Page 94 of Lone Wolf

Leon fixed him with a reproachful look. “That,” he said, deeply pained, “was appalling. You should be ashamed.”

Karl didn’t look ashamed in the slightest. “Not even a little.”

The moment stretched, and Leon’s heart did something strange in his chest as he looked into Karl’s eyes. Something warm and almost squishy. Then Karl eased down onto the bed and kissed him—not fierce, but quiet and tender. Right up until he tucked Leon’s hair behind his ear, and Leon arched up into the sensation, every nerve ending on fire.

Later—muchlater, when the lights were out and their limbs were tangled under the sheets, the steady rhythm of Karl’s breathing the only sound—Leon stayed awake, letting it wash over him.

Peace. That was what this was.

Not perfection. He still wasn’t entirely sure how being part of a pack was going to work. He’d probably need to escape to Denver once a month or risk clawing someone. He was almost certainly going to introduce Karl to the concept of a flannel-free wardrobe. And at some point, he would absolutely climb a tree to avoid a wolf who wanted to talk.

But this was the first time in his life he’d had all the pieces. Love, security, and a mate who looked at him like he was something extraordinary, even when Leon knew he was impulsive, sharp-tongued, and too pleased with himself for his own good.

And he had a family now, even if they were wolves and a non-shifter who was almost a wolf. Karl’s pack felt like something he’d been waiting for without ever believing it could be his. A place to belong. A home.

He turned his head and rubbed his cheek lightly against Karl’s shoulder, marking him.

Then he closed his eyes and let himself rest.

Epilogue

MATT

As Matt and Jesse picked their way down the moon-washed hillside, Karl and Leon melted away, their coats rendering them invisible in the shadows. They’d stay just long enough to be sure Jesse was safe, then give him space and privacy.

He was glad to know they were out there, quiet and steady, guarding them so he could focus on his mate. His mate who was quivering all over, one paw raised and his head high, testing the air.

Matt pressed against Jesse in support,loveandstrengthandmatecombined. Or so he hoped, but Jesse’s shaking hadn’t abated in the least. He now saw what Jesse had already spotted—wolves, glowing silver in the moonlight.

Jesse started across the clearing, more uncertainty in his body than Matt had ever seen, his hackles raised slightly in tension as he slunk along, close to the ground.

Matt stood and watched. He ached to be there with Jesse, to make sure his mate got everything he wanted, but this wasn’t forhim to do. It was between Jesse and his kin. Not his pack—that was Elk Ridge and always would be. Jesse had been clear about that as he’d gasped it out under Matt that morning, eyes fixed on him with a depth and clarity of love that meant Matt didn’t doubt it for a second.

One of the wolves was starting forward, as slow and careful as Jesse. The moment they touched, the other wolf let loose a sound the likes of which Matt had never heard before. She rolled Jesse over in the grass, and Jesseallowedit. He was being treated like a pup, and he let it happen.

Matt was coiled, ready to jump in, all his earlier reasoning forgotten, but then he saw the way Jesse was reaching up to the other wolf’s muzzle, paws and mouth grabbing and— Oh, God,justlike a pup would do.

The rest of the silver wolves were closing in. Matt watched, sparing a flick of his eyes up to where Karl and Leon were, but there was no hostility, no threat as they greeted Jesse.

The whole thing became a big, squirming pile of wolves, occasional excited yips escaping, and Jesse somewhere in the middle of it all.

Eventually, the tangle of bodies loosened, and Jesse was visible again. His eyes were closed, his body relaxed, and he looked completely at peace.

As if sensing Matt’s gaze, his eyes opened and unerringly found him, invitation clear and strong in his gaze. He shook off the other wolves and moved to meet Matt, who was pacing slowly toward them. Turning, he introduced his mate to his kin.

Somewhere up on the hill, a big dark wolf faded silently away, followed by his mate. They left the moon the only witness to Jesse’s uniting of his two worlds. To the beginning of something new.