She doesn’t look up. “As long as it takes.”
“He nearly killed three of our best fighters.”
“He nearly killed three men who grabbed him in an enclosed space. His response was appropriate for what he’s been through.” Her hand stays on his arm. “He needs space. He needs sky. He needs to wake up somewhere that doesn’t have walls closing in on him. And he needs—” She stops. Starts again. “He needs someone to stop sedating him and start letting him be afraid without punishing him for it.”
“That someone being you.”
She looks at me, eyes steady. I see it then. She’s found something in this broken wolf that she doesn’t fully understand and isn’t ready to walk away from.
“That someone being me,” she says.
I nod and join the others as we move away to let her do what she does best.
Conner finds us at the truck. Mia is asleep on his shoulder — the ceremony, the crowd, the emotional weight of the morning having finally exhausted her. Willow is beside him. She looks at me. At the bag on my shoulder. At Garrett standing beside me.
“You’re going,” she says.
“We’re going.”
“Today.”
“Now.”
She nods. Her eyes are wet, but she’s smiling. “The baby—”
“I’ll call. Every week.”
“Every day.”
“Willow.”
“Fine. Every week. But I’m visiting.”
“You’re always welcome.”
She hugs me. Fast and fierce because we’re both wolves, and wolves don’t linger over goodbyes. Her hand squeezes my arm. Then she steps back.
Conner shifts Mia on his shoulder and looks at his brother. The conversation between them happens without words… the way it’s been happening more and more. The language of two men who grew up in the same house, then broke apart, and are finding their way back.
“Take care of her,” Conner says. Meaning me.
“She’d kill me if she heard you say that,” Garrett says.
“I heard you say that,” I say.
“I meant Mia,” Conner says, and almost smiles.
“Sure you did.”
Brenna is on the porch. She doesn’t come to the truck. She stands with her coffee and watches us load the bag. Then she gives me one nod — the alpha’s benediction, the permission to go that she knows I don’t need but offers anyway because that’s what alphas do. Merric is beside her, and he gives me the same nod.
I nod back.
I have one more thing to do.
I reach into the side pocket of my bag and pull out the rabbit.
Mia is drowsing on Conner’s shoulder. I walk up to them, and I hold the rabbit where she can see it. Despite the matted fur and the chewed ear, it’s still fluffy, cute.