Chapter Ten
Hudson
The front door opened slowly. Hudson rose from where he’d been almost asleep on the couch. He hadn’t felt right going to bed when Bas and the rest of the family were still out in the forest.
Bryce had gotten the text message that the boy had been found safely and the guys were headed back. Their little party on the porch had broken up as everyone went to their respective cabin or the main house to wait on their mates.
Mates.
Like the old books that Carter used to read to him when he was younger.
Dragons, mages, shifters, oracles, demons. It all seemed so unbelievable. As Bastian had been lying on the couch, covered with a soft colorful blanket, he had to admit, at least to himself, that he had seen Bastian turn into Bas.
It had actually been pretty sneaky for the guys to use the nickname Bas.
And no wonder Bas the cat was able to follow him home. Hudson tried to remember everything that he’d said to cat Bas. It had been a lot. And turned out he was talking to the real Bastian the entire time.
Bastian appeared worried as he entered the cabin, finding where Hudson stood waiting for him immediately.
Hudson waited for him to say something.
When Bastian merely watched him, Hudson realized that he was the one that was going to have to reassure his mate.
His freaking mate.
“Are you going to close the door or let all the bugs inside?” Hudson asked. As a conversation starter it sucked, but he received a twitch of Bastian’s lips as Bas closed the door.
“Should I lock it or are you planning to leave?” Bastian questioned quietly.
“I wouldn’t have an unlocked door around Stryker. I don’t know the other guys well but I would think that none of them can be trusted to behave.”
Bastian locked the door as he sighed. “They have good hearts.”
“And trouble coursing through their veins,” Hudson joked.
“You have no idea. Just wait until you meet Adam,” Bastian said.
“They told me about him.” That reminded Hudson. “And Lucifer, the king of hell, who you have on speed dial.”
Bastian shook his head. “Noah’s right. That just doesn’t have the same sound to it any longer now that we have cell phones.”
Hudson laughed. “Is that really what you want to discuss?”
“It seems safer than asking if you’re thinking of ways to get as far away from me as possible,” Bastian replied.
Bastian was extremely nervous to have this conversation, Hudson realized.
“I was under the impression that mates were special. Was that a lie?”
Bastian groaned. “They told you we’re mates?”
“It came up,” Hudson admitted. “Stryker was very happy to share everything he learned about the family.”
“I thought Bryce would be the one to tell you.” Bastian shook his head. “He’s more levelheaded. At least when he isn’t in little mode and making his Daddy carry him all around the house.”
“No one was going to be able to stop Stryker,” Hudson said. “Like I said, he loves talking about the paranormal.”
“I know you might not believe us but we’re really very normal. Usually. We’ve lived in secret for a very long time.”
“I’d love to hear more about it. About it all.” Hudson gestured toward Bastian. “But I think you’re a little far away, don’t you?”
“I’m trying to give you space. I don’t want to scare you.”
This was getting them nowhere fast. Hudson huffed before dropping down onto the couch. “It’s easier to talk to you when you’re a cat.”
“Oh yeah?” Bastian stalked forward. Just a few steps but it was progress.
“Yes. Do you have fur in your ears?”
“Not currently,” Bastian replied with a smirk. “Are you feeling sassy?”
Hudson nodded. “I think I am.”
“And why is that?” Bastian crossed his arms over his chest.
“Because I’ve been talking to a cat for days, thinking he was keeping my secrets.”
“I never lied to you,” Bastian told him. “I might have misdirected but I was doing my best to never lie to you. And you didn’t say anything too embarrassing.”
Okay, that was funny. “Are you sure?”
“Positive,” Bastian said. “I loved sitting on your lap on your back porch as you petted me.”
“Maybe we can do it again,” Hudson offered.
“I can guarantee that we will do it every night that you want. That is, if you still want to be with me.”
“I’m still here.” Hudson thought his presence should have been enough that Bastian had a clue. Guess not. “Nothing has changed except…well, everything.”
“It’s a lot to process,” Bastian agreed.
“It would be easier if you would come sit with me,” Hudson tried.
Bastian closed the distance to kneel in front of him. “I wanted to tell you. I was working up to it.”
Hudson nodded. “That was why you brought up all those silly things in bed. Or what I thought were silly things.”
“Yes. I’ve heard all the stories of how the mates here have come together. Some had an easier time. Others not so much.”
“I got to hear the stories tonight too. I think I prefer at least having a little bit of warning than what Lawson, Seb, and River did. I’m also glad I wasn’t kidnapped by evil witches like Stryker.”
