Page 61 of Shadowed Bond

I didn’t fucking realise everyone was here.

Dad, Grandad, Grandma, Jayce, Sienna, Carter, Renji, Katara, and even our champ Stephen is there in Sienna’s arms, tiny and oblivious to the fact that this family is about to become even more of a circus.

Shahira is also down from the Academy, too, sitting beside Renji with her hand tucked into his, looking calm, pretty and sharp-eyed in the way she always does. Renji looks far too smug, his eyes fixed on Charlotte.

The entire room goes silent as everyone puts everything together at different speeds – our scents, her holding me, the marks on our necks – and then they all look at me in that annoying fucking way they do right before someone says something irritating.

“Am I really seeing this?” Cunt Carter says, raising his annoying as fuck eyebrows.

Jackass Jayce looks from me to Charlotte, then back to me, then the marks on our necks, and the bastard’s mouth starts to curve.

Ratbag Renji’s eyes widen before a grin spreads across his face. “Oh, this is good.”

“Say one word,” I warn.

“That was four,” Renji says.

Shahira elbows him lightly. “Renji.”

“What? It was four words, and nothing happened,” he grins, and Katara stifles a laugh.

“Charlotte,” Grandma says as Sienna smiles brightly.

“Hi,” Charlotte says “Sorry for dropping in unannounced…”

I can tell she doesn’t even know what to say. Grandma shakes her head, and Dad smiles.

“This is your home now, too, clearly. You can drop in at any time. Welcome to the family,” he says as he stands and walks over to both of us, placing a hand on both of our shoulders for a moment.

“Liam is right,” Grandad says. “We just weren’t expecting Ares to come back mated.”

“The Blood Moon’s fault,” I drop in, and Charlotte’s nails dig into my arm as she looks up at me with a look as sharp as a blade wrapped in silk.

Dad’s gaze moves over us, and something soft flickers in his eyes before he smiles.

Sienna and Shahira exchange looks; both of their smiles growing.

“Welcome, Charlotte,” Sienna says.

“Thank you,” Charlotte responds as I walk towards the sofa, and usually I’d drop onto it and earn Grandma’s scolding for almost breaking the sofa. Today, though, I sit more slowly, giving her the time to sit down with me.

“So,” Jayce says, “The mission was productive.”

I glare at him. “Shut up.”

Charlotte’s hand brushes down my arm, and before she can move it away, I offer her my hand. This time, she takes it, lacing her fingers with mine.

That gets another ripple through the group.

Carter actually points at our hands. “He’s actually holding her hand.”

“That’s what mates actually do,” Renji informs him.

“But this is Ares,” Jayce adds, as I lean over and take Stephen from Sienna with one hand, not ‘cause I missed him or anything. He was just looking at me, init.

“Tell your dad to shut his damn mouth,” I tell Stephen, refusing to look at my brother.

“But holding hands-” Carter begins.