Chapter 5

Lachlan

The guys arrived much too soon. I wasn't ready to be whisked away from my family, despite my agreement to be a part of this mission.

Bleary-eyed and tired, I wandered downstairs and into the kitchen following the smells of fresh eggs and toast. A plate of cheese and Vegemite sat on the table next to the food, making my mouth water. I piled eggs onto a plate and grabbed a couple pieces of toast, slathering on the butter, and then Vegemite before topping it with a slice of cheese.

This was not something I could get back home, and I planned to enjoy it every day while I could.

Sinking my teeth into the salty goodness, I let out a little moan of appreciation.

"What the hell did you just eat?" Michael asked, startling me.

I looked around the room to find him, Colin, Linc, Tucker, and Walker all staring down at me.

"When did you buggers get here?"

"You were walking like the dead and completely ignored us. I'm heartbroken," Colin joked.

"It's like you didn't miss us at all," Tucker added.

"Mum, did you meet all the team?"

"I did. They've been here for about an hour, but I didn't want them to wake you. I know you and the kids were up late last night."

Keeping up with the kids made me feel ridiculously old.

"Are they up yet?" I asked.

"I just heard them stirring. They should be down soon."

"I'm assuming you want to head out soon, but first you have to meet the kids."

"Kids?"

"Yeah, my brothers and sister."

"You have siblings?" Walker asked. "I didn't know."

In truth, I spent most of my days listening to them and their lives. I rarely had time to share about mine.

"Michael was just telling me that you'll likely be gone for just a few days and then they'll return you for the rest of your vacation," Mum said.

I knew she was going to get her hopes up, and a mission could go sideways in the blink of an eye, so I hadn't given her a timeframe estimation. Now she'd be counting down the days and waiting up for me.

Four sets of footsteps ran down the stairs, talking excitedly, and then they froze at the kitchen door.

"Not yet," Hannah whined as she raced into my arms.

"Afraid so, banana-girl."

She wrapped her arms tightly around my neck until I had to reposition her before she choked the life out of me.

"Guys, this is my baby sister, Hannah. And these guys over here are my brothers: Toby, Jack, and Tom."

"This is my team. Our leader, Michael." He gave a little wave, as did each of the rest of them as I listed off their names.

"Promise you'll bring him back," Hannah demanded of Michael.

"I promise," he assured her.

We hung out and talked with my family for a while longer. I hated that Dad was off to work already and not able to meet the team, but I really didn't know they'd be here, and I already said goodbye to him last night.

On the drive over to the airport, they kept looking at me funny.

"I still can't believe you never mentioned your family to us," Walker said.

"Your brothers are just a little younger than my kids," Michael said.

"It's not that big a deal," I insisted.

I wasn't great at letting people in and sharing my family history and personal information with them. Maybe it was why I had gone into psychology to begin with. It put all the focus on others and not on me.

"Do we need to talk about it?" Colin teased.

I just rolled my eyes and stared out the window as we drove through the city to a remote airport just on the outskirts.

When we arrived and got out, someone called out my name.

"Lachie!"

I turned around to find a bloke I'd gone to school with. I wouldn't exactly call Siggy a friend, but we'd got on well enough.

I'd attended a mostly normal, human school until going away to the ARC. There were shifter schools here, mostly boarding schools though. I hadn't wanted to go away and my parents hadn't forced me.

I nodded my acknowledgment.

"Hey mate. It's been a while."

"Mate? Lachlan has a mate?" Tucker whispered low enough that I knew Siggy wouldn't pick up on it, though my canine ears heard him loud and clear.

"And he's gay? What the hell is going on?" Colin asked.

I elbowed him in the rib cage. And talked to Siggy a bit more.

"Are you on this flight?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Good on you. Heard you were living in America."

He suddenly broke out into song with a random mix of songs starting with "Living in America" and ending with Miley Cyrus's "Party in the USA."

What a togger.

"Good to see you, Siggy. I think we're boarding now."

"It's good to see you, yeah. Catch you later, mate."

"Mate? What's going on here?" Colin asked.

"Mate just means friend here. Stop being such an arse. If I'd found my mate, you'd all know it because I won't fight that bond. I'll mark her as mine right there on the spot."

Walker snorted.

"Mating isn't that easy," Linc assured me.

"Maybe not for you, but I've watched and learned a few things. Fighting a mating bond just causes unnecessary conflict."

"So your prescribed conflict resolution is just to claim her before you even know her?" Michael asked.

I shrugged. "Saves a lot of bullshit I watched you all go through."

They all stared at me and then burst out laughing.

"I can't wait for the day you do find her."

"You have no idea," Walker said.

"What if your mate's an Annie? No offense, Tucker," Colin said.

"None taken. I mean, even she had a true mate out there somewhere."

I cursed under my breath. "It wouldn't be the same," I insisted.

There was no way for me to know that for sure, but I had to believe that if Tucker's ex-mate had found her true mate, that she would have been a very different person with him. Her miserable life was most likely due to choosing the wrong mate. She didn't have to also make his life equally miserable, but in a way I could see how that was an emotional cry for help, which she unfortunately never received.

Then there was the idea that if everyone has one true mate out there somewhere, what happened to Annie's? Will that poor bloke just go through life never finding his true mate because she died young? And if that's the case, what did that mean for me? What if my mate had died too and I spend my entire life pining for a woman that simply does not exist?

That thought made me sick to my stomach.

"He's mentally spiraling," Linc pointed out. "I know that look. Christine does it all the time."

The guys sniggered, but I couldn't deny it.

"Just relax. Your mate is out there somewhere. We'll find her," Michael assured me.

I sure hoped he was right.

Needing something to refocus on to get my head straight, I looked down at my feet.

"Shit! I left my thongs on."

"Excuse me?" Michael asked.

"Why the hell are you wearing thongs?" Walker asked.

"They make thongs for men? Seriously?" Colin inquired.

"Lachie apparently likes flossing his butt cheeks," Tucker teased

"Flip flops, you arseholes. How many times do I have to explain that one to you? I wasn't expecting you to be at the house and I didn't change before we left."

"Your boots are in your bag though, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then you're fine. Change when we arrive."

"Okay, yeah."

"Why does everyone around here say ‘yeah' all the time? It's more than just yes. You over use it like grapes on a boujee board," Linc said.

"What the hell is a boujee board?" Colin asked.

"You know, like a board covered with meats, cheese, and fruits. That sort of stuff. People always overuse the grapes."

"Dude, I'm about to revoke your man-card. What the hell are you talking about?"

"I think he means charcuterie board," Michael clarified.

"That thing," Linc confirmed. "Chris has been obsessed with them lately."

"She made a nice one for Lindsey and I. I didn't think she overused the grapes."

"Too many green ones on the board she brought over for me and Abby. I totally get what you mean," Tucker said. "We really liked what she did with the brie."

"I can't even believe we're having this conversation. Boujee boards, grapes, and cheese? What is happening here?" I asked.

They all just stared at me as if I were the one saying something ridiculous.

"I'll have her make you one when you get home. You'll see what I mean," Linc said.

I highly doubted it, but I didn't say as much. At this rate, I was going to have to confiscate all their man-cards, though I suspected their mates already did that.

Maybe I really wasn't ready for a mate of my own if this is what it would reduce me to.

It felt a bit like we'd somehow entered the twilight zone, but it also made our short flight to the Whoop Whoop seem even shorter. We were landing in no time.

"Welcome to Campbell Tribe," Michael announced.

I groaned. We were even further out in the bush than I thought.

From what little I knew, they were one of the most backwoods Tribe in all of Australia. What the hell were we doing here?