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I rush out of the kitchen, attempting to cut him off.
He grabs me around the waist and hauls me against him. “I’m security around here, you let me answer the door.”
He opens it, the line between his eyes deepening as he’s met with a chorus of, “Surprise!”
I go up on my toes and kiss his bearded jaw. “Happy birthday, Keenan!”
He looks stunned as he stares at Pinky, Laz, and Angel. Cherise and Calvin from the IHOP are standing next to them and Timothy and Toya are behind them, stretched up on their toes so they can see. “Rachel and Jessica?”
Jessica waves and holds up a bottle of whiskey.
“Birthday?” He looks down at me bewildered.
“Apparently it’s our birthday.” Lennox comes up behind us. “Your mate did some digging in the historical archives while you were in Wolf-Haven.”
“Today is our birthday?” Keenan looks so befuddled, I begin to think I’ve made a mistake. Am I wrong about the date? But no, the birth dates of each Wolven-North child are neatly entered into the city’s registry. Keenan and Lennox Wolven-North were born on October 17th.
Maybe he hates parties?
Anxiety is about to get the better of me, but my mate reads my mind and picks me up in a bear hug, murmuring in my ear, “I’m just surprised is all. This is both unexpected and wonderful.”
Lennox squeezes my shoulder. “We haven’t celebrated a birthday since the war.”
So there are bad memories associated with their birthday. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interfere. I should’ve asked if you even wanted to celebrate before throwing a party. I thought since Lennox was here, it would be a good idea…”
Keenan presses his forehead to mine, his lips stretching into a smile. “A party sounds perfect, and it means the world to me that you brought my brother here to join the celebration.”
I blow out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “I tried to invite the others, but there’s too much going on in Wolf-Haven and Magdalene?—”
“Is still in the Shadow Realm,” Keenan finishes.
Someone clears their throat.
“Should we start the party out here on the porch or can us peasants come inside the mansion?” Pinky grins, taking the bite from her words as she pushes past us. “Would you look at this place? Is that a cupid statue on your staircase?”
“My friend Hailey has one.” I follow her to the marble statue, running my hand proudly over its wings. “She’s planning on coming by later. I can’t wait for you to meet her. You have lots in common.”
“Like what?”
“You can both fly.” I grin at Pinky.
We usher our guests out to the patio where I set up lanterns and spread out the furniture. It’s a bit of a hodgepodge of kitchen chairs, patio furniture and my purple couch, but no one seems to mind.
“This is all you,” Keenan says, slipping his arm around my waist as he joins me.
“What do you mean?” I glance at my guests, making sure everyone has a glass or a plate of food in their hands.
“You collect strays of every kind, pulling them into your orbit.” He nods toward the pool. Hailey Whitmore, who arrived shortly after everyone else did, is next to Pinky and Rachel, all three sitting with their feet in the water, beverages in hand, chattering like they’re old friends. “You bring people of every background together.” He pulls me to him and dips his head for a kiss, murmuring against my lips, “You create family everywhere you go.”
An ache starts in my throat and the background noise fades away until it’s only the two of us. “After my mom died, I was lonely. I searched for people who gave me the same feeling of home I felt when I was with her.”
“And you found them,” he says gruffly.
I snuggle into his chest. “I found them, and then I found you.”
We watch our party guests, laughing when Jessica shifts into her squirrel and starts juggling peanuts. At first a gasp ripples through the humans attending the party, then a few clap until the humans are cheering loudest at her antics.
Eventually Rachel joins, turning into her fox and diving into the pool for a swim.
