End of Lies

by Sara Dailey

  As the room erupted in applause, Cade looked around the room, nodded his head, and a small smile broke out across his face. Still clapping, Aiden stood up, and almost immediately, Luke joined him. Then one by one, the elders stood too, and before long, we were all standing and still applauding, as if we were officially welcoming Cade into his new role as alpha.

  Tears sprang to my eyes, and as I looked around, I noticed that I wasn’t the only one touched by what was happening. When Aiden reached out to shake Cade’s hand and then pulled him into a hug, I seriously thought I was going to turn into a blubbering mess right there, but then Cade thanked us all for our support and we took our seats again, which gave me a moment to reel in my girly shit. Then when Gavin reached over and squeezed my knee, I was suddenly all choked up again.

  Cade finished his speech, assuring us all that with the elders and his new enforcer, Luke, he would be working toward creating a new system of defense, and he made it clear that though he was young, he was ready to be this pack’s alpha and with his elders, Luke, Allison, Aiden, and Aiden’s parents at his side, he felt confident that the transition would be a smooth one. There was no doubt in my mind that he was right. Red Ridge was in good hands, and we were all going to be okay.

  After the meeting, Gavin and I stayed and talked to Scarlett and Luke. It was good to see Gavin reunited with his sister, and I couldn’t help but be happy—very selfishly happy, but happy nonetheless—that Scarlett and Luke were true mates. It meant that even though Gavin may leave, Scarlett would stay, so Gavin would still hopefully visit.

  Jeez, I’m pathetic. So very, very pathetic.

  “Hey, Cami, you okay?” Luke asked.

  Did I really suck that bad at hiding my emotions? Lovely. I probably had the love of my life is leaving me, and I’m so pitiful and sad written all over my face. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired, I guess.”

  Luke didn’t buy it. He gave me the look, the one that told me that he knew I was full of shit. A change of subject was in order, so I asked the only thing I could think of, and it actually was a question I’d been wondering about. “So, what happened to all the CH members that didn’t escape?”

  Thankfully, Luke took the bait and answered. “The ones who had healed enough to leave were escorted off the premises, and the ones who were badly wounded are still in the infirmary. They will be sent on their way as soon as they’re able to leave.”

  Just as we were about to head out, Luke stopped us and said, “Stop by Cade’s house in about an hour. We’re having a little get-together, and you both should be there.”

  CHAPTER 64

  Gavin

  Cami was quiet—too quiet. I could tell that something was on her mind, but when I asked her about it, she just shrugged. It wasn’t until we had left the lodge that she looked up at me and said, “Gavin, I think we need to talk.”

  I took her hand and pulled her closer to me. I didn’t like the tone of her voice or the distance that she was trying to put between us. “Come on, then. Let’s go for a walk,” I said as I pulled her jacket together and zipped her up tight.

  We walked down to the lake and out on to the pier that stretched out over the water. I followed Cami all the way to the end to where a small swinging bench sat overlooking the lake. I sat down and pulled Cami onto my lap, but as soon as I did, she scooted off and sat next to me.

  I sat there waiting for her to say something, but she didn’t. She just stared out over the water. I knew where this was going, so I leaned back and prepared myself.

  “I want you to know that it’s okay,” she finally said in almost a whisper.

  “That what is okay?” I asked. I placed my hand on top of hers and when she didn’t move it right away, I picked it up and held it in mine.

  She looked at me for a moment before saying, “Look, I’m just going to say it.”

  I closed my eyes and waited for her to try and break up with me.

  “I just want you to know that it’s okay. I know that you have to go back to school, and I don’t want you to worry about me, or my feelings. I mean…I understand that you have to leave,” she said, not looking at my face, but at our hands on my lap.

  “It’s not like we’re ma—I mean you’re not even my boyfriend or anything. Maybe we can see each other when you come back to visit Scarlett, or we can at least be friends,” she continued.

  “It’s been a crazy week, and I totally understand if our…if we were just a fling, or whatever,” she continued to ramble.

  I smiled. I couldn’t help myself.

