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“A personal guard?” she asks.
“Why does she need a guard?” I ask, in tune with her asking the same question.
“Sh,” Atticus teases, booping my nose. I smile at his playfulness. “With the hunter threats, your current state, and—”
“You’re giving her a guard because she’s pregnant?” I demand because if that’s true, that is not cool.
“No, well, yes, that adds to the risk, but I mean the fact that she’s an endangered shifter who has received multiple death threats from hunters and some insane proposals from shifters,” Atticus says, and Ari flinches ever so slightly. She glances down at her stomach, a look of fear in her eyes. “But, yes, you’re carrying life, so that makes you even more important to protect. It won’t be forever, but, for now, I’d feel a whole lot better knowing you were being taken care of.”
Ari nods slowly, giving me an overwhelmed smile.
“I’ve got six different men who could be a good fit,” Atticus says, and Ari pales. “I want you to feel them out, and likely your elephant—”
“Will say no to any who would upset me,” she says, nodding.
“Exactly. Is that okay?” She nods, and Atticus squeezes my shoulders. “Good. I’ll leave you two ladies to chat. They’ll be about twenty minutes. Do you need anything?”
“Could you grab Orson for me?” I ask, and Atticus nods slowly, looking a little offended. “Don’t worry. You get the point for helping my new friend. Orson just needs to help me with something.”
He smirks and kisses my forehead before leaving.
“Points?” Ari asks with a raised eyebrow.
“I gave them to Atticus when we first met, and it’s now become a giant competition between them all,” I say, rolling my eyes. Cevon’s still not sold on the idea of points, but as soon as someone brings them up to him in a bragging manner, I know I’ll have another convert. “No idea who has how many, but I bet they do. It’s amusing, and they’re all so competitive. I hand them out with absolutely no consistency, and it drives them even crazier in an effort to earn them.”
There’s a wistful look in her eyes, but there’s no jealousy.
I love that about her.
Orson comes into the room, a hesitant smile on his face as he sees me and Ari sitting together. I turn on my stool to beam at him, loving how tight those jeans are on his thick thighs, and he drops a kiss to my lips.
“Hi,” he says. “You beckoned?”
“Shit, you’re big,” Ari gasps, and I burst into giggles as I turn back around to face her.
“You’re pretty tall yourself,” Orson replies, plastering himself to my back, like Ari’s going to hurt me.
“Elephant,” she says as way of explanation.
“Bear,” Orson replies with a small nod. “Are you the—”
“Endangered elephant, yes,” Ari says, rolling her eyes.
“My newest friend,” I say before frowning. “Okay, my only friend, actually.” Micah’s my friend, but he’s my mate first, and Cevon’s my depressed friend, but, again, mate first.
I have no female friends.
And now I’ve got a female, mentally ill, fellow rejectee friend.
It’s perfect. Fate really is providing me with everything I need now.
It’s about fucking time.
Ari laughs, patting my arm in consultation. “Don’t worry, I’ve got no other friends, either.”
I snort, and Orson seems a little confused.
“Could you make us some of those brownies you made on Tuesday?” I ask, turning to look at my mate with a pleading smile. Orson grins and nods. “Thank you. Is everything in it safe for a pregnant lady?”
