Page 48 of Reclaiming Home

“Why is it so great?” I asked as I rolled out of bed on her side.

“Because now we’re never leaving! Not that I thought you’d want to leave without giving me a choice, but you know, I still like insurance.” She squeezed Brodie from behind once more, then flopped back on the bed, grinning like a little kid. Suddenly,she got more serious and looked at me. “I guess that might be remnants of some trauma, which I will discuss with the therapist I found online while you two were…napping.”

“You found one?” Brodie smiled. “Really?”

“Yeah, and she seems like a good one, too. I might’ve sent a message to Rian from your phone you left downstairs to ask him if it was okay to pick someone as expensive as her, but he said it was fine and he’d pay for it, so you know—” She stopped as she realized I was staring at her, feeling a bit stunned, and she deadpanned, “What? I thought this vampire fella was all our sugar daddy?”

Brodie guffawed and shook his head as he grabbed sweats and a T-shirt from the dresser. “I got to tell him that.”

“No need, I already did!” she said brightly, then burrowed under the covers.

Holding back tears, I grabbed my clothes and rolled my eyes for show, then got dressed and exited the bedroom with Brodie.

“You okay?” he murmured as soon as we were out of earshot.

I held up my hand and concentrated on getting downstairs in one piece, mentally and physically. Once in the kitchen, I leaned on the counter and pressed a hand over my mouth as my eyes filled with tears.

Brodie came to me and pulled me into his chest, then kept petting me until I was ready to make words happen.

“It’s just… she appeared so young and happy suddenly? Playful and like… like a weight had fallen off her?”

He nodded solemnly, then smiled. “I noticed. It was the first time she really felt like a teenager. I’m glad she found a therapist and I think it’s important we let her find and choose one for herself.”

“Oh absolutely.” I wiped my cheeks and reached for a paper towel. I mopped my eyes and blew my nose, then sighed as I letthe tension out. “She lost the last couple of years. She was… lost, when she was supposed to be a kid, still.”

“Whatever she needs. Or you,” Brodie said firmly.

Smiling and feeling disbelief over this wonderful man, I asked, “Coffee and mate talk?”

He smiled back. “That sounds like a good idea. Let me go see if we have cookies.”

We sat at the table with our treats, and I quickly skimmed through the rest of the chapter on mates in Dr. Finlay’s paper.

“So what she’s saying is basically that you’re now my service Dom,” I teased, as I stuffed a snickerdoodle in my mouth.

Brodie grinned. “Pretty much.” He sipped his coffee, then hummed thoughtfully. “Being someone’s mate means that you do everything to make them safe and comfortable. Kind of like a good Dominant would.”

I brightened. “But with added perks because you’re anactualDom!”

He burst out laughing and I might’ve started to fall in love with him at that moment.

“Yeah, I suppose. But seriously though, did the good doc mention about the negative side that can happen to the wolf?”

“Like going overboard to the detriment of themselves?”

“Exactly. It’s a fine line when all your instincts are telling you to do everything in your power to make sure your mate is cared for. That means part of your job is to make sure I don’t forget myself.”

I waved my hand dismissively. “So not an issue. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a caretaker type, too. So is Carys. I’m pretty sure we’ll be the most well taken care of pack ever.”

Brodie’s expression sort of melted into what I would call “wolfy heart eyes.”

That reminded me. “Hey, are Ben and Max there yet?”

“Oh shit, yeah, let me check my phone.” He went to get it from the counter where Carys had left it to charge. “Okay, there’s a layover note from both the guys and Rian who they kept up to date, and then another set of messages from when they arrived in Seattle. He’s taking them to dinner and then they’ll stay at Rian’s place overnight. They’re going to sign up for the rehab tomorrow morning.”

I nodded, more happiness filling my chest. “I’m glad. You got to them in time.”

Brodie came back to sit with me. “I wish I’d come here earlier, but then I don’t know there was anything I could’ve done to Rusty then. Not that I liked having to kill him or even did it consciously, but….”

---