Page 18 of Purple Protector

Hedley frowned, but Killian was all smiles. “That’s great,” he said.

“You don’t want to think about it?” Hedley asked.

“There’s not much to think about. I haven’t talked to my parents in years. I work from home, so I can continue doing so wherever I am. I have a few friends, but they all have their own lives. No one will really miss me, and I know I can be happy here.” He wanted to be.

Hedley hesitated, but eventually, he nodded. “All right. I’m sure you know better than I do. Welcome to our clan, Aaron.”

Aaron felt like he floated through the rest of the meeting. He wasn’t sure he actually listened to anything that was said, and he suspected that both Killian and Hedley knew that. They eventually told him that they would talk about it again and sent him on his way.

Aaron called Lucy as soon as he was back in his room. When she answered, he blurted out the news. “I’m moving in with the clan permanently.”

Lucy screeched. “What are you talking about?”

“They offered me a permanent spot here. I’m a clan member.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want? It’s a massive change, and you were nervous about going there for a few weeks.”

“You don’t know how it is, Luce. I love it here. Yes, I feel a bit like an insect that people are watching, but I can tell it’s in a good way. I want this.”

“Then I’m happy for you.”

Aaron couldn’t stop smiling. He would never have dreamed this opportunity would be presented to him, but he wasn’t going to waste it.

“WHY?” BIRCH ASKED AS soon as the door closed behind Aaron and Marlin.

Thankfully, Marlin hadn’t tried to get Birch to walk Aaron back to his room. He’d seemed to understand that Birch needed time with Killian and Hedley. For all that they teased each other, Marlin was a good friend.

“Why not?” Killian offered. “We need humans to side with us so that we’ll be better protected against the hunters and whatever the humans that the government can’t control want to do to us. What better way than to have humans live with us, and in particular, one who can write about our lives? We can show the world that we’re not that different from humans and that we all want the same things.”

Birch stared. It was a good explanation, and he believed it was part of the reason Killian and Hedley had asked Aaron to stay. That wasn’t all there was to it, though. It couldn’t be.

“We both like him,” Hedley added. “I truly think he’ll be a good addition to the clan, and it’s something the clan sorely needs. If we want humans to accept us, we need to live with them.”

Birch didn’t miss the way Hedley included himself in that. He might be human and new to the clan, but he already considered himself one of them. It was nice.

“You’re playing matchmaker,” Birch accused.

Killian grinned. “Maybe. Are you going to do something about it?”

“Something about what? Aaron deserves someone who will make him the center of their world, and I can’t do that because you are.”

It was true, but it was the wrong thing to say. Killian’s smile fell, and he leaned forward. “I shouldn’t be. We’re friends, and your job is to protect me, so I’m a big part of your life, but I shouldn’t be at the center of it. You can have a personal life while protecting me. You should have a personal life. I won’t be like my father, who demanded complete loyalty from his people. Your loyalty should go to the people you love.”

“Which includes you.”

“You know what I’m saying. Your life can’t only be focused on me.” Killian smirked. “That’s reserved for Hedley.”

Birch rolled his eyes. “Yeah, okay.”

“Okay, what?” Hedley asked.

He wouldn’t let it go until Birch promised whatever he wanted him to promise. “I’ll make an effort to have a personal life outside of the job. Happy?”

“Only if that personal life includes Aaron.”

Birch pointed his finger at Hedley. “My mothers do enough matchmaking. Keep out of my love life.”

“What love life?”

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