Page 36 of Those That Are Lost (Hidden Vampires #2)

TY

I feel lighter than I’ve felt in years as we finally reach the clubhouse. I hold the door to the entryway open for my mate, earning a smile from her in thanks as I let her into the warmth.

My mate. Gods... Fireworks light up in my chest every time I think about it. We’re bonded.

After we lose our coats and boots, we head towards our room, hopefully for some fun in the shower, but are met by a wall of wolves in the common area. Wolves, and Henry.

They’re all in their human form, either drinking coffee or devouring what looks like huge stacks of pancakes, but every single eye swings to us as the door closes behind us.

They quickly abandon their breakfast and are surrounding us in an instant, pulling us into the room and enveloping us into hugs and congratulations.

“What are you all doing? I wasn’t expecting such a reception.” I hear Red ask from a few feet away, we’d been separated in the melee. I, not forcefully but also not gently, push through the crowd so I’m back at her side.

“We have to celebrate. A mating is a blessed thing,” Theodora answers Red, her hands clasped at her chest. She looks from Red to me and I see her eyes glistening. “You didn’t think we’d just let you walk in here and not say anything did you?”

I tuck Red into my side and glare at Ash, who seems to be about to quip a remark.

‘Our scents are entwined now. With their heightened senses, they probably could tell as soon as we entered the hallway,’ I tell Red, grateful I can speak to her through this new secret channel we share.

“Oh, of course.” Red flushes in embarrassment, her hand coming to cover her face… and forgetting to not verbalise her response.

I kiss the top of her head.

“Don’t be shy about it dear, it is a wonderful thing. I am pleased for both of you.” Eetu steps forward to congratulate us. “It’s about damn time.”

Following a few more congratulatory embraces, everyone settles back down around the two round tables they occupied and eating resumes.

I take one of the empty chairs and pull Red into my lap, hands immediately finding her waist and thigh.

She mildly protests, trying to move to the seat next to mine but I don’t want to stop touching her.

‘Stay,’ I growl into her mind and she immediately settles, leaning into me.

We catch up on the festivities we missed after we left the celebrations last night, which were plentiful and had carried on for several more hours.

I watch with intrigue as a few of the wolves shuffle around once the food is gone.

Ash, Millie, Joey, and his mates have all congregated around Henry and are all talking in low voices amongst chuckles and glances our way.

“What’s up with that?” I ask Eetu with a nod of my head towards the group. My question gets Red’s attention, she’d been chatting to Luna, who’s sitting next to us.

Eetu glances at the group at the other table and smirks before answering, “I think they are trying to decide who won.”

“Won what?” Red questions, now also looking as Joey gestures wildly.

“Who takes the credit for you two,” Colton replies with a sigh as he retakes his seat next to his mate after clearing the table. He places a hand gently to Luna’s swelling stomach and it’s hard to ignore the rush of warmth between them.

“Say that again.” I couldn’t have heard that correctly.

“Care to explain, Dad? I know you and Mum were in on it too.” He gives his father a pointed look. Eetu takes his time to lower his coffee mug.

“Thanks, son. I adore your loyalty.”

“Come on, with that lot being so bloody obvious, it was hardly going to stay a secret.”

“Can someone please let us in on what you’re talking about?” I say through gritted teeth. Red’s hand comes to my chest soothingly, although her thoughts are just as confused as mine.

Millie must’ve caught our conversation because she calls over. “We’re trying to decide which one of us finally pushed you two into action. We’ve been trying to get you to declare your feelings for one another for weeks!”

Red echoes my own shock. The bond is a whirl of surprise as both of us try to put the pieces together.

“Millie, what do you mean?” Red beats me to forming actual words.

“Well, Dad’s been talking to Ty continuously about the future, Joey came up with the snowball fight last night, Ash and Henry have been trying to make Ty jealous for days.

” She glances at me sheepishly before looking back at Red.

“And I finally got you to drink from someone who’s not mated. And Henry at that, so, I think I win. ”

“No, if anything, Henry gets the points for that!” Rawson pipes up.

“Henry?” I practically growl. The jealous rage has somewhat simmered now Red is my mate but it quickly resurfaces at the reminder.

