I hugged him. “Dad, we aren’t going to just disappear. We’ll be back for visits and there’s always video messaging. I can’t just take Macie from here. We have too many people we love here. But Mace and I are going with him. It’s a trial period.”
He frowned and shook his head. “Trial? Is that why you’ve held off bonding? Listen to an old fool, Olive, and jump. It’s the most natural thing in the world and like I said, life is too short.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I just squeezed him tighter. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too.”
Baine
Chapter 23
We stuck around for three more days. Pike’s words still weighed heavily on me. I hadn’t expected redemption when I came here. I didn’t think I’d accept it so I had no idea how much I needed it. Making amends with Pike, Killian, and Kano meant the world to my mate, but it meant the world to me too, more than I was willing to admit.
Much to Macie’s delight, the plane arrived to take us home two days before her big test. With that stress gone, she could barely contain her excitement.
I knew I didn’t have much to offer them. I made good money and had more than I’d ever need tucked away in savings, but I lived in the Lodge. It was really a nice hotel suite. There was no bed for Macie and I knew it was going to be too small for the three of us.
I had called Cole and Kyle to discuss my situation. Kyle offered me a house in San Marco. Despite all my talk about how safe the wolves were, the truth was I’d never lived inside their territory. The Lodge was strategically just outside Westin Pack borders. Technically they owned the Lodge and all the surrounding land too, but it wasn’t considered part of their territory. I had no idea how the Pack would handle a family of bears moving in.
After voicing my concerns to the both of them, we agreed on renting for a trial period and if that wasn’t working out then I had permission to build on Lodge land.
Macie had been approved to go to school in San Marco too. There were only shifters who attended, but they were all wolves with the exception of Kyle’s nephew, Oscar, who was several years older than Macie. Suddenly I was beginning to second guess everything. Maybe it would be best if we just stayed in the Clan. I was sure I could pick up a job doing something.
Every time that thought crossed my mind, I looked at one of my Bravo Team brothers and knew I couldn’t do that to them. I was so torn.
On the day of our departure, I shook hands with Kano and thanked him for everything. I’d already said my goodbyes to Pike. Felix hugged me while Tori and Resa attacked Olivia and Macie.
Killian hung back, just watching. Once I’d said goodbye to everyone I cared to, I walked over to stand next to him. We stood there quietly for a bit until I nudged him with my elbow.
Kill shook his head but smiled. “Promise me you’ll look after them.”
“Killian, protecting your sister has always been the most important job in my life, even if it meant leaving her behind so she wouldn’t have to face my death by the hand of your father.”
“I don’t think it would have come to that,” he said softly.
“You can say that now in hindsight, but in the moment, I know you would have been standing there cheering him on the whole way.”
He sighed. “You’re probably right.” He stared across the way to where they were huddled. “I’m going to miss that kid so much.”
I smacked his shoulder. “I have no idea what our future holds, but one thing I’m positive of is that Olivia will never let Macie grow up in a world without all of you. They’ll be video messaging so much it’ll drive you crazy.”
“Will you let them come back for visits?”
I snorted. “Let them? I truly don’t have a death wish, you know. I couldn’t keep them from coming back here even if I wanted to. Which I don’t. Family’s important. Not having one makes me appreciate that even more.”
“You’ve always had a family right here. Sure, you might be the annoying black sheep, but hey, every family’s got one.” He turned and smirked at me.
I lunged for him and wrapped him up in a choke hold. This time as we wrestled around it was with laughter and not anger.
“Baine,” Silas barked. “It’s time to roll out.”
“Yes, sir. Well, that’s my cue.”
Killian pulled me into a big bear hug. “Take care, brother.”
I had no words, but I nodded solemnly before gathering up Olivia and Macie. They were both crying as we boarded the plane.
I showed them to their seats and sat down with a groan. “Both of you? No. I don’t do tears.”
“With that much estrogen around you might as well get used to it,” Ben teased.
They all laughed at my expense, but I didn’t care. I felt like the luckiest man on the planet.
*****
It was late when we arrived at the Lodge. They were both too emotionally drained from the day to freak out over my tiny suite. I hadn’t known it before, but the guys told me the couch in our rooms pulled out into a sofa bed. That made for a quick bed for Macie and at least a temporary arrangement for the night.
I had to carry her upstairs from the car and she was out and snoring lightly the second her head hit the pillow.
Olivia took a moment to look around. I could see her brain whirling but couldn’t discern her thoughts.
“I’ve already secured a house in town on a trial basis. We’ll be renting for three months to test it out.”
“But this is where you live?”
I nodded. “I didn’t require much. It’s comfortable enough. There’s housekeeping and its’ super convenient for work, which is in the basement of this building.”
Normally I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone that, but mates were an exception. I didn’t care that we hadn’t officially bonded yet, and Archie would argue that fact. Olivia was my mate.
“It’s very impersonal.”
I shrugged. “It’s just a place to lay my head when I’m in town.”
She sighed. “So you really aren’t in town much then?”
“We’re in town more than I’ve liked to be. I always hated when we were stuck here for days or weeks at a time, but right now, I’m hoping we have a big break before the next away mission strikes.”
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.
“O, I promise that I will do whatever it takes to make this work. If my job becomes a problem between us, I will quit. I love what I do, and I love my team. They are family to me, but you and Macie are my world now. The two of you will always come first even when I’m being called out without warning and it might not feel like it.”
She nodded. “I really have no idea what I’m going to do here, Baine. I mean I’m trying to stay open minded and I’m excited to see the area and meet people, but I’ve worked so hard juggling everything on my own for so long.”
I smirked at her. “You can still be super mom and do all the things if that makes you happy. We do have a salon in town. We can talk to them about taking you on if you want to work, but Olivia, I need you to know that I am prepared to support us. The Force pays for each of us to have a room here, even if we don’t use it. Grant lives in town and keeps a room here for when we return in the middle of the night or know we’re leaving at the crack of dawn. We sometimes have downtime during the regular workday and it’s nice to escape and take a shower in private after a tough workout. He thinks of it more like an office.”