NOAH

I groaned as a sharp pain shot through my chest. Déjà vu, except this time, the bullet hadn’t been lodged in my body. They’d had to clean the area of silver residue, but I didn’t have to shift it out. Silver linings.

“Try not to move too much,” I heard Zoey murmur.

I opened my eyes, immediately wincing at the glaring fluorescent lights.

“Shit, sorry!” Zoey jumped up and quickly dimmed the lights. “Is that better?”

I nodded. Reaching up, I wiped away the tears that had started falling down her face. She leaned into my touch, her skin warm against my palm.

“It’s over now,” I said. “It’s all over.”

She nodded, more tears spilling down her face. “I was so scared. I thought... I really thought I was going to lose.”

“I know. I’m sorry for scaring you like that.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “But George is dead. He can’t hurt you anymore. Can’t hurt either of us.”

Zoey let out a shaky breath. “I still can’t believe it. After all this time living in fear...” She shook her head in disbelief.

I knew exactly how she felt. The constant looking over our shoulders, never knowing when he might show up to torment us again. But now, we were free.

I tugged her closer, ignoring the stab of pain in my chest. She carefully curled up next to me on the narrow hospital bed, resting her head on my shoulder. I pressed a kiss to her hair.

“I love you,” I said. “We’re going to be okay now. I promise.”

She squeezed my hand. “I love you, too. So much.”

George was dead. Zoey and I had our whole lives ahead of us. And I planned to spend every moment showing her just how loved and cherished she truly was.

A knock sounded at the door before it swung open. Chief Warman strode in with a detective I didn’t recognize trailing behind him.

“Noah, how are you feeling?” Warman asked.

“Like I got shot.” That earned me a snort from Zoey. More seriously, I said, “I’ll be all right. Takes more than a bullet to keep me down.”

Warman smiled briefly before his expression turned grim. “I know you need to rest, but Detective Simmons has some questions about what happened.” He nodded to the man beside him.

I sighed. I’d expected this, but I wasn’t looking forward to reliving the evening. Still, cooperating was the quickest way to put this all behind us.

I steeled myself. “Go ahead, Detective. What do you need to know?”

Simmons flipped open a notepad. “Can you walk me through the events leading up to the shooting?”

Taking a deep breath, I recounted everything that had occurred before today—from George showing up at the house and threatening Zoey, to the violent struggle that followed, to the moment I pulled the trigger, so to speak, to save our lives.

The detective scribbled notes as I spoke. When I finished, he looked up. “It sounds like this stemmed from a territory dispute, would you agree?”

I chose my words carefully. “George refused to accept that I was the new alpha. He wanted to maintain control through fear and intimidation. This was his last desperate attempt to assert dominance.”

“But you stopped him,” Warman said with pride and respect. “You protected your mate and your pack.”

“I did what I had to do.” My gaze found Zoey’s, and I squeezed her hand. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Simmons closed his notepad with a snap. “I think I have everything I need for now. We’ll be in touch if we require any further information.”

Zoey and I both watched as the detective made his exit. Once he was gone, Warman turned to us.

“Noah, I want you to know that we’ll handle all the necessary arrangements from here. The cleanup, George’s body, the paperwork—leave it to us. You two have been through enough.”

Gratitude washed over me. “Thank you. For everything.”

“I’m just glad it’s over,” Zoey said quietly.

Warman smiled at us both. “You’re free now. Free to live your lives without fear or manipulation.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m proud of you. You’ve proven yourself to be a strong and capable leader.”

His words meant more to me than I could express. For so long, I’d doubted myself, questioned my ability to be the alpha my pack needed. But hearing Warman’s praise, seeing the love and trust in Zoey’s eyes... I finally started to believe in myself.

“Thank you,” I managed. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of the pack, without Zoey.”

Warman nodded in understanding. “You two make a formidable team. The future of your pack is bright. Get some rest, both of you. You’ve earned it.”

As the door closed behind him, I pulled Zoey into my arms, mindful of my healing wound. She melted against me, her head finding the crook of my neck.

We stayed like that, holding each other, breathing each other in. There was still so much to do, so much to rebuild. But for now, in this quiet moment of peace and connection, I allowed myself to believe that everything really would be okay.

I squinted against the bright midday sun as Dad’s truck pulled up to the house, the backseat overflowing with colorful balloons, plush teddy bears, and “Get Well Soon” cards. My chest still ached with each breath, a constant reminder of how close I’d come to losing everything.

