Free To Have A Human by Amber Kell Page B

it.
    Looking around the large room made him smile. The house was an old Victorian with all the original details. With over seven thousand square feet of space, it was too big and too much upkeep. However, it was filled with memories of his childhood and growing up with his shifter friends. When Carey looked around the house, he saw a home filled with memories. The long banister he used to slide down, the ballroom where his grandmother taught him to waltz and the enormous kitchen where she tried but failed to teach him how to cook.
    His grandmother had invited his friends into her home and lavished them with all the love they could ever need. She’d even added a freshwater pond for Denton to swim in when he needed a good soak. They’d all mourned deeply when she died five years ago.
    “What are you thinking about?” Eaton asked.
    “Memories. I’ve had some great ones in this house.”
    “Have you thought about who you’re going to leave it to when you die?” Eaton asked.
    “Poaching out my house?” Carey asked. Shifters lived much longer than humans and it made sense to him that his friends would worry about their home.
    “No,” Eaton denied. “I was just wondering. You don’t have any siblings. You probably aren’t going to have kids unless you adopt. And since you’re denying your kitty, I have doubts you’re going to have any children soon.”
    “I have the house divided between the three of you,” Carey said calmly.
    “No shit?” Denton asked.
    “You’re my closest friends, who else would I leave my house to?”
    Harris growled. “You’re going to mate with that damn cat and live a god damned long life. You understand?”
    “What are you talking about?” Carey frowned at his friend.
    “If you officially mate with the cat, it will extend your life as long as his,” Denton explained. “I thought you knew that about shifters. You know everything else about us.”
    “Since none of you have mates or have even started looking, the ins and outs of shifter love have escaped me. I can’t believe you want me to accept him just so I can live longer.” A ruthless idea to come from the usually dreamy bear.
    Harris rolled his eyes. “No, you should accept him because you’re his mate and the only one he’ll ever have. The fact that mating with him will extend your life is just a bonus.”
    Carey sighed. “I can’t decide right now when I’m under a death threat. Once the wolf gang is dealt with I’ll make a decision about Broden.”
    “I think it’s time for us to go back to the cabin. Make them come to us.”
    “Gee, I hope no one follows us…” Denton said. The sound of a bone snapping beneath strong jaws filled the air.
    They laughed over their food as they made plans.
     
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
    Broden paced back and forth in his office, waiting for an update. At least Denton called him to tell him they were going out of town.
    “He’ll be fine. We’ve got men following him,” Isaac soothed.
    “I need to go out there. I don’t like leaving him unprotected.” Broden felt twitchy without Carey in his sight. Especially since he knew the Greben pack wanted Carey’s blood or maybe his skills, Broden wasn’t sure about that yet.
    “Doesn’t he have three shifters with them, one of them a bear?” Isaac lifted an eyebrow at him.
    “That won’t help them if Greben brings the entire pack,” Broden fumed.
    “I did some calls and six of Greben’s boys headed out of town. I think your man can handle that many,” Isaac said.
    “I’m not going to chance it,” Broden snarled.
    “Why don’t you give him the opportunity to prove himself? You said his father looked like a dangerous man. Maybe he taught Carey a thing or two. We can keep an eye on the main pack from here. If they so much as twitch a paw out of place, we’ll hunt them down. If you go too early, you could lose Carey forever. No one wants to be considered weak by their mate,” Isaac said.
    Broden collapsed on his