  Cami let go of my hand and stood up. I followed her. She was still hiding her face from my sight as she spoke. “It’s just okay. Let’s not make a big deal about it.”

  I couldn’t take it anymore, and I laughed out loud. That got her attention, and she finally looked up at me. “Are you seriously laughing at me right now?” she asked with her hands on her hips.

  “Baby, shut up,” I said still smiling down at her. She started to say something else, but I stopped her the best way I knew how. When my lips first touched hers, she flinched and froze, but I wasn’t deterred. I knew that she would eventually give in and kiss me back. And good Lord, did she kiss me back. I wrapped my arms around her waist as she wrapped hers around my neck. Her lips parted, giving me what I wanted most, what I craved more than anything, a taste of her.

  The kiss wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t demanding or needy. It wasn’t at all selfish. It was an acceptance. A claiming of what was mine, and I knew she felt it. It was as if the heat from her mouth was branding me as hers for all the world to see.

  Slowly, our lips stopped moving, and Cami rested her head against my chest. I smoothed her hair with my hand and kissed the top of her head. “I’m staying,” I whispered.

  Her eyes immediately shot to mine, “But—”

  I stopped her. “I’m staying. There is only once place that I want to be, and that’s right here with you. Cami, I love you, and I dare anyone to try to keep me away from you.”

  “Really? You’re staying?” she asked with tears in her eyes.

  “For as long as you will have me.”

  “That could be a really, really long time,” she teased. That beautiful smile of hers was back on those beautiful pink lips—back where it belonged.

  “I certainly hope so,” I said.

  “You feel it, don’t you? In here,” I asked as I gently touched her heart. She gave me a puzzled look, so I continued. “The tightness in here when I’m close to you. The ache in here when I’m not. Cami, I know you are my mate, and I’m yours. Forever.”

  I watched as the realization crossed her face. A nanosecond later, she threw her arms around my neck and attacked my face with feather-light kisses. Suddenly, she stopped and said, “Of course, I feel it too. But how can we be sure?”

  “Well, there’s only one way to confirm it, but I never plan on leaving your side long enough to find out. Besides, I just know. I love you, Cami, more than anything in this world. That’s all the proof I need.”

  “I love you, too,” she said in between a kiss to my forehead and a kiss to my cheek.

  *****

  When we walked into Cade’s house later that day, the mood in the home was surprising. Everyone was casually sitting around the family room smiling and talking. Scarlett winked at me from her spot on the loveseat. She was lounging against the arm of the sofa with her legs propped up in Luke’s lap. Aiden and Teagan were snuggled up next to each other on the floor, their backs leaning against the loveseat that Scarlett was in. Alli sat in Cade’s lap in a big, oversized chair. There was a smile on his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He had been through so much, but I knew that he would be able to handle anything now.

  “Our heroes!” Teagan cheered as Cami and I moved to sit on the open couch. The rest of them joined in. Cami blushed bright red, but she really was a hero. What she had done for her pack was beyond brave, and I was so proud of her. I wasn’t sure why I was being congratulated. I just went along be
cause I had to. I had to do whatever I could to protect Cami.

  “So, Gavin, you sticking around?” Aiden asked.

  “If you’ll all have me,” I said, looking to Cade.

  Cade looked around the room, smiled at me, and said, “Wouldn’t have it any other way, man.”

  The look on Cami’s face was worth everything I had gone through since I’d hijacked Phillip and took off to Red Ridge. She snuggled up next to me, and we all just sat around and talked like everything was normal, but deep down we knew that it wasn’t.

  We had all lost friends or family members. Life in Red Ridge would never be the same, but looking around the room, I could tell that this pack was going to be okay. Better than okay. They would rebuild and be stronger than ever. The lies and betrayal of those who came before them had been laid to rest. Today marked a new beginning for the Red Ridge Pack.

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  Sara Dailey and Staci Weber have been friends and coworkers for so long that they finish each other’s sentences and answer to either name. They both have an addiction to romance novels, sweet white wine, and sexy rock stars. They both live in League City, TX, with their husbands and kids. End of Lies is their sixth novel together.

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