Page 156 of Run Wild Omega

Dinner is loud and crowded and perfect.

Nine people crammed around a table meant for eight. Margaret at the head, Henry at the foot. Mara and Daniel on one side, Gray and Leo on the other. Tess between me and Dylan, who arrived twenty minutes after us, still in his turnouts, smelling like smoke and grinning like an idiot.

Miles is late. He texted ten minutes ago.

Miles: Kyle and I are finishing the telemetry calibration. Twenty minutes out.

Kyle. The kid has been pulling double duty since the Rourke incident, running SAR comms, monitoring the station perimeter, and generally being the most competent Beta in three counties.

Miles took him under his wing after the avalanche, training him on the forecasting equipment, and Kyle has turned into a genuinely capable analyst. Miles won’t admit it, but he’s proud of the kid.

The food is incredible. Margaret’s roast chicken, Henry’s sourdough, mashed potatoes that Leo practically inhales, roasted root vegetables from the cellar that Gray and Daniel have been raiding all winter.

Leo waits until everyone is on their second plate before he clears his throat.

“So,” he says, setting his fork down. “I have news.”

The table goes quiet. Leo’s face is relaxed, but his eyes are brighter than usual.

“Miller’s firm dropped the lawsuit,” he says. “Full withdrawal. No settlement, no admission of fault. They filed the dismissal yesterday afternoon.”

The table erupts.

Margaret presses a hand to her chest. Henry reaches over and shakes Leo’s hand so hard the table rattles. Mara lets out a sound that’s half laugh, half sob, and Daniel pulls her against his side.

“About damn time,” Dylan says, raising his beer.

“What happened?” Tess asks, her hand finding mine under the table.

“Daniel happened,” Leo says, nodding across the table. “He filed a motion to dismiss based on lack of standing. Miller’s legal team couldn’t establish that the corporate group suffered any actual damages. The hike was completed. Nobody was injured. The only complaint was that they didn’t reach the summit, which is a guide’s safety call, not a contractual obligation.”

“And the negligence claim?” I ask.

“Dead in the water,” Daniel says. “Tess’s certifications are flawless. The weather reports were documented. The solo hike was on her own time, outside of any guided expedition. Miller was chasing headlines, not justice. Once the court saw that, the whole thing collapsed.”

Leo leans back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. “Daniel also filed a counterclaim for legal fees and defamation, and Miller’s firm settled before the ink was dry. Sweet Creek Adventures is clear. The business is safe.”

“And the insurance gap?” I ask. “That seventeen-day window they were trying to use?”

“Resolved,” Daniel says. “The carrier reclassified it as an administrative filing error after we submitted the original broker correspondence. Policy is retroactive. Leo’s coverage was never actually compromised.”

Leo exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. “Should’ve had Daniel sort that paperwork from day one. Lesson learned.”

Tess makes a sound beside me. I turn. She’s crying, tears sliding down her cheeks while she tries to smile and eat potatoes at the same time.

“Hey,” I murmur, squeezing her hand. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m just… Leo, I’m so sorry. This whole thing happened because of me.”

“Because of you?” Leo shakes his head. “Tess, this happened because a guy with too much money and not enough sense got mad that a guide wouldn’t let him summit in bad weather. Then he saw a news story and tried to cash in. That’s not on you. That was never on you.”

“He’s right,” Daniel says. “Miller used your accident as a convenient peg to hang his grievance on. The court saw through it.”

“And Rourke?” Henry asks, his voice gruff. “What about that snake?”

Daniel’s expression cools. “Rourke’s been disbarred in Colorado. The state bar opened an investigation after we filed complaints about his conduct at the café, his harassment at the clerk’s office, and his unauthorized use of the Ashford pack’s name to pursue a personal vendetta. Turns out the Ashfords weren’t happy about being used as a cover for his revenge campaign against Mara.”

“Disbarred,” Mara repeats, her eyes wide.