Page 27 of Daddy's Mail Order Mate

“You do.”

“If I loved to guilt you, would I go make everyone breakfast?”

“Yes.”

Paige pauses, expression clearly running the math on that. But then she just flashes me a bright smile and heads for the door.

“You better be an absolute gentleman when you ask her. And you better let me talk to her alone at some point.”

“If she wants to talk to you,” I counter firmly.

Only when she leaves the room do I look back down at the baby in my arms. He blinks up at me, happy and helpless.

This is all for him.

I lean down and press my forehead to his little head, close my eyes, and steady my resolve.

***

I glance back to my son in the rear view mirror by reflex, using the back seat baby mirror to get to see a glimpse of his smiling face even from the driver’s seat. But I don’t need to rely on it to know that he’s alright.

It still feels so uncanny to not only see someone else back there with him, butGwenof all people. It’s an image so uncomfortably sharp in my heart that I’m glad I have to watch the road most of the time.

“... How’s he doing back there?”

“Just fine,” she answers softly. “How much longer? He could use a change before he gets fussy.”

“Not much longer. My house is close to this pack.”

I see the tension in her shoulders at that word:pack.

A seething urge pulses in me—who had made her so terrified of packs? It couldn’t have just been what happened between us.

If I ever got to find out who burned such fear into her, I would personally see to it that theysuffered.

I shove back the vivid images of torture in my mind and focus on the road in front of me. We’re cruising along nicelywith a pretty sizable caravan by this point, right on the tail of Paige and Liam’s car. The rest of the Portsmill Pack participating in this bond-building exercise are all loaded up in a few rugged trucks and SUVs. It takes a good bit of effort to keep my professional vigilance and skill sets with security at bay. This wasn’t a high risk VIP escort, so I don’t need to be glaring around every corner or be ready to twitch for the gun in my glove compartment.

And it really isn’t much longer. We crest the last little hill and pull up into the main lot nestled nicely along a variety of buildings and homes that served as the nucleus of the local pack.

There’s already a decently sizable crowd out to meet us from the look of things. I pull my car in to park alongside Paige’s with a spare glance back to Gwen. She looks like an animal in a trap, with the tension in her body. But when she locks eyes with me, that anxiety is obscured beneath a hardened gaze and lock of limbs.

“... We can turn back right now, if you’d like.”

But she just shakes her head and starts unbuckling Rowan.

“No. Besides, you need someone to watch the baby when you inevitably get busy around all those wolves.”

I frown but leave it there.

By the time we’re out of the car, Liam and Eli are both shaking hands and sharing a brief brotherly hug. Leading by example, I suppose. And I’m glad to not have to worry too much about their packs anymore. There was some measure of stability in this area now, though only time would tell if they’d both be able to properly secure their territory and authority in the long term.

The Lunas are far less ceremonious, practically squealing in delight as they hurry into a giddy embrace. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Quinn and Paige. They’re practically sisters. I suppose that sets a pretty decent precedent for the packs to like each other.

My attention flicks past them to the crowd. Portsmill members start loading out and Elm Wood folks mill in to greet familiar faces and to help guide them along to the facilities set up for them. The whole event was going to last a few days, but Gwen and I only saw fit to stay for part of it. Regardless of Gwen’s own stance, I’m not too keen on spending too much of my vital time at home needing to handle socializing with the local packs. I just want to take care of my son…

I look over to where Gwen is taking my son’s car seat out, and my eyes lock on how the sunlight catches the coppery curls that dust around her neck and jaw.

Then her gaze lifts with a sweep of lashes and once again, those soulful dark brown eyes meet mine.

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