Page 17 of Delivered to My Beasts (Mail-Order Matings #22)

Crew

My bear woke me up early. Some people thought that mating and securing a mating bond with a bite was a goal but for my bear, it was the start of a lifetime of loving and cherishing our mate.

I kissed Imogen’s lips as I slipped out of her hold.

She lay in between me and Jax with Duke between her legs, laying his head on her stomach.

Last night and all through the night and early morning had been nothing less than incredible. We made her ours and marked her. And our brave female marked us back. Each of us bore the mark of our wolf right at the base of our neck. Where everyone could see.

“Where are you going?” I heard her call out as I stepped into a pair of shorts. Wasn’t even sure if they were mine.

“Breakfast, mate.”

Her lips drew upward in a sleepy smile. “I’m gonna shower and I’ll come help you.”

I always wondered what her voice sounded like fresh from sleep, and now I knew. “You don’t have to. You need rest.”

Her stomach gurgled. “I’m starving, Crew. I’ll be there in a minute. If I can pry myself from under this big guy.”

Once I knew she had gotten free of Duke, I went down to my bathroom and washed up and brushed my teeth. I saw my mark in the reflection for the first time and I was damned proud of it too.

I put on coffee first, as much as the pot would make.

All of us would have a lazy day but we also needed our energy.

We had things to talk about—regular-life issues to talk over.

We also needed protein. While I cooked up omelets made with the leftover vegetables and made a quick batch of cheesy toast to go along with them, I ate yogurt straight out of a container.

I was so busy eating and managing various things cooking that I didn’t hear Imogen coming down the stairs until she wrapped her arms around my middle and rested her head between my shoulder blades. “Something smells good.”

I nodded. “Mm-hmm, food smells good too.”

A giggle burst from her mouth. “Give me some.” She was only talking about the yogurt.

I turned to see her trying to get on the counter and failing, mostly because she was trying to eat out of the container and leap at the same time. “Here.” I picked her up by the waist and sat her on the island. “You need coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

I got the meal ready for everyone, and my bond brothers came downstairs one at a time, Duke being the last. By the time they did, Imogen had eaten two of everything and still had that container of yogurt in her arms like a security blanket. Good. She needed to eat more.

“Morning, everyone,” Duke grumbled but instead of taking his regular seat, he picked up Imogen and sat down, perching her in his lap.

Her blush gave her away even though she fussed at him for doing so.

Her marks were on full display since she was wearing a tank top and some shorts that made me want to take her right back upstairs and wear her out, again. Or the island would do.

“Hey, I need to talk to everyone about work,” Duke said. “I have had a lot of time to think about it, but we have a mate now and I don’t want to be gone for four months at a time.”

Imogen’s eyes widened. She didn’t want that either. “Four months?”

“Planting season. I go out for four months planting trees for reforestation. It makes enough for the whole year, but I’m not going to do that again if I have a mate at home.”

Imogen looked down. “Don’t let me stop you from doing what you want to.”

“Hey.” He hooked his finger under her chin. “I don’t want to be without you for that length of time. I’ll find more work.”

He must’ve convinced her because she threw her arms around him and whispered something in his ear. Through the bond, I felt nothing but love and contentment. My bear was finally at peace. He had never known that before in our adult life. He was always searching for her.

Now, we had her.

We didn’t make a lot of plans that day, except running together that night as bonded mates. No work was done. No worries were had.

Our mate no longer lingered at the big window, scanning the horizon for an enemy.

It would take her a while to heal and I wanted to offer to get her some counseling if she wanted it.

We would take her to the ocean and the city and anywhere else she wanted to go. With us, she would finally be able to live, and live freely.

And in exchange, we had the mate of our dreams.