Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(93)

“It’ll give me a chance to unpack in peace.”

He almost snorted. “Peace. Right.”

As he’d suspected, when they arrived on pack territory, the females of his pack were already waiting near his lodge, ready to assist her. Once everything had been unloaded from the van, Bracken kissed her. “We shouldn’t be long.”

“Good, because like I’ve said before, I’m not a good host.”

“They won’t care, baby. They’ve come to help you because they want you to know that you’re welcome here. Let them do that for you.” He gave her nape a quick squeeze and then headed off with the other males.

They needed two trips to move everything from her house to the shelter. The whole thing took them longer than expected, since Dawn had also asked them to position the furniture in specific places—sometimes on the upper levels.

Finally back at his lodge, Bracken took one footstep into the den and paused. With the exception of the coffee table, Madisyn hadn’t added any furniture to the room, but it looked completely different. Looked sort of . . . alive with the throw blanket, cushions, soft rug, and potted plants. Someone had put up shelves, and Harley was now lining them with Madisyn’s knickknacks, pictures, keepsakes, and books.

Glancing over her shoulder, Harley shot him a smile. “Brought color to the place, didn’t she?”

It was more than color. It was warmth. Energy, even. He didn’t realize just how little the lodge had looked lived-in until now.

Harley’s smile widened when Jesse walked past him and headed right for her. Leaving the pair alone, Bracken followed the sounds of voices to the kitchen. While Ally was unpacking boxes, Gwen and Kathy were rearranging cupboards in order to fit Madisyn’s stuff. She had a ridiculously huge collection of mugs, all of which she’d insisted on bringing.

To his satisfaction, the dining table fit nicely in the space he’d chosen. Taking in the cookie jar, fruit bowl, ceramic vase, and revolving spice rack, he thought it amazing how such small, colorful things could uplift a room.

Kathy spared him a glance. “Hi, Bracken. I think your mate is outside.”

“Want coffee?” Gwen asked him.

“No, I’m good, thanks.” Sliding open the patio door, Bracken stepped out onto the porch. Roni and Marcus were arguing over the best spot for Madisyn’s birdbath—a gift from Dawn that she hadn’t wanted to part with—but there was no sign of his mate.

Marcus winced as Roni hit his forehead with a lollipop. “What was that for?”

“You’re being awkward,” insisted Roni. “And I’m still pissed that you ate my cake.”

“I’ll get you a—”

“Don’t want to hear it, Fuller. Just move the fricking birdbath.”

Bracken cleared his throat to get their attention. “Either of you seen Madisyn?”

“She went to use the bathroom, and I haven’t seen her since,” said Roni.

“Hey, Bracken, where do you think this birdbath should go? Here?” Marcus pointed at a spot literally two feet away. “Or there?”

Not seeing how the tiny distance made much of a difference, Bracken said, “Just leave it where it is. If Madisyn wants it moved, I’ll move it.”

Heading back inside, he went upstairs. She wasn’t in the bathroom, but he found himself smiling at the sight of her things mixed with his. Her toiletries were stacked on the shower shelf, her blow-dryer and comb were on the counter, her satsuma-scented soap was on the sink, and her toothbrush—not the spare she’d used while here—now sat in the holder with his. She’d also brought her fluffy bathroom rug and Egyptian cotton towels.

He turned and walked into the bedroom, where he found her lining hairbrushes, makeup, perfumes, hair products, and nail polish on the surface of the dresser that she’d brought along with her. Shaya was also in the room, changing the bedspread, since Madisyn was intent on keeping her luxury sheets.

Looking at him, Madisyn curled her mouth into a smile that hit him right in the chest. “Hey,” she said simply, “all done moving my stuff?”

“Yes.” He crossed to her, he pulled her close, and lightly kissed her. “You’ve all been very busy.”

“I know. I figured it would take days to unpack everything, but all the extra hands have sped it along.”

“There isn’t much left to do now,” Shaya told him, balling up the old bedsheets. “Which is good, because I’m starving. I’d urge you to come to the main lodge for dinner, but I’m guessing you’ll want to spend your first official evening living together alone.”

“You guessed right,” said Bracken.

“Nick and I will—” Shaya cut off at the sound of her cell chiming. Whipping out her phone, she stared at the screen. “Speak of the devil . . . I left him alone with the girls. He’s probably close to tears, since they run rings around him.” Rolling her eyes, the redhead left the room to take the call.

Smoothing his hand over the hand-carved oak dresser, Bracken said, “You got this from Ingrid’s store, didn’t you?”

“She gave it to me as a gift for my birthday, along with the gold-plated mirror.” Madisyn gestured at the piece that now hung near the wardrobe. “So you’re not regretting that I’ve moved in, now that you’ve seen how much stuff I’ve got?”