Page 106 of Fated to Her

I shake my head at him. Eli and Porter walk out before tossing a beer to me, and I catch it.

“Want one, Debbie?” Cyrus asks, handing one to Taylor.

Taylor pops the cap off, takes a sip, and Latham snatches one from Cyrus’s hand.

“No, I have to work tonight,” she says, shaking her head.

Eli and Cyrus tell her to retire, as they will take care of her, but Mom insists on working, and I know why. She will get bored, especially once she moves and is on her own.

We have finally moved back. It is quite an adjustment but feels right. Taylor and Porter are staying at Mom’s for now until they find their own place. Though Mom’s asked them just to stay there, and she will downsize, saying she doesn’t need a big empty house after Eli and Cyrus offered to give her one of their apartments in the city. Taylor is considering it because there isn’t much to choose from in today’s real estate market. So, it looks like I’ll be moving Mom in the next couple of weeks.

Still, tomorrow, we have the truck arriving at work, or should I say multiple trucks, because Cyrus moved the base to here. And that means a heap of transfers will be coming from Soya to here, so Eli has to buy an entire apartment block to house them. And then the painstaking task of moving the equipment they bought after Sam burned down their old office.

Eli also handed the pack over to his sister in Soya, and Maverick would be down to visit us here once everyone is settled in. Mom is excited to have answers for what happened to my dad but is also glad we will be done with the what-ifs. It has already been one hell of a week, but I’m excited for the future, especially with my mates.

“What time do the trucks get into work tomorrow?” asks Taylor. She has adjusted quite well to being a Lycan. Then again, she doesn’t crave blood, so besides getting used to shifting, she doesn’t have much to worry about.

“Blaine and Xavier said by nine,” Latham says.

“More demons?” Taylor asks. She has been putting up with his constant harassment, too, though I’m used to it now, having been living with him.

“Why? Is that a problem, Taylor? Worried you’ll throw yourself at them like you did with me?”

Taylor growls at him, not liking the reminder, and Porter shoots him a look.

“They will be on their best behavior, I promise. Besides, they’ll be heading back the next day anyway, and you can have me all to yourself,” he purrs at her, and Porter mutters something I don’t quite catch under his breath.

“Settle, Porter. Plenty of me to go around,” Latham teases.

Porter turns red while Taylor giggles at his embarrassment.

“Mommy, can I stay here tonight?” Maya asks, rushing over and tugging on Taylor’s shirt.

“Not tonight, maybe once settled in,” Porter tells her, and she pouts.

“On the weekend, Maya. Give us a chance to get a swing set for you,” Eli tells her, and she claps, jumping on the balls of her feet excitedly.

“Well, I need to go. I have to get ready for work, but I’ll come to see you tomorrow afternoon before work again. I have a night shift all this week,” my mother explains. She hands Eason over to Cyrus, and I give her a hug and walk her to her car.

“We should head off, too,” Taylor says, now that everything is packed inside the house. I give Maya a big hug and kiss my sister on the cheek. Once they leave, I turn back to the house, leaving just Latham with us and his running commentary. I have to admit he is good to have around and always helps.

“Bella!” I squeal, excited when I see her walking into the foyer. Her heels click loudly on the marble floor.

“You’re back?” she asks, rushing over to me and quickly hugging me. Her phone rings loudly in her bag. “Bloody thing never stops,” she says, rummaging through it.

She looks at the screen and sighs before muting it and shoving it back into her bag.

“So, do you have any idea how many new people I have to induct today? Eli said there are like six new employees at least on my floor, and he wasn’t sure how many more would transfer.”

“No idea,” I tell her, hooking my arm through hers.

We walk to the elevator, and I see Latham sauntering toward us with a box in his arms. He flashes his megawatt smile, and I hear Bella’s heart stutter in her chest at his godlike looks.

“Addie,” Latham says, pecking my cheek. “And you must be Bella,” he says, shoving the box at me.

I grab it before he kisses her hand like some old-fashioned gentleman. I roll my eyes at him.

“Wait, how do you know my name?” she asks, her cheeks tinged red at the sudden attention.