CHAPTER 11

LUCA

Wrapping my arms around Renee, I gave her a hug to say goodbye, which was returned as I knew it would be. Then, pushing it, I decided to kiss her. Just one perfectly innocent kiss on the temple. I couldn’t help myself. Because if what I expected was true, then Miah would make some sort of reaction, and I was right. With my hearing, I’d heard the subtle human growl from Miah. I was hard pushed to keep my grin to myself.

Grumbling at me, Renee pushed me away but stayed within the circle of my arms, “Would you stop?”

Smirking at her, “Nope. Had to have my curiosity satisfied.”

She rolled her eyes at me, “I swear you spend too much time with the cats. There’s no curiosity that needs satisfying.”

“Oh, I beg to differ, my beautiful friend. And mine has been fully satisfied.”

“Well, it shouldn’t be, because nothing is coming from whatever it is you think is happening.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” I informed her. “We’ll see.”

Her eyes turned serious, “No, Luca. Nothing is going to happen. We had this conversation last night, remember?”

Narrowing my eyes at her, I see she is serious, “So you know he’s your mate. I wasn’t sure if you would.”

I watch as tears well in her eyes, and my eyes trace the one that ran down her cheek. “I knew as soon as you arrived. But like I said, nothing is going to come of it. Miah is human and he won’t feel the pull like I will, not if you leave. It will get better with the distance.”

I wasn’t sure that she was right, but I’d leave it for now as I could see my friend was hurting. “Okay, I’ll leave it for now, but if you need me, you call. Promise me, Renee, I’m not leaving until you do.”

Renee nods, before hugging me once again, “I promise, Luca, I’ll call if I need you,” she assures me.

Squeezing my friend tight, “Okay, sweets, now wipe those tears, smile like you mean it, and I’ll get out of here and go bug someone else.”

With a last sniffle, Renee smiles up at me, I press a last kiss to her forehead and wave at Anton, who is impatiently hooting at me to get a move on and walk to the driver’s side of the vehicle I’m driving, smiling a little at the glare I’m getting from Miah. Jumping in, I wave one more time as we move out.

“You did that on purpose,” Sam states from the back seat.

My eyes meet his in the rearview mirror and I nod, “Yep.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s his mate, but she won’t claim him because of family history, and I was hoping to push him enough for him to make a move.”

Drake snorts next to me, “Miah isn’t the type to be pushed, and he’s been around shifters enough to know about mates. He probably thinks you have something going on. You forget he’s human; he’s not going to recognise his mate like we would. Right now, he’s wondering if she’s a woman you regularly sleep with.”

Shuddering at the thought, I reply, “Ugh, NO! That would be like sleeping with my sister. Renee is and always will be my friend. All four of the girls have always been like sisters to us.”

Drake looks at me with amusement, “So definitely nothing going on with you and her then.”

Shaking my head, “Nope, but I want her happy, and she’s determined to let past history get in the way of that. But I’m not averse to a little matchmaking if, in the end, my family is happy. Even if it means pushing a little.”

“What’s the story then? Maybe we can help. Much like you, we’d like our friends and family to be happy,” Sam affirms.

Thinking on it, I wonder if I should tell them about the Moore family history. It’s not as if it’s a secret, most of the families that live around these parts know about it. Making a decision, I figure that it won’t hurt, especially as they all seem intent on making this part of the world their home.

For the next hour, I fill them in on the four families that are sworn to protect this small part of the world, the Chief, the curse and how it has affected everyone’s lives. By the time I’m done, they’re wide eyed at all the history I’ve thrown at them.

“So let me get this straight,” Drake says, “because of the curse, Renee thinks she’s better off alone as she won’t have children.”

“Yep,” I answer with a nod.

“That’s nuts! What would have happened if her mate had been a shifter? There’s no way she’d have been able to hold out,” Sam declares heatedly from the back seat.

“Yep,” I again agree before continuing, “that’s why I’m going to do whatever I can to throw Miah in her path. But I’m going to need help. As soon as I can, I’ll contact Dex and get him up to speed. With all of us working together, we can make it happen.”

“What she doesn’t know is that Miah is perfect for her and not just because he’s her mate,” Sam declares.

I catch his eyes in the mirror but see that Drake is nodding in agreement next to me.

“Yeah? Why?”

“Miah can’t have children; he had an accident as a child, and it made him sterile. It’s one of the reasons he doesn’t get involved in relationships because like Renee, he thinks not being able to have children would put someone off. Which is stupid because there are other ways to be parents. If you are serious and he is definitely her mate, then yes, I’m in to help. Jeremiah is one of the best men I know,” Sam declares, a determined glint in his eye.

“Oh, he’s definitely her mate,” I assure them, happier now that there is a plan in place. Renee doesn’t know it but her days of doing everything alone are done.

The rest of the journey is spent learning about their team and what they did in the military and the reason they ended up here. I liked them all, and I knew that the security checks we did would come back clear. I was already thinking of ways we could utilise their skills. I’d bring it up with Anton and then we could take it to the meeting next month.