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This was probably more her home than his now.
He crested the hill and eased his truck to a stop in shock. The park held the same trailers, all taken care of, the land manicured—the familiarity wasn’t what stunned him.
It was the crowds of people.
His mother, Ally, was the Sheriff in town, and his dad was the Boarlander Silverback himself, Kirk Slater. He hadn’t aged a day. His parents stood at the helm of the loose-knit crowd, watching him. His mom was tough as nails, hair chopped short and still platinum blonde. She had her hand over her mouth and her eyes were filled with emotion. His dad was standing stoically beside her, his hand on the small of his mate’s back, eyes on Lucas. His smile crooked up, and there it was in his eyes—that humor his father had always kept with him.
Fuck. Fuck, it was good to see them.
Around them were people he’d grown up idolizing, and it wasn’t just the Boarlanders here to greet him.
The Ashe Crew was here, and the Gray Backs. Kong was here too, with his mate, Layla.
He blew out a shaking breath and gritted his teeth against the emotion that roiled like a hurricane in his chest.
This place was church, and he hadn’t seen God in way too long.
Jenna pulled her truck to a stop beside him and pushed her door open. She wore a soft smile for him as she strode around the front of her rig and waited for him. Lucas nodded and cut the engine. He wasn’t alone to revisit all these memories by himself. He was glad Jenna had come, even if it was just her making sure he didn’t run.
He caught up to Jenna, and came to a stop in front of the crowd as they quieted down.
He cleared his throat in the silence that descended over the woods. He hid his smile as he lifted his voice. “It’s good to be back.” He rushed forward and scooped his mom up in his arms and crushed her to him. She was human, but she was used to the rough-and-tumble ways of the shifters around her. She was laughing and squeezing her arms around his neck as tight as she could. He chuckled and settled her down, then shook his dad’s hand and fell into his gruff hug, nearly losing his wind as Dad clapped him on the back hard enough to rattle his bones. Kirk passed him to Sebastian Kane—or Bash, as people around here called him—who had been waiting not-so-patiently behind his parents for a hug.
“Oh boy, oh boy, your momma’s been counting down the days for you to come home.”
Lucas didn’t have it in his heart to tell Bash he wasn’t staying. He just wanted to enjoy the moment and say his goodbyes again later, quietly, before he slipped away again.
Some of the second generation was home for a visit—Nox, Clinton’s son, and Torren, the son of Kong—were around his age and had been his friends back in the day. They were here for a visit too, and he already knew they’d be hitting the bars in town tonight just from the look on Nox’s face. The next half an hour was a blur as he caught up with old friends and family, but there were a few moments that seemed brighter.
In the middle of a catch-up conversation with Torren, he glanced over and saw Jenna hugging his mom. She hugged her with her entire being, her eyes squeezed tightly closed. His mom’s back was to him, so he had the perfect view of Jenna’s face, and time slowed as she opened those pretty bright-silver eyes and looked right at him. She loved his mother. He could tell.
Her smile faltered and then came back slow. Gorgeous.
“Hey, man, did you hear what I said?” Torren asked.
Lucas blinked hard and forced himself to break the gaze he shared with Jenna. “What?”
“I asked if you want to fight?”
Lucas frowned. “Why would I want to fight you?”
“The old fight barn is still going.”
“No way,” he said skeptically.
Torren shoved him in the shoulder. “We would give them one helluva show. Remember the fights we had as kids?”
“Two adolescent gorilla shifters always pissed-off at nothing,” Lucas rumbled with a chuckle. “I heard a rumor about you and Nox and Vyr.”
“Is it that we are all in a relationship?” Nox asked. “Because that rumor is true. This is my boyfriend.”
“Shut up, Nox,” Torren growled.
Nox was the spitting image of his dad, Clinton—short blond hair, piercing blue eyes that always danced with humor, built like a tank. He crossed his arms and said, “Torren only talks to me like that when he’s horny.”
Torren shoved him hard, but Nox barely moved. If Lucas had to guess, Nox had grown to expect it. Especially since he was in the same Crew as Torren now.
“I heard you’re all paired up,” Lucas said.
