Page 13 of Briggs (Paranormal Council Enforcers #16)

Briggs

T here was more to read about Todd and not only what his rescue had entailed, but what he and some of the others had endured than I had time for. At least before I needed to be at the clinic to pick him up for our run.

I wasn’t shy, and I certainly didn’t have any issues being naked around my mate, but after reading what I had, I wondered if he’d be comfortable around me…ever. How could he ever want an alpha around him?

There was a knock on my door, which was incredibly odd since I’d not yet ordered groceries from Master Edison. Not only that, but I also didn’t expect him to knock. I figured the items would just suddenly appear in my front entryway area and be waiting.

I placed the folder on the end table before I went to answer the door. I did not expect to see an unfamiliar wolf shifter standing on the other side when I answered. “Can I help you?” I asked.

He smiled. He looked like a lot of alphas, but there was something else about him—something more.

“Hi. Can I come in?”

“Uh…do I know you?”

He snorted. “Probably not, but you’re about to.”

I wasn’t so sure I could take him. He was an alpha, just like I was. But not only was he a bigger alpha, but he wasn’t quite…he wasn’t just an alpha, I didn’t think.

“You’re not a hellhound.”

He shook his head and held out his hand. “I’m Canyon. My brother is Forest down in Timber Valley.”

I nodded slowly. That name sounded… “Oh. You’re a fate.” There was a huge smile on his face at that.

“Yes. I wanted to talk to you about your mate.”

I just blinked at him. “I’d tell you I’m Briggs, but I have a feeling you already know that.”

Canyon smiled. “I do. Do you mind if I come in?”

I stepped back to allow him to enter. “Should I be worried?” I asked. “Have you changed your mind about pairing me with Todd?”

Canyon stared at me a moment before tilting his head to the side. “Are you disappointed? Or did you want a different mate?”

My eyes widened. “What? No. I thought maybe you decided you wanted him with someone else. Or perhaps to give him more time before he had a mate?” I gestured into the house.

I had a feeling this was going to be a conversation that took more than a few minutes, and we were still standing just inside the front door.

“Thomas and I feel that you are a very good fit for Todd. That’s why we paired the two of you together.”

We sat on the couch. “I appreciate that. I hope I don’t disappoint anyone.” I glanced over at the folder Master Edison had given me. “He’s been through so much. Especially for someone his age.”

Canyon offered a smile, but I knew it wasn’t one of happiness. “He has. But don’t let that discourage you. My mate took him to see Dr. Braun.”

Instantly, I was worried. “Is he all right? Is this all too much?”

Canyon held up a hand. “He’s fine.” Canyon’s smile reached his eyes this time. “I’m here because we need you to know that it’s okay to move things along when he says he’s ready.”

If Canyon wasn’t a fate, I would argue, but I had a feeling he knew more than most other alphas. “The plan is to take things at Todd’s pace. He’s going to be the one deciding how fast we move in our relationship.”

“That’s good. To a certain extent, but we want to be sure you’re willing to give a little push when needed. Todd is a bit hesitant about things because of what he’s been through, and he’s concerned you will not wish to be with him because of those things.”

I nodded slowly. I would never hold someone’s past against them, especially not my mate. Not only that, but Todd’s past wasn’t of his own choosing. He’d been given absolutely zero choice in what had happened to him. “Because he was held captive and what they subjected him to.”

“Yes.”

“How will I know if I’m pushing too hard though?”

Canyon smiled. “The same you would anyone else. Just let your wolf guide you. He’ll know what is too much and not enough. Trust me on this.”

I nodded slowly. I wasn’t so sure. My wolf wanted to protect our mate, but he also wanted to claim him as ours, so I wasn’t so certain that he could be completely trusted as Canyon was suggesting.

“You have doubts, but believe me when I say that yes, you can trust in your wolf to guide you when it comes to your mate.”

I wasn’t so sure but nodded anyway. “I’ll do that,” I told him.

“Good.” Canyon sighed. “I realize you’re skeptical, and I don’t blame you. Todd needs someone to help him realize he deserves to have love. He stresses more than he should, and that doesn’t help him when it comes to focusing on the positive things in life.”

“I’ll do all that I can to help him.”

Canyon nodded. “We know you will; that’s why we chose you for him.

