Page 15 of Christopher

Drake wasn’t planning to upset Chris or doing anything stupid. He just wanted a conversation. Hell, he’d be fine with both of them standing in the same room, completely silent. He just needed to reassure himself that he wasn’t going nuts and that he actuallyhadmet his mate. As the days went by, it felt more and more like he might have dreamed it, and he wasn’t ready for that.

Luckily for him, it wasn’t the first time he’d visited the pride. He usually came around to spend time with Dennis, Taylor, and Jacob, so he even had the gate code. He might not be a pride member, but he supposed he could consider himself an honorary tiger or something.

He parked the car as close to the house as he could, then stared ahead for a moment. He’d come all the way here, which thankfully wasn’t far. What did he do now? Did he march inside, demanding to talk to his mate? Did anyone besides Dennis, Jacob, Taylor, and Kyle know about the bond? Drake didn’t think Chris had told anyone else, except maybe his sister.

He wasn’t taking it personally. He understood that Chris was trying to find his footing with the pride. Had he already had time to make friends? Was he talking to them at this moment, perhaps making fun of Drake and how goofy he’d been at the coffee shop?

He couldn’t think like that. He didn’t care what people thought of him or said behind his back.

He got out of his car and strode toward the house before he could panic and go home, but he paused at the front door. He’d come in easily through the gate, but this was different. It was still pride territory, but it was their home, and Drake didn’t want anyone to think that he was invading it or something.

He knocked and took a step back. He didn’t have to wait long for a little girl to open the door. She couldn’t be more than four or five, and she stared at him with big brown eyes.

“Hello,” he said, wondering what now.

“Do you have my food?” she asked.

“I’m afraid I don’t. I’m here to see Chris.”

The girl pouted. “Mommy! My food still isn’t here!”

Dennis appeared from an open door on their left. He grinned at the girl and leaned down to pick her up, swung her up in theair, and made her laugh. “I think your mom’s already warned you about opening the door to strangers,” he said.

“I’m hungry.”

Dennis winked at Drake and put the girl down. “Why don’t you go to the kitchen? I’m sure someone will have a carrot for you.”

The little girl beamed and ran away, leaving Drake feeling even more exhausted than a few minutes in her company warranted.

“You look good with a kid in your arms,” he teased Dennis.

“You look good in the pride house.”

Nope.“Seriously. You have your mate now, and I always wondered if you wanted kids.”

Dennis’s eyes narrowed. He’d always been able to read Drake way too easily. “Why are you here? And don’t tell me it’s to discuss me having kids, because I don’t believe that.”

“I’d like to see Chris, or at least to talk to him.”

Dennis’s expression turned a little sad. “That’s what I thought. I don’t know if he wants to see you, Drake.”

“Then I’ll talk to him through the door.”

“And if he doesn’t want to talk to you?”

“Then I’ll talktothe door. I just need him to listen. I promise I won’t do anything stupid, all right? I’m not willing to sacrifice my mate just because I want answers.”

“I wouldn’t say sacrifice, but Chris isn’t in a good place right now.”

“Then he needs his mate.” It was as simple as that, even though Chris was complicating everything.

Dennis sighed and gestured at Drake to follow him as he moved toward the stairs. “Fine, but don’t tell him I was the one to lead you to him. He’s going to nail my balls to the wall.”

“I think Kyle would have something to say about that.”

Dennis snorted. “The way he babies his siblings, I don’t think he feels either of them can do any wrong. He’d probably tell me I should be more careful with my tools or something.”

Drake laughed, but it didn’t last long. He followed Dennis upstairs in silence, and eventually, they stopped in front of a door.

---