Chapter Three
Bas
“This is it.” Leo waved to the building in front of them.
Humming, Bas turned to take in the rest of the block but really wanted to see that they were directly in the sight of the fire station. After his visit the night before, Bas was beginning to think that he hadn’t been wrong. Hudson smelt like his.
Was this fate?
Bas had been called to this small town that truthfully would never have been on his radar and happened to find his mate? It seemed a little too good to be true. A part of him feared that he was being tricked but he didn’t know anyone cruel enough to do something like that to him.
“What do you think?” Aaron nudged his arm.
Bastian faced the red brick building once again.
There were already businesses on each side of the door they stood in front of.
To the right was the municipal government office, which housed the office of the mayor and city council.
On the left a lawyer’s office which appeared to be closed.
They would be right smack in the middle of town.
Down the street within view was the bakery. In the other direction was Sam’s bookstore, Drake’s restaurant, Levi’s tattoo shop, and Gavin’s garage. Most of the other men ran their businesses online or out of the main house.
“Got the keys?” Bas asked. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the building or how close it was to the firehouse. Bas was just struggling with the secret he was carrying.
Leo frowned at him as he pulled the key from his pocket.
“Let check out the inside,” Aaron said, grabbing the key. “It’s just been painted, so be careful where you touch.”
Bastian shoved his hands into the front pockets of his old jeans then strode forward once Aaron held the door open.
Right away he could smell the paint but also some type of cleaner.
They stepped into what would be the reception area.
A low curved marble counter gleamed under the harsh lights. Bas nodded as he started to picture the area full of furniture. A waiting area that would be warm and welcoming to paranormals that were coming to them for help. He approved of the light pale green that covered the walls.
“There are four offices, two on each side of the hall, and two conference rooms, two restrooms, and a break area. Shawn assured me fiber line has already been laid for internet and phones,” Leo said.
“I’ll want cameras installed,” Bas murmured. “If someone comes to us, then they’re probably already in trouble. We need to be able to protect our clients.”
“There’s a large stock room that would be perfect for that. We can even make it a security room and have the cameras go directly to our offices,” Leo offered.
Bas could nearly see it.
“Check it out,” Leo encouraged.
Aaron led the way. Bastian knew that they were looking at different functions for the space.
Aaron was an expert at getting information off the internet.
He could almost anything on anyone. Leo was more the planner, the strategic, and problem solver.
Bas was the field guy. The security-conscious one.
All four offices were the same size and big enough for desks, chairs, and personal items. The same paint had been used for the hall and offices. Bas really liked the color. He’d have to ask Shawn about it once he decided where he’d finally settle down.
Larger rooms meant for conferences areas were just past the offices. One on each side of the hall. Bas found the room that Leo had been talking about for their security and cameras. Yes, this was good. He backed out and followed Leo and Aaron’s voices to the break room.
They would need appliances and a table and chairs.
All three of them were workaholics and needed an area where they could walk away from work for a minute.
Plus, from what Bas was learning about the family, it was a good bet that they’d have many visitors.
The boys always made it a habit of seeing everyone in town when they were out and about.
From his perch in the tree at the park, Bas might have memorized the boy’s schedules. Even with their protective mates, Bas felt better making sure that no on messed with the family.
Bas wanted to snort at how his thoughts always connected the men from the area as the family. Like they were mafia or something. It was just the best way to think of them since they would be a pack if they were all the same species, and since they weren’t, they were family.
“Well?” Aaron said when Bas entered.
“I like it,” he admitted.
Leo nodded. “One of the reasons that I preferred this office was location. We’ll be right in the middle of town.”
Bas nodded toward where they shared a wall with the town’s important offices. “And where you can keep an eye on the coming and goings of town?”
“Mayor is new,” Leo told him. “Axel and Shawn have both met with him and seem to get a good vibe but it’s weird that the last mayor just upped and left.”
“Something we need to look into?” Bas asked. It had been a long fucking time since he’d had a real mission. Anticipation filled him.
