Page 44 of Betrayed Kidnapped Mate

Aris is quiet for a moment, and we watch as the buildings in town start to pass by. Rosecreek in the mornings is something else—washed in sunshine, lazy, sleepy but bright.

“Man, you know you’re my best friend,” Aris says after a long moment. “But family comes first. I know that. We’ll work together to take care of this asshole—”

“Amon.”

“—and you can do what you need to do. I’ll miss you if you guys move back to California—if you decide to take over—”

“Oh, forget that,” I say, shaking my head. “You know I have no interest in being alpha. All the politicking, pleasing people, the constant target on your back. I want to stay. I just—I don’t know how I can get Rosa to come around to the idea.”

“I think she will. I think Rosecreek will charm her into it. But if not, you have my blessing to go.”

I press my lips together to keep the tears in my eyes from brimming over, and Aris gracefully pretends he doesn’t notice I’m about to cry.

If I have to choose between the Rosecreek pack and my new family—Rosa and Kaila—I’ll choose my girls. But I want, more than anything, not to have to choose.

We come to a stop outside the new pack HQ, which is almost fully constructed. There are too many things to do—talking to the humans, finding Percy, locating the missing humans, and trying to convince Rosa to stay.

“Alright,” Aris says, letting out a long breath and opening the Jeep’s door. “Let’s do this.”

Chapter 24 - Rosa

“I should go back to the serum again,” I mutter, as I chop cilantro. For the past hour, Olivia has been mmhmm-ing and uh-huh-ing as I talk through my thoughts on the serum and antidote situation. After watching that shifter—Colin—react so poorly to the antidote we tested, it’s making me feel like I’m missing something significant.

At Kaila’s request, we’re making chicken tacos, which takes me back to weeks ago when everything happened and Bigby showed up at our door. I’d never hated him more than when he took us, and now here I am, mulling over a future with him. And considering—just the tiniest bit—staying in Rosecreek to be with him.

“So, what, are you and Bigby together now?” Olivia asks, and I laugh, realizing she’s probably sick of the chemistry talk.

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Yes. I don’t know. He’s—” I lower my voice. Kaila, Araya, and Byron are outside, playing catch, but I don’t want to risk Kaila overhearing me. “—obviously Kaila’s father. And I think having him in her life would be good for her. And we…the other night—”

“I knew it!” Olivia cries, pointing in my face. I roll my eyes at her and push her hand away. “Linnea owes me twenty bucks.”

“Ew, Olivia, don’t make bets on me.”

“I can tell,” she says, smiling to herself. “I knew better than the luna—and that’s on best friend intuition.”

“Congratulations,” I deadpan. “But it was just sex. It doesn’t mean anything. Besides, Bigby wants us to stay, and I can’t do that to Kaila.”

“Do what? Give her an amazing pack to grow up with?”

“Take her away from the ocean. Away from her home.”

“The ocean is no replacement for a family. Or a life. Unless your father magically vanishes, I think Rosecreek is looking like a pretty attractive option.”

“Oh, yeah? Is it Rosecreek, or Byron?”

“Byron is an asshole. It has nothing to do with him. It has to do with the fact that it’s apparently impossible to find an alpha who doesn’t have his head up his ass? Aris appreciates the women in this pack. He cherishes his wife. He’s good around children, which sets the tone for the rest of the men around here. That bodes pretty well for the pack-mates here. And…Linnea has already extended an official invitation for me to stay here. Join the pack.”

I take a step back from her, widening my eyes.

“First of all, I haven’t received an official invitation,” I say, doing air quotes, “and second, I didn’t realize you and Linnea were so close.”

“Well, I have been staying at their place. I helped her set up her smart bulbs and switches, and we’ve talked a lot about what we want for the future what we think the pack should be like. And you don’t need an invitation—Bigby is your invitation. They literally can’t keep you out. The two of you are mates. You’re already starting to smell like him.”

I sniff myself like that’s something I could smell, grimacing. That’s why Linnea could feel my emotions so well the other day. I’m already assimilating into the Rosecreek pack because the mating bond between Bigby and I is growing stronger. Another reason he can give for why we should stay here.

“Olivia, I—”

I stop when the front door opens. Olivia and I turn together to see Bigby walking in, Kaila squirming in his arms, giggling when he tips her back. My heart warms. No matter where we end up, I know Bigby is a good influence on Kaila. I just have to figure out how to tell her the truth.

---