I CREPT AROUND THE parking lot, moving through the trees. I saw my parents get out of the van. They hovered there, holding hands, looking around tentatively, as if they almost didn’t dare admit they were expecting to see me. I snuck around the van, ran, and launched myself at my dad’s back, nearly toppling him over. Then, still on his back, arms around his neck, I grinned at Mom.
“Hello,” I said.
She stared up at me, her eyes filling with tears, her arms going out. I jumped down and into them and hugged her as hard as I could, Dad hugging me from behind, the three of us together again. What I wanted. The thing I’d fought for the hardest in those negotiations. Give me back my family. And I’d won. Whatever else happened, I had this, so I’d won.
We walked around the van to talk privately for a while. It wasn’t really much of a talk. More like long periods of silent hugging and crying, interspersed with rapid-fire questions.
When we finished hugging and crying our hearts out, I dried my eyes and said, “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” And I took them to Ash.
The next step for settling in was figuring out who’d live where. Obviously I’d stay with my parents, Corey with his mom, Hayley with her family. But what about the rest? The teens were given options pending any changes when the houses were complete. There were some obvious choices and some surprises.
Annie and Rafe were getting their own cabin. Sam decided to stay with Mrs. Tillson, even if she now knew she wasn’t really her aunt. Tori opted out of staying with Kit, Simon, and Derek and instead wanted to stick with Lauren and Chloe. Both my parents and Chief Carling were quick to offer Daniel a new home. He considered, then took me aside and said, “I’m going with Corey. I think that’s best.”
“Okay,” I said, heart hammering. “Is something wrong? You’ve stayed with us plenty of times and you know my parents would love to have you. I would, too.”
“Would you really? Me there, day in, day out? It sounds cool, but . . .” He met my gaze. “I want to be your friend, Maya. Not your brother.” His eyes bore into mine, as if searching for something. “Is that what you want? A brother?”
“No.” The answer came automatically. I didn’t want that. Had never thought of him like that. He was right, in ways he didn’t even know—if I was still working through what I felt for him, living together wouldn’t be the right move.
“I already have a brother,” I said, managing a smile. “And he’s quite enough to deal with.”
Speaking of Ash, that was the next matter of discussion. Antone was staying on-site as our Cabal liaison and he wanted Ash to come live with him. My parents knew who Antone really was, and I’m not sure how they felt about that. Mom said it would be good to have my biological father in my life, but I still think they would have been happier if that meant “visiting every other weekend,” not “living a few doors down.” Moreno was staying, too—as head of a new security detail. Yes, Chief Carling was no longer enough for us. While she’d be involved, we were now getting full-time guards, though the Cabal promised they were there for our protection, not prison guards. We’d see about that.
As for Ash, though, Antone wasn’t his only option. My parents had also offered. I don’t think Antone was pleased about that. But Ash was their daughter’s brother and they’d be thrilled to have him if that was what he wanted.
Again, I got pulled away for a side discussion.
“What do you want me to do?” Ash asked when we were out of earshot.
“Dumb question,” I said. “You’re my brother. I want you to be with me.”
That seemed to catch him off guard and he scowled, as if I was mocking him.
“What?” I said. “Yes, you’re a pain in the ass, but they tell me that’s what to expect from a brother.” I touched his arm lightly. “Seriously. I know Calvin really wants you and I feel bad for him, losing us, but if you’re asking my honest opinion, I’m going to be selfish and say stay with us.”
“You think they mean it? Your parents? Or are they just being nice?”
“Oh, they’re never nice. You’ll figure that out if you come live with us.” I paused, sobering as I let him think it over. “You can always change your mind if it doesn’t work out. Calvin would be happy to take you at any point.”
He met my gaze. “You can change your mind, too. None of that polite Canadian crap. If it doesn’t work, say so. I’ll respect you more for that than if you grit your teeth and put up with me.”
“Understood. So you’ll stay with us?”
He nodded. I reached over and hugged him, whether he wanted it or not.
By evening I was feeling a little overwhelmed, and told my parents I was taking a walk. I hadn’t gone very far before I heard footsteps behind me and caught a familiar scent. I turned, smiling, to see Rafe.
“Hey, you,” I said. “Getting away from it all, too.”
“Coming to talk to you, actually.”
I kept smiling, hoping he’d smile back, but he just kept walking toward me, face unreadable.
He was going to ask for answers. Had I thought about everything? Did I know what I felt for Daniel? Was I still “with” him or was that over now? It wasn’t over. I only had to look at him to know it wasn’t over. But how did I say “We’re still good,” when I couldn’t answer those other questions?
“I never did thank you,” I said, desperately trying to deflect the coming questions, “for playing decoy back in Salmon Creek.”
