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“Where are you all going?” Kalen asks, turning his gaze to his son.
“I’m taking them home; it’s a school night,”
“Your mate and son aren’t staying here with you?” Kalen asks before he looks over at me. I look at Valen when he answers, saving me from having to.
“No, I was about to drop them at home.”
“Nonsense, there is plenty of room; they should remain here; you will have to mark her, of course. We can’t have anyone noticing your mate is a rogue now,” Kalen says, and I take a step away from Valen, bumping into Marcus behind me.
“In good time, Father. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get my son to bed,” Valen tells him before he reaches over and grabs my hand. Valen tugs me out of the door after him, and Kalen steps aside at Valen’s dismissal. I can feel his eyes on me as I walk with Valen to the elevator. Instinctively, I step closer to him.
I hate that I did, but his father terrifies me more than Valen does. Valen glances down at me for the action, but doesn’t say anything as he hits the elevator button. Valarian yawns, mumbling as he tries to get comfortable in his father’s arms. Valen tugs me against him and places his arm across my shoulders. For once, I don’t shove him away, preferring his closeness and the safety it offers instead of remaining awkwardly at his side under his father’s watchful gaze.
“Tatum!” Valen calls, and the monstrous man moves toward us. He stops beside me and looks at his Alpha, inclining his head slightly.
“You are now assigned to Everly and Valarian.”
Tatum nods and smiles down at me. “Of course, Alpha,” he answers, and I wonder what Valen means when the elevator doors open and Valen tugs me inside. Tatum also steps into the elevator with us, and I let out the breath I’d been holding.
“I’m sorry about my father; he has…” he pauses.
“Strong views about titles?” I offer, and Valen sighs.
“Yes. I’ll take care of it.”
“No need,” I tell him while I reach for Valarian, but Valen pulls away.
“I have him; he’s fine. I won’t drop him, Everly,” Valen says, pressing his nose against Valarian’s hair and inhaling his scent.
The drive back to the hotel is silent. I had climbed in the back with Valarian when we got to the car. Valen told me he would get Valarian a booster seat, but I said nothing. I have no idea how long it will be until the novelty of having a child will wear off, so I don’t bother to argue that he won’t be taking our son anytime soon. Just as the car pulls up out front, I unclip Valarian’s seatbelt while Valen parks the car. He gets out quickly before scooping a sleeping Valarian into his arms and tossing his jacket over him to shield him from the rain.
I lead Valen to the apartment I share with Zoe. Tatum follows us, looking around, alert, which bothers me. He surely didn’t mean Tatum would be following us, did he? My employees will never get any work done with Tatum hovering around. The man is huge and looks like he belongs in a cave, grinding bones to make his butter, not following a rogue girl and a child around.
“I can take him,” I tell Valen, who growls at me and pushes past; he sniffs the air before walking up the hallway, and I follow. Zoe is sitting up in her bed with a book in her lap. She was with me when we got the phone call from Valen about Valarian, so I knew she would have waited up; I’ll have to fill her in.
“In the morning,” I tell her, and I close her door after she nods to me.
Walking over to Valarian’s little room, I see Valen sitting beside him, tugging Valarian’s shoes off before he tucks the blankets around him. I watch, safely tucked out of view, as he tends to Valarian, then switches the small lamp off and goes to get up. I move away from the door when Valarian suddenly speaks up, making me pause.
“You aren’t leaving me, are you? I need you,” Valarian says, and Valen pauses. “Mom needs you too; she won’t admit that, though, so don’t snitch on me for telling you.”
I hear Valen chuckle softly.
“I am leaving, but I’ll be back in the morning,” he promises.
“Do you pinky promise?” Valarian asks, and I can’t help but peek back into the room. Valen stares at his outstretched pinky before gripping it, giving it a shake, and Valarian laughs.
“No, like this,” Valarian says, looping his pinky through his father’s.
“That means you can’t break it. Pinky promises are special,” Valarian tells him.
“Ok, I pinky promise I will be back in the morning to take you to school; now get some sleep,” Valen tells him, re-tucking the blanket around him. I walk back off to the living room area and see Tatum waiting patiently by the door.
“7 a.m. you said he gets up, right?” Valen asks as he walks up behind me. I nod as he stops beside me.
“You don’t have to do the school run, Valen.”
“Well, I do now. Apparently, I can’t break a pinky promise, Everly, and I want to, I am not asking. He’s my son too,” Valen says, and I press my lips in a line.
