Page 54 of Talk Howly to Me

Sloane nodded, suddenly aware of how hungry she was. The aroma of their carefully prepared feast had been teasing her senses all evening—rich marinara sauce, Kozue's famous banana bread, and the dozen other dishes various pack members had contributed. She made her way through the dining area, weaving between tables where animated conversations flowed between strangers who were rapidly becoming friends. A business executive was deep in discussion with one of their pack's craftsmen about woodworking techniques. A young mother was laughing with Emerson's aunt about the challenges of traveling with toddlers.

This is what we're building and protecting, she marveled. This sense of belonging that transcends boundaries.

Ronan materialized at her elbow as she approached the food station, his hand settling on her back with possessive warmth. "Enjoying yourself?"

"More than I ever imagined possible," she admitted, leaning into his touch. "Look at this, Ronan. Look what we created."

His smile was soft—the expression reserved only for her and Kozue. "What you created. This was your vision."

"Our vision," she corrected firmly. "I might have suggested it, but you two made it happen."

Together, they filled their plates with generous portions of the feast they'd spent hours preparing. The pasta was perfectly al dente, and the sauce was rich with layers of flavor and seasoning that spoke of Kozue's careful attention to detail. Scanning the dining room, Sloane spotted Kozue at a corner table with Eli, the distinguished former Beta whose silver hair and weathered face spoke of decades protecting this pack. Several other pack members she recognized from the battle four nights ago were clustered around them, their easy camaraderie evidence of bonds forged in shared danger.

"Come on," she told Ronan, leading him toward the table. "I want to sit with the people who helped save my life."

As they approached, Kozue looked up with that brilliant smile that never failed to make her heart race. He immediately moved over to make room for them, and Ronan settled beside his Beta while Sloane took the seat between them—exactly where she belonged.

"Sloane," Eli's gravelly voice carried genuine warmth. "You clean up well for someone who was snapping wolf necks just days ago."

Laughter rippled around the table, and Sloane felt herself relax completely. These were her people—warriors who understood the price of protecting what mattered, who'd risked everything to bring her home safely.

"I had good teachers," she replied, glancing meaningfully at her mates. "And better backup."

"You held your own just fine," commented Curtis, one of the pack enforcers who'd fought beside them. "Most humans would have frozen up facing a wolf pack. You moved like you were born to it."

"She was," Kozue said quietly, his green eyes warm with pride and something deeper—recognition of how perfectly she fit into their world, their pack, their lives.

The conversation soon flowed around the table, touching on everything from pack business to shared memories to gentle ribbing about Kozue's legendary banana bread recipe. Sloane found herself laughing more than she had in years, the easy acceptance of these people still something she was learning to trust was real.

"You know," Eli said during a lull in the conversation, fixing her with his perceptive eyes, "you're one of the Hale pack now. That means something. It means you've got a hundred and fifty wolves who'll stand with you, no matter what comes."

The simple declaration hit her harder than expected. For someone who'd spent most of her life believing she could only count on herself, the idea of having an entire community at her back was overwhelming.

"Thank you," she managed. "That means more than you know."

An hour passed in a blur of good food, better company, and the deep satisfaction of being exactly where she belonged. As the dining areas began to empty, people naturally migrated toward the back gardens where the evening's second act awaited. Sloane followed the flow of guests and pack members through the lodge's back doors onto the expansive stone patio, and the sight that greeted her stole her breath—the gardens had been transformed into something magical. String lights twinkled overhead like fallen stars, casting warm golden pools of light across the carefully arranged seating areas. The massive fire pit blazed at the center of it all, surrounded by comfortable chairs and blankets arranged in concentric circles.

Emerson was already in her element, orchestrating campfire songs with the enthusiasm of a seasoned camp counselor. Children ran between the adults, their delighted shrieks adding to the symphony of community joy. The aroma of roasting marshmallows and melting chocolate filled the night air, mixing with the crisp scent of mountain pines and wood smoke.

"This is incredible," murmured a lodge guest to his wife as they settled into chairs near the fire. "I've never experienced anything like this."

Sloane found herself between Ronan and Kozue again, this time in comfortable camping chairs positioned with a perfect view of the fire. The warmth of the flames danced across their faces, but it was the warmth of belonging—of home—that filled her completely.

Another hour dissolved into the rhythm of crackling flames and easy conversation. Gradually, the lodge guests began excusing themselves, tired children in tow and early morning plans calling. They left with genuine reluctance, promising to return and thanking their hosts repeatedly for such an extraordinary evening. But the Hale pack remained.

As the last guest disappeared through the lodge's back doors, a subtle shift occurred around the fire. The conversation grew quieter. This was family time now—pack time—and Sloane felt the difference in her bones. She settled deeper into her chair, hyperaware of her mates flanking her. Through the triad bond, she felt their contentment, their pride in what they'd accomplished, and underneath it all, a building anticipation that made her pulse spike.

Ronan moved beside her, and suddenly the quiet conversations around the fire died away. Every pack member's attention focused on their Alpha as he rose to his feet, his tall frame silhouetted against the dancing flames. The silence that fell was expectant, almost reverent. This was their leader, the man who'd guided them through twelve years of growth and prosperity, who'd protected them from threats and helped them build something extraordinary in these mountains. But Sloane sensed something more than a typical Alpha address brewing because there was an electricity in the air that made her heart race with anticipation.

TWENTY-TWO

KOZUE

The conversation around the fire died instantly, a hundred and fifty pairs of eyes turning toward their Alpha. Kozue felt the shift in atmosphere—the easy contentment of the evening hardening into focused attention. This was more than a routine address. He knew Ronan’s body language better than anyone; the set of his shoulders, the deliberate stillness, the way his gaze found Kozue’s across the flickering shadows. That look wasn't a request for the Beta's support. It was an invitation to stand beside him, as an equal, for what came next. Kozue rose without hesitation, his movement fluid and certain as his wolf stirred with a profound pride.

"Sloane." Ronan's voice pierced the quiet, deeper and more resonant than usual. "Would you stand between us?"

Sloane stood up, her hazel eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and dawning understanding. She moved to the space between them, and Kozue reached out, his hand finding the small of her back. The contact grounded him, the completed mate bond humming with a shared certainty. All around the firelit gardens, their pack watched. Not as subjects to a king, but as a family witnessing a sacred moment.