Page 55 of Howl About That

"What is this?" she asked, turning to study Keiro's profile as he parked near the front entrance.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I may have arranged for a celebration of our engagement."

She raised an eyebrow, fighting back her own smile. "You were that confident I would say yes?"

"Well," he said, turning to face her with that devastating grin, "I was ninety-nine percent confident. And I figured if you said no, it would've been a celebration of how well my pack and your pride are already collaborating and forming a beautiful alliance with each other."

Poppy leaned across the center console and captured his lips in a quick kiss. "You're impossible," she murmured against his mouth.

"I am," he agreed, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "But you still love me."

"I do," she said, her heart so full she thought it might burst. "I love you so much, Keiro Izell."

"I love you completely, Poppy Mintz," he replied, his thumb tracing her cheekbone with infinite tenderness.

When they stepped out of the car, Poppy could hear laughter and conversation spilling from her estate. Neve appeared in the doorway, her usually composed Beta practically glowing with excitement.

"There's the future bride!" Neve called out, rushing down the front steps. "Let me see that ring!"

Poppy held out her hand, watching as Neve's eyes widened at the sight of the massive diamond catching the sunlight.

"Holy shit, Keiro," Neve said, looking between them. "You don't do anything halfway, do you?"

"Never," he replied, his arm sliding around Poppy's waist with possessive pride. "She deserves the best."

They walked into the estate together, and Poppy's heart swelled at the sight that greeted them. Her grand foyer and living spaces were filled with both pride and pack members mingling together, sharing food and drinks and genuine laughter. Dax stood near the fireplace, deep in conversation withthree of her pride enforcers. Several pack wolves were gathered around one of her elders, listening intently to what appeared to be a hunting story.

And there, in the far corner, was Helias. The pack elder who had initially opposed their relationship so strongly was now engaged in what looked like a respectful conversation with Leon, her head elder. When Helias noticed their entrance, he actually nodded.

"This is incredible," Poppy whispered to Keiro as they moved through the crowd, accepting congratulations and well-wishes from their people.

"This is just the beginning," he replied, his voice low and intimate despite the crowd around them. "This is what we're building together—not just a retreat, not just a business partnership, but a real future where our kinds can thrive together."

Poppy smiled, because finally after eleven years, she wasn't thinking about survival or proving herself or carrying impossible burdens alone. She was simply living, surrounded by love and acceptance and the promise of a future brighter than anything she'd ever dared to imagine.

POPPY

Poppy stood before the full-length mirror they'd hauled into the main conference room in the main lodge of the retreat, watching as her reflection transformed into something she barely recognized—a bride. The ivory silk of her wedding dress caught the morning light streaming through the windows, its intricate beadwork creating constellations across the fitted bodice. After a year of construction dust and business meetings, seeing this space serve as her bridal preparation room felt surreal.

"Hold still," Neve commanded, her fingers working with practiced precision as she tightened the corset's silk ribbons. "You're fidgeting like a cat in a thunderstorm."

"I'm not fidgeting," Poppy protested, though she could feel her lioness pacing restlessly. The big cat had been eager all morning, sensing the magnitude of what was about to happen.

"You most definitely are." Neve's voice carried that particular brand of exasperation reserved for her oldest friend. "What's got you so wound up? You've been mated to the man for a year."

Poppy studied her reflection, marveling at how much had changed since that disastrous auction night. The woman staring back at her looked radiant, healthy, alive in a way she hadn't been in over a decade. Her skin glowed with contentment ratherthan etched with exhaustion, and her eyes were bright with anticipation instead of the constant worry that had defined her for so long.

"It's not nerves," Poppy said, her voice soft with wonder. "It's joy. Pure, overwhelming joy."

And it was true. Every cell in her body hummed with excitement. Today wasn't just about declaring their love publicly and permanently—it was about celebrating everything they'd built together.

Havenwood Retreat sprawled around them, a testament to what wolves and lions could accomplish when they chose cooperation over conflict. The retreat had exceeded every projection they'd made. Bookings were solid for the next eighteen months, with a waiting list that grew longer each week. Wolf packs and lion prides from across the continent came here to relax, collaborate, and forge new alliances. Not to mention, the monthly cross-species meetings they hosted had rendered the old Accord Table obsolete—who needed formal diplomatic structures when shifters were already working together naturally?

"There," Neve said, securing the final ribbon with a satisfied flourish. "Now for the finishing touches."

As Neve applied the last touches of makeup—a subtle enhancement that made Poppy's blue eyes even more striking—Poppy's thoughts drifted to the financial transformation that had accompanied their personal one. The five million in debt that had once threatened to destroy her pride was now a distant memory. Keiro had insisted on paying it immediately after their engagement, and while she'd initially resisted, she'd eventually agreed to let him help. She was already paying him back through their shared ownership of the retreat, the revenues flowing in faster than either of them had anticipated.

"Put it toward our children's future," she'd told him when he'd tried to refuse repayment. "College funds, trust accounts, whatever you think is best."