“That would be great.”
“Not that I’m not happy to see you, but I’m curious,” Mackenzie said as he led Saul to the kitchen.“You said you needed to talk to me.”
“It’s about something I saw yesterday.”
Mackenzie abruptly stopped walking.There was only one thing Saul could be talking about.Mackenzie wasn’t surprised that he and Nico had finally been caught.At least it was by a guard and not by Jerome.
“I didn’t tell anyone, not even Jerome,” Saul quickly added.“But I still think I need to talk to you and possibly Nico.”
Mackenzie sighed and walked into the kitchen.“I told him that sneaking around was a bad idea.”Yet they’d done it because it was what Nico needed.Mackenzie didn’t regret it, but that didn’t mean he was happy.
Saul sat at the kitchen table.“Whyare you sneaking around?The two of you are together, right?”
Mackenzie nodded.“We are.We’ve only just met, but we’ve been dating.I like him, and he likes me.”
“But it’s complicated.”
Even more complicated than Saul knew, but Mackenzie wasn’t about to give him any details.Nico wouldn’t be able to hide his pregnancy forever, but his father would be the next to know.
“It is.I’m human, while Nico is the future bobcat alpha, and I don’t belong to his clowder.There’s also Silas, who’s making everything more difficult, and, well—” He hesitated and glanced at Saul.He couldn’t tell him the whole truth, but he needed Saul not to tell anyone about this right now.
“I’m not going to push, but I promise I won’t tell anyone whatever you tell me today.I don’t think that you and Nico are a danger to Jerome and his family, so what you’re doing is none of my business,” Saul said.
Mackenzie placed a cup of coffee in front of Saul.He was going to have to trust him.“Nico is a carrier.”
That gave Saul pause.“So he doesn’t have to marry a woman to have an heir.”
Mackenzie chuckled.“I like that that’s what you thought about right away.It’s what Nico told me, you know?When we started seeing each other, I was worried because I didn’t think his father would be happy about us being together.”He still didn’t, but he also didn’t think that Nico’s father would try to keep them apart.From what he knew about the man, he’d want Nico to do the right thing and to be happy, and both of those things would happen if he and Mackenzie stayed together.“If he wants the alpha position to stay in the family, Nico will have to have children.He told me he’d carry them himself, and that was that.”
“Then the situation isn’t as complicated as you made it sound.”
“There’s still the fact that I’m human and that I’m new here.I’d understand if Nico’s father didn’t want me anywhere near his son.I’m sure there are plenty of people who would be better suited to be with him.”
“Maybe, but Nico’s the one who chose you, isn’t he?I don’t think that what you or his father thinks matters.If he wants to be with you, that’s that.”
Mackenzie took a sip of his own coffee.“I don’t know.Maybe you’re right.We’re taking things slow because of everything, but I won’t deny I’m scared.”
“I’m pretty sure that comes with every new relationship.”
“Maybe.Well, now, you know.”
“I do.I’m not going to tell you and Nico that Nico needs to stop coming around, but with Silas and who knows how many allies of his on the loose, it feels dangerous to risk Nico like this.He’s not just a shifter.He’s the future alpha, and if Silas was to hurt him, that would have repercussions, and not only on him.I don’t want anything to happen to him, of course, but the two of you also have to think of the bigger picture.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“Good.I saw him yesterday.Anyone else could have, too, including the bad guys.Whatever you decide to do next, you need to be careful.”
“And you won’t tell Jerome?”
“I won’t.Like I said, my job is to protect him and his family.Nico isn’t a danger to them, so he’s not my business.Someone is bound to find out eventually, though.Maybe the two of you should talk about that and start thinking about what you’ll do when it happens.”
They were way ahead of Saul, or at least, Mackenzie thought so.Nico would be making that decision, though.He needed to know what had just happened and that someone who wasn’t related to them knew about their relationship.
Mackenzie wasn’t looking forward to it, but he had no other choice, so he took out his phone and pulled up Nico’s number.He didn’t have to wait long for Nico to answer, and he could tell that Nico was smiling when he did.
“Hey!”
Mackenzie cleared his throat.“Hey.Something just happened, but I don’t want you to worry.”
