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Which meant the house was quirky and unique and I adored it. Bram and his brothers had helped Ren build it, since they had experience, they’d all built their own homes, and Bram’s tree house behind my aunt’s place was exactly the style I wanted.

“Sit down, those ankles are looking kind of puffy,” Mags said to Iris.

“They are not,” Iris said and looked down, then cursed when she couldn’t see over her round belly. She was only five and a half months along, but with twins on the way, she was well and truly showing.

She lifted a leg out in front of her. “They’re fine.”

“They’re not,” Wills said from her spot on her mate’s lap.

“I’ll sit when I want to sit,” Iris said, a stubborn look on her face.

My cousin had been struggling with the whole taking-it-easy part of her pregnancy. Draven strode over, picked her up, and set her on the couch. Then he sat beside her so he could pull one of her feet into his lap. “Time to rest those cute, puffy little ankles,” he said.

“Draven,” she growled. “I want to dance, not sit here like an invalid.” Nia trotted over and rested her head on Iris’s belly.

“Rest now, and you can dance later,” he said and started massaging.

Her eyes rolled back, but she kept the stubborn look on her face. “Fine. But only for a little while.” She ran her fingers through Nia’s soft fur.

Draven grinned but was wise enough to turn away so she didn’t see him.

Mags stood with Bram, his arm draped around her shoulders. She was telling him something and he was smiling. Rose was standing in front of Ronan, his arms were around her waist, and they were talking to Art and Aunt Daisy, who was holding a sleeping Violet. Else and Connor were sitting on the couch sampling the finger foods, and Stan stood behind her with an amused look on his face, listening to her tell some story that had Connor bark out a laugh.

My gaze slid to Zinnia. She stood alone, staring out the window. She had to return to Limbo in a few days and she was trying to hide it, but I knew she was scared. We’d found the missing souls, but we were still running out of time. In five months, I turned twenty-one. If we didn’t find a way to get Zinnia out of her deal with Death by then, I’d lose her. She’d be trapped in Limbo with him forever.

Ren’s arms slid around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. “We’ll find a way,” he said, reading my mind. “The females in this family can overcome anything.” He kissed my neck. “We’re proof of that.”

I covered his hands with mine, linking our fingers. “I know, but it feels…it feels like I’m already losing her.”

“Whatever happens, you’ll never lose her. Your sister won’t go down easy. She’ll always find a way back to you.”

Ren was right, but Death wasn’t just some demon or monster that could be slain. He was a god, and in his eyes, Zinnia was his. He’d never back down. He’d never let her go.

The music was turned up, and Mags grabbed Zinnia’s hand, dragging her into the middle of the room. Wills joined her, and Draven lifted Iris to her feet because there was no stopping her. Else and Daisy joined in as well.

I turned in my mate’s arms and kissed him. “I love you, Ren. And I love our home.”

He grinned down at me. “I love you, too, butterfly. Now get out there so I can watch my mate dance.”

I laughed and spun away, running to dance surrounded by my family.

Right now, we were all safe, and we were together.

I was going to hold on to that for as long as I could.

Zinnia

* * *

I whispered the words and stood back as the boulders shifted, rolling and reshaping into a tall, wide arch.

I’d said my goodbyes last night, and I didn’t have it in me to do it again this morning. Jaz would be pissed when she woke and found me gone, but she’d understand.

Leaving her always sucked, but knowing she’d found her mate, that she was loved and protected, definitely helped while I was away.

A wolf howled in the distance. Ash. I knew her howl, and she said she’d be on patrol this morning. She’d no doubt picked up my scent. Throwing back my head, I howled in reply, giving it my best shot, anyway. Others in her pack joined in. Their howls of farewell, lifting goose bumps across my skin.

I shivered and turned towards the gate; if I loitered out here too long, Death would come for me, and that was the last thing I wanted. I wasn’t ready to see him, not yet.