” Canyon stood, and I did the same. “Go and enjoy your visit with your mate. You can go on the run if you wish. His heat will come in a few days, no matter what. That is not something we can stop. The goddess, she would have to do that, but she’s throwing a bit of a fit about certain demands from her children at the moment. ”

I raised my eyebrows. I wasn’t sure I needed to know all of that, but it only made me want to know more. “Uh, so what do I do? I mean, I know how to take care of my mate, but won’t he…shouldn’t we wait?”

“That is something you and Todd will have to decide. If you wish for your mate to go through a heat without you, that’s your choice.”

I narrowed my eyes. That wasn’t something I wanted, and I had a feeling that Canyon knew that. What alpha ever wanted their mate to go through a heat without his help? None that I was aware of.

“Can I ask you something that doesn’t really have anything to do with mates?”

Canyon raised an eyebrow. “You want to know about Maggie.” Canyon smiled when I couldn’t mask my shock quickly enough. “I’m a fate, and let’s just say that although I wasn’t created by the goddess to be a fate, I’ve fully embraced all of the perks that come with it.”

“I’m not sure I want to ask any longer.”

Canyon sighed. “Unfortunately, I don’t know where she is. That’s the goddess’s territory. I know that Maggie is still alive as she still shows up on our mate lines. They can no longer be seen by us once they are no longer with us.”

So Maggie was still alive somewhere. “She’s four?”

“She will be next month. I’m sorry. That is all the information I can give you about her. Not that I don’t want to. I simply don’t have more to share.”

“I appreciate it. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing to know that she’s still alive out there somewhere or not.”

“I would bring them all home and keep them all safe if I could. Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of power.”

I nodded. “Thank you. I’ll make sure I listen to my wolf when it comes to Todd. I just don’t want to push too hard.”

“You won’t. Trust in your wolf.”

“I will.”

“Good. Now, I must go bug my brother. It will be a bit before I can drop in and see him and the children again.”

“Thank you for your help. I’m not sure why you decided to help me, but I do appreciate it.”

“Todd is special. He’s sweet and has a lot to give. He’s been here a year, and although you wouldn’t know it because he doesn’t share his feelings with anyone, he longs for a mate and children of his own. Working in the clinic with all of the pregnant omegas coming and going fuels those desires.”

“One can have desires such as those but not be ready for them, can they not?”

“Todd is ready. He wouldn’t have been paired if he wasn’t.”

I took a deep breath. “If you say so. I’ll have to trust that you know more about that than I do.”

Canyon smiled. “At least in this particular area.”

“Enjoy your time with your brother. And thanks again for the help.”

Canyon nodded to me, and then he was simply gone. Working for the council for the past couple of years, that no longer fazed me. When they popped in directly in front of me, that still got to me at times, but not when they simply left.

I looked around my living room to see if there was anything else I needed to do to clean up.

I didn’t normally leave the place a mess, and I’d been on assignment, so I’d made sure the place was extra clean so it wouldn’t be disgusting when I returned.

I grabbed the folder on my way by and took it with me.

I needed to give it back to Master Edison when I was finished reading, but for now, I needed to store it and get to the clinic so I could meet Todd.

I slid it into a drawer in the kitchen, then left the house.

I wasn’t exactly late, but I wasn’t early either.

The clinic wasn’t a far walk—in fact, I could see the back of it from my front door.

How ironic was that? All this time—well, at least as long as Todd had been working at the clinic—my mate was that close.

I didn’t go to the back door this time. I went around, and when I pulled open the front door, it made a chiming sound.

There was no sign of Todd though, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t here.

The warlock from earlier was the one who appeared from down the hallway.

Dr. King, maybe? There had been a lot happening today.

“He’s not here.”

The disappointment was immediate. I’d been excited to see my adorable mate again. “I can wait outside. He said to meet him here for the run with his brother.”

“He took the rest of the day off. He said he’d be back tomorrow, but I told him it was all right if he needed more time.”

“Thanks. I’ll just wait outside for him.”

“His house is down past the council building. That row of houses that’s down that way, do you know where I’m talking about?”

I nodded. We had all taken turns patrolling the mountain, and that row of houses had been included. “I do. It’s expanded, and there is a small neighborhood there now.”

“Yes. Todd lives there. Fourth house on the left. But he was going to an appointment with Dr. Braun.”

“That is what Canyon told me.” I glanced off to the right. “It’s been quite a day.”