Chapter Eight

The following afternoon Kellen drove Atlas to his apartment to gather clothes and anything else he would need. For now, his mate was staying at his house. Kellen wasn't letting the guy out of his sight until the bullshit with the remaining two vampires was over.

Maybe then Kellen would ask Atlas to move in with him. At the moment, he didn't think his mate would say yes. They might have gotten over yesterday's hurdle, but that didn't mean Kellen wouldn't fuck up again.

Just because he'd shared his painful past didn't mean he'd gained Atlas's full trust. It wasn't as if Kellen wanted Atlas to have a place to run to if they fell out again, but if that made his mate feel more secure in their relationship, Kellen wasn't going to ask the guy to give it up.

This was the first time he'd been there. When Atlas unlocked his door and walked inside, Kellen followed and glanced around. The space was nowhere as big as the square footage at Kellen's house. In fact, it seemed pretty damn small to him.

Even so, the apartment was tastefully decorated and everything was neatly arranged—from the simple furniture to the books lined up on a floating shelf—showing a hint of OCD tendencies.

They had that in common. Kellen hated clutter and things not where they belonged, thanks to his upbringing and his mom demanding the house stay spotless.

"I'm going to grab some things from my room." Atlas set his keys in a decorative bowl by the door. "Feel free to snoop around."

After watching his mate head down a short hallway, Kellen wandered into the kitchen. The space was so tight that he doubted he could get around the two-seater table to see what was in the refrigerator.

Unwilling to try, Kellen walked back into the living room and eyed the couch. It didn't appear as sturdy as the one he owned, and he was afraid of sitting on the thing and breaking it.

Turning his attention to the wall behind him, a large, framed picture of jasmine, its vines thick and hanging over a wooden fence like a blanket, caught Kellen's attention. He smiled as he gazed at it, the photo reminding him of the intoxicating way his mate smelled.

His smile faded when he spotted a photo of Atlas and Braylon sitting on a picnic table, laughing. It was clear that someone else had taken it, but Kellen didn't want his mate upset at the reminder of the betrayal.

Today was about having a good time, about introducing Atlas to Sam and Morgan. His mate needed a friend who wouldn't betray him, and with Sam's and Atlas's personalities, Kellen was positive they would hit it off.

He removed the frame and took it to the stand the television was perched on top of. He slid the photo, face down, onto the shelf below the TV. If it was up to him, he would tear Atlas's side of the picture and tuck it into his pocket then burn Braylon's.

"I think I have what I need." Atlas strode out of the room with a small suitcase, wearing a different shirt and pants than the ones he'd just had on. He'd even changed his shoes to an all-black pair of Nikes that matched his black T-shirt. "I still have to grab some things from the bathroom."

Kellen had washed his mate's clothes every day, but he knew what it felt like to have options. His closet at home was huge, a walk-in deal with plenty of shelves and drawers for his large wardrobe. One wall alone held dozens of his shoes, ranging from sneakers to boots to dress shoes he'd paid a fortune for.

Though he rarely had the opportunity to wear his dress shoes.

"I have cans of soda in the fridge if you want one," Atlas said when he stuck his head out of the bathroom and then slipped back inside.

That wasn't going to happen unless Kellen lifted the table above his head to reach the refrigerator. As tall as he was, there wouldn't be any clearance to do it even if he'd wanted to.

Instead, he headed to the bathroom and glanced inside as Atlas took a few things from the medicine cabinet. His mate had room because he was so slender, but there was no goddamn way Kellen would be able to fit in there. The bathroom was basically a narrow walkway with the bathtub on one side and the sink and toilet on the other.

Still standing in the short hallway, Kellen glanced over his shoulder and could see the inside of Atlas's bedroom. The room was spotless, free of any unnecessary clutter.

Against the far wall was a bed that his mate would be able to sleep comfortably in but was way too small to fit Kellen's size. Covering the bed was a white blanket with yellow flowers and matching pillows. The curtains were also white, but sheer with delicate yellow flowers embroidered on them.

Even his dresser was white, and held a large mirror with photos taped to the edges of the glass. Lights were strung over the top of the frame, but there was nothing sitting on the surface of the dresser.

How did the guy sleep in such brightness? Kellen loved the dark, rich color scheme of his home. The living room was the only room that held just a touch of lighter hues.

