Chapter Five #2
“Daddy!” Bryce exclaimed. “We had to try out Bas’s new cat stuff.”
“Did you?” Axel sauntered across the room to lift Bryce into his arms.
Bryce giggled as he clung to Axel’s neck.
The alpha mate might be different than any other leader’s partner Bas had even seen, the Daddy and little dynamic was special and unique, and not something that Bas had personal experience with.
Still, Axel and Bryce probably had the best relationship that Bas had the pleasure of seeing.
He’d met many paranormal leaders and their partners in his work.
Some of the time Bastian had been tasked with saving the partner from the leader.
Other times he’d had to witness the loss of a partner and see the paranormal fall apart.
Those had always stayed with him. Even if they hadn’t been fated mates.
Even at those times he hadn’t come across such a unique and diverse group as the family here. The more time that Bas spent with them, the easier it was to see that they were a true family. Blood didn’t matter. Status wasn’t important. Power was combined, not stolen or abused.
By staying, Bastian could use his years of training and knowledge of the paranormal world to help keep this family safe.
Leo was already in as he wouldn’t leave Gavin.
Aaron was pretty much the same. Aaron was already fitting in and Bas was happy for his friend.
Aaron had always wanted to have family. While Leo had been looking for Gavin for all those years, Aaron had mourned not having that little bit of hope.
Bastian was different than his friends. He didn’t think about the past often. What happened had happened. The future had never been something that Bas cared about since all he could see was the long years of working for the council ahead of him.
Even after Bastian finally got himself away from the council, he hadn’t had any real plan. The time he’d spent on the road hadn’t given him any clarity to what he was supposed to do with his long existence.
Having a mate changed everything for him.
Bastian wanted to be the best mate in the world and offer Hudson every bit of happiness that he deserved.
Watching Axel with not only his mate but the other two boys made Bastian’s heart ache. He was a part of the family if he wanted to be.
With Bryce on his hip, Nate slung over a shoulder, and Lawson the other, Axel was the embodiment of what a good leader should be.
Bas wasn’t an alpha, had never wanted to be an alpha, but he could see himself following Axel’s lead.
“We’re having pizza and movie night,” Axel told him as he passed by. “That should keep these ones occupied.”
“I appreciate that,” Bas said sincerely. He wanted Hudson to have friends, to get to know the family—Bastian just needed time with his mate first. “Thank you, boys, for all your help. I owe you.”
“We like donuts,” Bryce said. “The sprinkled ones.”
“And candy,” Nate added.
“Can I come back and play sometime?” Lawson asked softly.
“I sure hope you will,” Bas replied with a wink. “We can’t let all these toys and soft stuff go to waste.”
“Thanks!” Lawson kicked his feet, nearly falling off Axel’s shoulder.
“Easy.” Axel clamped an arm around the back of Lawson’s legs. “Your Daddy will not be happy if you bust your head open.”
“Sorry.” Lawson immediately settled down.
“Be good.” Bas ruffled Lawson’s hair. “I can’t sneak you treats if you boys are in trouble.”
“We’ll be good!” Bryce promised. “Won’t we, Nate?”
“Uh,” Nate drawled. “Sure.”
Bastian didn’t believe him and by Axel’s snort, neither did the alpha.
“Say good night, boys,” Axel ordered. “Jammies and then pizza.”
“Bye!” three sweet voices sang out together.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Leo told Axel.
Axel nodded then strolled out of the cabin, shutting the door behind him.
Leo walked around the living room, straightening pillows and taking in all the changes. “It looks better in here.”
Bastian said the words that he had once believed would never come out of his mouth. “It looks like a home.”
“Exactly,” Leo said smiling.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Bas groused. Leo was giving him the I told you so look.
“What?” Leo shrugged. “I get to be a little smug here. I had no doubt that Aaron would fit in as soon as we met everyone.”
“He’s thriving here,” Bastian agreed. “He doesn’t seem to be struggling with the visions as much.”
“Dean is helping,” Leo told him. “He’s not an oracle but as a powerful mage he does have experience with magic. He’s given Aaron several charms to help direct his focus and that seems to help.”
“Good.” Bastian nodded. Aaron had the one power that they had no control over.
“I’m not talking about Aaron right now though. I’m talking about you,” Leo said.
Bastian sighed. “I’m figuring things out.”
“I just want you to know I’m here if you need me.”
“I know.” Bastian had no doubt that Leo, Aaron, and the rest of the family would go out of their way to help him if Bas needed it. “It’s just a lot at one time.”
