Page 21

Chapter

Twenty

K NOX

I woke with my mate in my arms. Burrowing my face into his hair, I inhaled his scent and sank into the soft embrace of the mattress. He smelled of warmth, honey, sleepy man… and me. It was a combination I could get used to, if he’d let me.

I raised my head and looked around. It was no longer completely dark, so morning must be upon us. Unfortunately, that meant I had to make a decision, and I wasn’t sure what to do. Should I stay in bed with Danny or sneak out before he woke up and panicked?

Last night he’d been stressed, and his instincts had overridden his fear of me. In the cold light of day, and with several hours of rest up his sleeve, he’d be in a clearer mindset. There was every chance he’d realize that we’d made a mistake and he didn’t truly want me here.

But if I left while he was asleep and he didn’t wake up with regrets, then he’d be upset with me, and rightfully so. Mates shouldn’t slink away in the morning like they’re ashamed. They should stand by each other’s sides and face the future together .

Damn it. This wasn’t helping.

And to think, I’d once believed that finding a mate would be the hard part, and after that, everything would fall nicely into place.

Ha.

I dithered, going back and forth before finally deciding to get out of bed but stay in the house. That way, when he woke, he wouldn’t be forced to endure me holding him if he didn’t want to, but he wouldn’t feel abandoned either.

Moving slowly, I disentangled myself from him and eased from the bed, being careful not to disturb him. When I was free, I tiptoed out of the room, closed the door, and went to the bathroom to wash up.

After a shower, I felt better, but I didn’t have anything to wear. I’d probably find something belonging to one of Danny’s brothers if I rummaged through the drawers, but I didn’t want to invade his privacy like that, so I tied a towel around my waist instead.

I headed to the kitchen, started the coffee brewing, and examined the contents of the cupboards. I considered making a full cooked breakfast, but after Danny’s shock yesterday, he needed something nourishing, so I prepared a healthy tray of cut fruit drizzled with honey, granola, and yogurt.

By the time he emerged from the bedroom, the tray was laid on the dining table, along with a cup of coffee for each of us, prepared to our preferences.

“What’s this?” he asked, rubbing his tired eyes.

“Breakfast.” I pulled out one of the chairs for him and gestured for him to sit. “Coffee, just how you like it, and a nice healthy breakfast to get us off to a good start for the day.”

A shy smile crept over his face and his gaze skimmed my naked chest before he looked away. “This looks really nice. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” If I had my way, he’d get used to being spoiled every day.

Danny sat, and we ate breakfast together in peaceful silence. When we were done, he excused himself to shower and get dressed while I cleared away the dirty dishes.

“Can we visit George?”

I glanced toward the hall doorway, where Danny was now standing. “Of course.”

It would be good to check on the little omega and see how he was doing after a night of rest. Likely, the reality of what had happened would finally have sunk in. He might be jittery and nervous, in which case, the company of another adult omega would help.

“Would you like to walk down?” I asked. “It’s sunny outside. I doubt it’s very warm, but some fresh air might do us good.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Just let me grab my jacket and a change of clothes for you.” He disappeared down the hall and returned a moment later, already zipping up his puffer jacket. He passed me a bundle of clothes and I took it to the bathroom and tugged on the pair of sweatpants, T-shirt, and jacket he’d provided me with. They were slightly too large, but they’d do.

I joined Danny and waited for him to precede me through the front door, then locked it behind us and fell into step beside him. As we walked, his fingers brushed mine, and a jolt of electricity rippled through me. I curled my hand away, unsure whether the contact would make him uncomfortable, but then he slid his hand into mine and gripped it tightly.

My heart swelled. Inside, my wolf howled with joy. Our mate had willingly taken our hand. We were getting closer to bonding.

We strolled down the main street, past the bakery, the hardware store, and the police station until the children’s home came into view. I was pleased to see a police officer stationed out the front. Zander was clearly taking the threat to its inhabitants’ safety seriously.

The officer straightened as we approached. He nodded to Danny. “Good morning.” His gaze traveled to me and grew suspicious. “How can I help you both?”

“We’re here to see George.” Danny’s grasp of my hand tightened infinitesimally. “Is that okay?”

The officer relaxed. “I don’t see any harm in that, but I’ll have to check whether he wants to talk to the two of you first.” He turned to me. “What’s your name again, wolf?”

Danny started to scowl, but I didn’t take offense. The cop was just doing his job.

“Knox Kingston. Tell George it’s the guy who found him last night.”

The cop dipped his head in acknowledgment. “I’ll do that. Just wait a moment. And by the way, thank you for what you did yesterday. I know we all appreciate it.”

He raised his radio to his mouth and spoke into it quietly, relaying our message. A few seconds later, a response came through.

“You can go in,” he said.

“Thanks.” Danny released my hand and, when the cops stepped aside, bustled into the house.

I paused before following him. “Is there someone guarding the Omega House?”

They were vulnerable too. Just because the rogue wolves had opted to attack the Children’s Home once didn’t mean it would be the target of choice a second time .

“They are.” A hint of respect gleamed in the cop’s eyes. “Don’t worry, we protect our own.”

“Good.” I could only hope that one day I would be counted amongst that number.

I entered the house and followed the sound of voices to a cozy living room. Danny sat on an armchair while George was huddled on the sofa with a child tucked under each arm—a little blond boy on his left and a pretty dark-skinned girl on his right. A brief sniff identified them as a squirrel shifter and a bear shifter, respectively.

Danny and George seemed to be sharing an intense conversation, so I kept my distance, not wanting to intrude. I was waiting for an opening to ask how George was doing, but before the chance arose, footsteps padded up the hall behind me. I didn’t turn, able to identify the newcomer by scent.

Garrick.

“Zander called me,” he murmured, coming to a stop a few feet behind me. “He told me I could find you here.”

“And why did you want to find me?” I asked, keeping my eyes on Danny.

Garrick chuckled. “Fair question. Look, I know we’ve all been a bit wary of you, but you really proved yourself last night. If you hadn’t taken the initiative, there’s no saying how long George might’ve been outside before someone found him.”

I shrugged. “You would have found him eventually. I just got there first.”

“Because you’re good.” Garrick shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his clothes rustling as he moved. “We’d like to have you on the search and rescue team on a probationary basis, if you’re interested.”

My heart stuttered. I didn’t know what to say. On the one hand, the job showed a level of acceptance that I’d been looking for, and it would mean cash. On the other hand… Well, I couldn’t help but feel like that acceptance was either conditional or against their better judgment, and I didn’t know what to make of that.