As I climbed out of the passenger seat, a soft gasp escaped my lips. There, gathered on the front lawn, was my entire pack, from the youngest pups to the most seasoned elders. My breath hitched at the sight of their smiling faces, their eyes shining with a mix of relief and joy.

Mom stepped forward, her arms outstretched. “They all wanted to be here to welcome their alpha back home,” she said softly.

I swallowed hard, fighting back the lump in my throat as she hugged me. Over her shoulder, I caught Dad’s eye. He grinned proudly, his usually stern features softened.

“I... I don’t know what to say,” I managed, pulling back to face the crowd. “I’m so grateful to have all of you here, supporting me... supporting each other.”

A chorus of cheers and applause erupted from the pack, and love and pride surged through my chest. These were my people, my family. And though I still had moments of doubt, seeing them here now, united and strong, I would do whatever it took to lead them well.

Mom squeezed my hand, drawing my attention back to her. “Come on inside. You need to rest, and I’ve made all your favorites for dinner.”

I let her guide me toward the house as the pack began to disperse, their chatter and laughter filling the air. Each step felt a little lighter, my responsibilities eased by the knowledge that I wasn’t facing them alone.

As we stepped inside, the aroma of my mother’s cooking enveloped me like a warm hug. The familiar scents of roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and freshly baked bread mingled in the air, making my mouth water and my stomach growl.

“Smells amazing, Mom. You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

She waved off my comment with a smile. “Nonsense. It’s not every day my son comes home from the hospital. I wanted to make sure you had a proper welcome.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Well, I appreciate it. Really. That hospital food was terrible.”

The table in the kitchen was already set with our best dishes and a vase of fresh flowers. I sank into my usual chair. It was strange how something as simple as a family dinner could ground me and remind me what truly mattered.

As Mom busied herself with serving the food, I caught sight of Zoey and Roland hovering in the doorway. They looked uncertain, as if they weren’t sure of their place here.

I stood and crossed the room to meet them. “Hey,” I said softly, reaching for Zoey’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”

She offered a tentative smile, her fingers lacing with mine. “We didn’t want to intrude on your family time.”

“You’re not intruding. You and Roland are part of this family now.”

Roland’s face lit up, and he launched himself at me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Does that mean we get to stay here? With you?”

I laughed, hugging him back. “Yeah, buddy. For as long as you want. Forever, if I have my way.”

Zoey’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and she mouthed a silent “thank you” over Roland’s head. I pulled her into the embrace, holding them both close.

We had a lot of healing to do, a lot of trust to rebuild. But as I stood there, surrounded by the people I loved most in this world, I knew we would find our way. Together.

After we ate, I made my way to the living room and found Ro waiting for me.

I sighed. Kneeling in front of him, I searched his face for any signs of distress. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, looking at me with a mix of sadness and relief. “Yeah. I just...” He hesitated, his words coming out in a rush. “I would have been sadder if it was you that died. Is it bad that I’m not sad about my dad dying?”

My heart clenched, and I hugged him. “No. It’s not bad at all. What you’re feeling is okay. He didn’t treat you the way a father should. It’s normal to have complicated feelings about him.”

Ro clung to me, his hands fisting in my shirt. “I’m glad you’re okay. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

“You won’t, buddy. I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to get through this together, all right? You, me, and your mom. We’re a family now.”

Ro nodded and relaxed against me. It would take time for him to process everything that had happened, to come to terms with the loss of his father and the trauma he’d endured. But I would be there for him every step of the way. I’d give him the love and support he deserved.

Later that night, I lay in bed with Zoey curled up against my uninjured side. Her fingers traced patterns on my chest as we savored the tranquility of the moment. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast a warm light over her features, and I found myself marveling at her strength and resilience.

Zoey let out a long sigh, her breath tickling my skin. “I can’t believe it’s finally over.”

“It is, Zo. We made it through. George can’t hurt you or Ro anymore.”

She shifted slightly, propping herself up on one elbow to look at me. Her hazel eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but there was a new light in them that I hadn’t seen before. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

I tucked her hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering on the soft skin of her cheek. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You’d have found a way. But I’m glad I could be there for you, for both of you.”

“Me too.”

We fell into a comfortable silence, all the troubles and worries of the past few months slowly fading.

“So, are you ready for your happily ever after?” I asked.

Zoey laughed, the sound like music to my ears. “I think I am.”

I pulled her in for a tender kiss. We had fought hard for this moment, for the chance to build a life together without fear or pain. Whatever awaited us in the future, we would face it as a family.