was very close to his. He’d spoken of her often in our conversations. I really hoped she liked me, even a little bit.
“We’ll go look later today. Do you have a number, so we can set it up?”
I nodded. “I can get it from my brother or Raina.”
“Make the call.” He held out his hand to me. “Ready?”
“To show off my amazing mate to the pack? Absolutely!”
“I think that’s my line,” he murmured, giving me another kiss. Before it could get too heated, I pulled away, tugging on him to follow me downstairs. I knew my brother, and his appearance this morning said he wasn’t waiting any longer. I figured part of it was checking on me, to make sure I was happy. That Hannibal was treating me right. I didn’t think Bastion wanted to know how right my mate was treating me, but I’d make sure he knew I was ecstatically happy. And I’d talk to him about my mate and me staying, being a part of the James Pack.
“He’s in the den,” Raina said as we reached the main floor. Then she raced over and caught me up in a hug. “I’m so happy for you. God, you’re glowing. And you!”
She moved right into Hannibal and gave him a solid squeeze. My mate didn’t seem to know how to respond to that. He sort of patted her shoulder and looked toward me with a bit of panic on his face. It was obvious he wasn’t used to near strangers hugging him. But Raina was my sister-in-law, and once she decided she liked someone, she was openly affectionate. It drove my brother nuts. She was so good for him.
“Go on in. I’ve got to go check on a patient, but I’ll be back soon. Maybe, we can hang out and have some girl chat.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me and laughed as she headed out the door.
“She’s a whirlwind,” Hannibal stated with a shake of his head.
“She’s fierce and loyal and the perfect match for my brother. I knew she was meant for him when I saw her picture on Bastion’s desk.”
“Her picture?”
“The old Rigton Pack came to my brother and asked him to take them in. Even suggested Raina as a potential mate to sweeten the offer. One look at her and my brother was in love. Said she would be his mate or no deal.”
“And she fell in line with that?” Hannibal questioned, his expression clearly one of doubt.
I shook my head. “Complacent isn’t in her description.”
We walked into the den, hand-in-hand, smiling at each other. I was surprised to see Bastion in there alone. Usually Cyan or Taylor were with him. Or Simon. Simon was almost always with him or lingering somewhere nearby. He was my brother’s private guard, though most didn’t realize that. Simon gave off a bookish, non-threatening vibe, but he was as lethal as any of the inner circle, equally deadly in human or wolf form.
“Glad to see you’re both alive,” my brother muttered, bracing his elbows on his desk as he took visual inventory of us. “Have a seat and let’s talk.”
Hannibal went to lead me to the chairs facing Bastion’s desk, but I shook my head and pointed toward the sitting area on the other side of the room by the fireplace.
“I saw Raina on her way out,” I offered as I took a seat on the couch and pulled Hannibal down next to me.
“She’s gone to check on our guests,” my brother stated, standing and coming around his desk to join us. “Something we need to discuss. Makers and Hutch are ready for travel. You can leave in the morning. Longer than that, I can’t guarantee they’ll be alive for the trip.”
“We’ve got plans this afternoon, but we can be ready to go by morning,” Hannibal replied.
“You. Belinda can stay here. There’s no point in dragging her with you when you’ll be heading right back.”
“Belinda goes with me,” Hannibal stated softly, but there was no missing the edge in his voice.
“We’re going to look at that house that just went up for sale. We’ll need our own place and—”
“You’re staying with the pack?” Bastion questioned.
I nodded. “That’s okay, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” I heard the relief in his voice, and it nearly broke me. “You can live here. You don’t need to move out.”
“Not happening,” Hannibal said with a laugh.
“Fine, if that’s the place you want, we’ll go look at it. Put a bid on it.”
“Belinda and I are going to