Everett

Griffin cried when Felix left the bunker after lunch. I was kind of happy Felix's leaving impacted him, since it meant he wasn't only attached to me, but it was awful to have him crying against me.

"Pop will be back soon," I assured Griffin.

"No leave!" Griffin argued.

"He's just outside. Here, why don't we go to the window and watch?" I knew Felix wanted to keep me and Griffin away from Niles, but surely there wasn't any harm in looking out the window for a little while. I stood at the window with Griffin resting on my hip and his cries died down as soon as he saw Felix where he was stretching in the clearing in the middle of the houses that were tucked away in this part of the forest.

"See?" I said to Griffin. "Pop didn't go far. And even if he went away for a while, he'll always come back. We will never leave you." At least, not the way he feared we would.

We watched Felix for a little while until Griffin got bored. "Read a book?" he asked.

We passed most of the afternoon reading, and I peeked through the blinds whenever I got up to get a new book or a snack. Eventually, Griffin went down for a nap and I got to sit and watch.

I was no expert in combat, but I felt my stomach sinking more and more the longer I watched Felix's training session. If Niles were really up to challenging Marcus, I thought he'd probably spend less time on his ass in the dirt. I watched as Niles stood up again and faced off against Felix, who stood casually across from him, arms hanging at his sides. Niles charged and Felix stepped to the side, stuck out his foot, and yanked back Niles' arms when he tripped. Niles hit the dirt again, and Felix rested a foot on his back.

My stomach roiled. This was hopeless.

Felix spent the whole afternoon out there, coaching Niles and showing him maneuver after maneuver. They wrapped up around four, half an hour before Gareth was expected. It gave Molly time to get Niles out of the area beforehand.

After Molly and Niles left, Felix finally came back inside. He pressed his lips together when he saw me and shook his head. "Plan A is out," he said.

"Yeah, I'd say so," I said, grimacing. "Is there really no chance?"

"You were watching?" Felix asked. I nodded. "Then you know the answer to that."

Griffin started crying and I went to get him from his bed while Felix washed up. Griffin calmed quickly once I had him in my arms until he heard the shower running and said, "Pop!"

"Yeah, Papa is back. He'll be out in a few-"

Griffin's wordless yelling blocked out my reassurances. I sighed and carried him into the bedroom to wait for Felix, who thankfully came out with a towel around his hips in a couple of minutes.

"Griffin!" he cheered. Griffin squirmed in my arms, so I released him. He ran to Felix, who scooped him up for a tight hug. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and snapped a picture, then took another one of the amused look Felix sent my way.

"He missed you," I said. And wasn't that wonderful?

"I missed him, too." Felix kissed Griffin's head and smiled down at him. It was immensely fulfilling, seeing the bond grow between them. I took one last picture and shoved my phone back in my pocket.

"Gareth should be here soon," I said. "I should go tidy up a bit."

Felix nodded his agreement and started swooping Griffin through the air. I hurried through the living room and cleaned up all the books Griffin and I had been reading earlier. There were also blocks left from his stacking game last night and dishes on the counter from breakfast this morning. I was just finishing up when a knock sounded on the door.

I dried my hands on my pants as I walked to the door. A quick glance though the peephole revealed Molly. I unlocked and opened the door. "Hi, Molly," I said, my tone questioning.

"Sorry, I probably should have called first. Is it okay if I come in for a bit? I wanted to touch base with Felix and see how his session with Niles went today."

Molly had dropped Niles off and retrieved him when it was over. She didn't know yet what a massive failure it had been. I opened the door wider and stepped back. "Sure."

Molly headed straight for a big armchair and sank into it with closed, happy eyes. "Man, I need to get one of these in my place."

Felix came down the hall with Griffin perched on his shoulders. "Hey, Molly!" Griffin ducked his face into Felix's hair. He had met Molly several times now, but was still shy around her. He generally seemed to struggle more with women than men.

"Hey. How did it go?" she asked. Felix and I exchanged glances that had Molly sighing before Felix even answered.

"There's no freaking way he can do it," Felix said. "He'd be dead in under a minute."

Molly slid deeper into her chair and draped her forearm over her eyes. "That bad? You're sure?"

"I don't think he'd win in a fight against most of our middle schoolers," Felix said.

Molly sat up and shook her head. "If he's that untrained, I honestly don't know what that man was thinking. He said he had been practicing in secret."

"Yeah, I asked about his training regimen. He's been using YouTube videos and the occasional weekend workshop when he could get away from Tourmaline, all geared toward humans," Felix explained.

