The Shadows in the Hills: Triple Threat

Chapter Twenty Eight

The next morning, we woke up together as though we were one big happy family. It felt surreal. I just laid there watching him sleep, trying to think over what it all meant and what was coming next. It had felt like things were fixed between us the night before, but I wondered if it would be the same in the cold light of day. "Can you think a little more quietly?"

"You could always just not listen." I couldn't quite stifle the giggle. He couldn't blame me for thinking.

"When I'm asleep I can't control it. It's like normally I have to turn it off all the time and when I stop trying to block you out I can hear everything. As for what happens next, I asked Gearld to rearrange my place before I left." The idea that he had to force himself not to be connected to me somehow made it even more romantic.

"Becuase?"

"Babies take up a lot of space." It was so cute that he had thought that far ahead. He did better than me.

"You were so sure I would come back?"

"No, but I hoped. Obviously, it will only be set up for one baby, but the camp has everything they will need. We have supplies that are available for everyone." It felt like such a relief knowing that when we got back the babies would finally have everything they needed. Maybe then I could finally stop beating myself up about everything.

"I never really learnt much about the camp." I had barely been there before everything with Marcus happened and then I left again. It was a shame that I hadn't had more time there, but I would have plenty of time to get to know the place. Not to mention getting to know people there. The only people that had really accepted me were Jackson and Gerald. I wanted to get to know the whole pack, finally convince them that I was worthy of being a part of their family.

"We have all sorts. We're pretty self-sufficient. There's a school covering from nursery all the way up to high school. We have medics, which is where I'm hoping Mikkel can help out. Cassie's mother was a nurse at the health cabin, so with her gone they will be short-staffed. We even have builders. I've been thinking about renovating the camp. Replacing the cabins with bigger, more modern housing. The cabins have been too small for too long." He was right about that. I had no idea how big families coped in the cabins and Brodie's place was bigger than most of the cabins I had seen.

"I think that's a great idea. You could start with the bigger families and then build slowly. Wooden cabins are hardly ideal in the highlands. You should have a pavilion built in the centre of the camp too. With a huge fire pit for everyone to gather around." I felt so excited at the idea of improving the camp. It was great as it was, but it wouldn't hurt to make people more comfortable. For them to have all the advantages of modern housing.

"You'll have to help me plan it. The school is always looking for teachers to help out." I loved the idea and I loved him for thinking about me, but it was a non-starter. I wasn't nearly qualified enough to teach anyone. Not to mention, having triplets to think about. Working and juggling them just wasn't likely to work. I just hoped I could find some way of giving back to the pack.

"I'm not a teacher though, am I? Maybe if I had actually stayed at uni things might have been different." Thinking about university was hard. It was all I had wanted for so long and I hadn't had much choice in giving it up. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to go back, but I doubted it would ever be an option. I had been concentrating on everything Brodie had done and given up for me, but the truth was I had given up plenty for him too.

"It's not all about education, it is more about temperament and I think you would be perfect." It was all I had ever wanted and I had never even considered that I might find my dream within the camp. He was right, it contained everything I wanted and more, even if it had taken me too long to realise it. "We should get going. I need to be back in time to pick the others up." He was right, of course. They were on a completely different route to us, but they were also meant to be staying overnight.

I couldn't wait to see Jackson and find out all the details of what happened between him and Mikkel. I presumed they must have stayed in the same room, but I didn't know anything for certain. There was lots to look forward to and I couldn't wait to get home. I didn't want to drag myself out of bed, but the idea of being back at the camp was a great incentive. Before long, all five of us were back in the truck and getting back on the road.

I looked at him as he drove. "I do love you, Brodie."

"I love you too, my little blood sucker."