“Finding your mate is special,” Leo said.
“Oh, that I do know.”
“Then what’s the problem?” Leo questioned.
“No problem,” Bas said quickly. “I just need to figure out how to tell a human about our world. And get to know him at the same time so that I can take care of him.”
Leo nodded. “Start by remembering that your mate is the one perfect person for you.”
Well shit, Leo was right.
“And Hudson might not know about paranormals now but that doesn’t mean he’ll run screaming.”
Bastian had the silliest image of Hudson running from his cabin while screaming and shouting about monsters. That just wasn’t realistic to him.
“He runs into burning buildings for a living so I’m pretty sure he can handle a few shifters and other paranormal creatures.”
Bas did not like the reminder of the danger that his mate could be in. He scowled at Leo.
Leo laughed as he held up his hands. “I’m just saying.”
Bastian’s phone chimed before he could respond. He swallowed hard at the message from Trevor that Hudson was pulling up. He looked up at Leo. “He’s here.”
“You better go meet him.” Leo smacked Bas’s shoulder. “And relax. It’s just a date.”
Just a date? This was the most important date of his life.
* * * * *
Hudson
Pulling up in front of the big house on the edge of the state park, Hudson put his truck into park. He took a deep breath and replayed Carter’s words. It’s just a date. Just a date? Hudson had never been this nervous about a date. At least he knew for sure about Bastian’s interest.
He turned off the engine and climbed out of his truck, catching movement coming his way.
Jeez! How did Bastian get even more attractive since the few hours that Hudson had seen him?
Dressed in faded jeans and a black T-shirt with black boots, Bastian should look like every other man in town.
Instead, he stood out with the tattoos that peeked from under his color and up both arms. His brown hair was messy but didn’t take away from how sexy he was.
Hudson closed the door as Bastian approached. “Hi.”
“Hi, Hudson, I’m glad you came.”
“Six o’clock,” Hudson replied. He immediately wanted to groan. Why had he said that? Bastian knew what time it was.
Bastian grinned before leaning forward and kissing his cheek.
Hudson knew that his face was flaming red. He couldn’t help it with his light complexion.
“I’m really glad you came,” Bastian told him.
“Me too,” Hudson admitted softly.
“How about I show you around the main property really quick then head inside my cabin for dinner?” Bastian asked.
“I’d like that.”
Bastian offered his hand and Hudson was thrilled.
He loved holding hands but not everyone did.
As Bastian began to tell him about the property and everyone who lived there, Hudson did his best to listen closely.
He was so curious about this group and how they all came to love together.
Or maybe not together. As they walked hand in hand around the big house to the back of the property, there were gorgeous cabins lining the property.
“This is amazing!” Hudson gushed. It would be awesome to be so close as a group of friends that you were basically family.
All Hudson had was his brother. Sure, he had friends—EJ from the firehouse was someone that Hudson felt like he’d known his whole life.
The mayor had also become a great friend, but Hudson couldn’t imagine asking them to buy property together just to stay close.
Carter would probably hate it. Hudson’s brother loved his privacy and often found being around too many people at once annoying. Hudson was quite the opposite.
Bastian chuckled. “It took me some time to get used to it but I’m getting there.”
“Oh! I forgot that you haven’t been here long.”
“Just a few weeks,” Bastian said. He gestured to a cabin’s porch before leading Hudson over. There was a couple of wicker chairs with bright pillows that looked out onto the large lawn.
“What brought you here?” Hudson was dying to learn more about Bastian.
They sat and Hudson liked that Bastian sat close.
“Good friends of mine, co-workers, Leo and Aaron moved here as Leo’s brother Gavin lives here. I was traveling around the United States and didn’t have anything better to do so I decided to swing by.”
“You don’t work?” Hudson frowned. That wasn’t right. “I thought you were buying that office today?”
“Yes.” Bastian nodded. “Aaron and I retired from our work with a government agency. Leo just resigned this week. We’re opening our own office.”
“Government agent?” Hudson asked.
Bastian nodded tensely and Hudson decided not to push. “What are you going to do here?”
“Aaron has his private investigator license. We’ll expand on that.”
“Oh! That’s so cool. I’ve never met a private detective before. I’ve only ever seen them on television.”
“It’s not as exciting as it sounds,” Bastian said with a smile. “A lot of sitting around or computer work. But if we can help people, then it’s worth that frustration.”