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“You say that now” I state. “One day it will annoy you.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Having spent my life with the pack, eventually you’ll want to get away.”
Ari turns to peer up at me. Her eyes bright and her smile radiant. “That’s what we have that big house for. So you and I can run away and leave the mayhem behind.”
“And do wicked things to each other?” I ask.
“Of course. That goes without saying.”
“I like the way you think.”
“I hope so. You’re stuck with me.”
Ari lets out a wistful sigh and leans back into me. We both watch the paranormals in front of us. Some are getting drinks. Others are eating. Sol and Ford glare at Dante and Mira. Carter is as well. Aries, who is supposed to be keeping the pack in line, is sitting with his mate by his side, kissing her temple every now and then. Kylest and Raven seem to be in their own little bubble, impervious to what’s going on around them.
These paranormals are amazing. For all their bickering and posturing, even if they were to have a knock down, drag out fight, none of it would matter once the dust settled. They will always have each other’s backs, regardless if they’re in the middle of a fight or not.
This life we lead, it’s not always happy. There’s death and destruction. More lives have been lost than I would ever want to count. I’ve lost my parents, members of the pack. Ari lost her grandparents and her dad. Too many are gone. But they fought for us. They fought so we could have this moment of joy and many more.
The pack—this family—will always be a priority. We will always protect one another. We will stand and fight any enemy, no matter how big or small. And we will love with everything we have. That’s what we do. That’s what family means to us.
And beside me, my mate. I will spend the next thousand years loving her with every ounce of my being. There’s no place in the universe I would rather be than right by her side.
“I heard you!” she shouts and points at Sol, pulling me from my thoughts. “Don’t think I don’t know what you just said.”
“You heard wrong because it was not about you.” Sol sticks out his tongue.
“Oh, really? Then, do tell, who you were just talking about?”
“Okay, fine. If you must know, I was talking about your wedding gift.”
“I’m fearful of what that could be.”
Sol closes his eyes and turns up his nose. He picks up a small box from the table and puts it in his pocket. “I’ll just return this.”
Ari snaps her fingers and in under a second is standing next to Sol, reaching into his pocket.
“If you wanted to get frisky all you had to do was ask,” he tells her with a smirk.
“Shut up. I want my gift.”
He brushes her hand away but not with much effort. He’s not really trying. It’s all a game to Sol. “I don’t think so. You’re not very appreciative of the time and thought I put into it.”
“Just hand it over.”
“I didn’t hear the magic words.” Sol is really putting his life on the line by baiting my mate.
“Please,” Ari says through gritted teeth. I chuckle. That must have been hard for her.
“Since you asked sooo nicely.” Sol takes the box and places it in her hand. There’s no point in waiting to open it. I know my mate and now she has to see what’s inside.
Leaning back in my seat, I cross my arms and wait to see what’s so wonderful that it had to be made into a scene.
Silver paper flutters to the grass as Ari tears into the wrapping. A small black box is revealed. Her eyes widen. Sol didn’t get us jewelry, did he?
Ari opens the box, looks inside, and withdraws a small piece of paper.
