Page 53 of Kodiak's Heart

Chapter Seventeen

Laramie had made them shower again before he’d agreed to head back to the main lodge. There’d been fresh clothes left in a bag on the porch for them, and the scent lingering on the bag let Emersyn know it was Matheus she had to thank. She was eager to find Ruby and see for herself that her little girl was okay. It was late though, and she didn’t expect Ruby to still be awake. Emersyn also wanted to thank Xandra. Whatever their differences, Xandra had stepped in and helped when she was needed.

It was quiet when they entered the house.

“Let’s go check the kitchen,” Laramie said, tugging her through the dining room. “I’m starving. You?”

She dropped her gaze to the ever-present bulge in his jeans and grinned. “I could eat.”

“Woman, you’ll be the death of me,” he growled, pulling her close and kissing her breathless.

She was still reeling when he tugged her the rest of the way into the kitchen. Neither of them were prepared for the group that seemed to be waiting for them. All of his brothers were there, along with Holt, Jaeda, and Sidia. They all stood when Laramie and Emersyn entered.

Matheus was the first one to step forward. He had a huge grin on his face. “Welcome to the family, Em.” He hugged her tight, lifting her off her feet as he squeezed.

Slade was next, wrapping her in a hard hug. “Welcome!”

Brock gave her a one arm hug. “Hell, I didn’t even know there were any female Kodiaks in existence.”

“My dad believed I was the last one,” she admitted.

“Makes sense he’d want to hide you then,” Jensen said, drawing her attention to him.

“What?” There was no way Laramie had the opportunity to tell his brothers what she’d shared yet. How could Jensen know that?

“If he hadn’t hidden you, we would have heard about you,” Jensen stated. “You’d have had every male bear beating down the door to try to win you for a mate.”

Laramie growled.

“Instead,” Jensen continued, “you got stuck with the head… What is it Xandra used to describe us, Declan? Hollow-dickhead?”

Emersyn laughed. She could easily imagine the other woman firing that out when in a temper. “Fitting,” she assured them, and Laramie hauled her up against him with another growl.

“For the record, Declan and Laramie are the dickheads,” Koby assured her, but his mate’s laugh led Emersyn to believe otherwise.

“They all have their moments,” Holt told her while Jaeda nodded in agreement from her spot snuggled against her mate.

“Now, wait a minute,” Declan argued. “Laramie, I’ll give you, but not me. I’m practically a saint.”

They all burst into laughter. The comradery was easy to see. The only alpha she’d ever seen was her father. She’d never seen him relax with anyone the way Laramie did with his family. Her mate might be alpha, but he didn’t hold himself apart from the others the way her father always had. They joked and teased and laughed, including her and the other mates in it. They were obviously very close to one another. She wanted so badly to be one of them. Wanted this type of family bond for Ruby and Malachi.

“Where’s Ruby?” she asked.

“She hasn’t left Xandra since the incident in the woods. My mate got her cleaned up and fed. Then took her to Laramie’s room. When I was there, about ten minutes ago, they’d both fallen asleep,” Declan said. “She won’t hurt her, Em.”

“I know,” Emersyn assured him. “She was there when I needed her help. I’ll always be grateful for that.”

He nodded as if he’d needed to know she understood.

“Eat first, Em,” Laramie ordered, dropping a kiss on her brow before moving toward the stove.

“There are two plates keeping warm,” Koby told them. “I loaded them up. Figured you’d be starving after everything.”

Warmth flush Emersyn from head to toe. Was he talking about all the sex she and Laramie had indulged in?

“I believe my mate was referring to your shifting,” Sidia told her with a grin then winked. “But I’m sure what you’re thinking of helped.”

They all laughed again.

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