Page 177 of A Broody Mate for the Human

Dave picks on his toast, frowning deeply. “I can’t decide it just like that,” he tells me. “I need to think about this further and read up on it.” He pauses. “You know what I want from you?”

“What?”

“I want you to go and deal with Troi today,” Dave says earnestly. “And return to me safely, then we’ll talk about what you just said.”

“I want you to think about it,” I say. “Think about it earnestly. Research if you want to, but please really think about it.”

“I want you to think about it too,” Dave urges. “About how I’m not the only person in your life. You have other responsibilities like your sister. And maybe she will have kids one day. I know she and Hayden want to have a big family. Then you will be an uncle. Maybe you and I will have children one day, too, then you will be a dad and one day a granddad.”

I don’t know what to say to him. Of course, he is right. Esme would be shaken to know what I’m planning to do. I’m her only living relative. However, Dave is a human, and it would mean spending centuries without him at my side. “I don’t know what to say,” I admit.

“We’ll do what we always do,” Dave tells me. “We’ll talk about it and find a solution. I’m not going to die tomorrow, Raffy. We don’t need to find the solution to this problem today.”

I’m not happy about his answer; I wish he would agree, but I can’t force him to, and he is right, we don’t need to decide anything today.

“Alright.” I nod. “Just think about it, please.”

Dave and I haven’t talked about the topic anymore, and I try to shove it out of my mind for now. I need to be on my full concentration to join the alpha and his team to take down Troi and his men. Alpha Liam wanted us to dress formally. I don’t really know why that’s necessary, but I don’t question him. We do look kind of cool, though, there is no denying that. Liam is in a suit, as is Dante, while Aryanna is sporting a chic dark green romper. She has even dyed her hair into a fiery red that works better with her outfit.

We all look like we’re about to raid a high society event.

“Yeah, we look expensive,” Aryanna says into the silence while we are waiting for everyone to gather.

Some of the warriors chuckle.

“Do I look good enough?” one of the female warriors asks her while Alpha Liam is busy taking a phone call. “You know I’m not used to dressing formally, Beta Aryanna.”

“You look fantastic,” Aryanna nods approvingly. “Just tie your hair back into a tight ponytail.”

The woman looks happy and relieved, doing as her beta said. Some of the men start asking questions, too, apparently suddenly conscious about their appearance. “Stop it, everyone,” Dante suddenly says, sounding equally annoyed and amused. “You all look fine. We’re not going to a ball. It’s just for the show.”

“Everything alright?” Alpha Liam asks once he returns to us.

“Of course,” everyone hurries to reassure him.

Liam nods shortly, ordering us to get into the cars. We drive to the location in four huge SUVs. The meeting is in the city, which is why the alpha doesn’t want to take more warriors with him. He chose only the best for the mission, saying we’ll easily overpower Troi by our strength.

Numbers don’t mean much.

Alpha Liam and Beta Aryanna drive in my car, and I use the chance to chat with Aryanna, or rather it’s she who chats with me. “You seem to be a bit absent-minded,” she analyzes dryly.

I feel flustered. I tried to block my feelings out, but it seems I’ve failed. “It’s nothing,” I tell her. “Just something I’ve been thinking about recently.”

“Spit it out.,” Aryanna shrugs. “We’re going to need our full concentration, so better talk about it now.”

“Here?” I widen my eyes. “Now?”

“She is right,” the alpha says shortly from the passenger seat while typing something on his phone. He has his eyebrows furrowed and looks at a map.

We are moving rather slowly and not in a real convoy with all four cars to avoid attracting too much attention. It’s always two cars following each other. Beta Dante leads the second small group.

I lick my lips nervously, noting how all the warriors in the car look at me expectantly. Yeah, those fuckers probably enjoy a good gossip. “It’s just an idea I had,” I say warily. “I pitched it to Dave today, but he isn’t too much into it.”

“Why? Do you want to adopt, and it’s too early?” Aryanna asks bluntly.

“No,” I say, surprised by her words. “I mean, yes, one day, but that’s not what I talked to him about.”

“It’s about your crazy demon-pet,” one of the warriors guesses. “You want him to return to the demon realm.”