Page 84 of Freed Wolfsbane

Blood rushes to my cheeks at Malachi’s praise. “Thanks,” I mumble as I duck my head to rest on his shoulder, my lips pressed against the warm skin of his neck.

His chest vibrates with laughter as he runs a hand up and down my spine a few times.

Before he can say anything else, I feel a hard body press up against my back, covering me in a familiar spicy citrus scent. I know it’s Bastian before he even says anything. “You should be proud of yourself, pretty girl. You graduated summa cum laude and got into one of the top architecture programs in the country! That’s pretty fucking impressive.”

I shrug as my cheeks burn even hotter, feeling uncomfortable being the center of attention. I am pretty excited to be starting school for architecture in the fall. While it’ll take me a few years longer to complete it than if I had gone to a combined program, I’m so close to realizing my dreams that I can almost taste it.

Bastian chuckles against my back at my lack of response but doesn’t push the subject.

Glancing over Malachi’s shoulder, I see Rory bouncing toward us. I wiggle to be put down, but he doesn’t budge. Pulling back, I level my still as bossy as ever mate with an unimpressed glare. He sighs and reluctantly lets me slide down his body.

When I’m on my feet, Malachi presses a hand against my back, flattening me to his front. He leans down brush his nose against mine and whisper, “I love you, baby girl.”

“I love you too,” I tell him just as quietly right before Rory crashes into me. I stumble from the collision, but Bastian steadies me before I can fall on my face. I flash him an appreciative smile before Rory pulls me away.

She loops her arm in one of mine and starts dragging me out of the gymnasium and into the fading evening sunlight. “So, you’re gonna sit by me and Ronan at the party tonight, right?”

Rory, Ronan, and I are having a joint graduation party at the Wyldhart house in a couple hours, giving everyone time to freshen up beforehand. While I could’ve done without the celebration, I know Aunt Abbie and Aunt Molly have been planning it for a while. So, I’ll suck it up and try my best to enjoy the whole thing.

I give the girl who has been with me through all of the ups and downs of the last few years a genuine smile. “Of course, Ror.”

Emmy barrels into my other side and links her arm with mine. “So what’s the plan with the stuffy party? Please tell me we’re gonna dip after it starts and go somewhere people our age actually hang out.”

Rory gasps in delight. “That’s a fantastic idea! Briar has refused to party with me since the time she got drunk, stripped for her professor, and spent the night with him.”

Turning to me with wide eyes, Emmy says, “Please tell me that actually happened.”

I groan because I’d rather everyone forget about that whole thing. “It did. Unfortunately. So, you can understand why parties and I don’t mix.”

Emmy cackles and waggles her eyebrows at me.

Before either of them can rib me about the first night I spent with Malachi any further, Xander and Saint appear in front of me. They’re grinning at the three of us, so I assume they heard everything Rory said.

Xander shoves his hands in his suit pant pockets and smiles down at me, the expression lighting up his usually serious face. “We’d like to spend a little time with our mate before you two monopolize her tonight.”

Rory sighs and puts her free hand on her hip. “I suppose I’ll let you borrow my BFF for a hot sec.”

“Ror!” Ronan shouts from where he’s waiting with Rhys and some other mages under a large tree. “Let’s go! We need to grab a few things before the party.”

Ronan has been interning for Elemental during summer breaks. After everything that happened with me, the curse, and the pack, Ronan developed an interest in security work, and Rhys took him under his wing. While he had the option to train to be an enforcer, Ronan accepted a job offer from Elemental and will be starting full time in a few weeks.

Like her brother, Rory wanted to be strong enough and have the right skills to help if any other threats pop up to our pack and the people she cares about. She’ll be starting enforcer training on Monday, much to the displeasure of her twin and parents who are worried about her getting hurt. Now that women can shift, they can become enforcers too, which I think is pretty badass. I fully support Rory and know she’ll do great.

Rory waits for me to nod before she lets go of my arm. She starts skipping over to her brother before abruptly turning back. Rushing over to Emmy, she links her arm with my bemused cousin and drags her over to her twin.

Emmy smiles shyly at Ronan when she stops in front of him. While they’re not mates, at least as far as we know, Emmy and Ronan have been dating for the last year. The relationship isn’t conventional for wolves, but it sure makes two of my favorite people happy. So, I’m all for it.

Ronan slings his arm around Emmy and whispers something into her hair, making her blush. As they walk away with Rory, my heart feels like it’s going to burst with how cute they are. I hope Rory finds someone soon who makes her as happy as Ronan and Emmy are because my best friend deserves all the love in the world.

Saint captures one of my free hands and uses it to pull me into his front. I crash into him with an oof. He tilts my face up to him with a finger under my chin before his lips land on mine for a kiss so sweet it makes me ache. He pulls back to smile down at me. “Love you, little shadow. What do you wanna do before the party?”

“Love you too, Saint,” I say through a smile of my own before shrugging. “I was thinking we’d just head straight there and help Uncle Vale and Aunt Abbie with the set up.”

“You wanna get anything from our room first, baby girl?” Malachi asks as he and Bastian join us.

Now that the Wyldhart brothers will be training for their alpha and beta rolls full time, Vale decided it was time for us to have one of the alpha and luna wings. Our new room is a suite of five bedrooms, a living room, and a small kitchenette. While we’ve spent most nights together in Malachi’s room for the past three years, it’s nice having a space that’s just ours.

As I’m enveloped by their scents, I take a moment to enjoy being surrounded by the four of them. Nothing calms me down, provides me peace, or makes me feel as loved as being with all of my mates. A giant puppy pile with all of them is one of my favorite places to be.

---