Page 195 of Chrysalis
“Nice try,” he says as he stands and scowls. “You wanted to snoop around, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Now where’s my tour?” I demand eagerly.
“Come on.” Seth takes my hand and shows me around the room before leading me out with Thorin and Khalil, pointing out things and explaining all the rooms we weave in and out of on the second floor and then the first.
There’s a recording and dance studio for me, a boxing one for Khalil as well as a workshop for his woodworking, and a library for Seth and Zeke who like to read—one of the few things besides the group they have in common. Thorin is the only one who doesn’t have a special room for himself because most of his hobbies took him outdoors, but I know somewhere on the property is a detached garage with every piece of sporting equipment known to man.
“The house is beautiful,” I say as we leave the living room with a view of the lake and walk toward the front doors. “Thank you for making it a labor of love.”
For a while it felt like we’d said goodbye to the Cold Peaks forever and that we’d never reclaim our home. But once we learned it didn’t matter where we were, and that the only place we truly belonged was with each other, we realized there wasnothing stopping us from coming back. At least, for part of the year.
I’m stilltheAurelia George to everyone else.
But first, I’m mom.
Wolf. Songbird.
Goldilocks.
Sunshine.
Princess.
And…theirs. Yup. I even taught Bane how to share.
As we walk toward the front doors that have been thrown open to an unobstructed view of the lake, I can hear and see Nico and Bliss playing outside. I can almost see our future laid out for all of us too.
Their first winter in the wilds.
The snow fights after a storm.
The warm nights cuddled up by the fire.
Teaching Nico and Bliss how to hunt and survive inandout of the wilds and giving them the best of both worlds so they can decide for themselves which one they prefer.
“Now Ireallycan’t wait for the wedding ceremony,” I say and we all have matching smiles as we leave the unfinished cabin.
