Leo followed his gaze to the family and began to laugh.
“Well fuck me,” Aaron murmured.
Maybe things were working out the way they were meant to. Speaking of fate and destiny, Bas nodded at Aaron. “You been having any dreams?”
Aaron sighed. “It’s ridiculous.”
It always was. Bas did his best not to laugh.
“I’m serious!” Aaron threw his hands up. “What does rainbows, flowers, and a litter of puppies mean?”
Bas was glad that he was just a normal shifter. Sure, he might be the only margay that he was aware of but deep down he was a shifter. Leo was as well. As a thunderbird, he was as unique of a shifter as Bas, less now with his brother, but in the paranormal world, shifters were common. Being an oracle, Aaron had no direction or help trying to figure out his ability. Even the council hadn’t been able to find anything more than a few journals written by past oracles. Aaron still had those journals, hoping to make sense of them one day.
“I can see you smiling,” Aaron bitched.
“Rainbows, flowers, and puppies? What are you, a ten-year-old girl?” Bas teased.
“Hey!” Leo smacked the back of his head. “That’s sexiest, ageist, and…I don’t know but wrong.”
“Sorry!” Bas held his hands up. “I’m not judging.”
“You totally are,” Aaron argued.
He was. “Have fun figuring it out.” Bas was disappointed though. He’d hoped for a little insight into what to do about Hudson. Other than find out where the human lived. It wouldn’t be hard. A little stalking from the fire station to follow thehuman home. Obviously, Hudson walked home through the park, so it couldn’t be far.
Hell, if Bas wanted to, he could go back to the park and just follow the scent of the human.
It really wouldn’t be hard.
In the dark, Bastian wouldn’t be easy to spot in town. His dark fur worked to his advantage. Bas had used his small form to scout out ahead on many missions.
The idea sat in the back of his mind as they were called to join the rest of the family.
Bastian followed Leo and Aaron down the steps and into the yard. Crossing to the main porch, Bas had to avoid stepping on toys littered around. Aaron wasn’t paying enough attention and stumbled over a water gun.
Bas rushed to keep his friend from taking a tumble.
“Nate!” Bo yelled from the porch.
“Yes, Daddy?” Nate popped his head out of the castle window from the top of the tower of the playset.
“I already told you boys to pick up your toys before someone trips,” Bo told him.
“But we’re still playing with them!” The young man, who Bas knew was a trained sniper in the military, blinked innocently.
The hellhound alpha growl made the hair on Bastian’s arms rise.
Nate didn’t have the same issue. He actually rolled his eyes.
“Holy shit,” Aaron murmured.
“Fuck! I love it here,” Bastian told him.
* * * * *
Hudson
Tying the top of the trash bag, Hudson lifted it from the container as he headed out the back door. Cleaning up the kitchen was the least he could do after his brother had made such a delicious dish of chicken, rice, and vegetables.