“I would do anything to protect you,” Bastian told him. “I just need you to remember I’m still me, whether or not I’m furry.”
Hudson leaned forward to kiss Bastian. He drew back and smiled. “I don’t know which form I prefer.”
“How about when you want cuddles, I’m shifted, and for other times…” Bastian ran his palm up Hudson’s leg. “I stay human.”
“I like human.” Hudson swallowed hard as his cock was all for this new direction of their conversation.
“You know one perk of being paranormal is that I can’t carry or transmit human disease.”
“What? What does that mean?” Hudson asked.
“That I can’t wait to take you without a condom.”
Oh! Yes! “I…yes please.”
“Are you sure? I want nothing more than to claim you as my mate,” Bastian told him.
Hudson brushed their cheeks together then whispered, “Take me to bed.”
* * * * *
Bastian
Rising to his feet, Bastian pulled Hudson up with him. Hudson was still there. He accepted Bas. Even as messed up as the reveal of the paranormal world was Hudson hadn’t run away screaming. Bastian would thank his lucky stars every night that his mate was so understanding.
He drew Hudson down the hall slowly, giving his mate plenty of time to change his mind.
Hudson squeezed his hand. “I’m not changing my mind.”
Bastian pulled him into the bedroom and closed the door. “This isn’t like a human marriage. There’s no changing your mind later. We can wait.”
“This is where I belong. With you. I knew this town was my forever home. Maybe it was you that I was looking for.”
Bastian cupped his face. The fates hadn’t done him wrong. Someone out there had known that Bas needed the sunshine of his boy in his life. Bastian wouldn’t allow Hudson’s shine to ever be dimmed. “I’ll be your forever everything.”
“You say the sweetest things for being the resident grump.”
Bastian chuckled. The boys must be telling tales again. Although they hadn’t done too badly since Hudson had still been there when Bastian had returned. “I’m not grumpy when it comes to my mate.”
“I’ll remember that when you get woken up by Stryker or River or one of the other boys,” Hudson joked.
Yep. The boys talked way too much. Luckily, Bastian knew what Hudson’s wish was already. “I think you mentioned something about living in town,” Bastian replied. He didn’t care where they lived as long as they were together.
“My brother!” Hudson gasped.
“Your brother?” Bastian repeated.
“What am I going to tell Carter? He’s never going to believe any of this. Oh! I…I can’t tell him, can I?”
It was obvious that Hudson didn’t keep things from his brother. Bastian had already come to terms with that.
“This is going to be hard,” Hudson told him. “Carter just looks at me and knows when I have a secret.”
The answer was simple really. “We can tell him about me. Together. He’ll have a lot of questions and it’s best if I’m there to answer them. Unless you think Stryker is the man for the job.”
Hudson shook his head. “That’s a terrible idea!”
“So, we’ll sit Carter down, have a few beers, and introduce him to the paranormal world.” Bastian drew Hudson to him.
“Really? Can we really tell him? It’s not like this huge secret that I have to swear on a blood oath not to tell?” Hudson asked. “I thought that would be like rule number one.”
“There aren’t really rules. We can tell him about me. I do prefer for the others to make that decision on their own. It’s not fair to reveal a secret that isn’t ours.”
Hudson nodded.
“Besides, we have to tell him something when I move in.” And Bastian was moving in. There was no question about that.
“You’re moving in?” Hudson chuckled.
“I don’t plan to be separated from my mate for any length of time.” He didn’t see the point in not being completely honest.
“What were you going to do when I left tomorrow?” Hudson asked as if he already knew.
“Who said you were leaving?” Bastian questioned.
“You were just going to keep me here?”
“Or go with you. I do know for a fact that you’re a sucker for your furry best friend,” Bastian teased. He’d had a plan alright. Bastian had been working up to revealing himself to Hudson and in the meantime Bas the cat might have just found himself a temporary home.
“Okay.” Hudson pressed a kiss to Bastian’s naked chest.
They’d both only managed to put pants on earlier when Levi had come for him. Bas was not upset to see that Hudson hadn’t felt it necessary to get dressed. No, he needed to focus. “Okay?”
“Okay, you’re moving in.”
It couldn’t be that easy. “Are you just going to agree with everything I say?”
Hudson grinned. “Not if you’re wrong.”
“Good to know.” Bastian pulled him close. “Now back to what we were talking about earlier.”
“Earlier when? I’ve had a lot thrown at me in a short amount of time. I feel like my brain might be fried.” Hudson buried his face in Bastian’s chest.