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“I have everything now because of you.” His voice was guttural and gravelly, and I loved it, because it meant the words came from his heart. “And you belong to me for the rest of my life.” He shivered then, which made me smile like I was glowing from the inside out. “You’re my blessing and my treasure, and there won’t ever be a time you won’t know that.”

“I know it now, my alpha. I can feel it. I’m your mate, after all.”

“Yes, you are.” His voice cracked on the last word.

We stayed there in bed, naked, talking, for the rest of the day. The one time we got up was to go to the door to bring in the food we’d ordered, and of course Mrs. Rothstein, my favorite neighbor, picked that moment to walk by with her three miniature poodles.

Deacon gave her a dazzling smile, said we needed food to refuel, then ducked back inside, since all he had on was a robe. I had put on pajama bottoms and a T-shirt, but from the hickey and my hair standing up, there was no doubt what I’d been doing.

“What a handsome man.” Mrs. Rothstein gave me a wicked little smile.

“We’re getting married,” I said defensively, knowing judgment when I heard it, lifting my hand so she could see the ring on my finger.

“Well, I should hope so, darling. You don’t want to give away the milk for free.”

I groaned, she cackled, and that was the end of that.

Inside, Deacon’s grin was out of control.

“You realize it’s good we’re moving, because my reputation is shot in this neighborhood.”

He made a big show of yawning. Clearly, what others thought of me mattered little to him.

“You’re going to hell,” I assured him.

Quick shrug from him. “If I’m going, you’re coming with me, so dress cool.”

He wasn’t at all sorry, but that was all right. I loved him desperately, and he’d remembered to order me lots of hoisin sauce for my vegetable Lo Mein.

That evening, we were all at Graeme and Avery’s home for a celebratory dinner. It was in honor of Deacon getting out of the hospital and being given a clean bill of health, my parents returning home, Deacon going to work with my father, and of course, closing the case with the diary and my surprise promotion, which had come earlier in the day. It turned out Mr. Calvert had recommended to Mr. Hudson that I be made the new auction coordinator, taking over Wynton’s abandoned position. I was thrilled, and confident in my ability to excel. Oliver thought I was the right one for the job as well. At the dinner, everyone wanted an update from me, and I was a bit overwhelmed to be the center of attention as I answered questions.

“How big was this emerald that your old boss was looking for?” Avery’s mother, Elira, asked me, and everyone else was interested in the answer as well.

“Thirty carats,” I told her. “It was stolen by Wynton Coe from an omega he was supposed to be helping.”

“Was the poor omega saved?” Elira asked me.

“She was, but her jewelry was never recovered. She was one of the first omegas Deacon saved. He got her and nine others off a plane leaving for New York.”

They all looked over at Deacon, who noticed the stares after a moment and glared. The smiles in response made him turn away.

“That one’s got a grouchy outside and a warm gooey center,” Avery’s mother stated.

Gigi thought that was very funny.

“Oh,” I rushed out, taking hold of Elira’s hand. “I did some digging, and it turns out that an ancestor on your father’s side was a servant in the Wellington house, and it was her room where the hope chest was found that contained the diary.”

She gasped. “Are you serious?”

I nodded. “While Deacon was in the hospital, I did some research and called my boss to have him look up some things, and he helped me confirm my findings. It was your ancestor, Vesper Rhine, who I’m fairly certain hid the diary and placed it in her mistress’s hope chest.”

“Would you send me the information you have on her?”

“I certainly will.”

She smiled at me. “Apparently, being smart runs in my family.”

“Without question.”