“Sure,” Marcus said. “I’ll probably do a tour of the territory after the next full moon. William can come with me when I visit you.”
“Yeah,” William agreed. “I’d like that.”
“And I’ll be back here for the full moon,” Steve assured them. “It won’t be like before, when we didn’t see each other.”
Marcus and William both looked quietly pleased at that.
“Ryker looks popular,” William commented, changing the subject and nodding toward the crowd. Steve turned around. Ryker was talking to Odin and the other district alphas. From their body language, it looked like they were getting along.
“He fits right in,” Marcus agreed.
Steve’s chest swelled with pride, a tingling feeling rushing down his spine as his brothers looked at his mate with approval.
“He’s pretty great,” Steve said.
Marcus and William both looked at him, their expressions fond and a little amused.
“Youlikehim,” William teased, making Steve swat at his arm.
“Obviously.”
“Good,” Marcus said, his expression embarrassingly sincere. “We want you to be happy.”
“I know.” A smile tugged at the corner of Steve’s lips. “What about you guys? Have you started seeing anyone?”
“I’m seeing someone,” William said, uncharacteristically shy. “Betty’s daughter, Cora. We’ve been dating for three months. She’s super nice.”
Steve smiled and asked William to tell him about her. William lit up and started talking, and Steve felt bad for not asking earlier. It was obvious that William was head over heels in love.
Listening to him was a nice distraction from the somber setting and the constant reminder that their dad didn’t deserve the respectful sendoff they were giving him.
“We’re probably going to move in together, if-” William cut himself off from what he’d been about to say, his expression dimming. He glanced at Marcus. “If Marcus says it’s okay.”
He’d been about to say,if Dad says it’s okay.
“Of course you can,” Marcus said. He grabbed William by the back of his neck and gave it a squeeze. “Would you like an apartment outside of the main house?”
William shrugged. “Maybe? We haven’t talked about that. I’ll ask her.”
Marcus nodded and William looked happy – or as happy as you could look at your father’s funeral. The three of them made for a pretty glum group, despite William’s enthusiasm when talking about Cora.
“I think I’m going to go find Ryker and say my goodbyes,” Steve said, rubbing the back of his neck. The sad looks and murmurs of what a great man his father had been were starting to get to him. “I’ll see you guys in not too long, right?”
“You will,” Marcus said.
William nodded along. “Maybe Cora and I can come down and visit before the full moon, and then come back up with you?”
“Would you?” Steve said, perking up.
William nodded.
“And I can make Fort Plainslac the first part of my tour after the full moon,” Marcus said. “I can travel down with you, when you go home.”
Steve felt something inside of him unclench. His brothers would be there for him, and he for them, even if they didn’t live in the same city any more. They were still pack.
“That sounds really good.”
All of a sudden Steve felt like he was going to cry. He swallowed it down and gave himself a mental shake.
