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“Who are ‘the right people’?” I ask as a plan starts to form in my head.
“You, obviously. You’ve got experience, connections… and you know about shifters.”
Marcus hesitates and Mitch’s expression turns grim as he reluctantly nods. Marcus sighs, turning his brown eyes, full of worry, on me. It’s the same look Natalie wore earlier. “To be honest, the best person you could get is Bodhi. In a heartbeat. He needs it, too. Needs some purpose in his life now he’s not protecting Leah. He’s just not…around.”
My gaze falls on Natalie. She’s worried about him too, and if I could bring him into the team, give him something to focus on, I know she’d be thrilled. If he’s feeling lost, deeper connections with his home and his family are what he needs, not drifting aimlessly around the wilderness on his own.
When I look back at Marcus, he thins his lips and nods. He knows exactly what I'm thinking, and it seems he's in agreement.
"I'll need your help." And I will. I'm not going traipsing through the forest in search of a confrontation with a bear who doesn't want to talk to anyone. That sounds like a good way to get eaten.
Marcus extends his hand, and I shake it. "You got it."
CHAPTER 46
NATALIE
“How are you doing?” Hayley eases into the booth and smiles at me.
Grinning, I stare around the bar filled with all of my family and friends. It’s more than I ever thought I could have. Chase gives me a curious look from his spot with Mitch and Marcus, feeling the swell of emotion inside me through our bond. I wave him away and blow him a kiss while Hayley watches on, a knowing smile on her face.
“It must be strange,” she begins, taking a sip of her non-alcoholic beer. “Everyone else here is celebrating your mating, but your mind is on something else.” She tips her head to the side as she watches me for a reaction, but I wait for her to continue.
“I miss Bodhi,” I admit. “I wish he was here.” And that’s true, but that’s not the only thing on my mind.
Nathan tries to beat Billy in an arm wrestle using both hands to Billy’s one, and Carla laughs hysterically from her perch on the stool beside him.
“That’s not all though, is it?” Hayley looks adoringly at Cooper, who’s trying to calm an irate Mason who is accusing Maddox of cheating at pool. “I think I knew instantly.” She smiles at me, following my gaze to Chase. “That’s not to say nothing could have gone wrong, but even before Cooper told me he could scent the change, I knew.”
I rest my palm flat on my belly underneath the table where nobody can see. It’s ridiculous to think I could know, but I’d bet my life on it. We’ve made a baby.
“He’s going to be unbearable,” I sigh. “They all are.”
I like to think Chase would have become less protective if we had time to adjust to living together and being mated, But I don’t have a hope now. Whatever that was about a tracker on my car, now he’ll probably try to plant something under my skin while I sleep. I make a mental note to actually warn him against it.
“He’s going to be amazing. You both will be.” She stands and extends a hand to me. “Whenever it happens. So come on, just enjoy it for now.”
I’ve barely gotten to my feet when Leah crashes into me, and Hayley winces.
“Another sister! And Chase under someone’s thumb. This is the best day ever!” Leah grins from ear to ear while Rex scowls behind her.
“What about meeting me?” he demands; “The day we mated?” his tone deeply insulted.
“Aw, they were amazing, too,” Leah coos, going up on her tiptoes to kiss him, but she doesn’t take it back. “But you only got a taste of how annoying Chase is. Now, Natalie can run interference!”
Rex rolls his eyes, heading off to the bar.
“He still has a bee in his bonnet,” I warn, trying to ignore how Leah stares at my stomach. “Toby and Leon. He hasn’t forgotten. I told him they’re in jail, and he understands that my father won’t last. But he won’t rest until he thinks Toby has been fairly punished.”
When we discussed it earlier, he listened to my reassurances that Blake would see to it that Toby never sees the light of day again, Lucia, too. Even as he nodded along while I asked him not to do anything rash, I could feel his rage and his need for revenge. He won’t rest until he has it.
“Thinking of me?” Chase rests his chin on the top of my head as he envelopes me in his arms from behind. The chorus of “aww” from his sisters is met with a growl, and I laugh. Turning in his arms, I gaze up into his steely grey eyes and smile. I’m the luckiest girl alive.
“I was.” Slipping my index fingers into his belt loops, I pull him closer. Tilting my face up to his, I wait until he leans down and puts his ear close to my mouth so I can whisper, “I was thinking it’s been a tough few days, and, maybe, my mate would like to go home for some R&R.”
“Resting and relaxing is the last thing you’ll be doing, but I agree: let’s get out of here.” He gives me a brief kiss, smiling as I press my body against his.
“Good night. None of you are staying with us by the way; you can crash on Van and Tripp’s floor if you’re stuck,” Chase announces loudly, not looking away from me even once as he steers me, backwards, toward the door.
