Page 29 of Fearless as an Eagle

“I did not. Wonder what it is and why it’s so important he had to go work on it right now,” I respond.

Two hours later, my phone has blown up with texts from my sisters and brother-in-laws group chat. Everyone wants to hear the story but I’ve told them all they’ll have to come to dinner if they want to know anything. Now, Mason, Riley, and I are standing in the foyer, waiting for our mate. When she finally appears at the top of the stairs, my heart skips. She’s gorgeous. But I knew she would be.

She’s wearing black leggings that hug her ass and legs with a blue, gray, and teal striped sweater dress and knee high gray boots. Her hair falls around her face in waves and she has on simple, tasteful makeup.

“Well, hellooo, gorgeous,” Riley greets her, making her laugh.

“Thank you. You don’t think it’s too much?”

“You’d look beautiful in a paper sack,” I assure her. “Let’s go before my mother decides she’s tired of waiting and comes to us.”

She rolls her eyes at me but doesn’t object when I open the door and usher everyone out. The drive is long, but if she lived any closer, she would have come over as soon as I got off the phone with her. As it is, she likes to host these shindigs, so she had a reason to stay home and time to prepare for so many people to come over.

I turn down the dirt road that leads to the family cabin and I’m not surprised to see all the cars in the yard. Both Brianna and Brooke and their husbands are here waiting to meet my mate. The house I grew up in is a huge log cabin my dad and uncles built when my mom found out she was pregnant. There are three small steps leading to the wrap around porch that has a wooden bench swing hanging from the rafters in one corner.

We get out of the Jeep and my nephew, Braden, comes running from the trees surrounding the cabin. “Uncle Riley! Uncle Mason! Mom didn’t say you were coming!” he cheers from twenty feet away.

“Why wouldn’t we come? You know I love your Nanna’s cooking,” Riley says with a laugh.

“Because Mom said Uncle Bennett was bringing his mate… Wow. You’re hot!” he stammers when Mia walks around the front of the Jeep and stops beside me.

Her cheeks flush at the compliment, even if it is from a snot-nosed tween. My sister, Brianna, got lucky. She found her mate when we were teenagers. They mated when they were seventeen, and got married at eighteen. They came home from their honeymoon not knowing Braden would make his debut nine months later. It was just him for the longest time, but Brianna and Zac finally started trying for another one last year. Should have known it wouldn’t take long. They just had a baby girl about three months ago.

“Thank you. Do you think your Nanna will approve?” she asks him, voicing a fear I didn’t realize she had.

“She’ll love you,Cuore Mio,”I assure her, wrapping my arm around her side, pulling her into me and kissing the top of her head.

“Oooh, breaking out the Italian, huh, Uncle B?” Braden snickers.

“It’s Italian? You know what it means?” Mia asks him excitedly.

“No.” I point at him and give him my bestsay something and I’ll feed you to the birdslook. “What did I tell you?” I turn to Mia with a raised brow. “I’ll tell you when you earn it. Now be a good girl and don’t try that again.”

She rolls her eyes and heaves a sigh. “Fine. But so help me God, if you keep holding out on me, I’ll look it up my damn self.”

“Deal. Now can we please go inside and get this over with?”

“Fine by me. I’m hungry,” Riley quips, bringing a smile to Mia’s face.

We head towards the door, Braden leading the way. As we walk, I explain to Mia, “This is where I grew up. My sisters and I used to play in these woods for hours.”

“Do you ever miss it? Being surrounded by trees instead of buildings?” she asks as we near the door.

“Every day,” I confide quietly before we enter the lion’s den… or more aptly, the bear’s den.

“Bennett! You’re here! And you brought my two other sons, how wonderful! Aren’t you guys so excited for our Bennett? Finally, finding his mate. Oh! And you must be her!” my mother gasps as she finally notices Mia standing behind me. “Aren’t you just stunning!”

“Mom! Can you at least let us all the way inside before you fawn all over her?” I grumble.

“Well, excuse me, if I’m a little excited for you. My last baby has finally met his match. But, yes, yes, come in and meet the gang. You already met Braden, that’s Brianna and Zac’s oldest. They have the most adorable baby girl, Zoe. She’s sleeping in the guest room, so you’ll have to meet her later,” Mom rambles as she pulls us further inside.

Once we get to the open living room where everyone is sitting around waiting for us, she stares at me impatiently.

“Well, aren’t you going to introduce her? I swear, I raised you better than that, Bennett Townsend,” she tells me with a scowl.

Sighing, I pull Mia back into my arms. “Everyone, this is Mia. Mia this is everyone.”

She gives a little smile and an awkward wave and my sisters both rush her.

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