Aiden shuddered. “Mikel was closest to Colton while he served in Alpha. Let’s leave his violent ass in Lycaonia, torturing the warriors.”
Zoe could only nod. It had been years since she felt like she had any measure of support and was safe. “Thank you,athair.”
Aiden puffed up a bit at her, acknowledging him as herathair. “Don’t give it a second thought. You should only be concerning yourself with the city’s lights, getting to know your mate, and figuring out what new foods to try.”
She nodded and steeled herself to look around. “What’s the damage?” she asked.
Dav looked up from where he had been inspecting the bar closely. “Nothing. Not even a scorch mark.” He ran his hands over the wood. “I think that may be a benefit from the upgrade Meryn’s bracelet caused.”
“Wicked,” Meryn said, grinning.
“Thank the gods,” Zoe said, laying her head back on her mate’s shoulder.
“Would you like to go home, my darling?”
She turned in his arms to look at him. “It is my home now, isn’t it?” she asked, excitement overriding her stress.
“Leon…” Aeson murmured.
“Got it, boss,” Leon said, then darted out the door.
Zoe watched the interaction. “Is he okay?”
Aeson smiled broadly. “He’s fine. Now. I highly suggest securing a growler or two of Dav’s finest. Then we can escort you home. Right men?”
“Yes, sir,” Ramsey, Matthieu, and Carson answered.
“We’ll carry the growlers,” Priest and Kincaid volunteered.
Meryn sidled up to Aeson. “Can I come and eat the little foods too?” she asked plaintively.
Aeson looked taken aback. “Of course, you can! Commander, I insist that your mate also adjourns to the warrior villa for an evening of little foods,” he said, using Meryn’s term for tapas.
Aiden nodded. “I’ll leave her in your care while I head to the palace to handle this situation. I won’t be long,” he said, holding up the scroll.
Aeson placed a hand over his heart and bowed. “You honor me, sir. I’ll protect our princess with my life.”
Aiden blinked. “Oh yeah. She is your princess, isn’t she?” He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked down at his tiny mate. “Be good.”
“No kisses?”
Aiden smiled, then leaned down to kiss her before straightening back to his full height. He glanced to Ryuu, who nodded, then walked out.
“Whooo hoo, party time! Where’s the strippers?” Meryn exclaimed before the door shut.
“I heard that!” Aiden yelled back.
Meryn just grinned. “Let’s boogie!”
*****
Gage set her on her feet, and en masse, they left Dav’s to head to the warrior villa. The longer they walked, the more her stomach filled with butterflies. This was going to be her new home. She had only known Storm Keep, and even there, only her familial home and, recently, the Fire Temple.
Up ahead, she noticed the men had stopped and were milling around in front of a large estate. As they got closer, she could see a majestic holly emerging from the building’s center. “Is that it?”
Gage nodded.
At the gate to the villa, the men bowed in unison. “Welcome home, Zoe.”