Even I saw the problem with that. "Isn't this guy supposed to be some hotshot engineer? Where's the common sense?" I complained.

"Brain smarts and common sense are completely different," Molly said. "Trust me."

There was another knock at the door, and I hurried to answer it. All of our family members and Felix's friends had been warned we were expecting company tonight, so they'd be giving us some space. So, it had to be Gareth this time.

And it was. I caught sight of him through the peephole and struggled to open the locks, I was so excited. "Gareth!" I hugged him tightly, feeling almost like a lost piece of myself had been returned.

"Hey, Everett," Gareth said, patting my back. He seemed oddly distracted.

"How was the drive?" I asked, releasing him and taking his bag.

"Not too bad," Gareth said. He stopped in the threshold and I nudged him to the side so I could shut and lock the door.

And then Gareth was moving. He didn't even stop to take off his shoes, which was unfortunately a common occurrence with him. He went straight for Molly with long strides, and in seconds, he was wrapped around her in a tight hug. I couldn't see her reaction, though she'd watched him with wide eyes as he approached and didn't try to stop the embrace. In fact, she wrapped her arms around him, too, and held on.

Felix and I exchanged glances but kept quiet until our friends parted. "Do you know each other?" I asked once Gareth had released Molly, though he still held her hands. His eyes didn't leave hers.

"Yes," Gareth said at the same time Molly said "No."

"I know you," he said softly. "Of course, I know you."

And at those words, Molly just sort of... melted. She looked at him like he hung the moon. Like he was...

Felix seemed to think introductions were in order. "Molly, this is-"

"My mate," she said, astonishment clear in her voice.

"What!" I said, looking between them now. But of course, what else could that have been but two mates meeting? My heart felt warm and full. This was what a mating was supposed to be like. This was the perfect storybook moment everyone dreamed of. I eyed Felix and remembered just how different our own had been, and had to smile.

As cute as Molly and Gareth were being right now, I liked my journey with Felix.

Gareth reached up and smoothed his hair, which he always did when he was nervous. Molly got up and stood in front of him. And then Gareth waved at her, which was probably the most adorable thing he could have done. "I'm Gareth," he said. "Everett's friend."

Felix quietly walked over to me and whispered, "Should we be here for this?"

"Yes, now shut up," I said, only half joking. He'd have to drag me away. I was excited to see what happened next.

Gareth and Molly just kept watching each other, both of them looking eager and interested, but neither of them making any kind of move toward conversation.

"Molly's usually better at keeping her head on straight," Felix said through our mind link.

I snorted and decided it was time to step in. Gareth is staying for the weekend. Do you maybe want to stay for dinner?" Though, maybe they'd rather have dinner alone. As much as I wanted Gareth to have time with his mate, I really hoped I'd still get some time with him this weekend.

Though, the odds of him transferring to Lakota were pretty good. After all, Molly was the future alpha and couldn't just leave. So we'd have plenty of time together later. I was just opening my mouth to suggest they go out to eat when Molly nodded. "That sounds great!" she said.

"Molly is my best friend and the future alpha," Felix filled in.

Gareth's brows raised. "Really?"

Molly nodded and tucked her hair behind her ears. Felix hooked an arm through mine and pulled me to the kitchen. "We're going to go get a start on dinner," he called over his shoulder.

I huffed, but I knew he was right to give them some space. I scrubbed Griffin's hands and had him help me with the salad – I cut the veggies on the counter and put them in small bowls, which I set on the floor for Griffin to dump into a much bigger bowl. He had a spoon and stirred whenever there wasn't something new to pour in. It was messy, but it kept him happy and was pretty cute, so I didn't mind too much.

Felix had chicken sizzling in a pan and water boiling for potatoes. He hummed as he worked. It was one of those perfect domestic moments. I finished the salad and helped Felix peel and chop potatoes. Meanwhile, Griffin had moved to his blanket to play with a shape sorting toy.

"He's such a good kid," I said quietly.

Felix glanced over his shoulder toward Griffin and his gaze softened. "He's going to grow up to be like you, I bet. He's smart and lovely, and he has a good heart."

My own heart fluttered in my chest. "Felix, you can't just say things like that," I said, pressing my hand to my heart and waiting for it to return to normal.

He kissed my temple. "I'm just being honest."

"What did I tell you? They're positively nauseating," Molly said. I snapped my gaze toward the doorway and saw that she and Gareth were both peeking in with eerily similar smiles.

"Just you wait," I said. It wouldn't be too long before they got all cute and cozy, too.

They came into the room and it seemed like they were at least a little more themselves. Molly settled on one of the chairs at the dining room table, which was in full view of the kitchen, while Gareth came over to me.

