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“Raewyn?”

I turn toward the familiar voice.

Willow is standing on her porch, a basket of laundry balanced against her hip. Her long, greying hair blows in the breeze and her smile is a breath of fresh air.

For a moment, neither of us moves.

Then the basket drops.

“Raewyn!”

She hurries down the steps, holding up her skirts so she doesn’t trip, and I barely have time to open my arms before she's wrapping me in a hug.

“Oh, thank the stars! Where have you been? Are you okay?”

I hug her tighter.

“I'm sorry,” I whisper.

“Don't you dare apologize to me.” She pulls back, holding my face between her hands. “We've been worried sick about you. We just wanted to know that you’re okay.”

Tears spill down my cheeks, blurring my vision.

“You have?”

“Of course we have! You're family, honey. You’re one of us.”

I hug her again, squeezing tight until I can pull myself together. I wipe my eyes and smile up at her.

“I’m okay. It’s… kind of a long story, but I’m good now. I’m safe. And I…” I look at the guys, not sure how to explain them. We aren’t a pack yet, and though they are my scent-match, that doesn’t solidify anything. Everyone will recognize them as the detectives who were here looking for me, so keeping it quiet for now is probably my best bet. “I met up with the detectives and they’ve been very helpful.”

Willow raises a brow, as if she’s surprised. “Well, that’s good to know, because when they came here looking for you, they weren’t too friendly. Especially that one.” She points at Forge, who frowns, and I can’t help but laugh.

“They were just doing their job,” I say.

Willow looks me over again, smiling kindly. She takes my hands. “Make sure you come see me before you leave. I have some pies for you.”

I groan at the thought of her delicious pies. “Thank you.”

We walk back to her house, goes up the steps, and picks up the laundry that fell from the basket. Forge, Pierce, and I continue on our way to my house.

The animals catch my attention first. I hear the cows mooing and the chickens clucking before I even have eyes on my house. When we get there, it looks exactly as I remember it. I don’t go to it yet, though, I walk past it to where the animals are.

“Martha,” I say, seeing the black and white cow by the fence, looking over it as she usually does. She’s a curious cow. I go over to pet her, to which she moos at me. I laugh, then wave at our other cow, Gretchen, who’s further away.

The horses are next. Then the goats. I pass by chickens as we go, and I say hello to them too. Only when I’m done making sure they’re all okay, do I turn around and head toward my house. The guys follow behind without saying a word, just watching me and letting me do my thing.

“I think we have a spy,” Pierce says humorously.

I stop and look around to see what he’s talking about.

“Henrietta,” I scold when I set eyes on the chicken. “You know you’re supposed to stay with your friends.”

“You named the chicken Henriette,” Forge says with a chuckle.

“What better name?” I ask.

“Guess there isn’t one,” he says.