Royal Shifters Series - Chapter #131 “I’m sorry but there’s no other way, Bailey. We gave you a whole extra year to come to terms with this,”

“Is that everything?” Micah asks as he packs the last of my clothes into my suitcase.

I look around the room, and everything is empty. “That’s it.”

He zips up my suitcase and sets it on the floor. It was only two hours ago we were outside, fighting what will hopefully be the last fight of our lives. “I could’ve taken Barrett,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

Micah shakes his head and smiles. “I know, but I’m your protector. It’s my job. Plus, you’ve never killed anyone before. I like that innocence about you.”

My eyes burn. “You’re not my protector anymore, Micah. You’re free.”

He nods. “I know.”

Uncrossing my arms, I sigh and hug him. “Have you thought about where you want to go?”

He hugs me tight. “I thought I’d leave for a while. Nobody’s heard from Raelynn or the others. I really want to find them, especially after all this happened with you.”

“Who’s Raelynn?” Tate asks, appearing at the door. Micah lets me go and glances back and forth at us. Sheepishly, I look away for a second, hating I kept that secret from Tate. Tate’s eyebrows lift, and he leans against the doorframe. “Secret, huh? I heard that.”

Micah clears his throat awkwardly. “All right, that’s my cue to leave. I’ll see you both downstairs.” He grabs a couple of my suitcases and walks out.

“Raelynn’s a royal,” I confess. “And she’s not the only one. I wanted to keep them safe.”

Tate comes in and takes my hands. “It’s okay. I don’t blame you for keeping it from me.”

“I hope they’re okay. I don’t like that Micah can’t find them.”

He pulls me into his arms. “If anyone can locate them, it’ll be him.” He kisses my forehead. “Is that your last bag by the door?”

I nod. “Yep. I’m ready to get the hell out of here. Is Chase’s jet ready?”

Tate grins. “James is already at the airport. He asked me if I had a good vacation.”

Laughing, I walk with him out the door. “And what did you say?”

“I said it was kind of boring. James believed it. I think he’s more ready to leave Baker’s Ridge than we are.”

We get downstairs, and Colin holds up a duffle bag full of money. “What do we want to do with this?” With forty-eight fighters at two-hundred and fifty thousand each, it totals out to be twelve million dollars.

Tate looks at me and shrugs. “We’ll do whatever you want.”

“Let’s give it to charities. We have plenty of money.” Colin agrees with a nod and carries the bag out to the van. Tia’s not in the foyer, so I head to her room while the guys finish loading our things in the car. Her door is shut, so I knock lightly. “Tia?”

“You can come in. I’m just looking around.”

I open the door. “Do you have anything else that needs to be loaded?”

She glances at me over her shoulder and shakes her head. “No. I gave Colin the last of it.” Blowing out a sigh, she peers around her room. “This has been my home for so many years. It feels strange leaving it.”

“You’ll like Montana. I promise.”

She smiles. “I know I will. I’m not going to know what to do with my freedom. I can come and go as I please. Colin even said he’d take me out on a motorcycle.”

Laughing, I shake my head. “Of course, he did. That’s my brother for you. We’ll be experiencing a lot of new things together. There’s a lot I haven’t done.”

“I look forward to it.” She takes one last look around her room. “All right, I’m ready.”

All the guys are waiting by the front door when we arrive, except for Orin. “Has anyone seen Orin?”

Tate reaches for my hand. “No.”

I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. It would’ve been nice to tell Orin goodbye. “Guess we should go then,” I say.

We all head outside, and Tia climbs into the back with Micah while Colin gets in the driver’s seat. I’m about to get in when Orin’s voice catches my attention.

“Wait,” he shouts. I jerk around, and he races toward us with a bag slung over his shoulders. “Do you have room for one more?”

Tia jumps out of the van. “You’re coming with us?”

Orin turns to Tate and me. “I don’t belong here anymore. If you don’t mind, I’d love to find a home with your pack.”

Happiness overwhelms me, and I fling my arms around his neck. “That would be amazing.” I let him go, and Tia hugs him next.

He winks at me. “Besides, someone has a promise to live up to. You know, the one where you said you’d help me find a mate?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” I reply, grinning. “I don’t break my promises.” Tia takes his hand and pulls him into the van. Once we’re all in, Colin drives us away. I don’t even look back at the house when we exit the gate. “What will become of the Blue River pack?” I ask Orin.

He sighs. “Not sure. No one’s alpha enough to take over other than myself, but I don’t want the job. Who knows, maybe they should go their separate ways.”

Maybe. Maybe not. It’s not my responsibility to clean up Killian’s mess. Still, I worry about all shifters. I’m a firm believer in second chances. Orin’s getting his, and I know he deserves it. I just wish I could’ve helped others to get theirs as well.

Tate drapes an arm over my shoulders, and I breathe a sigh of relief. We’re finally on our way home. The nightmare is over.

ONE MONTH LATER

So much has happened since being back in the states. Tate spent a week with my family so I could say my goodbyes and make the transition to the Great Plains Pack. Even Tia joined us and had a wonderful time practicing magic with Laila. She and Kami have become good friends, and they live together now. I think Kami being in medical school is rubbing off on Tia. She’s even thinking of going to college. Orin, on the other hand, has found a place with Grayson Construction. He fits in well with the others in the pack, and I can honestly say he looks happy.

Micah is still on the road, searching high and low for the missing royals. Every day I keep thinking I’ll hear from him with good news, but it’s always the same. Nothing. I keep thinking of Killian and how there are probably other shifters out there crazy enough to do the same things he did.

“You coming in, love?” Tate shouts.

I squint my eyes against the sun and watch him swim around in the crystal blue water. It’s our first vacation as a mated couple. We’ve decided to take short trips every month so we can see the world. Right now, we’re in the Turks and Caicos. Next month, we’re going to Iceland.

Brushing off the sand on my thighs, I get up and join him in the ocean. He pulls me into his arms, and I wrap my legs around his waist. “When we get home, you have a lot of painting work lined up. I think I had three calls last week asking if you’d do custom paint jobs in their nurseries like you did at Jason and Anna’s. Hope you’re ready for it.”

I kiss him. “Oh, I’m ready. I love painting nurseries.”

His hands slide down to the backs of my thighs, holding me tight against him. “Speaking of babies, what are your thoughts on having some of our own? It could happen any day now.”

I laugh. “Of course, it could. We’ve been putting forth quite the effort.” Cupping his face in my hands, I look right into his bright blue eyes. “Whenever it happens, we’ll be ready. You’ll make a great father.”

“And you’ll make an amazing mother,” he says in my mind.

He bounces me against him, and I smile when I feel how hard he is. “You seriously want to do that here? Like right now in the ocean?”

“Why not? Nobody’s around,” he says, chuckling.

I press my lips to his. “I have a strange feeling we’re going to hear the pitter-patter of little feet soon if we keep this up.”

He winks. “Hey, I’m fine with that.”

So am I.