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Spencer knows all about my obsession with Damian. He was there when I cried and begged for Damian. Before I was strong enough to know that it was safer for him if I never came back. He was right there with me to ensure that I had someone to hold my hand while I fell apart.
“Dude owes me a huge thank you,” he mumbles, giving me a cheeky wink.
Rolling my eyes I stand and stretch, looking down at my brother with genuine fondness, “Thank you, Spencer. For always being my rock.”
His gaze softens and he nods, clearing his throat to hide the emotion that is running through him, “I would do it all over again just to get the chance to know you.”
Chapter 28
Wolf
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney
I’m sitting outside around a bonfire, spending some time with the two men who have been like brothers to me. I’m about to drop a bomb on them and I don't know how it will go. I know I won't lose them completely but they might be upset. I would understand but that won't change my mind. It won't change the choice I have decided to make.
I clear my throat, the words I was about to say feeling like boulders in my mouth. "I've been thinking," I start, tension rising inside me as they glance my way, "about what comes next. For me, for us." I paused, glancing at each of them, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. "I want out of the marshal service. I want... I need to be with her, to build something that's ours.”
They are silent for a long time, taking in what I am telling them. We've been through hell and back together, faced down threats most couldn't even imagine. But this was different. Thiscase has changed everything for me. And I know without a single doubt that I am meant to be right here.
Sebastian was the first to break the silence. "We've always said we'd support each other, no matter what." His voice was steady, his commitment to our brotherhood unwavering. "If this is what you need to be happy, then you have my support.”
All eyes then turned to Maddox, whose reluctance was as palpable as the stubble shadowing his jaw. He was always the one to play devil's advocate, to foresee the complications we'd rather ignore. He's been my brother for as long as I can remember. His approval means a lot to me.
After a moment that stretched too long, he finally spoke, his voice gruff with emotion. "I don't like it," he admits, his honesty as cutting as always. "But not because I don't want you to be happy. I just..." He trails off, struggling with the words. "I worry about what you're walking away from. About what we might face without you.”
I get it. I really do. It'll be hard without the third part of this team. We have always worked well together. Like a well-oiled machine. I don't know how they will handle not having me around. But I know that theycanhandle it. It's going to be an adjustment period. They might even try to find someone who can replace me. It would sting but I would understand the need to have another guy to look out for them.
"However," Maddox continues after sharing a glance with Sebastian who nods. He locks eyes with me and cuts off my thoughts, "If this is your path, then it's ours too. We aren't going anywhere. We've got your back, just like we always have. If you're staying, then I'm staying. We're a team, in or out of the service.”
His admission brings a sense of relief I hadn't realized I was seeking. My decision to leave the marshal service, to choose a life with her, wasn't just about stepping away from danger; it wasabout stepping towards a future I wanted, one filled with love and the promise of peace.
“Plus, I’ve grown close with Aiden,” Maddox grumbles with a smile on his face, “He called me Uncle Madd. I don't think I could leave after that.”
Sebastian chuckles, his cheeks turning red, “He called me Uncle Seb and I almost cried, bro. And I feel like Dakota has become a little sister. I don’t…I don’t want to leave them.”
I nod along with a huge smile on my face. I get it. After years of it being just us, they finally understood the pull I had to B. She is everything to me. And now she has wormed into their hearts too. How could she not? She's the best person in the world. She showed us love and kindness from the first second she met us. I can't imagine a world without her, Aiden, and these two men. Even my connection with Spence has strengthened.
My choice to leave the service was a leap into the unknown, but with them by my side, and her waiting for me, it’s a leap I am ready to take. Because, in the end, it wasn't just about leaving something behind; it was about moving forward. And now I get to do that with everyone I love right beside me.
???
I'm standing by the window, lost in the myriad of thoughts. The reflection in the glass shows a world moving on, but inside, time feels suspended, waiting for something, or someone, to anchor it back to reality. My future looks so bright. I'm so happy. I haven't ever felt this kind of happiness.
That's where I am when I feel him, his presence and a familiar strong aura that I have grown accustomed to. The tension I hadn't realized I was holding begins to melt away under his gaze.
“You know she loves you, right?” He asks. His face is stern and I know that I am in for the big brother speech. What he doesn't realize is that I was ready for this… I've been waiting for it.
Without a word, I turn to face my sunshine’s brother. There's a look in his eyes, a depth of emotion that words could never fully capture. He loves her so much. I can see it clearly. He wants her to be safe and loved and protected. And I will give her all of that.
“And I love her,” I respond genuinely.
He nods, “I know. I’m still trying to wrap my head around you beingthe Damian.”
“You knew about me?” I ask, curious to hear about how he learned about me. To hear about how my sunshine talked about us.
He nods again, this time a small smile plays on his lips as he studies me, “You were always on her mind. She begged for you when I first got to her. She cried and wanted her best friend. But I wouldn't let her contact you. You know how it goes…I needed to make sure she was safe. I thought…I thought over the years she would stop caring. That she might move on.”
He takes a deep breath and grips his neck tightly, regret flashing across his expression, “But she never did. She kept your letters and sometimes she would call me to cry and tell me more stories about you. She loved you then and she loves you now.”
