Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,61
Dubois.”
“Package deal?”
“Would so appear. Is this going to be a problem?”
“I’ll have Archie run a thorough background check. All foxes?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I doubt we’ll have any trouble approving them. When are you planning on heading back?”
“Tomorrow,” I said.
“With them?”
“Yes, sir. I have a debriefing scheduled for ten hundred hours Monday morning. I won’t miss it.”
“We can make an exception and give you an extension.”
“Not necessary. The girls have assured me they’ll be ready. They are packing now.”
“Uh, okay. How’s Nonna holding up on the trip?”
“She’s fine. Minus the fact it took me two full days to make the drive because she wants to stop every hour, it’s been good. I think she’s rather enjoying herself.”
“The entire Pack knows of her desire for you to take a mate, so I bet she’s thrilled.”
I groaned. “I’m sure she’ll be pressuring me for pups next.”
“So you’ve decided to accept this girl as your mate and plan to seal the bond?”
“You sound surprised by that.”
“You’ve always been a cautious one, Tarron.”
I chuckled. “I guess I have. Keeps the team safe though.”
“That it does. So you didn’t answer the question, though I assume the fact you’re moving her, and her family here means you aren’t fighting this?”
“We didn’t fight it at all.”
He was silent for a moment. “You’ve already sealed your bond?”
“The first second possible.”
“And she’s okay with this?”
“Yes.” Why wouldn’t she be? His question gave me an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I knew that it wasn’t uncommon for couples to fight the calling of a mating bond. I could sort of understand that with all the heightened emotions it sends coursing through your body, but bonding had also calmed much of that. Now my only concerns and fears stemmed from an overactive imagination and my brain, not my emotions. If I just remembered to listen to my heart and not my head then everything was fine.
“I’m really happy for you. There is nothing greater than the bond of true mates, my friend. Let me run and get these checks done. I’ll call if anything turns up, but I’m sure we’ll be fine. Actually, I’d be surprised if Archie hasn’t already run background checks on each of these women already in his hunt for Sonnet.”
I smiled and nodded, feeling stupid when it dawned on me that he couldn’t see me.
“Thanks, Patrick. Um, could you do me a favor though?”
“That depends on the favor.”
“Just don’t tell my team yet, not even Silas. I’ll tell him myself.”
“Before or after you arrive back?” he asked but there was a hint of humor coating his voice.
“Undecided.”
“Fair enough. Have a safe trip home.”
As I disconnected the call, I got out of my car and walked into the hotel. There was a crowd of people sitting around the lobby laughing and talking and right there at the very center of it all was my Nonna. I shook my head, wishing I were surprised, but that was just Nonna.
“There’s my handsome grandson!” she exclaimed when she saw me.
“I was just telling everyone how you met the love of your life right here passing through Womack. Where is Susan? I want her to meet my new friends.”
I tried not to groan. “She’s with her sisters. I just swung by to check in with you. We’re still on target to leave in the morning.”
“Isn’t he a sweet boy? He takes such good care of me.”
The others all voiced their agreement. I smiled uncomfortably. She did stuff like this around the Pack all the time so I shouldn’t at all be surprised she would be any different with a group of complete strangers.
“You remember Mr. Johnston,” she started.
“Yes of course, the laptop issues,” I said shaking the man’s hand.
“Bill, please. I just can’t thank you enough for helping me. And your Nonna, why she’s something, simply amazing.”
I smiled. She was truly amazing, often irritatingly so.
“And this is Nancy and Peter. They’re from Connecticut and are road tripping across the country. Can you even believe it? I told them to stop on by if they came near San Marco.”
I shot her a look like she’d lost her mind. She was inviting humans into the Pack territory to visit her now? I shook my head. It was time to get Nonna home.
She rattled off a few more names that I didn’t catch before I faked a text and excused myself telling her Susan needed me be back at the house to help pack.
Susan
Chapter 20
We had no idea where we were going or what to expect.