their world.
Another unique feature of the pack was the compound they called home. The property was once owned by Zaire, a very powerful awen, but she’d agreed to let Nick take over the land. It was another one of those mysteries of Nick.
Brooks had known Zaire since her son was a baby. She was tough as nails, and no one other than the hellhounds had ever been allowed anywhere near her home. Even then, from the way he’d heard it, she only let the alpha of the hellhounds know exactly where she lived.
Fast-forward to now and her formerly peaceful compound was bustling with life. Her son had been claimed by a lion as part of his pack, and there wasn’t a lot of peace in sight anymore. There was construction and forty kids and caregivers and security.
Nick’s roar pulled Brooks out of his thoughts. The kids all took off running. They loved Nick, another thing that had surprised almost everyone. Nick wasn’t your typical kid-loving kind of guy, but he was perfect for them. Brooks had seen with his own two eyes how Nick was able to comfort all of the kids. They knew without a doubt they were safe with their alpha, and that was the most important thing.
The Goddess truly knew what she was doing.
Brooks automatically began walking toward Nick with the girls still clinging to his back. Sam stayed behind, probably going into the kitchen to help make snacks, because Nick’s arrival meant nap time was right on schedule. The girls were suspiciously quiet as they got closer to their alpha.
Normally, by now they’d have slipped off his back and run with the others. Brooks didn’t sense any distress from them, but he continued to walk slowly, curious as to what had caused the change in behavior.
Then the scent hit him. He almost stumbled.
The most perfect aroma he’d ever smelled filled his nose. The bright, crisp scent of approaching rain on a hot afternoon. He walked a little faster.
The girls’ hearts began to race… not with fear, though. They were excited. Once he was close enough, he saw the man sitting in the middle of the road next to Nick.
He looked shell-shocked.
He smelled human.
And perfect.
Brooks breathed as the human turned and their eyes met. Everything else ceased to exist. The girls slipped from his back. They walked closer to the human. Brooks wanted to stop them… but he didn’t.
The human was safe. The alpha had let him onto the property. Nothing would happen to his girls.
Daisy touched the man’s smooth cheek. The human broke his stare with Brooks to look at her.
Brooks moved closer.
The human looked at him once more.
Marigold smiled. “We knew you would come.”
The girls turned and sat on the human’s lap.
Brooks’s heart skipped a beat.
He moved closer, everything happening in slow motion.
The human looked so overwhelmed. He glanced at Nick, seeking the alpha’s comfort, no doubt. But Nick didn’t need to comfort him. That was Brooks’s job now. He hurried closer and sat in front of them.
The girls smiled up at him.
“Pack,” Daisy said with a grin. She grabbed the man’s hand and dragged his arm around her.
“Pack,” Marigold agreed.
Brooks leaned in and rubbed his nose on their cheeks. He raised his head, eye to eye with the human. His entire world changed in an instant as deep brown eyes met his.
The human moved his head to the side, some instinct from long ago telling him what to do. Brooks leaned in and licked his neck carefully before moving back again.
“Brooks?”
The alpha’s voice barely drew his attention. He wanted to look, but that meant tearing his eyes away from his human… his mate. Brooks couldn’t help the whimper he made, and the alpha knelt by his side.
“Brooks?”
“He’s okay, Alpha,” Daisy said.
“Is he?” Nick asked.
“Yep,” Marigold replied.
Brooks finally managed to look away from the human and turned to the alpha. Nick rested his hand on Brooks’s neck and smiled. “Come on. Let’s get everyone back up to the house. Sam still here?”
Brooks managed a nod.
“Good. Come on. Girls, climb back on. Brooks will give you a ride. I’m gonna help Toby up. He’s a little shocked right now.”
Toby. His human’s name was Toby.
Toby. His mate.
The girls did as their alpha asked and climbed onto Brooks’s back. Brooks moved to Toby’s side, and his mate placed his hand on Brooks’s head. Brooks didn’t think he realized he was doing it, but he was as drawn to Brooks as Brooks was to him.
He wanted to howl at