Page 37 of A Pack of Cozy

"You're grinning like a fool," Clara says, startling me. I turn around to see her standing behind me. She isn't wearing a long dress for the first time since I met her. Instead, she wears a faux fur-lined leather coat embroidered with flowers, bell bottoms, and shiny black boots.

I laugh, and we hug. I recall that first hug we'd shared outside the Evergreen Café when we had snuck pasties before I'd realized its owners were my mates. It was awkward because I'd been so unused to physical affection. That feels like a lifetime ago. I've definitely gotten better at hugs since then.

I can't hold my news in for even a second.

"The guys and I have discussed bonding," I say. It's so easy. I don't even feel myself blush. It's like saying it's cold outside, or the sun will rise in the morning. I feel no sense of unease or discomfort.

Clara's eyes widen, and she issues the highest-pitched squeak yet.

"Oh boy, Clara's blown a gasket. I wanna hear the juice." Rose walks up behind us, typing away on her cell phone as usual. How did she walk around with that thing without tripping over something or slipping on anything? It seems impossible. Maybe she has secret magic.

"Cali's going to bond the Evergreen Pack!" Clara practically shouts. I shush her but can't help giggling at her enthusiasm.

Rose turns her phone screen off for the first time and slips it into her back pocket.

"Wait, what?" she asks, looking shocked and cautious. I nod. "When?"

"We don't have a specific date yet, but my heat is coming up in a few weeks."

"As long as it's something you want and chose," Rose says, eyeing me as if looking for any signs of distress or coercion. Moments like these make me realize I don't know a lot about Roses past and she moved here six months ago so no one else does either.

"It is," I assure her.

Both women squeal with excitement. I can't help but laugh. It feels like we've all turned into teenagers again. My whole life has shifted so dramatically in just a few weeks.

"You're going to be my cousin-in-law!" Clara exclaims, jumping and hugging at the same time. Sunny walks up, and Clara and Rose share the information with her. I don't have to say anything. Winnie, unfortunately, has to cover her shop during the festival. It's one of her busiest nights of the winter season.

"Do you want to do a ceremony, or bond privately?" Clara hooks her arm to my left, and Rose hooks her arm to my right. Sunny hooks her arm into Clara's,

"Definitely privately." I cringe at the idea of being in front of a ton of people for such an intimate moment. "They asked me to go shopping for the nest tomorrow, and we might discuss it more then."

They giggle again and bump my shoulders with theirs as we walk. We encounter a burly alpha wielding a chainsaw, carving something into a giant slab of ice. The sign indicates it will be a sandcastle. So far, only one turret has been carved, which doesn't resemble a sandcastle yet. It's very...phallic.

"Wow," Rose says, and we all blush and walk away giggling harder than ever. We grab some greasy festival food and eat is as we make our way around to the other sculptures. They are an amazing array of art. There's a giant sunflower, a bee ice commissioned by Sunny's apiary, and a sculpture of a massive troll. That one is about the Mackinac Bridge. Referring to the fact that people from the lower peninsula of Michigan are often called trolls because they live under the bridge. Nothing like local humor in ice form.

We're heading towards one of the vendor booths when I hear someone call my name.

"Cali!"

I turn and freeze. My mother and father are smiling at me… and my ex stands behind them.

Calliope

Ifoneofthetroll sculptures suddenly came to life and squashed me between its toes, it wouldn't have shocked me more than seeing Nick at that moment. Standing before me, beaming as if they've just uncovered the greatest treasure, are my mother and father. My mother is a slim woman, with my auburn hair and small nose. My father sports my eyes and chin. My heart races as disbelief washes over me.

The girls are looking between me, my parents, and my ex. My face must not look pleased because Clara whispers, "Who are they?"

"My parents and my ex," I whisper back. Never taking my eyes off of them.

I'm frozen. I have nowhere to go. My mother pushes forward, wrapping me in a tight hug that I return automatically. The girls have let go of my arms, but I can hear them talking in low tones behind me, though I can't figure out what they're saying over the buzzing in my ears.

"Cali! We're so glad we found you! We've been looking everywhere for you. We didn't have your address and wanted to surprise you, so we came to the Festival hoping you would be here." She beams at me as if she expects me to jump for joy.

"Mom, what—why are you here?" I gasp, my heart racing as I turn to Nick, who, remarkably, dares to look sheepish. He hasn't changed a bit since I'd last seen him three months ago. But I've changed. When I look at him, I see nothing. I feel nothing. No pain. Still some anger at him tricking and using me, but no longing or disappointment. How can I be disappointed when I've found so much joy.

Three months ago, a mutual friend dropped the bombshell. My fiancé, was seen kissing a coworker at a bar. Nick claimed he'd needed to work late. He'd denied it, of course, but the friend had snapped a picture. Pretty undeniable at that point.

He admitted to it then but said it was just a kiss and not a big deal. I didn't believe that, but even if it had been just a kiss, that was still cheating in my book. So, I moved into the guest room. I poured myself into job applications, determined to escape the mess he created. After many virtual interviews, I got the position at the Library and moved as soon as I signed with the first rental I'd found.

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