Theo wasn’t sure that he was feeling particularly reasonable. He didn’t know what he was feeling, but he nodded. Because he was happy to have eggs and bacon and sausage, whatever they could offer him.
“I’ll fix everybody a plate,” Rory said with a smile, then handed his baby off to a wolf that made his eyes go wide. “This is?—”
The big wolf stared. “Theo.”
Everyone stopped, expressions shocked.
He nodded, searching the man’s face. “I recognize you. You’re the woodworker from before the pack dissolved.”
The big wolf nodded. “I know you. What happened? I thought you all went north to safety?”
Theo nodded, near tears. “We tried! We tried hard, but we couldn’t make it, and we didn’t know what to do. So we cameback.” He stared at the woodworker, shaking his head. “We had to come back. There were pregnant omegas, children. We couldn’t get everyone over, so it was decided that we should probably separate up into three and four people. And then there were hunters just killing. It was awful.” The tears escaped then as he asked. “Is there anyone else? Are you by yourself?”
Liam growled softly, arms drawing him close, as the big wolf shook his head and held his baby.
“Not anymore. And neither are you.”
“No,” Rory said. “Fen is my mate. He’s part of our pack. He’s safe.”
“I wanted to believe that everyone had escaped to safety, that it was just us.”
Fen sighed softly. “It’s a sweet hope, but it didn’t happen that way. I think they’re trying to get rid of us all.”
He stood there, stared. “But that’s awful. What about Gael? What happens to him? Is he going to be okay?” Theo looked up at Liam. “Please. Please don’t let them. Don’t let them hurt Gael.”
Liam hummed to him. “You’re safe. The baby is safe. There’s no reason to worry.”
He thought that there was probably a lot of reason to worry. He felt worried. He knew that he should probably trust Fen and Liam, but still… He had worry, lots of worry.
“I have you,” Liam told him. “You and Gael. You’re mine to protect.” Liam’s eyes flashed gold, and he heard Rory gasp.
Niall came in, and the energy of the room eased back, and everyone relaxed.
That was amazing. He blinked at Liam.Mate. I’m yours. You have my vow.
Thank you, love. And you have mine.
Theo had to work hard not to tear up. No one had ever made him feel so cared for. So wanted.
Niall’s presence seemed to ease them, help them all breathe, and the breakfast food was even better. They hadn’t had a seer or a shaman for so long in their old pack.
Maybe if they had, they wouldn’t have had the issues they did.
Are you doing all right, love?Liam’s mental voice came to him as Liam grabbed his hand, squeezing it.
I think so. It was a shock to see Fen, but I suppose it shouldn’t have been. If I made my way across the mountains, then surely other wolves have.Theo didn’t want to think about some of them that might have made it, because they weren’t all good. Still, Theo hadn’t known Fen well, but he knew that he was a good sort, and they wouldn’t have let him mate with Rory if he wasn’t, right?
I can see you’re worried though.
I am. I feel like I worked so hard to keep Gael safe, and what if I’ve brought him to exactly the wrong place?He wasn’t panicky anymore. Niall had seen to that, his spirit calming them all down, but what if he was absolutely in the wrong?
No. No, this is a good pack. Keegan and Jameson and Loyal have worked incredibly hard to make it that way. It used to be that there were cruel alphas and bad enforcers, but now those wolves are gone, and this is really a community. Liam shrugged, his cheeks pink.I’ve known them for a long time.
Theo tilted his head.How long?
I can’t really remember. A long time.
That surprised him, because Liam made all these protestations about being only human, but humans had finite lifespans. And usually finite memories as well. Or maybe definite memories because their time was short. It wasn’t as if Liam was saying he didn’t remember meeting them as a child. That was odd.
