“Hmm.” Liam went back on the hunt for Theo, needing to see his mate now. Worry had a way of creeping in.
What’s wrong, mate? I can feel you stressing.
I’m looking for you. Where are you?
I think I found a swimming pool. The water is warm. It’s huge and there are lights. It’s wild.
Swimming pool? He didn’t remember there being a swimming pool up here, but then again, it wasn’t like he’d been invited for long involved visits that weren’t in the common area.
And he’d worked on the solar and shit…
Where, love?
Down. So you know where we are? Our rooms? Go past the baby’s room. Past Gael’s room.
Past it?
Yes. Just go past it.
He didn’t remember a past. But hell, he’d give it a try. He grabbed a flashlight, because even his new night vision wasn’t perfect in a cave. Go past the baby’s room.
Right.
On my way.
Now come down. There’s a hallway that goes decidedly down.
Okay.He found it and followed it. It was like a wild cave tour with a path that was kind of paved.
Can you smell the water?
He heard a splash, then a soft giggle.
Yes. I can also hear you, I think.It smelled mostly like hot springs water, which made sense in a cave like this. Runoff water would be too cold.
Little Gael is playing. He likes the water.
Does he? Is it warm and easy to float in?
We’re just floating on the edge.
He walked into a huge cavern, catching his breath at the amazing sight. Light twinkled all around, and he could tell it was natural, some kind of reflection or refraction or whatever from crystals. “This pool is big enough for fully shifted dragons to swim in.”
“I know! It’s amazing. The whole entire pack could come down here and swim, and it would be perfect.” Theo wasgrinning, his eyes lit up. “I mean, it’s amazing—it’s like this little secret chunk of amazing!” Theo laughed as Gael patted his chubby hands in the water, the baby squealing in pure joy.
“It really is.” He flung his clothes off to slip into the pool. No cannonballs with Gael right there. But oh God, that water felt good. Warm and silky and pulling at his tense muscles like a massage.
He could see himself coming down here to soak every damn day.
“This is stunning, love. How did you find it?”
Theo shrugged. “I followed my nose. I was just wandering, and I found a tunnel and I came down.”
Gael stared at him in the water, and then that little boy reached out for him and squealed at the top of his lungs. The sound echoing was a pure demand if he’d ever heard it.
“I can get him down to his skin if you want to hold him and let him see the water,” Theo offered.
“Don’t you want to come in?”