He shrugged. “It was the right move. Until I start shifting, Daniel’s got better defensive powers. And I know, no matter what happens, he’ll watch out for you.”
I moved toward him. “He’s not the only one. I seem to recall you dropped from a helicopter for me.”
“True. But the difference?” He closed the gap between us. “Daniel would have jumped from the helicopter for you. And you’d jump for him.”
“I—”
He put his fingers to my lips. “I’m not asking you to deny it or say you’d do the same for me. You’ve known him all your life. I’m still the rookie here. Which is why I’m going to make this decision for you.” He moved his fingers down. “I think we could have something. Really have something. But I also think, now that you know about Daniel, you’re going to wonder, and you can’t wonder if you’re supposed to be with me. You’re not that kind of girl. So I’m ending it.”
“No. Please. I—”
His fingers moved back to my lips. “Let me reword that. I’m stepping back. I’m still going to try to convince you I’m the guy you want. But I’m not going to do it by luring you into the woods for a make-out session. No more of that. Not until you’ve decided. From now on, I’m your friend, same as Daniel.” He paused, then lowered his gaze to mine. “And I hope—really hope—that no matter what you decide, I’ll keep on being your friend. Whatever happens, I don’t want to lose you, Maya.”
I put my arms around him. “You won’t.”
Once again, Rafe had done the right thing. The noble thing. Just as he’d let go of my hands to keep from pulling me out of the helicopter with him. Just like he had given himself up so we could get away.
A few weeks ago, I’d accused Rafe of a complete lack of regard for others, when he’d chased the girls of Salmon Creek to find out who was the skin-walker. I’d been wrong. Big surprise. He wasn’t afraid to make the hard choices—even the life-threatening choices—for others. Breaking up with me wasn’t exactly on the same scale, but it was still a tough choice, and I wasn’t sure I could have made it.
So, if I knew it was right, why did it hurt so much? Because I cared for him. Maybe even loved him. If it was love, why was it so complicated? Shouldn’t I just be able to look at Rafe and Daniel, turn to one, and say, “It’s you. I want you.” Was I being fickle? Or was I being selfish?
I wouldn’t be selfish. I wouldn’t string them along. Until I got my brain—and my heart—straightened out, it would be as Rafe said. Friendship. With both. And if they both found someone else while I was making up my mind? Well, that was the chance I took. Rafe was right—I couldn’t be with one of them if I was still looking at the other, thinking “Maybe . . .”
“Maya?”
Daniel’s voice drifted through the trees. I got up quickly from the stump where I’d been sitting and wiped my eyes as he appeared.
“Are you crying?” He stepped closer. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I paused. “Yes, something. Rafe and I . . . We ended it. He ended it, I mean.” I took a deep breath. “He decided this wasn’t really a good time, with everything going on. It’s stressing us out and we’re arguing and . . . we just need to step back.”
“I’m sorry.”
He sounded like he meant it. When I looked into his eyes, I saw that he did. Fresh tears welled up and I brushed them away.
“He’s right,” I said. “It hurts, but he is right. It happened so fast. Too fast. It just . . . got complicated. We need to slow down and get to know each other better.”
He nodded. “Okay, well . . . I’d leave you alone, but I suspect you’d rather be distracted.”
I managed a smile. “You know me well.”
He looked around. “We have a whole forest to explore.”
My smile widened a little. “We do.”
“I overheard your dad saying they need to stake out a place for your house. Away from the town, since he’ll be in charge of the forest again. You guys will pick a place and your mom will design the house again. Kenjii will come tomorrow and . . . Did I hear Fitz is coming, too?”
I nodded. “The people at the wildlife rehab center think that’s best. Apparently, although he treats us like his personal servants, he’s lonely there, and they don’t see any hope of reintroducing him to the wild.”
“He’s used to you guys. This might not be his forest, but he’ll make it his. And so will you.”
I looked around. It was nothing like the temperate rain forest at home. It looked different. Smelled different. Even sounded different. But when I closed my eyes, I could feel the draw of it, just like in Salmon Creek. Daniel was right. It would be my forest someday.
“What do you say we start looking for a building spot?” he said.
“Dad will want to pick one.”
“Right. And do you really think if you say ‘I want my home here,’ he’ll ignore you? Face it, Maya—you’re spoiled.”
I smiled.
“So come on,” he said, backing up. “Lets go find the perfect spot.”
“We aren’t supposed to go out of shouting distance.”
“So if we did, that would be wrong. Irresponsible. Immature.”
“It would.”
“Well, I think we’ve earned it.” He started backing up. “Race you?”
“To where?”
His smile broke into a grin, blue eyes glittering in the twilight. “Anywhere.”
He turned and ran. I laughed and ran after him.