She remembered how graceful and fast he’d been when he’d gone after Shayna this morning with that long, curved knife, and she believed him. It shouldn’t have made her feel better that he’d go to such extreme lengths to protect her, but it did, and right now, she didn’t really care about what that said about her as a person. She was scared of her future, scared for her mate’s future, and her heart hurt as she learned more and more about his past. IESA had created a killing machine, but even with the odds stacked against him, Dade was clinging to his humanity. He could’ve gone off the rails any time during the years he was being pushed and used and threatened, but he was still here, trying to do what was right—trying to make up for the things he was forced to do by being a firefighter and saving what lives he could.
Proud of the man he was, she pulled Dade’s hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles lightly.
His expression softened. “What was that for?”
“I’m just glad your bear picked me. You make me happy.”
“Even with everything going on?”
She laughed and shook her head at the craziness that had taken over her life in the past few days. “Even so. You feel worth it.”
Dade turned off at a fork in the road. “Look there. Up that road, Cody and Rory live with their cub, Aaron. Boone and I both live off the road we just came down, and Ma and Gage’s family live this way.”
Another wave of nervous flutters filled her stomach, and she clenched her hands against her thighs. She’d worn a knee length floral dress so her new scars wouldn’t be rubbed raw under denim all day, and she’d thrown on a jean jacket and flats to finish off the look. Still, she fidgeted with the light fabric of her dress and hoped it was proper attire for meeting a crew of burly bear shifters for the first time. She’d never been good in crowds, especially if she didn’t know anyone, and now they would see how awkward she was. Dade had told her so much about his family she felt like she already knew them. She, on the other hand, was the new bear on the block and also the reason they were dealing with the trauma of coming out to the human public.
“Your heart is racing,” Dade murmured as he pulled to a stop in a wild flower field. “You don’t have to worry, I promise.”
“How do you know?” Her voice came out quivering and weak.
Dade gave her a small, adoring smile, as if she’d amused him. He leaned forward and kissed her, sucking on her bottom lip before he pulled away, and making her feel utterly drunk. “Because…look.” He turned his head, and Quinn followed his gaze.
His mother’s cabin looked similar in size to his, but with cedar logs around the outside. Colorful patio chairs dotted the porch, and flower pots full of arrangements in every hue of the rainbow hung from rods along the front landscaping. Across the front of the house was a large, hand-painted sign that read Welcome to the Crew in blue, yellow, and green lettering.
Out front, a small crowd had gathered, standing still with expectant smiles on their faces, as if they’d been waiting for her and Dade to arrive.
“Oh,” she breathed, pushing her door open. She stood beside the truck, uncertain. “Is that for me?”
“I told you. We don’t get new members very often. Come on,” he said, holding out his hand. “Ma has been waiting impatiently to meet you.”
Behind him, the tall grass of the yard swayed like ocean waves, but Dade stood frozen, waiting. Towering and strong, immovable. Hers.
Quinn slid her palm against his and allowed him to lead her toward the home and the people she would call family someday, if she was lucky enough.
She waved shyly as they approached. It was a silver-haired woman who got to her first with a big genuine smile. “Oh,” she drawled, chuckling as she reached for Quinn’s shoulders. Pulling her in close, she said, “I never thought my Dade would settle down, and you’ve done it. You’ve done it.”
Quinn wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist and let her rock them. “Why’d you think that, Mrs. Keller?”
“Ma. You’ll call me Ma like everyone else.” Ma eased back and gripped Quinn’s arms, studied her with moisture-rimmed eyes. “Some bears go their whole lives without the need to pair up. I was afraid my boys’ animals had been too damaged after everything. You and Rory and Leah have proved that there is hope for them.”
“I’m Rory,” a fiery red-headed woman said, offering her hand for a shake. “I’m Cody’s mate.”
Leah, Gage’s mate, introduced herself and pulled her into a back-cracking hug like Ma had done. She knew Boone from yesterday, but seeing all the Keller brothers beside each other was intimidating. Cody, with his ice blue eyes and strong chin, Gage with his dark eyes and blond, short hair, easy-smiling Boone with his shoulder length tresses and arm covered in tattoos made him look like a bright-eyed surfer, and Dade—her Dade. All of the Kellers sported the same shade of blond hair and looked similar, but each was different. Different height and build, different demeanors.