“You’re welcome.” He has the audacity to spread his hands in a what are you going to do about it gesture and actually bows his head.

“You fucker!”

“Tell me you regret my actions.” He shrugs.

Red launches from my lap before I can respond. She’s covered the space in a blink and slams a hand down on the table and her voice drops lethally calm as she leans into Henry’s space.

“You manipulated us? You’re meant to be his friend. Do you know how scared I was that he’d left last night?” Her voice is the most domineering I’ve ever heard.

Henry has the decency to shrink in his seat, as do the group around him who all played a part in this.

“You put him through emotional hell last night. It was one thing that I bit you unaware of what the consequences were, but you purposely pushed him to breaking point.” Red continues to berate them.

I have to bite my lip to curb the smirk on my lips. And I may have to shift in my seat a little from the tightness in my jeans. My mate really is a stunning creature when she’s angry.

“I’m sorry,” Henry says sincerely. The rest of them follow suit.

Red nods in acceptance before turning on her heels and coming back to my lap.

She looks down at me, her gaze searching mine like she is double checking that I’m really here. That last night really happened .

‘That was fantastic to watch,’ I purr at her down our bond. I feel her relax at the reassurance of our connection.

‘It could’ve gone so differently. I can’t believe them.’ She huffs.

‘But it didn’t, and we’re here. Mated. You’ll never come close to losing me again.’ I nuzzle into her neck, kissing the healed bite mark. The skin is a shade lighter where my teeth sank into her veins. A permanent mark to prove our mating to anyone that gets close to her.

‘Never again,’ she repeats.

“You think you’d have learnt after last time,” Theodora tuts.

“Exactly,” Colton adds.

I extract myself from Red as she turns to give Colton a questioning look.

“This isn’t this lot’s first rodeo at meddling. Although, they’ve dragged Millie and Henry into it this time.”

“Indeed. But it did make you finally realise your feelings for me,” Luna aims at Colton with a smile. He shrugs, emitting a non-committal noise.

“I apologise on behalf of my family, Rory,” Theodora adds. “They’re a bunch of romantics that get carried away.”

“Like you didn’t want them together as well, love.” Eetu gently caresses her knee.

“Be that as it may, it seems things went too far. I merely suggested we leave them alone when they were together.”

“They’re leaving tomorrow, we were on a deadline,” Ash argues.

“And? Everyone’s timeline is different. I’ll remind you of this when you’re one being meddled with.”

“I’ll welcome it, bring me a mate anytime.” He sits back and crosses his arms.

“Challenge accepted brother,” Joey claps him on the shoulder. Eetu and Theodora shake their heads.

Before any more drama can unfold, I stand, lifting Red in my arms bridal style. She lets out a little shriek and her hands shoot around my neck.

“Thanks for an insightful breakfast, everyone. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to take my mate and go find a shower.”

I carry Red from the room and do just that.

One long shower later, Red and I slowly dressed before heading to my temporary office.

I spent several hours going through all the documents with her, the various pack politics, and the tentative alliances I’m trying to tie up.

A couple of new emails in my inbox give me further confidence that I can do this; one of them is the Carnio pack inviting me to visit.

I can’t make that kind of trip yet, of course, but hopefully after we’ve secured Froan.

Red sits at the desk, her legs crossed and folded so tightly she fits on the chair.

She’s unbound her hair and it catches in the overhead lights, dancing like fire with every move of her head, as she jots things into a notebook I gave her.

Her tattoo is still on show, not bothering to put her glamour back in place.

None of the wolves mentioned it but they wouldn’t be bothered by it anyway.

The black ink swirls as she writes, mirroring the shadows currently playing under her chair. They’ve refused to leave her alone since last night. Whilst she’ll never be able to control them, I hope they might protect her should the need arise now that we’re bonded.

Seeing her now, she looks so different from when we studied together during those first few months.

Physically, she’s nearly the same—bar the tattoo and nose stud—but as I study her, she has a confidence again that wasn’t there before.

She’s always had a fiery attitude when needed but the anxiety that clung to her has eased somewhat, at least right now.

And from the first texts I showed her today, she’s dived head-first into taking up the role of a leader.