"So, that's your kid," he said.

"So, that's your mate," I replied with a smirk. I still couldn't believe he and Molly were mates.

He smiled and looked toward Molly, who was already watching him. She smiled back. "Yeah."

I grinned. "I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, man. Want to introduce me to Griffin?"

I was a little baffled that he and Molly were hanging out like this was a normal Friday, but was happy to follow his lead. "Sure." I went to Griffin's blanket and held out my arms. "Want to come meet my friend?"

He looked at Gareth, then back at me. "No."

Gareth laughed. "It's cool. We've got the whole weekend."

But did we have the whole weekend? Surely, he and Molly would take some time for themselves. Gareth caught my skepticism and said, "Molly and I agreed we'd go out for a little while this evening after dinner. I figure you'll be doing bedtime for the little guy, anyway."

"Good idea. But don't worry about us."

Since Griffin was contentedly playing and Felix had dinner under control, Gareth and I joined Molly at the table and chatted. It felt nice. Easy. Sure, they'd have occasional moments where I could see they were feeling awkward or uncertain, but mostly it felt like a normal time hanging out with old friends.

If your friends were a little bit obsessed with each other, that is.

When it was time to eat, I helped Felix bring all the food, plates, and silverware to the table. I sat with Griffin on my lap, since he liked to eat together

"Play with blocks," Griffin said as we settled down.

"We can play in a little while. Think you can eat some dinner?" I asked.

"Blocks!" Griffin insisted.

As he grew more comfortable with us, he grew more demanding. It was usually cute to see him so assertive, but I was starting to wonder whether we indulged him too much. "What if we bring a book over to look at while we eat?" It wasn't an ideal situation, but at least he might take a few bites here and there.

Griffin thought about this. "Juice too?"

"It was probably a little early to teach him to negotiate," Felix said with a smile as he stood to get the juice and book.

"I didn't!" I said. Or... had I?

Throughout dinner, Griffin was content to flip through the book and drink. He liked to say what the pictures were while he looked at them, and when he said "Dog! Wooh!" in his adorable attempt at a bark, Molly aww-ed.

"He's just the cutest," she gushed at Felix.

Felix smiled with his heart in his eyes. "He is," he agreed.

I waited until we'd all finished eating to bring up the disaster that was Niles. Thankfully, I'd been keeping Gareth updated, so he'd be able to follow along. "So, Niles is out. What does this mean for our plan?" I asked her.

Molly winced. "There is no plan," she said, and looked down at Griffin with a frown. "I understand that this is especially time-sensitive for you. I'm doing my best. Sorry I don't have more to offer yet."

"Don't apologize, I know you're trying to come up with a solution. We are too. But we're on borrowed time. Marcus hasn't made another attack yet, but we all know one is coming." This was from Felix, whose face had settled into a grim expression that made him look every inch the warrior he was.

Molly flinched. Felix knew her much better than I did and he read something in her expression I didn't, because he leaned in and glared. "Why do you look guilty?"

I studied Molly and instinctively held Griffin closer to me. Felix's accusation only made her look guiltier.

"Look, I was going to tell you," she said. "I was just waiting until we had all the facts."

"What?" Felix ground out through clenched teeth. Griffin looked up at him with wide, curious eyes. He was aware enough to know something was wrong, but not enough to have followed our conversation. I ran my fingers through his soft hair and Griffin settled back against me. If only all hurts could be so easily soothed.

"There was another attack," Molly said. "Just not in the usual way. Sue and Earnest caught a cyber security breach a couple of days ago. They've been tracing the hacker's path through our network. They only got some of our defense schematics and..."

"And what?" Felix asked, his voice dangerously low and mostly growl. I put a hand on his thigh and he gripped it tightly.

"And information on Everett. Just his transfer paperwork. We caught the hacker before he or she dug up any more."

Felix stood violently and his chair clattered to the floor behind us. Griffin jolted in my arms before he started wailing. I rocked him and shushed him and he calmed down quickly. It was much easier to soothe tears of surprise than his usual ones.

Felix leaned down and scooped Griffin up, hugging him and apologizing for making such a loud noise. Griffin patted his cheek and said, "Okay, Pop." Felix and I grinned at each other. I loved every single interaction between my mate and our son. Their relationship was growing a lot quicker than I had dared hope for. Then Griffin said, "Play blocks?" and I couldn't help laughing.

"Alright, sure, bud. Why don't you go to your blanket and I'll bring your plate over?" Felix headed toward the doorway and added, "We'll be right back."

