle in for a spa day?” Waylen asked, his tone completely serious.

“I’m a dog groomer, not an eagle groomer,” Sienna deadpanned, crossing her arms with a smirk.

“Ignore him, please.” Lyra chuckled. “You’re going to do amazing, Sienna. I can feel it.”

“Thank you,” Sienna said, her eyes sparkling.

I picked up the scissors and handed them to her. “All right, no more stalling. Time to make it official.” I lowered my voice so only she could hear. “You’ve worked so hard for this, and I’m so damn proud of you.”

Her gaze softened, her fox shimmering through as she whispered, “Thank you.”

I kissed her quickly, and then she turned to face the ribbon, holding the scissors steady. For a moment, she paused, and I imagined she was soaking it all in—the shed, the people who loved her, her dream becoming reality.

With a snip, the ribbon fell away, and everyone erupted into cheers. Serenity waved her sign, hopping up and down, and Waylen let out a loud whistle.

“Thank you all for being here,” Sienna said, her smile the brightest I’d ever seen. “It means more than you’ll ever know.”

Rachel stepped forward and hugged her tightly. “We’re all glad to celebrate with you.”

“And you’d better pass out my business cards,” Sienna said, her tone teasing but firm. “I expect a full schedule by the end of the week.”

Dean pulled a stack from his pocket. “Already grabbed some to set out at the diner.”

Laughter and chatter resumed as everyone milled about, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Sienna. She was glowing. This was her moment, and I was glad to be here with her for it.

She caught my eye and rushed to where I stood, tossing her arms around my neck and pulling me in for a hug.

“How does it feel to be Crescent Creek’s newest business owner?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her waist.

“Amazing,” she said simply.

For a moment, the world seemed to narrow to just the two of us—her happiness cocooning around us.

“You know this is just the beginning, right?” I whispered.

She shifted in my arms to peck me on the cheek. “That’s what makes it so exciting.”

God, I loved this woman.

MARIBEL’S FAREWELL

The wind was busy tonight, whispering its usual secrets but with an edge of something different.

Change.

I could feel it curling around me. It tugged at my dress like an impatient child while I stood on the back porch of my cottage. The breeze played with the frayed hem of my shawl while I watched the Misfit Shifters gather around the firepit. The last time they’d gathered here it was to watch as I performed the ritual to rid Xander of Lucius’s evil spirit. This time, they gathered for a very different reason—to say goodbye to me.

No one noticed me at first, each of them too caught up in conversations and the laughter that had been missing from their lives for far too long.

My gaze shifted to Rachel. She stood, a smile on her face, while she watched Ellis help Serenity roast a marshmallow. It was good to see her like this, lighter than she’d been in ages. All of them were—the entire Misfit Shifter crew.

I smiled to myself.

Rachel had found a place for her and Serenity within Ellis’s heart and among this group. She’d found a home, and I knew from looking at her how happy she was. It was all that I ever wanted for her.

The wind tugged at me again, insistent this time.

I knew what it meant. I knew what it was telling me—that my time here was done.

I stepped off the porch and crossed the yard, the cool earth under my feet. Rachel turned to face me. Her eyes were filled with curiosity and a touch of sadness.

She knew this was goodbye, even if I hadn’t said the words yet.

“Well,” I said, my gaze locked on the dancing flames of the fire as I stepped to her side. “You’ve done well—better than the wind thought you might. It’s been known to underestimate people before.” I shifted to look at her and winked.

A slight grin twisted her lips. “Thanks.” She wrapped her arms around herself, as though holding pieces of herself together she thought might break away with her next words. “I can’t believe you’re leaving.”

“This place, these woods, they’ve been my home for a long time,” I said, letting my gaze sweep over the trees in the distance. “But the wind, you know it’s been whispering for a while. It’s time for me to follow it elsewhere. To the place by the ocean that’s been calling my name. A place where the waves crash like a heartbeat, steady and strong, and the breeze carries stories these trees could never dream of.” A smile pulled at the corners of my lips while thoughts of the place that had been filling my head and whispering to my soul came to me.

“The ocean?” Astrid asked from where she sat close by, sipping a glass of wine. “That’s where you’re moving to?”

I nodded, my gaze locking with hers. “I am. The ocean breeze has been calling to me for a while now.”

Sienna stepped closer, her fox flickering through her eyes. “But what if we need you again?” she asked. “What if—”

I held up a hand, stopping her words before they could find footing. “The wind may take me somewhere new, but it always carries whispers back and forth. If you need me, you’ll know where to find me.” I wrapped my shawl around my shoulders tighter. “Your troubles are behind you all now, though. You’ve got all you need right here.”

My heart felt full despite the tender ache of parting as I stared at them all. Rachel and Serenity would be well taken care of among this family, because that’s what they were—family. They weren’t just shifters. They weren’t just friends.

They were a family that had been forged through trial and fire.

Dean stood tall, his wolf somber and steady—a quiet protector. He might not call himself their alpha, but he carried the weight of one. Astrid swirled her wine next to him, her raven’s sharp edges softened now that Xander’s shadow no longer lingered. Nearby, Waylen skewered a marshmallow with childlike glee, earning a chuckle from Lyra as she watched him, her owl’s wisdom flickering in her thoughtful gaze.

Ellis crouched next to Serenity, his bobcat’s tenderness shining through as he guided her in roasting another marshmallow. Her giggles filled the air, light and carefree. Sienna stood with Ben, her fox’s vibrant energy pulsing through her as she laughed at something he whispered. His calm presence grounded her, even as his eyes brimmed with curiosity, still adjusting to the shifter world.

Rachel stepped closer to me, drawing my attention, and wrapped me in a warm hug.

“I’ll miss you,” she whispered.

“And I, you.” I held her tight for a moment before pulling back, my hands resting gently on her shoulders. “But you’ll be just fine without me, dear. You’ve found your home.”

“You’re my home, too,” she said.

“And I always will be, but so will they.” I gestured to the Misfit Shifters, to Serenity and Ellis. “This might be goodbye, but it’s not for forever.”

I placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and then slipped from her embrace, walking to where Serenity stood.

“Roast me a marshmallow, sweet child,” I said.

“Here. Have this one,” Serenity said, holding her browned marshmallow out to me. “It’s perfect. Ewy and gewy.”

“That it is,” I said, sliding off the end of the stick with my fingers and popping it into my mouth. I sat there, sharing golden, warm marshmallows with those I’d come to care about most in life until the wind swirled around me, tugging at my dress like it couldn’t wait another second longer, and the ocean called me home.

This time, I was ready to answer.

I stood and looked back at the group. My heart was full, and my purpose here was complete.

“The ocean’s waiting,” I whispered, my voice almost lost in the gentle breeze, even though no one seemed to look at me.

With that, I turned and let the whispering wind guide me home.