“Always. Who knows, maybe you’ve seen something like this before and we’re worrying for nothing.”
Thirteen
Rin
We pull off of the main road and follow a long, winding driveway through the trees that I’m surprised the massive truck even fits on. When we come around the final bend, the truck slows to a crawl and we barely inch our way forward.
As if he can read the question on the tip of my tongue, Ares explains, “The cubs run rampant out here and it’s difficult to hear over the engine. Last thing any of us want is to squish a kid.”
We stop in front of a large brick home with a few bicycles lying on the ground by the front steps. Though it’s surrounded by forest, there’s a center clearing that stretches on for well over a mile each direction; a hidden community surrounded by trees that act as a fence. Ten homes, all arranged along the outskirts to leave ample room in the center, where several small figures are running and wrestling. My vision isn’t nearly as impressive as the guys’, so the best I can make out from here is furry blobs.
Cole helps me out of the truck, Ozzy darting off to scare the hell out of the children, just to let them tackle him and melodramatically fall to the ground in defeat. “He likes kids, I take it?”
Cole raises an eyebrow at me. “You don’t?”
I shrug. “No clue. I really haven’t been around any. Only child and I had a tutor come to the house rather than attending school.”
They both give me a shocked look before Cole throws an arm around my shoulder and kisses my temple. “Well, you never have to be lonely again.”
I lean into his touch as my stomach flips. “Maybe I enjoy my privacy. Too much attention can be suffocating.”
“Nah, because you know you can just lock Ozzy out of the house when he’s smothering you.” He mimicks pawing at the door with his free hand. “Can’t turn knobs, so you’re safe.”
Chuckling, I step away from him. “And the two of you?”
Ares grabs my hand as he starts walking towards the house. “You can just tell us to fuck off,” he grins, bringing my hand up to kiss the back before keeping it captured at his side. “Might hold us off for a few hours at least.”
He winks before approaching the door, not even knocking before it’s pulled open. Perks of shifter hearing, I suppose.
“Was wondering when you might grace us with your presence,” an exhausted looking woman snipes, arms crossed and face pulled into a scowl.
Her blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail and there are bags under her eyes that only come from far too long of too little sleep. I doubt even a solid three days of rest would put a smile on her face, and my chest tightens as I hazard a guess that this is Sarah’s mother. Raising children sounds hard enough without one of them being sick, and by the bikes out front, she must also be torn every which way trying to take care of people.
“Freya,” Cole greets, and she turns her sharp glare on him instead.
“You especially I would expect to know better. I have to find out Osiris is alive from the rumor mill in town? You couldn’t pick up a damn phone?”
I involuntarily tighten my grip on Ares’ hand, grateful for that comfort now as things become increasingly awkward and tense.
“Things have been a bit chaotic,” Cole tries to defend, but she just unfurls her hands to place them on her hips.
“Don’t go preaching to me about ‘chaotic’, Cole Larken.” Her amber eyes flash with her temper, making her look like a fiery warrior of the sun. “You think it was just eating away at you that he might have gotten himself killed trying to help Sarah?”
“Sorry, ma’am,” he mutters, contrite and looking at his feet.
Appeased, she focuses that fire on me next and my breath hitches in my chest before skipping over me just as quickly to address Ares. “This the human he brought back?”
A woman comes up behind Freya, wrapping an arm around her collar from behind, resting her chin on top of her head. Dark hair is pulled into a top knot, only a few shades darker than her skin, and her eyes are a golden brown that don’t miss a single thing despite her easy going smile.
“Play nice, Freya,” she decrees. She keeps her body languid, but by the tightness around her eyes, I imagine she could lash out faster than I could blink if it came down to it. “Any insight is welcome.”
“Zora,” Ares greets, “meet Rin; our mate.”
I stretch out my hand to be polite, accustomed to being in countless awkward situations throughout my life and needing to hide behind my manners anyway. Both women blink a few times before starting to relax, and Freya takes my offered greeting.
“Don’t let these boys walk all over you. Give ‘em an inch and they’ll take a mile. Don’t be afraid to speak up and give them hell; lord knows they probably have it coming,” she warns.
I nod, nervous, but try to settle my rapidly beating heart. I’m not sure what it is about this woman, but I don’t feel nearly as safe around her as I do my guys. Even Goldie and Vin didn’t incite this reaction, so I don’t think it’s the whole ‘mate’ thing, but rather that of an already strained mother desperate to protect her child from any perceived threats. And right now, I’m an unknown and it puts us in a sort of tense stasis.
