Page 62 of Wolf Revealed

“I’m not sure if I can do that,” Violet said.

Lark pulled her sister in for a hug. “Yes, you can.”

“Sometimes, I think you have more faith in me than I have in myself,” Violet whispered as she hugged Lark in return. “But I’m praying you’re right.”

Lark grinned. “I’m your big sister. I’m always right.”

Violet rolled her eyes, making them both laugh.

Before Lark could say anything, strong arms wrapped around her, and Mike pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. Laughing, she half turned in his arms even as he came around to stand beside her. Violet grinned and announced she was going to mingle, helping herself to another macaron before giving them a wave. That was something she and Mike needed to do some more of, too, Lark thought. But first, she wanted to know what he and Gage had been talking about a few minutes ago. From where she’d been standing, the conversation had seemed a little intense.

Mike sighed. “The Carlyle Group.”

She groaned. Not them again. “What about them? I thought the Feds said Chapman and the Sentinel guys who got away with him had left the country.”

By Feds, she meant an agency Mike had told her about called STAT—or Special Threat Assessment Team. They were a specialized unit trained to handle supernatural threats. Interestingly enough, some of their agents were werewolves, which had surprised her.

“It’s not Sentinel he’s worried about. STAT has confirmed they’re long gone. At least for now,” Mike assured her. “It’s Carlyle he’s concerned about. Your father’s source inside the group confirmed it was definitely Trey’s missing DNA sample that was used to create the werewolf MOD Carlyle sold to that unnamed government organization. And get this. The werewolf MOD is the only one they believe they’ve made that’s permanent. Thing is, they don’t have any more of Trey’s DNA left so they can’t figure out how they did it.”

“And they need more werewolf DNA so they can replicate what they did and apply it to their other MODs,” she said, suddenly understanding why Carlyle had gone to such lengths to get their hands on one of Mike’s pack mates.

“That’s what has Gage so worried. There’s no doubt in his mind they’re going to keep coming until they get what they need.”

“Does that mean Sentinel will be back at some point, too?”

“Them, or someone just like them.” Mike reached out to take her hands in his. “But it doesn’t matter because we’ll be ready, regardless of who they send.”

Lark nodded. While she wasn’t thrilled at the thought of another run-in with heavily armed goons looking to kidnap someone from their pack, she’d fight alongside them if she had to.

Pushing thoughts of Carlyle, Sentinel, and supernatural genetically modified werewolves aside, Lark grabbed two mini yule logs, giving one to Mike just as Kal ran up to the dessert station with his new friends from Mike’s extended pack, Nugget and Tuffie right behind them, along with several more adorable dogs who belonged to Mike’s pack mates. Kal and the other kids helped themselves to a variety of sweet treats before running off again.

Laughing, Lark took Mike’s hand and tugged him onto the dance floor.

“How did I get so lucky?” she asked when a slow song played a little while later, wrapping her arms around his neck and gazing up at him.

“I’m the lucky one,” he said softly, bending his head to kiss her again. “I will be forever grateful for the day you came back to me. If I say it every day for the rest of my life, I still wouldn’t have told you that enough. I love you with everything I am, and everything I’ll ever be.”

“And I love you just as much,” she whispered.

The DJ played a faster tune next, then another, and another. Before Lark knew it, she and Mike spent the next two hours dancing late into the night and laughing with everyone. She was having so much fun, she didn’t even realize the guests were gathering up their coats to leave until people came over to congratulate them again.

Her parents stopped by first, hugging her and Mike. Everett and Jasper were next, along with their respective plus-ones. They were followed by Mike’s parents, who told her again how relieved and happy they were that she and Kal were safe. Despite Mike’s assurances, Lark had been worried they would resent her for taking their grandson away, but nothing could be further from the truth. They were as sweet and welcoming as they’d been when she’d known them a decade ago.

Violet came over last, Kal with her. Since Lark and Mike were spending their wedding night in the honeymoon suite at one of the most expensive hotels in the city as a gift from Gage and his wife, Violet was going back to Mike’s house—or rather, their house—with Kal, her parents, and brothers. Lark’s family was staying in Dallas for the holidays, and she and Mike insisted they stay with them.

“Tonight was so fun!” Kal said. “But I can’t wait for tomorrow!”

Lark laughed as she hugged him. A decade ago, she and Mike would have gone on a romantic getaway to some island paradise, but they decided their honeymoon should be about the three of them spending time together as a family, which meant Kal would be going with them. Of course, the moment Kal heard that, he’d suggested Disney World. She and Mike had immediately agreed.

“I know you’re excited, but try to get some sleep, okay?” Mike said, ruffling his hair with a grin. “So you aren’t a complete zombie on the flight to Orlando.”

After several more minutes of hugs and handshakes, Lark looked around and realized the only ones left in the tent were the SWAT pack and their soul mates, everyone holding glasses of champagne.

A smiling woman from the catering staff came over to them with a tray topped with two champagne flutes for her and Mike.

Mike handed Lark one of the glasses, then took the other for himself before taking her free hand in his and turning to his assembled pack.

Their pack, she realized.