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“We will tomorrow.” She winks. “Night, honey.”

“Night, Trina,” I say with a small laugh, then roll over.

I hear Trina checking the door a couple times, making sure it’s locked and won’t open. Normally she only does that once. She walks around the living room more than normal, too. It must be because of what Pierce told her. It’s not that I feel unsafe, but it does make me worry that I’m not worried enough. It’s hard to be concerned at all with those alphas’ scents lingering in the air. I wish they were here so I didn’t have to worry about anything at all.

When the house is quiet, I finally fall asleep. The morning comes too soon, but I wake refreshed. There’s a heavy feeling in my stomach though, as I think about Pierce and Forge and what they’re doing.

How early do they wake up? What do they like to eat in the morning?

Then my mind wanders elsewhere… Somewhere it doesn’t usually go.

They said their packmates, partners, but that they aren’t bonded.

But do they shower together? Do they kiss? Do they share a bed?

I’m curious about their life and how I would fit into it.

They’ve been a pack for a long time, so where does that leave room for me? They seem willing for me to join. They both jumped at the chance to get to know me better and take me out to dinner. It seems they want this. It’s not that I don’t want it, I’m just not sure I know what it really means.

There are packs at the village. I saw them interact and live. But that was on the outside. What they wanted everyone to see. You don’t see the stuff that goes on behind closed doors. I have no idea what being part of their pack will mean for me, and that’s what I need to figure out. Mostly, I just want to get to know them a little better to make sure we get along. Sure, we are a scent-match and that’s a big deal. It’s important. But it’s not everything. I’ve heard of people scent-matching and choosing not to bond for one reason or another.

There is certainly physically attraction on my end, but that also isn’t everything. I need to make sure that we have the same ideas for our future, that we can make this work as the three of us. That there is a place for me in their life. This is a big step, and I find myself excited to see them later today to talk about it.

I was content where I was. But these last two weeks have flipped my world upside down, and it just may be that Pierce and Forge are the ones to turn it right side up again.

Chapter Fifteen

Pierce

The clock on my computer tells me it's almost four.

Two more hours before we get to see Raewyn, and I know they’re going to feel like much more than two hours. The day has already felt like a year. I’ve hardly been able to focus on anything, which is a big problem because we’re in the middle of a homicide investigation. One that needs our full attention and focus.

I've been through the case file twice today. Forge has been making calls, trying to find anything that might connect the name Xavier to Theodore Gendron. So far, we've come up empty.

But it's not the case that's making it difficult to concentrate.

It's Raewyn.

The way she smiled when we agreed to take her to dinner. The way she looked disappointed when we had to leave. The fact that, for the first time in years, I'm looking forward to taking someone out. Someone who might eventually become part of our pack.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy doing things with Forge, but we don’t do the dating stuff. That’s not how we function. Neither of us needs that from the other. But with Raewyn? I want to spoil the hell out of her, and I know Forge feels the same way. So it seems adding someone to our pack will be easy and work out just fine—if Raewyn decides that’s what she wants. I hope we can talk about that tonight, to see if we want the same things. Discuss next steps and how we want to do this.

Raewyn doesn’t need to make a decision tonight, of course, but I want to make sure we’re all moving in the right direction—the same direction.

“Warren. Thane.”

I look up.

Captain Mendes stands in our doorway, looking like someone pissed in his coffee. We didn’t, but we aren’t exactly on his good side.

Not that I blame him. He made it pretty damn clear he wanted Raewyn brought in, and we did the opposite. What I can't figure out is why he hasn't said another word about it. Mendes isn't the type to give an order and forget about it, especially when we've deliberately ignored him. Yet, nothing has been said about it again.

I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Judging by the look on his face, it might finally be time.

He can’t fire us over this, right?