Once they were through the door and inside the packhouse, everything got that bit more chaotic. Daniel handed Isabel over to him as Sammy shifted back and went racing off. The omega chased after him, and Thorn followed more slowly, chuckling at the entrance Sammy was making. It was probably a good thing their visitors weren’t coming until most of the cubs would be in bed for the night.
“I see Sammy isn’t taking being a big brother too hard,” Brax said, coming up to greet him. He stole Isabel from Thorn’s arms. “Hi there, sweetheart. Aren’t you the cutest?”
“Don’t let Sammy hear that. He gets jealous so easily these days.”
It was a balancing act, trying to make sure Sammy didn’t get too overshadowed by the twins. They ensured he got extra attention from both of them every day so that he wouldn’t feel left out.
“Yeah, I guess we haven’t had too much practice with older siblings.”
“That’s how it goes in packs.”
He saw Duke step into the living room, Corin just ahead of him.
“Those two are doing alright, from the looks of things.”
“They’re still calling it dating, but Duke is cautiously optimistic. And he and Jack are the happiest I’ve seen them. How about you and Daniel?”
“We’re doing great,” Thorn answered honestly. “Far better than I expected given everything we’ve gone through. I thought the twins might be the straw that broke the camel’s back but, if anything, they’ve brought us closer.”
Brax clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m glad to hear that, Thorn. I really am.”
“Guys?” Oliver called. “We’re ready.”
Thorn followed Brax into the living room. Daniel took Isabel back as Brax and Oliver took center stage.
“We just wanted to say a few words,” Brax said. “And then we can eat.”
There were cheers at that. If there was one thing all packs shared, it was a healthy appetite.
“Firstly,” Oliver said, “We’re here to welcome our new additions to the pack, Riley and Isabel. I know we’re all going to be hands-on in the next weeks and months. It takes a pack to raise a cub, after all.”
There was strong agreement with that. They were seeing the pack’s positive influence already. Firstly with Eric and Toby, the two kids they’d adopted from the children’s home, then with Duke’s son Jack, Oliver and Brax’s cubs, Josh and Cole’s triplets, little Sammy, and now Thorn and Daniel’s twins. Every member of their pack had something to offer when it came to raising a child, whether it was Kira’s expertise in relationships or Zane’s talent for balloon animals.
“The world is not a kind place for packs,” Brax continued. “We’re going to fight hard to make it better. We have to show them that we’re not as different as they might think. But it’s more than that. We need them to see the good a pack can do. We’re already proving that with every kid who comes through our doors. We have to show society where packs fit in, all that we can offer the world. Whether that’s legal help from Oliver, medical help from me, riding lessons from Cole, or someone there to put out a fire when the worst happens.” Brax looked to Thorn who inclined his head in acknowledgment. “We showcase our pack best by simply being ourselves. Our best selves. And we’re better together.”
“Better together,” Thorn echoed, raising a glass.
The rest of the room took up the call. “Better together!”
Speeches over, Thorn helped get Sammy a plate of food, piling up another one for himself and Daniel, and carving out some space for the three of them on one of the couches.
He and Daniel shared their food and encouraged Sammy to eat, the twins napping in their arms.
“It’s good to be here,” Daniel said suddenly. “I don’t think there’s any place in the world I’d rather be.”
“Me neither,” Thorn agreed. Though he knew, in an hour or two, he’d want nothing more than to be back in the quiet of his own house, curled up in front of the fire with Daniel and the kids or playing with Sammy. The best part about it was that he could do just that. He might be the one who straddled two worlds—pack and outside—but whereas before he felt he never got the balance right, always trading one for the other, now he had the best of both.
One of the visitors the pack had invited came over to talk to them a while later.
“It’s Thorn, isn’t it? And this must be your mate and your newborns. How lovely.”
Sammy wandered over, watching the woman with curiosity.
“And who is this little boy?”
“This is Sammy,” Thorn told her. “Our son.”
In a way, Sammy had been his from that moment on the tree, when he’d latched on to Thorn and refused to let go. And Daniel when he’d collapsed in Thorn’s arms. Some family you were born with, some you picked up along the way, and some you chose.
Author’s Note
Thanks for reading Sentinel, the third book of The Lost Pack series. I hope you enjoyed Daniel, Thorn and Sammy’s story. If you have a moment to spare, reviews are always appreciated!
If you’d like to hear about new releases in this or other series, you can sign up to my mailing list here or visit clairecullenbooks.com.
Cover Designed by Cormar Covers
Copyright © 2019 by Claire Cullen
All Rights Reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincident.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Sentinel (The Lost Pack Book 3) Page 20