Page 64 of Facade

With Jace and Heath contracted to Mars, it would make the most sense to stay here. There was also the fact that Heath owned a house and had family in town.

Clarke would need to get a job, since she couldn’t stay on at Mars. Hopefully, her third mate would be willing to settle here.

There would be so much to think about. Her dad would probably return home and stay there after she found him. But they could visit each other easily enough.

Laughing at herself, Clarke shook her head. That was all in the future, and not an immediate concern. First, they needed to find her dad, the veterinarian, and the missing students.

She was still surprised to have met two of her mates here at Mars within a span of weeks. But it did make sense. There were thousands of evolved males here, many of them single. When she was enrolled at Southeastern Evolved, Clarke had hoped to bond a mate.

Thousands of people, possibly more, bonded mates at universities. She hadn’t read the statistics, but it was common. Her parents had met at college. It hadn’t happened for her, though, until now.

Clarke took a deep breath, and walked into the bedroom to put on pajamas. There was no point in thinking of mystery mate number three, or if he was also here at Mars. She would meet him when and where she did, whether she obsessed over it or not.

Picking up her phone, Clarke texted Jace that the mark was open on one side. She wouldn’t hide this. He had a right to know.

So did Heath, but she didn’t have his number. The connection with him was so new, Clarke wasn’t sure she’d have the nerve to call him with this news anyway. They barely knew each other.

Instead of replying to her text, Jace called. “Hey, I have three dads, remember? I’m not surprised, or upset. They didn’t know each other before bonding Mom, and they get along great. So, if you were worried about my reaction, you don’t have to be. I’m with you all the way, here, no matter what,” Jace said. “Are you ok?”

“I think so. It’s been quite a day,” Clarke said, feeling calmer simply from talking to him, and hearing the sincerity in his voice. He would always be on her side. “The situation is concerning. You made very rational points about bonding a stranger. This could get complicated.”

“It could, but we don’t know that it will be,” Jace said logically. “You sound tired. Get some rest.”

“Yeah, I haven’t been sleeping great. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Good night. I love you,” Jace said, and ended the call.

Of course, he wasn’t upset or jealous. Jace was amazing. As long as she had his unconditional support, Clarke could deal with anything.

Wolverine shifters were considered cranky and temperamental. Ha! Well, he was with other people. So, there was a basis for that opinion.

But with their mates? Different story. Jace’s biological dad was the same with his mom. Anyone mated to a wolverine shifter was blessed.

She climbed into bed tired, but less anxious than she’d been in days. Clarke woke Saturday morning feeling clear-headed and calm. She called Hannah while the coffee brewed.

Clarke had kept Hannah up to date on all the major things, but hadn’t told her about the latest vision, and Jace’s plan yet. Their schedules didn’t always mesh, but under the circumstances, being unable to communicate frequently was stressful for both of them. Hannah and Clarke tried to fit in a lengthy conversation every other week with brief text updates in the gaps.

“Oh, you have good timing,” Hannah said when she answered the call. “I’m off today, and want all the details. Are things calmer with Mitch the Malicious gone? I was really concerned about that. He sounds like a nutcase.”

“It has been quieter on campus, and the students are settling down. The elementals have a new monitor, who seems to be a good guy.

“I do have big news, and will give you the headlines first. So, I bonded Professor Halston, and he thinks he knows why Dad went missing,” Clarke told her.

“What? Did all that happen in one day? You just texted Thursday that it was a tame, normal week, but you might have something to report on the weekend. Oh, my God, how? This is exciting. Tell me everything,” Hannah said.

Clarke did, starting with her vision of Heath, and Jace’s plan to question him without revealing who they were. She described how they had lurked behind trees in the nature preserve, wearing jumpsuits and helmets, and how nervous she’d been to participate in the skullduggery.

Hannah howled with laughter, pausing the recitation. “Sorry, I’m sorry,” she said on a hiccup. “Envisioning your scowling, protective wolverine mate accosting a coworker on his evening jog was too much for me. And then you felt the bond flare. Wow. I know this is serious, but you have to admit that it’s rather funny. So, he must have had information for you to draw him. What did you discover?”

“You were right when you guessed that this had to be a crime of opportunity,” Clarke said, then explained that a veterinarian had gone missing from the same rest stop on the same day. “It sounds like Dad was trying to prevent Dr. Prentis from being kidnapped.”

“That makes so much sense. Whoever these bad guys are, they were after her, not Charlie. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Hannah commented. “Hearing about Dr. Prentis and the missing students is scary, especially if they are connected. I’m so glad you aren’t there alone.”

“You and me both,” Clarke agreed.

She’d been prepared to do this on her own. The fact that she didn’t have to, and now had Heath’s help, was wonderful. Thinking of everything that had occurred here at Mars since her arrival, Clarke wasn’t sure she’d be sane at this point without support.

“By the way, the mate mark is open on one side. I have at least one more mate. I texted Jace last night, as soon as I realized that. He’s still my rock, and wasn’t upset. Heath doesn’t know yet. I have no idea how he’ll react.”