Page 17 of Roman (Destined Paranormals #7)

Chapter 17

Roman

“ Y ou’re nervous.”

I looked over at Calum and nodded. “A little. I want to make a good impression, and honestly, my other side is a bit on edge since Beau is so far away from us,” I said quietly as we walked into the Humanities and Sciences building. He was the one who had put in the recommendation for me, something I was incredibly grateful for since he honestly hadn’t known me until Beau and I moved in next door to him and his own fae mate, Asher. Even then, he still didn’t know me. He was going on what Master Edison had told him, I was certain.

“It’ll be fine. And we only need to be here for the first-of-the-semester paperwork. It’ll be an hour tops, and then we’ll be on our way back to our mates,” Calum said.

I knew he wasn’t wrong. Beau and I had our bond, which was a huge relief because if I was being honest, I wouldn’t have been able to be here with Beau pregnant if we hadn’t been able to make that connection. Beau was perfectly safe and surrounded by friends at the bakery, and he was on Treasure Ridge. If the paranormal council wasn’t safe, I didn’t know where was.

“Do you like teaching here?” I asked.

“It’s different. I miss all of the digs I used to go on, but Asher and Isla are more than worth setting down roots. That and the fact that my parents and one of my brothers are here, it makes it even more worth it.”

I stopped and stared at the fox alpha. “I probably should have been more neighborly and at least visited once to thank you for the recommendation. But I apparently am terrible at that. But I have to ask, who is your brother?” I was trying to think of all of the fox shifters that were around, and I couldn’t think of any that were old enough to be Calum’s sibling.

Calum offered a smile. “Benjamin. He works for the council as?—”

“An enforcer,” I said, interrupting. “Sorry. I feel like an ass because I never made the connection. That means your father is Rainier and…oh, that’s how.”

Calum laughed. “I am really surprised since both of your brothers are not tigers.”

I winced. “True. I have spent so much time stuck in such a small circle that I didn’t think outside of the fact that you are a fox and I was trying to think of other fox shifters,” I whispered. We were basically alone in the hallway, but I was still being cautious.

“I’m the only one that took after our omega dad. Pierre still lives in Europe, and I’m not sure we’ll ever get him out of there. Or out enough to meet his perfect someone.” Calum patted me on the shoulder, and I started walking with him again. “This floor is all of the offices. All of the classrooms are on the second floor.”

I looked back down the hallway and realized there were a lot of offices. “Are all of these offices for instructors? Or are there general admin offices as well?”

“Both,” Calum said. He gestured for me to go to the left, and it was obvious that the room he was directing us to was an administration office. The double windows on either side of the door gave everyone a clear view of what looked to be an office at a high school. Calum opened the door, allowing me to enter first. I did, and it seemed as if all eyes were suddenly on me. Calum came in behind me and tilted his head toward the counter.

As we approached, an older woman, most likely in her sixties, if I were to guess, approached from the other side. “I know who you are, Dr. Ward, but I’m not sure about your companion here.”

“Gladys, it’s so good to see you again,” Calum said.

“Of course it is. But don’t think I’m going to let you leave without you showing me a picture of your precious baby girl.” Gladys smiled. “How are she and Asher doing?”

“Good. She’s keeping Asher busy, but that’s expected,” Calum said as he pulled out his phone. He opened up his photos app, and after he found a specific image, he turned it to show Gladys.

“Oh, look at her. She’s growing so fast.”

Calum smiled. He was an obviously proud alpha father, but Gladys wouldn’t know that. “She is. Asher has already started hinting at the fact he’d like to look into adopting another.”

I had to roll my lips inward a bit to keep from smiling at the lie that I knew Calum had just given. There would be no need for them to adopt as Asher would be able to give Calum babies just as Beau would me.

“Well, you best work on that and keep your hubby happy,” Gladys said. “Now, tell me who you have with you so I don’t have to make two trips. You know how much these old bones can ache at times.” Gladys looked over at me, then back at Calum. “That is, unless the two of you don’t know each other.”

Calum smiled. “We do, actually. This is Roman Nelson. He’s one of the new history professors.”

“Ah. Yes, we have all been curious about him.” Gladys stared at me for a long moment before she narrowed her eyes. “You look too young to have your PhD.” Gladys shook her head before pointing at Calum. “Then again, so does he. I don’t suppose either of you are willing to share your beauty secrets.”

“Umm…” I looked to Calum for guidance. I had no idea what to make of Gladys. She seemed nice enough, but perhaps a bit…nosey?

A throat clearing had Gladys rolling her eyes. “I’ll get your packets,” she said before she looked directly at me. “I have a few extra papers for you to sign,” she said before she turned and walked to the other side of the room. I glanced at Calum, who looked like he was trying not to laugh. I had no doubt he would fill me in once we were back in the hallway, but any chance of discussing anything in here went out the window at the appearance of a man who looked to be about Gladys’s age.

“Director May,” Calum said, immediately cluing me in as to who was standing in front of us. I tried to stand up a bit taller, but I was already standing at my full height.