I watched as they left the room and kept staring after them until Molly said, "I really love seeing Felix like this." I glanced at her questioningly and she added, "All soft and loving. Don't get me wrong, he's always been like this with Magnus and Meleri, but I don't think he was ever so fulfilled or so deeply happy."

I couldn't help a dopey smile from taking over. I loved Felix, and I loved hearing from people who'd known him forever that they thought his life was better with me in it. I was certainly much happier with him than ever before.

"I've never seen Everett look like that," Gareth added. "Cute." I showed him my middle finger and got up to help Felix set Griffin up.

I brought Griffin's mat into the dining room so he could sit near us while he played. Felix helped Griffin build his first tower when they came back with a box of blocks, then rejoined us at the table. He kissed my cheek, then looked between Molly and Gareth. "So, we need a new plan. Do we have any ideas?"

Molly shook her head. The room was silent for a little while except for the clatter of Griffin's blocks as he stacked them and knocked them down. Then an idea formed. "Why not stick with the original plan?" I asked. I could see Molly getting worked up, so I held up a hand and said, "I don't mean that Niles should challenge Marcus. But why not have someone else challenge him? Do the rules say the challenger has to be a descendent of a former alpha?"

"Leadership transitions are smoother when someone has a birthright to it," Felix said, "but I think we're past the point of a smooth transition at this point, anyway. Who would we get to challenge him? We need someone we trust to lead a pack – who actually wants to lead a pack – and who is strong enough to win the fight. It's not like we can put an ad in the paper."

"Is there no one in Tourmaline who could do it?" Felix asked Molly.

Molly's eyes were sorrowful. "Not anymore. Marcus killed anyone he thought was strong enough to challenge him."

"So we need someone from a different pack. Someone willing to move to Tourmaline and lead – and to put his or her life on the line to win the right to. I don't personally know any fighters except Felix," I said. "How about you guys?"

Molly frowned in thought. "My father and I go to quarterly summits to meet with other packs. I've met a couple of people who might be up for the job, but I don't know them well enough to be certain."

"Can we go visit them? It would give you a chance to feel out the situation," Gareth said.

Molly nodded slowly. "We'll start with the closest candidate. I think that'll be Opal Reyes. She's an alpha's daughter, but her older sister is in line to inherit, so we wouldn't be costing a pack its leader. And Marcus seems the type to underestimate a woman.."

"Do you have her phone number?" Gareth asked.

"Yeah... but this isn't the kind of request you put in writing or risk having recorded. I need to talk to her in person and feel her out," Molly said, biting her lip.

I looked to Felix, feeling torn. "What is it?" he asked.

I glanced at Molly and Gareth, then decided privacy would be best. I used the mind link. "We need to think about you going along with Molly to talk to this Opal person," I said to him.

Felix jolted in surprise. "You can't be serious. I'm not leaving you two."

"We get one shot at this, Felix. Once Marcus realizes we're trying to challenge him, he'll change the rules. Whoever we send to challenge him has to win. You can go and test Opal's skill. Do you want to leave that to another?"

Felix frowned and wrapped his arm around my shoulders so he could pull me in for a hug. "I'm not going," he told me. His tone was one of finality. "You make a good point, though. It shouldn't be just Molly. A warrior has to go, too. I'll see if Elspeth can do it. I trust her judgment."

I searched his gaze for any hint of doubt, but Felix was being sincere. He really did trust Elspeth to do it. After having heard about his past with her, I trusted Felix's faith in her. "Okay."

Felix and I looked back to Molly and Gareth, who had been watching us curiously. Well, Molly was watching us while Gareth stole glances in her direction. I realized that he was sitting at just the right angle to see down Molly's shirt and threw a tomato at him from the salad bowl. He held up his hands and I could almost hear his response of "What was I supposed to do?"

"Take Elspeth with you," Felix said, and I realized that I'd completely lost the thread of conversation. "She can test Opal's fighting abilities."

Molly nodded. "I'd rather take you with me, but I understand. I'll call her after we leave to see if she'll join us. That will leave a gap in your guard schedule, though."

"I understand," Felix said. "We'll get someone else to fill in." I knew Felix wasn't totally happy with this – he preferred that our defenders be people he who had his absolute trust – but we were running out of options here.

"Can I come?" Gareth asked. He shot me an apologetic look, but I nodded my support.

Molly's exhale almost sounded like a sigh of relief. "I'd like that." They made mooning eyes at each other, and I snapped a picture to send to Gareth later.

So, it was settled. Molly, Gareth, and Elspeth would go out looking for someone to challenge Marcus. I just hoped this mess was over soon.