Chapter 9
Calum
Apparently, we had a few options when it came to housing.
There were houses available in the pack and others in the den.
But there were several houses that were for sale in between Timber Valley and Honey Creek.
I had a feeling that the council had something to do with them because it was simply too convenient that there was more than one house that was empty without someone having snatched it up already.
Since I didn’t belong to the pack or the den and I had plenty of funds to outright purchase a house, I chose to take Asher to look at the houses that were available for purchase.
We were being met at the first one to be shown around.
Father had insisted on me borrowing his SUV, something that I was grateful for.
I would have to get one for us if I chose to continue working.
In all honesty, I was actually leaning more toward taking some time off.
I had a new mate and hoped to claim him in a very short time, and we would be starting a family.
I wanted to spend time with Asher and our children without having to leave him home while I spent hours at work.
“Do you think we’ll be able to find someplace that we like?”
I glanced at Asher and grinned. It had started to lightly snow in the last hour, and I wanted to be sure to be as careful as possible on the drive.
“I do. If you fall in love with a place, just speak up, and we’ll make an offer on the place. I think it’s a council thing though, honestly.”
“How so?”
I turned onto the road that we needed, wondering which house it was. There weren’t many, only about five; they all seemed to have very large lots, the neighbors were plenty far enough away, and each individual lot was secluded with trees. It was nice.
“It’s in the council’s interest to have the area filled with more paranormals than humans that don’t know we exist.”
“Right. But what does that have to do with the houses?”
“The council has either bought up empty places, or they’ve built them. Looking at these houses, I’d say they were new builds, and they did it with the intent of filling them with most likely council employees who choose not to live on the mountain.”
My phone said we had arrived at our destination, and I stopped in front of a gorgeous log-and-stone house.
“Whoa. That’s it?”
I grinned. “According to the phone, this is the address.” I turned the SUV into the drive and started down it.
When we arrived at the house, there was a truck parked there, and I wondered who exactly we were about to meet.
It didn’t matter—as long as they didn’t try to harm my mate, I wouldn’t have issue with them.
I slid from the SUV and was on my way around to help Asher out when he slid from it on his own. I didn’t mind him being independent, but I also wanted him to enjoy me spoiling him at times as well. It would take time, that much I knew.
We walked up the front walk and found the front door slightly open.
Asher and I shared a look before I pulled him slightly behind me as we entered.
When we started walking through the house, I heard a noise in the back room and went in that direction.
I never expected Master Edison’s One to be the one to be kneeling at the fireplace and starting it.
“There ye are. I was told ye needed a house.”
I grinned and held out my hand. “It’s good to see you again, Wallace.”
“Likewise. And ye have a mate now, I see.”
I pulled Asher from behind me and wrapped an arm around him. “I have. This is Asher. He showed up at my hotel room in Cairo this morning.”
“Did he now?” Wallace asked. He glanced down at Asher, who was staring up at Wallace with a bit of shock and awe on his face.
“Asher, this is Wallace. He’s Master Edison’s fated One. Apparently, he’s playing Realtor this morning.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Asher said. He held out his hand, and Wallace took it, gently shaking his hand.
“’Tis nice to meet ye as well. I’m told for ya to have a look around the place. Let me know if ye like it, and I’ll let Edison know.”
Asher glanced up at me and then around the place quickly before looking back at me. “Is he serious?”
I nodded. “Why don’t we start upstairs and work our way down. We can count the bedrooms up there and see if there are enough for those six kids you wanted.”
Wallace threw his head back and laughed.
I couldn’t help but chuckle with him. After a moment, he sobered and shook his head.
“Sorry to say that this one has only four bedrooms. The main and three large kiddie rooms. There are three bathrooms upstairs and one down here. There is an office down here that could be another bedroom if ye don’t need a home office. ”
I nodded. I would need an office because I had too many books to bring from France. Actually, I had quite a bit of things that I would need to bring over.
“Four bedrooms is enough,” Asher said, looking up at me hopefully.
“Sweetheart, I’ve already said if you like it, we’ll make an offer.”
Asher nodded. At Wallace’s insistence, we went upstairs and started our tour.