Even his bedroom was immersed in deeper tones, a blend of dark green and black with only a touch of beige. Kellen's OCD would plunge into overdrive if his house was as bright as Atlas's apartment.

"Okay, I think I grabbed everything." Atlas shut off the bathroom light. Kellen backed up, allowing his mate to walk past him. "I'll give you my extra key," he said. "That way, if I forgot anything, I'll chill with Colt at your house while you grab whatever I left behind."

Kellen would just order whatever his mate needed. "You ready to go?"

He picked up Atlas's suitcase and headed for the door.

"You didn't have to do that," Atlas said from behind him.

For a second, Kellen thought his mate was talking about carrying the suitcase, until he turned and saw Atlas staring at the empty picture hook.

"I appreciate you wanting to spare me from looking at Braylon, though." He pushed to his toes and kissed Kellen's jaw. "I'm not going to let anything ruin our visit with your friends, even if I'm nervous about meeting them."

"You don't have to be nervous." He slid his hand into Atlas's. When they'd woken this morning, Atlas had declared his hand felt a hundred times better and removed the splint.

It was because of their mating, but Kellen also suspected it was because he'd bitten Atlas last night during sex, strengthening the healing properties passed to his mate the night he'd bound the human's soul to his.

Atlas opened a drawer in the stand where the decorative bowl sat and handed Kellen a single key. Then he snatched his, walked into the hallway, and locked the door behind them.

Kellen curled his fist around the key. It was the first time anyone had ever given him one to their place. He wasn't sure why that meant so much to him as he pocketed it and they took the elevator down, exiting the building.

The drive to Morgan's didn't take long. He lived on the opposite side of town where Atlas's building was located, but the traffic was light, and they made it there in less than ten minutes.

Kellen slid Lucille into the driveway and cut the motor. The front door flew open, and Sam came out, a wide smile splitting his face.

"I'm still nervous," Atlas said beside him. "These are your friends, and I don't want to make a bad first impression."

"There's no way in hell you could do that." Kellen entwined his fingers with his mate's. "Morgan is the most laid-back guy I know, and Sam is really sweet. I promise you're gonna love them."

"Don't hate me if I embarrass you in some way." Atlas took a deep breath, let go of Kellen's hand, and then got out.

There was no doubt in Kellen's mind that they were going to love Atlas. He got out, locked up his car, and grabbed his mate's hand before they headed for the door.

Sam stepped back, practically bouncing as Kellen and Atlas walked inside.

"How was your vacation?" Kellen asked as Morgan joined them in the living room.

"So amazing that I didn't want to leave," Sam said and then spun to face Atlas, sticking out his hand. "I'm Sam, and this is my mate, Morgan."

Kellen hid his smile as Atlas's head craned back to look up at the deputy. "Hi."

Morgan chuckled. "It's a pleasure to meet the guy who has tamed Kellen. Sam and I set out some snacks in the kitchen. Follow me."

"My mate is a bear shifter," Sam whispered to Atlas. "Having sweets in the house is mandatory."

Kellen chuckled as he placed a hand on the small of Atlas's back, needing the contact.

They stepped into the kitchen, and Atlas looked around, amazement filling his gray eyes. "You two have a very nice home."

"Thanks." Sam smiled and took a seat at the table, the rest of them doing the same. In the center was a smoked sausage and cheese platter, as well as a large pitcher of lemonade and ice, four glasses off to one side.

"The beach was incredible." Sam's eyes lit up as he leaned into Morgan. "It was also secluded, so we had some pretty fun nights, too. Like I said, I didn't want to leave, but Morgan promised we could return every summer."

"I'm shocked you didn't buy the place for Sam," Kellen said with a smirk.

"He tried to." Sam chuckled. "Unfortunately, the owners weren't selling."

Kellen noticed how stiffly Atlas sat next to him. "Why don't you show me the repairs you had done on your truck, Morgan?"

The polar bear shifter glanced at him, and then Kellen saw when it finally dawned on the guy that he wanted to talk to him alone.

"I'll be right back." Morgan stood and gave Sam a quick kiss.

Kellen brushed his lips against Atlas's ear, nipping the lobe and smiling when his mate shivered. "Hold things down until I come back."

Atlas glanced up at him when Kellen stood, his eyes begging Kellen not to leave him alone. If he and Sam were going to become friends, they needed time to talk without their mates up under them.