Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

SIMON

For two full days, we didn't answer our phones or the door to my apartment. But by the third day, I knew Mama would take an axe to my door if we didn't surface soon. We probably should have gone to see her when we returned from Aspen Bay , but I'd just wanted to hold Ogden and never let him go.

We'd spent a lot of time in bed during those two days, just like we had during the week before, but we'd also talked a lot. We also watched a lot of shows. Ogden said I was addicted to nature documentaries, joking about how he now knew more about flamingoes, sea cucumbers, and tamarin monkeys than he'd ever wanted to. Then I'd tease him about his musicals and talent shows. And somehow it all worked.

Now that the Eternal Magic had blessed our union, everything was better. We had better conversations. Better sex. Just better everything .

Ogden told me about the many, many things he'd done throughout his long life, his family, and his plans to build a home for us in Willow Lake . I didn't have nearly as many stories to tell, but he seemed to find them interesting anyway.

And he'd also used that time to try to convince me his money was my money. I didn't fall for it right away, but his arguments were increasingly difficult to resist, particularly when he talked about the custom-designed home he envisioned for us. And , let's face it, Ogden deserved a life of luxury. I refused to live apart from him, so it looked like I'd have those luxuries too.

He could be relentlessly persuasive when he was naked… and I was naked… and we were doing naked things together.

And to make his point, he'd bought heaps more of everything from online stores. I'd thought after last week he wouldn't need to buy anything more for me. I was wrong. Since our mating, his current obsession was finding clothes and furnishings that matched the green of our mating mark.

Given Ogden's love of buying things, we'd need to move soon. There was almost too much stuff in the one-bedroom apartment already. Considering how little there'd been in my place before Ogden moved in, that said a lot about how much he'd ordered.

Surprisingly , I didn't mind wearing the clothing he bought me at home or even at work, but now that I was standing in front of the door to the Willow Lake Pub , I was tempted to go back home and change. By wearing such different and colorful clothing, I was just asking for people to look at me and talk about me. I mean, I already expected people to talk to us and about us, given what happened in Aspen Bay , but I didn't see the reason to give them even more things to talk about.

Ogden tightened his grip on my hand and hauled me inside. For a smaller guy, he was really strong.

As soon as we stepped inside, cheers went up around us. Mama rushed over and hugged me. Then she broke away and started patting my arms and chest as if to check that all my parts were still where they were supposed to be. When she finished fussing over me, Pops grabbed me and tugged me close.

" We were worried, son," he said. " But we're so proud of you. You did good."

My eyes burned by the time he let me go.

Then my brothers all came over and slapped me on the back. Even Justin was there. I hadn't seen him in a long time, so I was surprised when he hugged me almost as long as Mama and Pops had.

" I hope you don't plan on fighting any more bad guys," he whispered.

" Nope . I'm done," I said.

" Good . You aren't meant to do that. You need to leave that shit to…" He paused, his arms tightening around me. " Well , just leave that to other people," he finished.

Something about the way he said it made me wonder what he'd been doing since he left Willow Lake .

" Get your asses over here," Van called from one of the tables, "so I can buy you a drink."

Mama's eyes went wide when she realized the hellhound was calling me over to sit with him, Gage , and the others. She shooed me over, then pulled Pops and my brothers over too. She wouldn't miss out on an opportunity to be seen with the demon guardian. This kind of social currency would keep her going for weeks, maybe even months.

I glanced around the room. Almost every supe in town was here tonight, with two notable exceptions.

" Where is Hayden ?" I asked after we'd pushed a few tables together and sat down.

Van pursed his lips and glanced at Gage . The two of them exchanged a long look before they both nodded. The silent communication thing was impressive, but it worried me. Van heaved a sigh, then looked at the people sitting around the table. Gage nudged Isaac , who was sitting closest to my family at the other end of the table. He leaned forward and boisterously regaled my parents and siblings with some story about when some wolf shifters had captured him and tried to ride him like a horse. His animated tale captivated everyone except Justin , who was watching my end of the table with keen interest.

" This can't go any further, but we've been meaning to bring you into the loop. Any extra eyes on the situation would be welcome."

I swallowed. I shouldn't be brought into any loop. I liked living loopless.

Then I paused and thought about that. That seemed like old me talking. New me wasn't all that different from old me , but if Hayden and the others needed me, I would go. I might not have in the past, but I would now. They'd been there for me when I needed them most, and I would be there for them in return, not out of obligation or debt, but because these people were my friends. My family. I wanted them to be safe and happy.

" We'll help any way we can," Ogden said, echoing my thoughts.

Van rubbed the back of his neck. " We think he's searching for Robbie ."

" Alone ?" I asked.

" Yep ." Van nodded. " The asshole. He keeps forgetting how a pack works. Thinks he isn't the alpha, even though he is absolutely the alpha. Thinks he doesn't have a pack, even though he does. And now he thinks we'll let him go all lone fucking wolf."

" What do you need?" Ogden asked.

" Just … I don't know. Keep an eye out or something. If you see him skulking around, see if you can figure out where he's going."

" Why now? Why go after his brother after all this time?" Normally I'd never ask a question in a setting like this, but everyone else seemed to know about Hayden's nocturnal activities already, so Jeremy , Ash , and the others weren't asking the questions I'd have expected of them.

" I think it started when we found Brodie and Dakota out on Robbie's pack lands, but we haven't seen him in two days. Not since we got back from Aspen Bay ." Van leaned forward. " I guess we haven't told you yet, but Norbert and his team found evidence that Robbie was working with that mage."

" Fuck ," I muttered.

Mama might not have heard anything else we were saying, but she heard me swear. Her head swiveled in my direction so fast it was creepy. Her disapproving gaze locked on mine. I cringed.

" Sorry , Mama ."

She nodded and returned her attention to Isaac , but I expected she'd corner me about my bad language before the end of the night. The tips of my ears were already stinging where I knew she'd pinch them.

" And what about Nelson ? Any word from him yet?" Ogden asked.

He might not have known the unicorn for long, but my mate found Morgan's continued absence a heavy burden. If Gage hadn't agreed with Nelson that Ogden would slow him down, my dragon would have joined the search efforts. It was killing him to be sidelined.

" No ." Gage frowned. " He's still following leads, but this might take some time."

" I understand." Ogden pinched his lips together. " Let me know when I can help." Not if , but when . I didn't want Ogden anywhere near the trafficking investigation because what if we hadn't stopped it all? What if getting involved put another target on his back? But if Ogden needed to do this, I would be at his side, even if I was quivering.

A few minutes later, Jake and Alice came over, balancing two full trays of drinks.

" Here's a round for the heroes of the day," he said as he gave everyone their drink. " On the house."

The freaky cat Paws jumped into the middle of the table and poked his nose into everyone's glass to sniff at them. When he realized none of them were for him, he sat down and scowled at Jake . His tail swished back and forth.

" Hey , where is mine?" Paws demanded .

Jake ignored him as he set my drink in front of me.

My hand curled around the pocket with the whistle. I supposed I should return it to Jake , but I still couldn't part with it. It'd brought Ogden into my life, and I couldn't imagine my life without him now. I owed everything to those three mangy wolves who'd dropped the whistle on the ground all those months ago.

Ogden turned to smile at me, as if guessing my thoughts. And then he was all I could see. It was as if the entire pub full of people disappeared and it was only the two of us.

" I love you, my kitty cat," he said.

" I love you too, Ogden ."

When we kissed, I didn't even care about how my brothers were whistling or how my mama was ah-ing or how the whole pub seemed to have stopped what they were doing to watch us. I was with my dragon and from here on out, I was going to live my eight remaining lives to their fullest.