Gods, my friends were legit going to kill me today. Between Angel almost dying and Simone hitting me in the feels, I was maxed out on emotions.

Wanting to have this conversation in my normal form, I released my power and returned to the human-Mera. Shadow handed me clothing that he had to have created in about a second, and once I was dressed, I was able to hug my friend again without feeling like I was a giant compared to her. “You can visit me whenever you want,” I said, sniffling at how happy I was. “I want to see you all the time, talk to you every day, and we will figure out a way to make that happen.”

Shadow didn’t tell me it was impossible, which gave me hope that there was a way.

“We’re pack,” I said, pulling away. “Family. Always.”

“You know it,” Simone choked out with tears in her eyes. “And we have so much to catch up on. I need to know everything that happened. How you turned into a fire bird wolf goddess. Is Dannie gone now? Did anyone else get… hurt?”

I think we all knew who the anyone was in that situation. “Dannie’s dead, she chose not to be reborn, and all of us made it through mostly alive. Lucien is fine.”

She sagged in relief, her face a complexity of emotions that spoke of memories I still wasn’t aware of. A lot had happened in the library and Valdor between those two, and one day very soon I wanted to know all of it.

“Do you want to see him?” I asked her gently.

She shook her head. “Not… yet. It’s too hard to know the truth of what can never be. There’s a shit ton of backstory there, and I will spill it all when we meet up next for our weekly PJ and margarita girls’ party in Shadow’s room. Deal?”

“Deal!” I said, right around the time Shadow wrapped an arm around me and hauled me back against him. He was still in his huge flaming form, and as the warmth surrounded me, I sighed in pure contentment.

Torma was dealt with. The pack had one final chance. And now it was time for us to head back home. We had a dinner to attend.

61

My heart was slightly heavier as we left the Earth realm, returning to the long hallway. “I’ll bring Simone across soon,” Shadow said, frowning at what was no doubt a pouty look on my face. “You won’t have to miss her for long.”

I forced my lips into a smile. “Sorry, I’m actually really happy. We saved the damn world. Our main threats are eliminated, and we’re together. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending and yet I’m a little melancholy that everything might change now.”