Chapter One
Bastian
Stepping out of the guest cabin that he’d been given for his stay, Bastian paused at the porch railing as he peered around the property. He’d only been there for about two weeks and was still trying to get used to the dynamics of this unique family.
Family.
Bastian had learned the first day that the shifters, humans, and other paranormals that lived in the main house, in one of the cabins, or even other realms considered themselves family.
Family.
The word was thrown around often. Bastian had heard it his entire life. He’d just never experienced what family meant. At age five, human hunters had come and wiped out Bastian’s entire clowder, leaving him alone and in the hands of the council. Bastian was one of the children that the paranormal council had scooped up and trained to become agents.
Bas had been a good field agent. He’d more than paid back the council for housing and training him. It was the council who’d researched his clowder and ancestry, filling in the holes of Bastian’s memory. It had been a hard decision to leave but Bastian had grown tired of following orders. Orders that seemed extreme the longer Bastian was around. And the edge of anger had begun after too many years of saving other family units when he’d never been given the chance to form his own bonds with those outside his team.
Margays were solitary creatures by nature. Bastian had been in the same dormitory as Leo and Aaron when they’d all been rescued by the council. They’d learned how to cope with loss, trained to protect, and set out to make a difference in the lives of other paranormal creatures. They had become the only people that Bas could ever lean on and trust. Even their instructors had only cared about training them to be the soldiers they needed.
Leaving the team had been hard, even though his solitary nature had pushed him to go. Leo, Aaron, and the rest of the team said they understood, but Bastian had doubts. How could they when Bastian didn’t understand himself? Bas had loaded up the saddle bags of his motorcycle and hit the road, promising his team he’d be there if they ever needed him. A vow that he meant to keep.
He’d been riding the country, staying in motels, at campsites, and just seeing what each state had to offer. That promise came back with just one phone call. Of course, he’d headed directly to Leo after receiving the call about Leo finding his brother. At first Bastian hadn’t believed it. How could Leo’s little brother be alive after all the years?
Bastian had been prepared to question everything, making sure that no one was pulling something on Leo. Not that Leo couldn’t take care of himself. Leo was possibly more trusting than Bas was when it came to his brother. It hadn’t taken but a look and scent at Gavin to see that he truly was Leo’s long-lost brother.
Gavin’s family, the unique mix of paranormal, human, demon, and other were what really had Bas’s attention. It shouldn’t work. Axel was the alpha of the family. The dragon was a strong leader but there were other alphas, strong, and powerfulmembers that all called each other family. And it worked. Bastian was intrigued.
They’d also welcomed him with open arms.
Bryce, the alpha mate, was one of the most adorable humans that Bastian had ever met. The other boys in the family also pulled on Bas’s strong protective strings. It was so easy to find someone who had time to talk, hang out, and connect with. Bas really liked the family, which was the only explanation of why he was still there.
The door to the cabin beside him opened and Leo stepped out.
Leo lifted a hand toward Bas and Bas nodded back in greeting.
“I keep wondering if I’ll wake up and you’ll be gone,” Leo said as he crossed the yard and made his way up Bas’s porch.
Bastian hummed. The itch that usually started when he was ready to move on hadn’t happened yet. No one was more surprised than him. Bas shrugged.
“Don’t get me wrong. I want you here,” Leo said. He leaned against the rail and crossed his arms over his chest. “We want you here. I hope it’s been made clear there will always be a place her for you.”
“Appreciate that,” Bas replied. He understood the need for family and pack even if Bas didn’t feel it himself.
“Aaron and I are going to look at offices in town,” Leo told him.
Bas blew out a breath. Leo and Aaron had talked to him at length about their plans. Bastian still wasn’t sure that it was the best decision. “So, you guys are really going to do it?”
“We have a strong paranormal group in this town,” Leo said. “And I don’t want to leave Gavin now that I found him.”
“I get that,” Bas responded. “That doesn’t mean that you need to open a paranormal council office here. I thought you were going to retire?”
“To look for my brother.” Leo grinned. “His little troublemaker saved me that headache.”
“Yeah.” Bastian ran his hands roughly over his face. Stryker stealing Leo’s RV had really changed things for them. “Aaron is on board? He’ll sign back on with the council?”
Leo nodded. “You know we want you back too.”
Was he ready to settle down? It had been a couple of years. Bas had traveled everywhere he wanted to see. It wouldn’t hurt to think about Leo’s offer. Even if he never wanted to work under the council’s thumb again. “I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I can ask.” Leo smacked his shoulder. “I’m going to grab some breakfast. Coming?”
