Page 30 of Dermot

Tamsin grinned. “Is he really your mate?”

Dermot hesitated, then pulled down the collar of his shirt. The place where Bastien had bitten him was obvious. It wasn’t raw anymore. In fact, it was completely healed. Tamsin had seen Dermot half-naked before, though. He’d know that there had been nothing there until a few days ago.

Tamsin’s eyes widened, and he squeaked. He grabbed Dermot and pulled him into his arms, causing Dermot to make a strangled sound. “You bonded!” he cried out.

“Half the village probably knows it. We started yelling at each other in front of everyone.”

Tamsin leaned back and gave Dermot a good shake. “Shut up. I’m kind of angry that you didn’t tell me, but I get it. Things have been complicated.”

Dermot looked back at Bastien, who was now carrying Haley on his shoulders. Haley didn’t have a father figure, but many of the men living at the village were willing to play with her and try to make her happy. Apparently, Bastien was one of those men.

It made Dermot wonder if Bastien would ever want children. They hadn’t talked about that, but now wasn’t the right moment. Bastien wouldn’t want to think about the future until his sister was back with them, and Dermot agreed. Their priority right now needed to be Celeste. Once she was home, they could focus on their relationship and their future.

Dermot brushed the bite mark with a fingertip. He and Bastien would have that future. It would be here at the village, and their children would have many loving aunts and uncles. None of them would be related by blood, but they didn’t need to be. Family was what you made of it, not whom you shared blood with.

“Oh, you’re completely gone,” Tamsin teased.

Dermot blinked. Bastien had put Haley down and was coming toward him and Tamsin, a wide smile on his face. It was good to see him like this. He’d been constantly frowning since Celeste had been taken, and nothing Dermot could do or say had changed that. Dermot hadn’t expected it to, but it was good to see his mate be a little lighter, even though it wouldn’t last for long.

“Like you’re not gone for Nico?” he asked, bumping his shoulder against Tamsin’s.

“Yeah, I am,” Tamsin said. “But that’s what being with your mate is, no?”

“I suppose it is.”

“How’s he doing?”

“Not great. He wants his sister back.”

Tamsin nodded. “Did you hear that someone said they saw Parrish a few towns over? Apparently, he was leaving.”

Dermot frowned and turned to look at his friend. “No. Where did you hear that?”

“I think you should probably talk to Rowan. He has more information than I do.”

“I will.”

“If Parrish is there, will you go?”

Dermot glanced back at his mate. He knew that if there was a chance that Celeste was still in the area, Bastien would want to take it. He wouldn’t abandon his sister.

And wherever Bastien went, so did Dermot. He wouldn’t let his mate out of his sight, especially not when he could help him. No matter what Bastien said, Dermot still felt like he had to atone for the way he’d treated Celeste, and what better way than to free her from Parrish’s claws?

But first, they needed to find Parrish and Celeste. If Rowan had information, then Bastien and Dermot needed to know it.

And if he didn’t, well, they’d still find Celeste. It might take them longer, but they would.

Bastien wouldn’t have it any other way, and neither would Dermot.