Page 25 of Fangs for the Help
“You had me go—” Jed’s words were cut off when Cassi noticed her sisters standing at the top of the stairs and shouted.
“Andi!”
Big fat tears started streaming down Andi’s face as she made her way down the stairs. She wasn’t entirely steady, but her oldersister was there to help. She didn’t talk until she was on the ground floor and throwing her arms around Cassi.
“Cassi!” she said with a sob. “I was so scared. Officer Chavez said you saved me. You went to Silas, and he made the authorities raid the compound. I’m so sorry for what I said last time we talked. They were listening in, and I had to pretend I hated you and never wanted to see you again. I’m so sorry!”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Cassi assured the young woman, hugging her back. “I knew something was wrong because of the way you talked to me. Even if you were upset with me, you’d never use that kind of language, not my Andi. I’m so happy you’re home and safe!”
They continued to hug as everyone talked around them. Cassi’s older sister Carina introduced herself. Nanc and Jed offered them all kinds of food and drinks while Andi clung to Cassi as if she was the only steady thing in the world.
Listening to how open and warm Cassi’s family was with the new men in her life made Idris finally relax. It wasn’t until that moment that he realized how tense he’d been. The last hurdle had been this family's approval. Now that they had it, there was no more fear that Cassi might regret their soul bond.
The four of them could look forward to a long, happy life together.
A knock at the door pulled him out of his thoughts. Reed bounced to the door and swung it open like he lived there, revealing a man in an officer’s uniform.
“Angel!” Reed exclaimed and pulled the man into a hug.
“Reed!” Angel Chavez said with a chuckle as he hugged Reed back, then looked into the very full living room. His eyes found Andi, and he smiled at her. “Did you decide to have a party while I was gone?”
“This is my middle sister and her mates,” Andi said, dipping her head shyly. “I guess you already know Reed.”
“He was very briefly a member of my pack before finding Silas,” Angel said.
“What are you doing here?” Reed asked.
Angel held up a duffle bag. “Spending the night so Andi feels safe.”
“Ang—I mean Officer Chavez said I don’t have anything to worry about, but he was willing to sleep on the couch just to be sure.”
Reed cast Angel a knowing look. “Just to be sure, huh?”
Angel playfully shoved Reed and moved past him to stand near Andi. He didn’t touch her, but she seemed to lean toward him as if drawn by an invisible force.
Idris knew exactly what that invisible force was. It seemed this human family was a magnet for soul mates because the remaining daughter had found hers.
“I didn’t see that happy ending coming,” Reed murmured to Idris.
“What happy ending?” Cassi asked. “Why am I getting gleeful from you, Reed?”
“We’ll explain later,” Idris said, pulling her into a hug as Angel and Andi became engrossed in a conversation. “But it’s probably time we left.”
Cassi finally noticed how Andi was looking at Angel. “Oh! Yeah, we should go.”
With Angel there, Andi didn’t cry when they left, but she did make Cassi promise they’d have a long conversation soon. Silas reminded everyone of their standing invitation to the castle, and Jed handed Idris a rock “for the road.”
He needed to think of something funny to do with the rock when Jed eventually visited them. Maybe put it in a drink like it was an ice cube?
“I like your dad,” he commented as they drove home.
“Yeah, he’s the quintessential dad including bad jokes and horrible puns,” Cassi said. “He’s the best.”
“Your mom’s great too,” he commented.
“They’re kind of your parents now too,” Cassi said, snuggling close. He felt the truth of her words through the link and understood that the flock hadn’t just gained Cassi but an entire extended family and probably a wolf pack too if Angel and Andi mated.
The thought made him feel all kinds of protective. “Silas, we need to buy more land!”
