Misty said, “This is a good idea. I’d really like to see kids spending time someplace constructive, learning and having fun, rather than left alone and looking to make trouble. Maybe...maybe we can prevent another pack like Ryan’s from growing up around here, if the kids who would become that pack aren’t roaming around figuring out what sort of illegal stuff they can get up to.”
Ty took her hand and squeezed. “That’s exactly what I was talking about, earlier,” he said quietly. “Yes. Exactly that.”
Misty felt warmth flush through her body. She was suddenly aware of how close they were pressed, together in front of the fire. His muscular thigh was right up against hers, their clasped hands resting on his knee. She had to force her eyes away, to keep them from traveling higher, curious.
The conversation carried on, and Misty was surprised at how much of an effort everyone made to include her. They wanted to know why she’d moved back after living in Missoula for so many years, and when she slowly tried to explain how she felt tied to this land, this place, how her father’s legacy was something she’d never be able to abandon, she saw heads nodding around the circle.
“I always felt the same,” said Lynn. “Our grandmother was born here, in this house—literally in the house; no time for a hospital, she always said.” She smiled at the memory. “I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else.”
Stella laughed a little. “I always wanted to be somewhere else,” she confessed, “but eventually I realized that as much as I love to see new places, I really do want to have a home to come back to, and this is it.”
“I never knew that I wanted a home,” Carlos said softly, looking at Pauline. “I thought I was fine in New York, living in an apartment I’d had professionally decorated, spending most of my time at my job. I was wrong.”
“I felt the same,” said Colonel Hanes—Wilson. “I was living in Washington, DC, married to my work. I knew something was missing, but I didn’t know what that something was until I met Mavis.” He and his mate exchanged a loving glance.
Misty felt a strange feeling rising in her. A kind of—painful fondness. Hearing all of them talk about her home like this...it was filling some kind of gap she’d never knew she had. And she realized that she’d been missing something, when she talked to Ty about how grim things could be around here.
“Thank you all,” she heard herself say.
Everyone turned to look at her. “For what?” Stella asked.
“For coming here,” Misty tried to explain. “I’ve been sheriff for just over a year, and when I started, I would’ve said that there wasn’t a good sense of community here. That the packs all kept to themselves, no one asked questions, and everyone had to watch out to keep from offending everyone else. And once they did—well, that’s when I had to show up. And the wolves were running rampant. They were looking to take over, to make this place just a base for all of their illegal hobbies.”
She shook her head. How could she have missed what had been happening, until she heard it laid out like this, around this fire? “And then you all started moving here...and somehow, everything’s improved. Mavis, I know you’ve been helping all the small businesses around here. The economy’s perking up. Lynn, your wilderness guide business is getting all sorts of attention on the Internet, and it’s bringing in more tourists. Nate, you came in when the wolves were causing trouble, and stood up to them when no one else would. And now this community center...I don’t even know how to express the improvements you’ve all made around here.” She smiled a little. “I guess—thanks for making my job easier, is what I’m trying to say.”
“Our pleasure,” said Nate immediately.
“And really,” Ken added, “we should be thanking you. What with the long arm of justice and all.”
Misty had to roll her eyes, but everyone was chuckling and nodding, so she laughed too.
Ty squeezed her hand, and she looked over at him. “This was a good idea. Thank you.”
“Good,” he said quietly. “I’m glad.”
She leaned in closer to him and took a deep breath of air tinged with laughter, companionship, and firelit warmth.
***
Ty
Ty was struggling to contain a whole host of feelings that he hadn’t anticipated.
For one, it had been strange, listening to all the others describe how they’d known in their hearts that Glacier Park was their home. That the people they’d met there were their mates, meant to be with them forever.
Because while they’d been talking, he’d understood. Deep in his chest, his jaguar had purred with recognition, with the knowledge of what they were talking about.
But—he wasn’t like them. He hadn’t come here aimlessly, looking for a new job or a new purpose in life or a new home. He had a job, he had a life, and he was going back to Los Angeles once this vacation was over. He hadn’t even come here voluntarily.
It was just suddenly really hard to imagine leaving all of this behind, going back to the hot, dusty streets of LA. The cynical coworkers, the traffic, the beach he never managed to get to, the mountains he mostly saw as a haze on the horizon. Iris’ empty house, no kids left in it.
And then there was Misty.
Ken was telling some dumb story about a prank he’d pulled back when they were all in the Corps—Ty had heard it a hundred times, and also he’d been there when it happened, so he was only listening with half an ear.
But Misty was laughing so hard she’d doubled over. Her hair was slipping out of its severe bun, little wisps coming out to frame her face, and when she looked over at him to share the joke, the firelight lit the beautiful planes of her face and put flames of light in her dark eyes.
Ty couldn’t imagine never seeing her again.