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“Well, that’s one hell of a change,” Kat said as she raised her margarita in the air. “To new beginnings.” We all raised ours and clinked them together before taking a drink.
“Hope you don’t mind strawberry,” Ellie said. “I just ordered a round for everyone.”
“I’m good with it,” I promised, taking another sip. It was icy and sweet with just the right hint of tequila. I liked my drinks on the sweeter side, not strong, so it was perfect.
“Watch out, these are the kind of drinks that’ll get you in trouble,” Serenity warned. “They don’t seem strong until you’re dancing on a table.”
“Noted,” I laughed, knowing I’d not let it get to that point.
“Not to be rude, but what’s your name?” Tori asked. They’d dove right into the conversation, so we hadn’t had a chance to introduce ourselves.
“Shaye,” I said, giving her a smile. The realization in her eyes had her features hardening.
Uh oh.
“You’re who Micah has been spending his time with. What are you guys doing out at that cabin?”
“Well, you see, Tori, when mates find each other, they usually—” Serenity’s words cut off as Ellie threw another chip at her and we all cracked up.
I knew that wasn’t what Tori meant. Her question was guarded and full of worry. I think she was more worried about her brother leaving than me staying. I couldn’t blame her, he seemed to be their rock.
I also couldn’t imagine pulling the guys away from Lockwood. They were happy here and had their lives established. If I could get past my own demons, I knew I could be happy here, too.
“I’m honestly not sure. Lake’s brother, who was my mate, died. It’s been a really hard year. Right now we’re taking some time to get to know each other and do a list of last wishes Everett left for us. He actually made a video game. He’s the reason I was getting my degree in game design. He’s got this whole scavenger hunt of sorts for us.”
“That’s so cute!” Tori gushed. Her entire demeanor changed. I guess I passed her test. “I can’t imagine someone loving me enough to do something so intricate and thoughtful.”
“He was like that all the time,” I said with a smile. This time no sadness crept in as I thought about him. Instead, the warm glow that used to be familiar, settled back in my chest.
“How is Lake handling it?” Ellie asked. “Micah told me that you guys were meeting back up. He was really worried about him.”
“He’s struggling, but I think it’s going to get easier as it goes on. This is our way of saying goodbye, you know, letting go of all the baggage and trying to move forward. Hopefully together.”
Now that I said it out loud, I knew it was the right decision.
Lake deserved to be happy.
I deserved to be happy, too. We all did. Maybe we could find that with each other.
My time with Riven on the dock, and how they reacted to me coming back home afterward, made me feel just as treasured as Everett always did. There would always be a hole in my heart from him, a piece missing that he took with him, but maybe they could have the rest.
“We need to establish another girls’ night the moment you finish the game. We’ll need all the details, and you’ll probably need a break from all those men,” Kat teased.
“We might need to have this family barbecue beforehand. I can’t stop thinking about a queso fountain,” Serenity groaned.
“Do they, like, deprive you of queso on that yacht?” Ellie asked. “I thought Oaks was a chef.”
“Oh, he is, and he makes some amazing queso. But there’s something about queso and margaritas with your besties that is better than any other kind of queso.”
“Your obsession with it is a little bit alarming,” Tori teased.
“Okay, enough about me,” she waved to clear the conversation away. “Who needs a new tattoo? Because I’m dying to get some new ink.”
“I’ve always wanted to get one,” I said. “Maybe it’s time to go outside my comfort zone.”
Serenity smiled like I just handed her the world. “Girl, I’ve got you. We need to set up a tattoo date.”
The waiter came back with our food, and I dug in, feeling more settled than I had in years. Riven was right. Before, I tied myself up in Everett and Lake, not letting the world get in the way of what we had. Establishing friends alongside my pack made me feel a whole lot more balanced.
