Page 48 of Broken Chains

When Brady got home, I poked my head out into the hallway and told him to grab his brothers and meet me in the playroom.

“Sure thing. Let me just clean up real quick,” he said.

Brady and I had certainly had our moments of disagreements over the years, but ever since we’d moved out of the trailer park, away from our pack, he’d been far more agreeable, less argumentative, and much more relaxed, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Just as the three of them finally came downstairs, Peyton yelled it was fifteen minutes until dinnertime. That gave me just enough time to clue them in.

“Hey, come in, sit down. We need to talk,” I said.

“You’ve finally gotten your head out of your ass and decided to claim Peyton?” Brady asked.

My mouth dropped open, then I quickly closed it.

“You sort of stunk up the entire upstairs with your mating scent. Why do you think Kenneth and I have been locked in our rooms with the doors closed all evening?” Tim said.

I laughed, unable to feel bad about it. “Well, I won’t apologize for it, but I will try to keep it reined in.”

“So, it’s true then? You and Peyton?” Brady asked.

“You guys okay with that?” I asked cautiously, avoiding his question.

“Hell yeah,” Kenneth said.

“About time,” Tim admitted.

“You going to take her as a mate?” Brady asked.

I grinned. “Already did.”

I showed them the bond mark she left on my neck as they all stared in shock.

“Wow, when you jump, you jump fast,” Tim said.

“So we get to stay?” Kenneth asked, trying to contain his excitement.

“The house was half ours already. Peyton had it put equally in my name because she wanted to make sure Thomas couldn’t claim it for Collier Pack. It makes it neutral territory and a safe place for all of us. But yes, Kenneth, we aren’t going anywhere. This is our home now for as long as you guys choose to live here.”

“Okay, new house rules,” Brady said. “If the bedroom door is closed, knock for an emergency; otherwise, stay away. None of us want to walk in, in the middle of you two going at it.”

“Gross,” Kenneth confessed, scrunching up his nose in disgust.

I just laughed. “Deal.”

“I heard newly mated couples go at it a lot,” Tim said.

“We’ll try to keep it to a minimum,” I said, unsure I’d be able to keep that promise.

“Don’t worry. I have a dampener back in my old room that I’ll pick up tomorrow. You won’t even be forced to listen,” Peyton promised from the doorway. I hadn’t even noticed she was standing there. “Are we good?” she asked, biting her lip with nervousness.

Kenneth jumped up and hugged her. “Never better, sis.”

She grinned from ear to ear. “Well, come on then, dinner’s ready.”

* * * * *

The next two weeks were the greatest weeks of my life. I moved across the hall to the bedroom I now shared with Peyton. We opened the nursery to the hallway, so the boys didn’t need to walk through our room to help with Eve anymore.

Tim’s graduation came and went. I couldn’t have been prouder to see him walk across that stage and accept his diploma. Peyton invited her entire family over and threw him a big celebration. It was the first time I met her mother and both her sisters from Westin Pack who flew in just for the occasion. I was overwhelmed by their excitement and willingness to welcome me and my family into theirs.

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