“Dr. Ward, welcome back,” Director May said. He then focused on me. “It’s good to have you as a new addition, Dr. Nelson.” He paused for a moment before he huffed a bit and then nodded. “Montana is quite a distance from Georgia.”

I nodded. “It is indeed. Montana just happens to be where my brothers and I settled.”

Director May stared at me a moment before he nodded. “Well, welcome. We’re happy to have the position filled after it being empty for so long.”

“I’m happy that Calum suggested it.”

“Here you are,” Gladys said as she returned. She handed a large envelope to Calum, who took it and held it up in thanks.

“You said I needed to sign some papers?”

“Yes. There were a few that seemed to have been overlooked when you did your onboarding,” Gladys said.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure what all had been missed, but if there was more paperwork to be signed, then I’d practice my signature.

“Here,” Gladys said as she pulled out a page that had a bright pink tab stuck to the side of it. “And this one.” She pulled out more papers and finally found what she was looking for. “Here’s the third,” she told me as she pulled out a yellow form. “You didn’t fill out your spouse’s information for the medical insurance or the life insurance.”

“Oh, I’m not married,” I said without thinking. Immediately, I looked at Calum with wide eyes. Shit.

“Yeah, but you two are almost married. Your wedding is within the next month,” Calum said while looking at me intensely.

I looked back at Gladys. “If you plan on going through with it, then go ahead and add her.”

“Him,” I said. It was odd enough having to pretend that I was actually married to Beau, but there was no way I was going to pretend he wasn’t who he was.

“Him, then,” Gladys said. “Just put his information down, and I’ll get it filed.”

I nodded as I pulled out my pen. I quickly filled out the information, that was, until I came to Beau’s SSN. “I do not know his social off of the top of my head. Can I bring this back?” I asked Gladys. She looked annoyed.

“I had to do the same thing,” Calum said. “There’s probably a million things we know about them, but when it comes to things like their socials, I still have to look Asher’s up.” I owed Calum such a huge thanks for all that he was doing for me.

Gladys looked like she was about to argue, but Director May stepped in. “Bringing it back next time you are on campus isn’t going to be an issue. I believe the other two were just signatures on forms?” Director May said, looking at Gladys.

“Yes,” she told him. She hastily pointed out where I needed to sign, and after a quick scan, I saw that they were indeed simple forms: one for my direct deposit and the other for my agreement to the code of conduct. Both seemed fairly straightforward, and I signed without any hesitation. I took the other form and held it. I was certain that there would be some sort of answer for Beau’s information. My brothers and I had identification, so why wouldn’t Beau?

“Is there anything else you need from me at the moment?” I asked.

“No. Your forms are in the packet. Yours has the key to your office as well. If you require any sort of supplies, they’re in the supply room, which is over there,” Gladys said as she pointed at a door off to her left. “Just log what it is you take so the system will update it and we don’t suddenly find ourselves without pens or dry-erase markers.”

“Of course,” I said.

“I’ll get someone to show you where your office is,” Gladys said.

“No need,” Calum said, jumping back into the conversation. “I had planned on showing him around the campus a bit before we headed back home. Adding in a stop at his office won’t be an issue in the least.”

Gladys smiled a beaming grin at Calum. “Thank you, Dr. Ward. You’re making my job a bit easier.”

We finished up the paperwork, and after we both signed the form that we’d received our packets, we were finally on our way. Out the door we went, and when I tried to go right, Calum grabbed my arm and pulled me to the left.

“I’ll show you where my office is, and then we’ll find yours.”

“Yes. I…is she always like that?” I asked when we were several feet away from what I’d consider the main office of our building. “She was super friendly with you, but I’m not sure she even liked me.”

Calum snorted. “She was like that with me when I first started here. Give it a few months and she’ll be just as friendly with you. Especially if you show her a picture of your baby. She’s all about babies. She has something like a dozen grandchildren of her own.”

“That’s…you know, I would say that’s a lot, but thinking about some of the families on Treasure Ridge, it’s not that many.”

Calum chuckled. “No. But we have a different advantage over others.” Calum glanced over his shoulder as he approached a door, but I didn’t need to turn my head to know that someone was walking down the massive commons area. “This is my office,” he told me.

I rolled my eyes and pointed at the nameplate on the door. “I never would have guessed that, Dr. Ward, if you hadn’t said so.”

“Shut up,” Calum said as he gently shoved me. I was laughing when I entered the office but then quickly stopped. This place was so nice. It was easily the size of my home office, and I was actually surprised by how big it was. There was a wall of bookshelves filled with books as well as things that looked like artifacts.

“You did…are these real?” I asked as I moved over to what looked like a piece of pottery that was enclosed in a case.

“They’re all real. Most are mine, but some are on loan from the university. Perk of being one of the lead professors in the archelogy department.”

“I’ll bet.” I picked up a book and immediately knew it was old. I looked over at Calum. “Why isn’t this in a clamshell or something else?”

“Because it’s mine, and although it’s older than me, it normally doesn’t ever move beyond when I packed and unpacked it. I had the help of my father, and he’s quite particular when it comes to certain things. There is no need for anything beyond simply being careful with it.”

