“Yeah, sure. Let’s head back to my place,” Olivia said. I was a little disappointed to hear her invite all her cousins, and her brother, but I knew I had to somehow mend fences and all that shit with them too. It didn’t matter to me, but I knew it was going to be important to my girls.
Together we all walked a short distance to a cabin hidden in the woods. It was exactly the sort of place I wanted to build for them back in San Marco.
“Is this were you live?” I asked.
“Welcome home, Baine,” Macie said as she squeezed my neck.
Home. It had been a long time since I’d really had a home. The smells, the people, the quiet stillness of the forest made it truly feel like home too.
I set Macie down on the porch. “I’m seven, you know. You didn’t need to carry me the whole time.” She rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, I did, short stuff. You’ll understand when you’re older, but it wasn’t easy being away from you and your mom.”
She grinned, then disappeared into the house.
“What? No tour?” I yelled after her.
Olivia took my hand. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”
The cabin wasn’t big, but it was everything they could need. The best part was that it was coated in the scents of my two favorite people.
I sniffed the air and smiled.
“You seem to do that a lot.”
“What?”
“Smell, I guess.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Sorry. I know it’s not as commonly used for bear shifters, but I guess in my line of work I’ve picked up some safe habits from the wolves.”
“Wolves?” Resa asked. Her eyes were the size of saucers.
I settled down onto the couch and pulled Olivia into my lap.
“Yes, wolves.”
“But, aren’t they dangerous?”
I shook my head. “No more so than we are. Actually, my best friend is a wolf. He’s pretty great.”
I saw Killian flinch and it made my jaw set. What did he think—that we’d just instantly pick up where we left off? Or really before that because I never wanted to return to that point in life where I last saw him. The pain and betrayal of that day still hurt. My eyes were locked onto his and I wondered what he was seeing in them. Was it the hurt or the anger?
“Are you okay?” Olivia asked me.
I slowly nodded and squeezed her leg in reassurance. It was so natural and comfortable just being near her and able to touch her whenever I wanted without hiding the fact that I loved her.
“So what are they like?” Tori questioned.
“Where do you live?” Felix asked.
“Are all those people that came with you wolves?” Resa wondered.
“This isn’t supposed to be an interrogation,” Olivia laughed.
“Where the hell have you been all these years? The whole story,” Killian demanded.
I had told them some things already, but I knew it was time to lay it out.
“After I left here, I was lost for a few years. It was not a time I like to think back on. To be honest, I don’t even really remember a lot of that time in my life. Eventually I started taking on small jobs wherever I could, really. I ended up working with a construction company in a city. Couldn’t tell you which one, because they all blurred together after a while. Turned out I was pretty good at blowing things up. I spent several years perfecting my pyrotechnic habits going from city to city dropping tall buildings without touching the one next door. I was good at it too, still amongst the best in the world.”
“That doesn’t look like a demolition crew you rolled into town with,” Tori pointed out.
“They aren’t. A few years back I was approached by this odd little man. His name is Archie and he’s a mole shifter.”
Felix laughed and I just glared at him. “You’re serious? A mole? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“It’s a big world out there, Felix. Bigger than you can possibly imagine.”
“How much have you seen?” Tori asked with a hint of excitement in her voice. “Have you been to any place cool? Have you been to Paris? Have you seen the Eiffel Tower?”
I snorted. “Do you want to hear the story or talk about places I’ve been.”
“Both,” Resa chimed in.
“Fine, whatever. Yes, I’ve been to Paris. I told you after a while they all look the same. I’d go in for a job, complete it, and leave. I was all about work.”
“Back to the mole. What was he like? Why did he approach you? Did he just say, hey, I’m a mole shifter?”
I laughed. “Sort of, yeah. Archie’s an odd one for sure. He works closely with my unit. He was helping to recruit and decided I had the skills needed.”
“Blowing stuff up is a skill?” Tori snorted.
“More like an art. I’m good at what I do and in my line of work, it comes up as a necessary skill far too often.”
Olivia stayed quiet as I gave them a high-level overview of what we did. I didn’t go into anything concerning or details that would harm the unit in any way.
“And to answer your earlier question, Resa, no they aren’t all wolves. Two of them are gorillas and one’s a fox shifter.”
She gulped hard. “Gorillas?”
“That’s crazy and dangerous, Baine. I’m glad you’re back and safe,” Tori said. I didn’t miss the look she shared with Olivia. They didn’t really think we were staying, did they? Did Olivia want that?
I took a deep breath knowing that was something the two of us would eventually have to discuss in private. I wasn’t going to get into it with her cousins.
“They aren’t dangerous at all. Gorillas are very communal animals and much more even tempered than a bear.” My voice was a little growly, more than I had intended.
Tori’s mouth snapped shut and I knew she’d gotten my warning.
“So where do you live exactly?” Felix asked.
“A remote town in California.”
“Oh, well that’s not as bad as it could be, I guess. Close enough to still visit and all.”
Resa punched him and glared. It was obvious where she and Tori thought my family should settle. If it came down to it, could I move back to the Clan after everything that happened? I didn’t think so, besides, Bravo team was my family now too. I couldn’t just abandon them. What would I even do around here? I was truly only good at one thing and it wasn’t exactly in high demand here.
The fact that I was even giving it this much thought made me sick to my stomach. No, Olivia and Macie would be coming home with me as soon as we had Pike back safely, and the Raglan warehouse complex we knew they were using was leveled, and the area secured.
Sure, I’d let them come back for visits, but I wouldn’t compromise on where we called home.
“Do they even have schools there for Macie?” Tori asked.
I knew she and Olivia were close, but my bear was getting a little restless with her.
“Of course they have schools. A great one actually with all kinds of shifters.”
“But not bear shifters. Would she be the only bear there?”
I really didn’t know the answer to that, but Olivia jumped in first.
“Enough Tori. That’s for me and Baine to discuss and figure out what’s best for our daughter. I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but just stop.” Olivia got up and stomped off to the kitchen. “I need to get dinner started.”