Chapter Six #2
For the next fifteen minutes, they discussed placements, backup systems, and protocols.
Braden threw himself into the conversation, grateful for the distraction.
This was what he was good at—planning and making sure people were safe.
It was why he and Remi had started their security firm in the first place.
They both knew too well what could happen when people weren’t protected.
But even as he talked about motion sensors and alarm systems, part of Braden’s mind was still on Peter.
“All right, you need to spill,” Remi said suddenly, interrupting Camden mid-sentence.
Braden blinked. “What?”
“Whatever’s going on with you.” Remi gestured at him with one hand. “You’ve been different for days now, and this morning you’re practically vibrating. So what is it?”
Camden raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. Braden didn’t know him as well as he knew Remi, but he suspected Camden was as interested in gossip as Braden’s best friend.
He felt his cheeks heat slightly. He hadn’t planned on making an announcement, but he also didn’t want to hide. Peter deserved better than to be kept a secret, and besides, this was Remi and Camden. They were family, one more than the other, but still.
“Peter and I are together,” he said simply. “We’re mates.”
Remi’s face broke into a wide grin. “Finally! I was wondering how long it would take you to admit it to others.” Remi shook his head, still grinning. “I’m happy for you, man. Really.”
Camden smiled as well, warmer than Braden had expected. “Congratulations. Peter’s a good man. He deserves someone who’ll treat him right.”
“I will,” Braden said, and he meant it. “We’re taking things slow, though. He’s been through a lot, and I don’t want to rush him.”
“Smart,” Camden said. He stood and walked around the desk, extending his hand to Braden. “I also want to officially welcome you to the pack. I know we’ve talked about it before, but with you and Peter being together, it feels right to make it official.”
Braden stood and shook Camden’s hand, feeling the weight of the gesture.
He wasn’t a shifter, but he understood what it meant to be part of a pack.
It meant family, protection, belonging. It meant he’d always have people at his back, and he’d always have theirs.
There would always be someone to protect Peter, even if something was to happen to Braden.
“Thank you,” Braden said. “It means a lot.”
“You’re one of us now,” Camden said. “That’s not something we take lightly.”
They settled back into their seats, and the conversation moved to lighter topics.
Remi started telling a story about a client who’d insisted on installing a security system that included an actual moat around their property.
Braden laughed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
He’d already heard the story, but it never failed to make him happy.
“I’m not kidding,” Remi said. “The guy wanted alligators in it and everything. I had to explain that was both illegal and impractical.”
“What did he end up with?” Camden asked, leaning forward in his chair.
“A very expensive fence and some strategically placed lights that make shadows look bigger than they are,” Remi said. “He was happy with it, though. Said it made him feel like he lived in a castle.”
Braden shook his head, smiling. “We attract the weirdest clients.” The moat was probably the weirdest, but they had plenty of other stories to share.
“Hey, weird clients pay well,” Remi shot back.
Camden was about to respond when the door burst open. A guard stumbled in, his face pale and his hand pressed to the back of his head. Blood seeped between his fingers.
All three of them were on their feet immediately.
“What happened?” Camden demanded, his voice sharp with authority.
“Someone—” The guard swayed, and Remi moved quickly to steady him. “Someone attacked me. I was doing my rounds near the eastern perimeter, and I heard something. When I went to check it out, someone hit me from behind. I just woke up a few minutes ago.”
Braden’s blood ran cold. “How long were you out?”
“I don’t know. Maybe twenty minutes? Half an hour?”
That was more than enough time for someone to get deep into pack territory. Braden’s mind raced, but he already knew who it had to be.
Lou.
It had to be him. The man was obsessed with Peter, and he knew exactly where to find him.
“We need to lock down the area,” Camden said, already moving toward the door. “Now.”
“I have to get to Peter,” Braden said. Vincent was with him, but that might not be enough. It certainly wouldn’t stop Lou.
“Go,” Camden ordered. “Remi, I’ll get Toby.”
Braden didn’t wait for anything else. He was out of the office in seconds, his heart pounding as he ran through the house.
Behind him, he could hear Camden barking orders into his phone.