Leo stole his enthusiasm as he shook his head. “He was human. Nothing the family went through touched anyone in town. They were able to keep the hunters and magic under wrap. Sometimes people just leave.”
Bastian wasn’t satisfied with that answer.
What could it hurt to just investigate the old mayor and the new one?
If this was where he was going to settle, then Bas needed to make sure that they were all in a safe place.
And if Hudson really was his mate? He’d make damn sure that Hudson was always protected.
“Now we just have to decide if we’re really doing this,” Leo said. He leaned back against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.
“You and Aaron have already decided,” Bas replied. He knew his friends. Leo was staying. Aaron was nearly attached to Leo’s hip. They weren’t a couple any longer, but they were still the best of friends.
“We are,” Leo confirmed. “The question is whether you’re going to join us or are we going to bring in the council.”
Bas growled just thinking about having anyone from the council close to the family. And if they had a council office in town, the council would want to put in people of their choosing as well.
Leo smirked. “All you have to do is say the word.”
What Leo really meant was that Bastian needed to make up his mind whether he was staying or not. First things first. Bas needed to figure out if Hudson was truly his mate. “Can you give me a couple of days?”
“Of course,” Leo responded. “I’m not trying to rush your decision. I can move forward with the office no matter what you chose.”
Aaron rolled his eyes. “You’re staying and we all know it, but if you want to overthink it, like always, who are we to stand in your way?”
Bas flipped off his friend as he snorted. Aaron probably wasn’t wrong. Just arriving in town had been enough for Bas and his shifter side wanting to stay. He didn’t make decisions without thorough thought.
“I’m going to meet with Axel and give him an update.” Leo pushed away from the counter. “Want a ride back to the house?”
“Nah.” Bas shook his head. “I’m going to hang around town and check things out.” Maybe do a little stalking of his human.
“Don’t get caught by the pound,” Aaron teased.
“We don’t have a pound in town,” Bas pointed out as they headed out of the break room.
“You almost became a housecat,” Aaron responded as he snickered. Damn, Noah had loved sharing that story the previous night.
Bas was thinking that it might not have been a terrible thing if he’d been kept by Hudson. As soon as dinner was over and everyone settled down, Bas had snuck off property to find the human’s scent in town.
It was easy enough to retrace Hudson’s steps.
From his perch in Hudson’s backyard tree, Bas had watched Hudson and his brother for hours.
They appeared close. Both worked in town as first responders.
Good humans that didn’t seem to have any idea of the paranormal world that surrounded them.
Bas hadn’t dived deeper into the brothers yet, but it was on his list.
He left Leo and Aaron behind as they made plans to meet up for lunch in about an hour. Bastian had other things on his mind than food. He strode down the sidewalk that would take him to the bakery.
There were a few residents milling around but the residents didn’t look at him with suspicion any longer.
Bastian knew that he didn’t exactly fit in.
With his shaggy chestnut brown hair and tattooed arms and chest, most people would be frightened of his appearance.
They must be used to the other paranormals being around.
Standing at just over six foot with a lean body, he didn’t think he was nearly as intimidating as some of the other men. Even Hudson, who had the brightest eyes and smile that Bas had ever seen, was bigger than him, although there was no way anyone could be frightened of such a sweetheart.
Hudson was the perfect mix of a big strong male with a heart of gold.
Just listening to Hudson and his brother Carter talking about their days had shown Bastian just how positively Hudson viewed the world.
Hudson was pure sunshine and rainbows and…just a sweetness. It was so uncommon in Bas’s world to come across anyone that pure that Bastian was determined to make sure that nothing bad ever touched Hudson. Whether they were mates or not.
He reached the bakery and entered the shop grinning as Noah helped a customer. Dean and Logan were nowhere to be seen but Bas could hear the banging of pans coming from the kitchen.
Bas waited patiently until Noah was done and the young shifter looked over at him.
“Hey!” Noah greeted. “Snack?”
Bastian shook his head. “I was hoping that I could borrow the office again.” He wanted to shift and take his normal position in his tree. And yes, Bas had claimed that tree as his own.
“Of course!” Noah waved him forward.