Page 151 of Our Deceptive Heat

I nod, still brushing tears aside. “I don’t understand-”

“For your birthday present, I want you three to bring your packs to the ranch so we can meet you all. No arguments. It’s time you all came home. Bethany will be here, and she can’t wait to meet everyone. She apologizes for missing this, but her heat caught her unawares.”

“She means interrogate,” Uncle Charles says. He’s got golden hair and the Raines eyes. He’s an older version of Kelly. And the only Raines who was kind to us growing up. He kisses his beta and wife’s temple and sits down. Their beta pack mate, Sol, walks in and waves, with our Alpha Uncle Wayne right behind him.

“All of you are coming up here,” Charles growls. “No excuses. You got a lot to learn about being a Raines. Every one of you.”

Zaden, Erin, and Tyr exchange a look and then shrug. I narrow my eyes, disliking the pyramid of power that’s happening there. Even I can see the sudden nerves and tension in the three of them.

“Sure, we needed a holiday,” Erin says.

“We live in a holiday,” Finn grumbles.

“And you, too!” Charles stabs a finger in our direction.

I follow the direction and find it pointed directly at Bailey.

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

He looks stunned, but I feel like a weight has been lifted. We’re going to the only place that ever felt like home. I wasn’t allowed to go there very often. If they came and got me, it wouldn’t be long before Dad sent someone to bring me back.

I think Auggie and her pack let Raider, Kelly, and Bethany stay with us because they were trying to protect us.

A moment later, a server comes out with a cake. I’m stunned by the sheer size of it. It’s huge. Have I ever had a cake on my birthday before? I can’t remember a single time. I never told the pack the date, always hiding it.

My friends and family sing, and at the end, I blow out the candles, I don’t have any wishes to wish for. All my wishes came true. So, instead, I send a wish for Raider and Kelly. I cock my head to the side as the melody of a new song darts through my head.

Envy swings me into his arms and kisses me hard. “Stop writing songs.”

“I can’t help it.”

“No more secrets,” he says softly.

“Our desperate heat is over,” I agree.

“Now we can live in the springtime of our lives.”

“And be happy.”

“And be happy.”

“Those are really good lyrics.”

I grin, perfectly in sync with my omega. “They are. We should write them down.”

My omega leans down to kiss me. In public, where everyone can see. He is mine as much as I am his. Finally.

Mako, Tyr, and Digs circle around us, handing out cake and laughing with my family.

It amazes me how far my life has come, how different my world is now.

But for now, Bethany, Locke, Lia, and I have made it out of the darkness. We’re free from the evils that held us prisoner. Now we can do anything we want.

I just need to figure out what that is.

Chapter forty-seven

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