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She grinned. “What did he look like?”

“An older version of your dad. He’s not surly, though. He’s making pancakes.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Shelly is nervous.”

“That’s Cormyr. Shelly shouldn’t be, though. The guys are here to work on the house. They’re family.” She followed Raquel out of the room to where Shelly waited on the landing of the stairs, nervously watching the commotion below. “Morning, Shelly.”

“Morning.” She bit her bottom lip, cowering when someone laughed from inside the kitchen. Bell’s family was loud. It was a sink or swim thing when it came to them. It was the one comforting thing about her family.

Bell placed her hand on Shelly’s shoulder, trying to ease her wariness. “The man you met is Cormyr, my dad’s older brother. Where’s Hayden?” Her cousin’s door stood open, but she was nowhere in sight.

“Good to know.” Shelly pushed her gigantic glasses up her nose, relaxing marginally. “Hayden’s downstairs already. She’s catching up with everyone.”

“Right. Of course.” She grinned. “Have you met all of them?”

“No. Well, your uncle.”

“Then I’ll introduce you to everyone.” She headed downstairs, Raquel and Shelly right behind her as she stepped into the kitchen and cleared her throat. “Morning, everyone.”

The idle chatter and noise stopped. “Bell!” Wy, her youngest uncle, grabbed her up in a hug first. “We were about to start taking bets to see how long you’d sleep.”

She laughed accepting his nuzzle of familial affection. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce to you Raquel and Shelly.” Bell went down the line, introducing everyone to the two new members of her sorority. “And this is Utah.” She signed his name as she spoke. When she arrived in Window Rock with her father after her parents had been apart for ten, long years, she’d never met a shifter who couldn’t hear. It surprised her, but also intrigued her. Then she overheard her father talking to Kalkin, and she instantly wanted to be friends with Utah. And, as taboo as it sounded, though she’d never say as much out loud, Utah had been her first. Some might say she used him, but for them, Utah had been the perfect gentleman and protected her too.

He waved.Good to meet you both.

“It’s good to meet you, too, Utah,” Raquel signed as she spoke.

Bell blinked. She didn’t know Raquel knew ASL. “Whoa. Seems like someone has been keeping secrets.”

Utah’s silent laugh pushed away a bit more of the negativity swirling around her.I think she got you, Bell.

“My younger brother is deaf, so I learned at a young age,” Raquel explained while signing for Utah’s benefit. “You go to school anywhere?”

He shook his head.I’m better with my hands.He wiggled his brows before pointing to Bell.Besides with the brain over here. I think she’s got it covered.

Bell laughed. “We’d love to have you here with us. You could even pledge our house.” She winked at him.

Oh joy. Will we stay up late at night and talk about boys and do our nails together?

Raquel erupted into a fit of laughter. “I like him. Please tell me he’s staying.”

Bell glanced between Utah and her pledge. The way he watched her. The hungry look in his eyes.Holy crap.“Well, they’ll be here for however long it takes to fix the house.”

“Well, then, I guess we should get started on getting to know each other,” she replied.

If the looks Utah threw her friend’s way had been any indication, they’d be doing a hell of a lot more than getting to know each other. However, it wasn’t her place to warn Raquel about mating or what it would mean to be Utah’s mate. She had to learn on her own. Which caused Bell’s dreams to replay in her mind. God, she wished Jackson or Christoph had stayed. It would make this whole situation a helluva lot easier.

Jackson chose that moment to step inside the house.Speak of the devil.She wondered if maybe, like her aunt Keeley, and he had some telepathic ability, and they knew she needed him and Christoph the most. “Morning, everyone. Got room for one more?”

She practically jumped into his arms. “Of course. Let me introduce you to my family.”

“You’re smiling.” He brushed his lips over hers. “After last night, I worried you might never do it again.”

She sighed, and relaxed. After last night, she didn’t know how things would go, either. She belonged to Christoph and him, but after last night... The encounter with Christoph’s parents had left her feeling rejected and alone. However, in Jackson’s arms, all had been right. Like she’d been where she’d always belonged. “I slept like shit. Having my family here is making it easier.”

“And with me here?” He tipped her chin up and kissed her again.

“All better.” Her eyes fluttered closed.

Several male throats cleared. Bell swallowed the laugh bubbling up in her chest. “We’ve been caught.”