I knew as soon as we entered the main bedroom that this was our house.
We wouldn’t need to look any further. Asher’s eyes were wide in wonder, and he spun around in slow circles, taking in the bedroom.
When he went to the bathroom, he squealed.
“It’s a pool.”
I chuckled as I joined him in the bathroom. “I can certainly see how you could view it as one. But it’s a jetted tub. Those are amazing-feeling, and we will definitely have to try them out soon.”
“Seriously? We could live here?”
I nodded. “If you wish. Didn’t you want to look at the other bedrooms though?”
Asher nodded, and we went to look at the other three bedrooms. There were two bathrooms in the hallway, both of them directly across from each other.
The bedrooms were incredibly close to each other in size and could certainly accommodate at least two children in each, but I knew that Asher really only wanted two or three kids at a time.
This house was more than large enough for us and a growing family.
“Let’s check out the kitchen. We could cook meals together in it,” I said, thinking about all of the fun we could have in the kitchen I’d gotten a glimpse of on the way in.
“I like to cook. But maybe some nights we could use magic to make the meals?”
I grinned. “Of course. If you’re not feeling up to it, we can certainly have a magical meal.” There were also restaurants I could take him to, as well as family dinners that I knew Dad was most likely already planning.
Wallace was in the kitchen, sitting on the center island, most likely having a conversation with Master Edison when we made it to the kitchen.
“What did ye think about the bedrooms?”
“They’re huge,” Asher said. “Just like this kitchen.” He looked around, once more turning in a slow circle to take it all in.
I covertly nodded at Wallace, letting him know this was the place for us. I wasn’t even bonded to Asher and could feel his excitement for the place already. We would be putting down roots and growing a family here in this house.
“It’s so nice. This house is probably four times the size of any of the houses in my village.”
“Sounds like the village I grew up in. Houses were small and not verra nice. I miss me parents and brother, but I donna miss the primitive house.”
I knew Wallace was old but didn’t know exactly how old. “We really like this one,” I told him.
“Enough to claim it?” Wallace asked. He looked at Asher in question.
“I mean, if we can, yes. It’s amazing here. Can you imagine what it’ll be like filled with your things?”
I grinned. “We’ll go shopping and pick out things together,” I told him. I knew that everything Asher owned was in his pack at my parents’ house, and that wasn’t much. He needed things, and I’d see to it that he would get them.
“Verra good. I’ll let Edison know. We’ll get the paperwork signed for legalities and such, but here’s the keys. ’Tis all yours to do with what you wish.”
“Thank you, Wallace,” I said as I took the keys from him. There were several, and if not for the tags on them, I wouldn’t know what went where.
“Have fun, but maybe wait until your da can get your stuff here from France.” Wallace looked over at Asher, who was opening cabinets. He’d found the walk-in pantry, and I wasn’t sure his eyes could grow more.
“Asher, ’twas verra nice to meet ye. I’m sure we’ll be seeing ya around.”
“You too, Wallace. Thank you for showing us this place.”
“My pleasure.”
Wallace nodded once and then left the kitchen, heading for the front door. I stood there, leaning against the counter while Asher continued to explore.
“I can’t believe this could be ours.”
I chuckled. “Believe it. I have the keys. All we have to do is get some things and move in.”
“Really?”
I nodded. Asher shrieked at the same time he jumped toward me. My fast reflexes kept him from falling, but I was definitely going to need to work on them if I had a mate who liked to jump into my arms. Not that I’d ever complain about that. Only a fool would do such a thing.
I grinned at my mate. “Let’s call Father and let him know. He can work on getting our things here and also provide us with the basics, and we can figure out how to spend the rest of the day.”
Asher’s eyebrows rose. “Could we spend it in bed?”
I nodded as I leaned in and started kissing just below Asher’s ear. “That was the hope,” I whispered.
“I can’t believe this is ours. It’s really ours? We can live here and raise a family here?”
“We can. There’s a fireplace over there, and Wallace lit it for us. Why don’t you go use some magic to put a big fluffy rug in front of it, and I’ll give Father a call and then join you?”
Asher moaned as I kissed down his neck. “Will you continue on with what you’re doing?”
“I will.”
“All right.”