I nodded. So Calum’s warlock father had most likely done something to help protect the books. That was useful.

“So when do you think you’ll go on another dig?” I asked, changing the subject. It was obvious that Calum loved the field side of his job. His office showcased that in abundance.

“Asher and I plan on going together once we’re finished having children and they’re a little older. We’ll leave them with my parents at first, but later, we’ll take them with us. It’s something we both would love to have them experience.”

I nodded. “I can understand that.” I glanced around the office. “Just the stuff in here is impressive. I have nothing even close to this, but I certainly appreciate your collection.”

“You’ll get there,” Calum said. “I’ve been doing it a few more years than you.”

I shook my head. “You are in a completely different department from me. Archelogy is not the same as history and philosophy. Sure, they’re related, and there is certainly a good deal of history in your field, but you go into the field. I do not.”

Calum laughed. “I’ll have to work on you. I’ll get you out on a dig yet.”

I just shook my head. I could certainly see me and Calum becoming friends, and that was a bit foreign to me because I’d simply not been in one place long enough to have them, nor was I willing to risk the twins’ lives. Add in that we both had fae mates, yeah, I could see our families spending time together.

“Come on. I’ll show you your office, and then we’ll head on back. There’s a place we can grab a quick bite to eat before the drive back, and it’ll be good for you to know where the best food places are.”

I nodded. He wasn’t wrong. I would be spending some time here every month. I was going to have to figure out how to get out of my in-person office hours once Beau gave birth. At least at first. With Phineas being pregnant again, I couldn’t ask him or Phineas to help out. Knox and Philip had their hands full with their twins, and beyond that, we were really out of immediate family. Evan was an enforcer, and from what little I’d associated with him, he didn’t appear to be too fond of me. Not that it mattered too much. I was in love with Beau, and if his brother didn’t care for me, that didn’t change the fact that Beau and I were mates. But what would I do when it came time for Beau to give birth? Sure, I was only required to be here one, maybe two days a month, but the thought of leaving my mate alone with our newborn right after he’d given birth didn’t sit right with me.

“You look as if you’re warring with your own thoughts.”

“A bit,” I told him. We’d stopped in front of a new office, and I was surprised to see my name on the door: Dr. Roman Nelson—History & Philosophy. I reached out and touched the plate. It was a bit surreal, and if I was honest, I was gobsmacked that any of this was happening. I knew that without the help of Master Edison, and certainly Callum, I wouldn’t be here, and I’d probably be miserably teaching at the local college.

“You all right?”

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s just…surreal. I never thought I’d actually be in this position again. I was working on it when my father called all those years ago. I left everything to take the twins. I taught here and there online when I could, but for the most part, it was other jobs that I was able to do in between feedings and diaper changes. Things got a bit better when the twins were a bit older, but we moved so much I wasn’t ever able to keep up with anything until we finally settled here.”

It had been a complete fluke that I knew about the council to begin with. I had been searching for something completely different when I’d come across the posting that the council was looking to fill certain positions. Store manager wasn’t exactly my area of expertise, but I could do it and did. It offered not only a stable income for a change but also somewhere secure for the twins. Never did I expect it would change our lives as much as it had.

“Do you want to see the inside?”

I nodded as I looked down at the envelope. I knew the key was inside, and when I tipped it upside down, it slid out and into Calum’s hands. He handed me the key, and after I took a deep breath, I opened the door.

Inside looked a lot like Calum’s office when it came to furniture. There was a desk with a comfortable-looking chair, several bookshelves, a shorter table that sat under the window, but that was it. There were no books or artifacts, no personal touches. I would need to add those. I moved to the center of the room and shook my head. “My last office was a closet. I actually think it was literally a broom closet that they had converted. There was barely enough room for me to get to the side of my desk to get behind it to sit.”

Calum winced. “Yeah, I couldn’t have done that either.” He looked around. “You’ll need to get some things for your office, but what do you think?”

I could only shake my head. “I don’t think I have enough stuff for in here, but I can probably get a plant or two.”

Calum snorted, but it quickly turned to laughter. He patted me on the shoulder before he pulled toward the door. “I guess you and Beau need to check out the council’s store and see what you can find.”

“Probably.”

I locked the door, and then we were on our way. I realized that my office was only three doors down from Calum’s, which would explain why it hadn’t taken long to get to it.

“Do you like sandwiches? Steak is a given, but I was thinking something a bit quicker for lunch.”

I shook my head again. I had been doing that a lot lately. “I’m open to anything. Beau is at the bakery until five, so there’s not a huge rush for me to get back to him. But I understand you want to get back to Asher and Isla.”

“I do, but they’re with my dad. Isla is getting spoiled, and Asher is relaxing.”

That must be nice. “I’m really open to whatever. And if you want to hurry back to them, I’m good with finding something on my own.”

“Nope. We’re going out to lunch, and I know just the place.”

That settled that, and I was left to follow Calum out of the building and then back to the faculty parking lot. It had been an interesting day, and I had to wonder what else it had in store for me.