Mated Girl (Wolf Girl #4)(51)

Did I care? No. Meredith was forced to watch me marry Sawyer in front of everyone, and after she and her mother tried to ruin our relationship, she deserved a lot worse.
I glanced to Marmal, who was chatting up Talon and totally flirting. It was so nice to see that she was happy here. I’d put her in charge of the stables, and we were building Pearl her own giant barn. Not many people could say they had a dragon in their pack, but I did. Pearl and Marmal were bonded in a way, and a package deal. My gaze then bounced to Astra. She’d fully healed and was now dancing with a younger teenage Paladin male named Steel. He was a good guy, though I suddenly felt protective over Astra as his hands went lower on her hips.
“Let her have fun. Party kill,” Sage snapped.
I scoffed. “I am not.”
Sage just shook her head. “Astra is your favorite. Everyone knows.”
I shrugged. “That’s true.”
Sage’s mouth opened in shock and she smacked me in the shoulder. “How dare you? I’m supposed to be your favorite.”
I burst into laughter, about to say more, when Sage’s face lit up with surprise as she looked at someone behind me. So many people had been coming through to send their congratulations on their way to their table that I expected a wedding guest. When I spun to see who had made her so stunned, I saw a troll-fey Ithaki walking toward me. He wore a black top hat and a dingy old tuxedo with dust on the pantlegs and patches on the elbows, but he looked handsome.
“Seam?” I was shocked he’d come. I hadn’t invited him—not that I was mad he was here. I had mailed him the queen’s ashes, just as promised, so he’d probably gotten it by now. Maybe he was here to thank me, which was really sweet, especially since he’d attempted to dress up.
I felt Sawyer bristle over at the bar and step toward me, but I put my hand out.
‘Who’s that Ithaki?’ Sawyer growled.
‘It’s Seam. The guy who helped me get you out.’
Sawyer relaxed, probably staring at the dude with awe. Seam was a big deal in Magic City Prison.
Seam tipped his hat to me, his pointed ears sticking out of the side. “I don’t want to interrupt your big night, but I got your package.” He grinned and it caused me to beam. “When I heard in town that you were having a wedding, I just had to come give you a present.”
He held out his hand to me, something in his fist, and my heart beat frantically in my chest.
Seam got me a present.
I offered him my flat palm and my engagement ring plopped into it.
“I couldn’t sell it. Varilla wouldn’t want me to. You keep it and be happy, okay?”
My throat tightened as I nodded, blinking back tears. “I’ll send you the money for it. I’ll buy it from you—”
He waved me off. “You’ve given me more than money could ever buy,” he said, and then tapped his chest. “You’ve given me peace. Knowing that monster is dead and not hurting anyone else.”
He tipped his hat again and bowed. “I must get back to my roses,” he said before walking away back into the crowd.
“You can stay!” I shouted after him but he merely lifted his hand and waved me off before disappearing into the forest.
My head slowly spun to Sage, to see she was wiping away tears.
“We totally underestimated that dude,” Sage said.
I nodded, blotting my eyes. “Damn.” I blew air through my teeth and watched him fully disappear into the trees as I slipped the ring back on my finger. I looked over at Sawyer, who was watching me keenly.
‘Did he just give you the ring back?’ He sounded confused.
I nodded, still overcome with emotion and then smiled at Sawyer from across the garden. My little felon looked sexy in a tuxedo.
Luka pounded his tenth shot and slammed the empty glass onto the bar top. Then he grabbed Sawyer’s hand and thrust it into the air. “One pussy for life!” Luka screamed, causing me and Sage to shake our heads, laughing. Sawyer punched Luka so hard in the shoulder that he went flying into the bar. Prison had changed these boys, they were wild and rowdy and unpredictable, and I liked it.
Sage continued to shake her head. “He’s a wild card, that one.”
I giggled, enjoying the little bro-fest Sawyer was having. He’d missed his friends while they were hiding out in Spokane. They had such a close bond.
“So’s that one.” I pointed to Walsh, who had the shot glass poised to his lips as he stared at Sage over the top, his eyes burning yellow. “Have you guys talked?” I pressed her.
She sighed. “Yep. He told me he wanted to date, he’s finally ready.”
“That’s great!” I said. “But why don’t you sound excited and why is he glaring at us?” I asked her, unnerved by Walsh’s gaze.
She looked at me, chewing on her bottom lip. “He’s a wanted felon, jumping around with Luka and hiding with the humans in Spokane. I’m your second-in-command. I can’t follow him around the country—”
I put a hand up to her face. “Wait, he asked you to go live with him and you said no because of duty? Are you crazy?” I shook a finger in my bestie’s face. “That’s as bad as what he used to do when he wouldn’t give your relationship a try because of his responsibilities to Sawyer.”
“Yeah, well, payback’s a bitch!” she growled, her eyes going yellow.
I shook my head. “You’re not like that though, Sage, and you love him. I can smell it.”
She burst out laughing and rolled her eyes. “You can’t smell love.”
I shrugged playfully. “Sure I can. It smells like sunshine, roses and…” I looked around and spied the chocolate fountain our guests were dipping strawberries into. “…and chocolate.”