I pull my hair back into a ponytail and step outside into the cool fall air. The leaves crunch under my feet as the crisp mountain air tickles my face. I take a deep breath and look around at all of the vibrant colors around me. Montana is absolutely spectacular this time of year.

It’s late afternoon and Maximus is hanging out in the outdoor kitchen with the boys. We spent the day riding around on horses and I just came back to take a hot shower.

A smile creeps across my face when I see him tasting the spaghetti sauce with a frown on his face. Lachlan frowns back as he says something to his alpha. Maximus hands him the spoon and shakes his head.

I can’t help but laugh. These are the biggest problems around here lately. Fights about cooking and recipes.

The two remaining dragons haven’t popped up or bothered us since that night when Maximus took Vesuvius’ life. Maximus says that they probably don’t know or don’t care that we were the ones to do it. Maybe they discovered his plans with the military and figured they were the ones who knocked him off.

Either way, it’s been all good.

I make my way over to the campfire and spot Nora waddling down the steps of her cabin. She looks like she’s six months pregnant at least.

“Let me help you,” I say as I rush over. She rolls her eyes as she holds her lower back.

“This is me after two months,” she says, looking terrified. “If I ever decide to have another of Kneecap’s babies, please shoot me.”

“Will do,” I say with a laugh. “Do all baby bear shifters grow this big this fast?”

She shakes her head, looking exhausted. “I don’t know. Probably not.”

I take a breath of relief. I certainly hope not. Or else I’m in trouble.

“Redemption Creek’s toughest baby,” she says with a laugh.

We’re both giggling as I wrap my arm around her and walk with her to where everyone else is hanging out by the kitchen and campfire.

Seeing everyone lounging around and looking so relaxed and having fun is making my heart swell up. These two months have been the happiest of my life. I’m so happy to be here and not back in Colorado all alone. As much as I hated Bledsoe and everything he did, I’m thankful to him for starting the chain of events that led me back here. Right where I belong.

Maximus and Lachlan are starting to go at it over the sauce, but he seems to completely forget all about the argument when he sees me. His handsome face lights up and he rushes over with a glass of red wine for me.

“I’m good,” I say, waving it off. He shrugs and hands it to Caleb who is sitting near him. Caleb grins as he takes a big sip.

“Get comfortable,” he says as he kisses my cheek. “I’m making my famous spaghetti sauce. At least I’m trying to. Lachlan keeps adding too many hot peppers.”

“I like it hot,” Lachlan shouts back with a frown on his face.

Maximus smiles. “I might have to pull the alpha card on this one.”

“No alpha card when it comes to cooking,” Lachlan says back to him.

I sit in the empty chair between Jessie and Zoe who are both like sisters to me now. The kiss that Maximus gave me is still tingling on my face and I reach up and touch it, wanting it to stay forever. I feel my scars and smile.

I hardly ever think about them anymore. It’s a part of me and it’s a part of the crew’s history, and I wear them with pride.

I’m no longer self-conscious about them, and I definitely don’t let them get in the way of my happiness. Maximus loves me with or without them and that’s all I need to know.

I’m telling Zoe all about my new job at the bookstore in town when Lachlan calls us for dinner. “Dinner is ready,” he says with a frown. “If you can call it that.”

“Nobody wants their mouths on fire,” Maximus says. “Right?”

“I’ve had enough fire for one lifetime,” Kneecap grunts as he finishes his beer. I glance at the skin on his arm, amazed that it’s back to normal. I can still vividly remember it hanging off in chunks and am still shocked that it healed completely.

These grizzly bear shifters never stop surprising me. I’m not sure if they ever will.

Maximus sits at the head of the table and I sit to his right where I always am. He’s still bickering with Lachlan who sits on his other side. It’s all in good fun. Once the food is gone, they’ll be back to being best friends.

“What should we toast tonight?” Maximus says, holding his glass of wine up. “The beautiful autumn weather? Amazing friends? The way too hot food?”

“It’s not hot enough,” Lachlan grunts.

“Let’s toast to my band getting a gig tomorrow night,” Caleb says with a smile.

Tito drops his head with a grunt. “Let’s toast to all of the lucky deaf people in the world.”

“I have something,” I say with a hint of nerves. Everyone turns to me as I stand up. “I want to make a toast to my new family who I absolutely adore.” I smile at each one of them and they all smile back. Even Kneecap. “But I think we’ll save that toast for another night. Tonight I want to toast my favorite person in the world.” Maximus starts to blush as I turn to him. “I want to toast the man who turned my life around from one of sadness and loneliness to one of untold blessings and unconditional love. I want to toast my lover, my best friend, my mate, and the father of my child.”

It takes Maximus a second for it to dawn on him, but when it does, he leaps out of his chair, sending it flying backward. “Your what?!?”

My hands slide over my belly as tears come to my eyes. “It’s true,” I say, nodding to the man who’s everything to me. “I’m pregnant.”

He stares at me with pure adoration and gratitude in his wet eyes as the tears start flowing down his cheeks. “I’m going to be a father?”

I can barely talk as the emotions take over, so I just nod. Maximus drops to his knees, grabs my hips, and kisses my belly.

I sniffle, about to say something, but Max takes the words out of my mouth before I can say them. “I love you,” he says as he looks up at me.

“I love you t—”

I’m not able to finish my sentence due to a ton of bodies suddenly swarming us in a group hug. I’m getting squeezed and crushed and squished, but it doesn’t feel painful. It feels like home, and I’m loving every second of it.