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He allowed himself to sag into her arms as she jumped up and down.
Lev came around the corner then, following his mate, and the bear growled at the sight of another of its kind. Kiera pulled away, and the two men shook hands before Lev, surprisingly, pulled Noah into a rough hug.
Noah swallowed his gasp of shock before he pulled away.
“Your brother, his mate, and their baby just arrived,” Kiera gushed, seemingly blind to Noah’s emotions from the welcome by Lev.
“I’d like to see them.” His voice was rough, hoarse.God, coming back here is so difficult.
Noah’s return weighed heavily on him again for a few seconds. But then he shouldered it more easily and focused on how happy he felt that he was finally back … after all this time.
Walking into the main house behind Lev and Kiera, he realized how lonely he had been for the past decade.How did I manage ten years of this? How did I survive without my family around me?
They rounded another corner, and there he was. Mitch and his mate, who was cradling a warbling, wriggling bundle.
Mitch must have sensed his presence because he looked up as soon as Noah walked into the room. He sprang up from his seat, and in seconds, the two brothers were clinging onto one another.
“I’m so glad you’re back.” Mitch’s whispered words were enough to make Noah double over with pain, but instead, he held onto Mitch for dear life.
“I’m glad to be back, bro.”
Lev and Kiera disappeared for a while, and Noah knew they were attending to their other guests. Nothing much had changed. The clan house was always full of people. It seemed that Lev and Kiera were taking on the responsibility easily enough.
Mitch introduced Noah to his mate, Cate, and their son Evan. Evan couldn’t be more than five months old. And though his father was a bear shifter, he looked tiny, even for five months.
Lev and Kiera had floated back into the room. Kiera carried plates of snacks and Lev balanced jugs of drinks in both hands.
“Do you want to hold him?” Cate lifted Evan, who had just woken up and was staring around him furiously, to Noah.
Noah took an immediate step back and shook his head vehemently. “Definitely not. I’m not really great with babies.”
He thought back to the waitress he had dated five years ago. She had just given birth when they met, and the kid had hated him on sight. Noah hadn’t been serious about the waitress to start with … Becca’s presence still lingered wherever he went … but the fact that her daughter hated being held by Noah had been enough to put the kibosh on the relationship.
“Oh, Noah, you’ll be fine. Just hold him!” Mitch looked lovingly at Evan.
“Maybe he’s afraid that if he holds the baby, he’ll have one on the way soon,” Kiera said jokingly.
“I wish he would,” Cate said suddenly. Her voice was dramatic. “Evan needs friends.”
“I’m sure you and Mitch will be popping out many brothers and sisters for Evan. But I’m still not holding him,” Noah said jokingly and took the drink that Lev handed him.
“Trust me, we’re working on giving Evan some siblings,” Mitch said while sending a sly look in Cate’s direction. Cate didn’t say anything, but Noah didn’t miss the way she blushed happily.
A lump had risen in his throat as he watched the interaction between the two mates. He turned away with his drink still in hand and headed for the porch. Not long after, Lev joined him.
“It’s good to have you back.” There was no hiding the sincerity in Lev’s voice. The lump in Noah’s throat threatened to swell.
They’re happy to have me back, even after all this time.
“How is she?” The question slipped from Noah unbidden, but he had a feeling that Lev had been waiting for it.
“She’s good. She has flourished over the last ten years. She owns her own business now, and she’s very successful.”
“And I’m sure she’s settled down by now.” There was no hiding the bitterness in Noah’s voice.
“Not at all.” Lev’s answer rocked Noah to his core. “As far as I know, she’s been single this entire time.”
“Someone like Becca Gibson doesn’t need to stay single. She’s a bombshell,” Noah murmured the words.