The pack had protocols for this kind of thing.
The guards would be out there within minutes. But minutes might be too long.
Braden pushed himself faster, his lungs burning as he ran. He couldn’t shake the image of Lou breaking into their house, of Peter having to see him again. Peter had been so happy this morning. Braden had seen the way his shoulders had finally started to relax and the way he smiled more easily.
If Lou took that away from him, Braden would make sure the man regretted it.
The house finally appeared, and Braden pushed himself harder. He needed Peter to be okay.
Behind him, he heard Camden’s voice, still giving orders. The alpha was right behind him, along with what sounded like a dozen other pack members. They were all running for the house, ready to face whatever they found inside.
Braden hit the porch and didn’t slow down, bursting through the door with his heart in his throat.
“Peter!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the house.
He had to find him. He had to make sure he was safe. Nothing else mattered.
* * * *
“YOU LOOK HAPPY,” VINCENT said.
Peter didn’t answer right away. He kept his gaze on his feet, not wanting to fall on his face or even into the water. He was a water shifter, but when he was in his human form, he’d rather take a dip in the lake wearing swim shorts, not jeans and a t-shirt.
“I am happy,” he eventually said, his voice softer than he’d intended.
“I’m glad. You deserve it.”
“I don’t know about that, although I suppose that everyone deserves to be happy. I’m just glad it’s with Braden.”
Vincent nudged their shoulders together. “He’s great, isn’t he?”
“He is. He’s nothing like Lou.”
“Well, that’s a low bar.”
“It’s more than that, though. I know he cares.”
“Because he’s your mate.”
“And because he shows it to me every day. He brought me breakfast in bed this morning. I didn’t ask him to. He just wanted to do something nice.” Something Lou had never done. He wasn’t one for surprises. He wasn’t one to make anyone but himself happy.
“I know things haven’t been easy, but it feels like they’re finally changing for the better, doesn’t it?”
Peter was still afraid to hope that this would last, even though he knew that his mate wasn’t going anywhere.
Braden had made him a promise, and he would keep that promise.
It was the kind of person he was, and luckily for Peter, it was the kind of person he’d ended up with as his mate.
He couldn’t have chosen anyone better for himself than Braden.
Hell, he probably wouldn’t have chosen Braden for himself because he wouldn’t have felt like he was good enough, but that was Lou speaking.
He’d been the one to repeat that Peter wasn’t enough, not for him, not for anyone else, and that he was lucky that Lou didn’t leave him.
Peter had known all of that was bullshit, but he’d still started to believe it.
He was still dealing with the consequences of that.
He suspected he would deal with the scars Lou had left on him for a while. He’d left the house to go for a walk with his best friend, but he couldn’t help but be anxious. What if Lou was on his way to find him? What if he attacked them?
Peter squared his shoulders. So what if Lou attacked them?
Peter wasn’t afraid to show Lou what he was anymore.
He’d rather not because it could create all kinds of problems, but if Lou was stupid enough to attack him and Vincent, Peter wouldn’t stand down.
Even if he didn’t have to defend himself, he would defend Vincent, and he’d do so by any means necessary.
Vincent was one of the few people who loved Peter and who Peter loved.
Peter wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt him.
He certainly wouldn’t allow Lou to get anywhere near Vincent.
“You look ready for a fight,” Vincent commented.
“I was thinking about Lou.”
Vincent grimaced. “You’re always thinking about him. I don’t like it.”
“Trust me, I don’t like it any more than you do, but until he gives up, I suspect I’ll think about him often.”
“I hate him,” Vincent muttered, sounding a bit like a child telling their parent that they hated them. It was cute.
“I’m pretty sure you’re not the only one with that opinion. I’m just tired. I want him to disappear from my life and never come back.”
“That’s too much to ask of him. He’s going to stick around and hurt you as much as he can.”
That much was true. Lou had never been one who gave up easily, especially when he felt betrayed or like he was owed something. In his mind, Peter was his, and he owed him loyalty. Peter had left, though. He’d betrayed Lou. Lou wasn’t going to give up until he could get revenge for that.