Ty walked down to the kitchen, intent on grabbing up leftovers from dinner for him and Parker. Neither one of them had eaten after all the craziness of the day, and Parker especially needed to eat.

He lifted a hand in greeting to Chase as he walked to the fridge. His brother was sitting at the counter, eating his own meal. “How’s Parker? Is she taking the whole shifter thing well?”

Ty grinned wryly as he pulled bowls from the fridge. “She’s fine. Apparently, she already knew I was a shifter. I guess she saw me shift once years ago, when we were teenagers.”

“No shit?” Chase said before throwing his head back on a laugh. “You were worrying like a little old woman for nothing.”

“Don’t be a dick, pup. I’ll remind you of this moment when your wolf picks a human for a mate.”

“My wolf will have the good sense to pick a shifter.”

Ty snorted. “Don’t count on it. How’s Kelsey? Have you heard or seen her since she went to bed?”

Chase sobered and shook his head. “I heard her moving around in her room for a while, but it’s been quiet here lately. When do you think she’ll talk to us, tell us what happened to her?”

Ty sighed as he made up two plates. “I don’t know. Parker said to give her some time and not push her. So that’s what we’ll do. She looks like she’s had it hard enough without us scaring her more.”

“I think she’d been living in the woods for a while,” Chase said, pushing the food around on his plate. “I hate to think of when she’d even eaten a decent meal last.”

They were both quiet after that, lost in their own thoughts. Ty warmed up the plates of food as he put the leftovers in the fridge. He paused before he left again, looking at his brother seriously.

“Look. I think it’s clear that Kelsey wouldn’t have hurt Parker, or any of us. But we might not have known that, and we might not have managed to catch her, if it hadn’t been for Ian. Our sister is upstairs, safe, warm and fed right now, because of him. I figure I owe him. Him and his crew can stay in the old place, as long as they stay away from the farmhouse and don’t get in the way of running the farm. I don’t know his other shifters, so make that clear. I trust Ian, though, so if he trusts them… I’ll let them stay. I won’t even charge them rent on that dump. But I don’t want any trouble. Not from them or anyone they know.”

Chase nodded. “There won’t be. Ian won’t accept charity, though. He’ll pay rent, whether you want it or not.”

Ty inclined his head. “Either way. As long as there’s no trouble,” he reiterated, as he began walking out of the kitchen.

“Hey, does this mean you’ll come to a fight?” Chase called.

“Why don’t you hold your breath while you wait and see?”

Ty made his way to the stairs, grinning as he heard Chase’s muttered, “Fucker”.

He took the stairs two at a time, ready to see Parker again. He hadn’t even been away from her for ten minutes, and he was already anxious to get back to her.

Mate.

Yes, she definitely was, Ty thought as he agreed with his wolf. He’d imagined a lot of different scenarios since Parker had come back into his life, envisioned what he had thought was every possible ending. Every ending but this one. One where his wolf finally spoke up and confirmed that Parker was his true mate. One where Parker accepted what he was wholeheartedly and unconditionally.

He juggled the plates and opened the door to his bedroom. Their bedroom. His breath caught as he saw Parker, reclining on the bed while she caressed the swell of her belly. She looked over and smiled at him, and Ty felt his heart swell in his chest.

She was his. He had his own little family now. Beautiful Parker and their precious son, who was nestled safe under her heart, growing big and strong. He’d never thought he would have this, never even imagined it could be possible. Everything about her had been unexpected.

Ty smiled at Parker, pouring all of the love he felt for her into his eyes, as he shut the door and walked into his own little slice of happily ever after.