Jabba’s Journey (Iron Howlers MC #2)

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Jabba

It’s been a few weeks since the first nightmare hit, but all three women are now having them somewhat regularly. Each morning, they share with us and each other what they were either shown or told. Sometimes, they remember what they dreamt in vivid detail, while others, they don’t recall more than being drawn into this ‘dream state’ as they refer to it as being. Still, any time there’s a message of sorts, I’ve been jotting it down so we can compare and look for a commonality. Anything that’ll help us get one step further than where we’re at currently.

Cyrus has been quite surly, as is to be expected, especially since he announced that he and Harmony are expecting. I know if Electra was carrying my pup, I’d be an utter and complete asshole considering the dangers surrounding us. As it is, Harmony is constantly having to tell him she’s more than capable of protecting herself, because he’d be content to wrap her in bubble wrap until she delivers.

Yeah, I don’t see that happening at all.

I’ve seen more eye rolls and have heard more growls since the announcement was made. Cyrus isn’t the only one of the brothers feeling protective of her. None of us let her lift anything heavier than a milk jug and even that’s questionable. We've been kicked out of the kitchen on more than one occasion when she’s lifted a pot of water to strain in the sink. Corbin made the mistake of suggesting to Cyrus that he find the book about expecting mothers and what they should avoid to keep both them and the pup growing in her belly safe.

The things it says she can’t do are astronomical. And the fact that the doctor who wrote the book recommended that she avoid certain foods, has us all checking over the grocery lists she makes and comparing it to the reference page. When we mark through things it says to avoid, she uses words that make me want to cup the pups’ ears. If Jazzy shouldn’t be hearing those swear words, neither should the one in her belly.

Unlike the other men in the club, I’m not willing to take any chances by voicing my concerns out loud. She’s taken dessert and some of our favorite foods off the menu, and so far, I’m the only one who hasn’t gotten on her bad side, and I intend to keep it that way. I whisper things in Cyrus’s ear and let him do my dirty work for me. I may not be the smartest wolf on the block, but I’m not the dumbest either.

I’m sitting back with Electra on my lap as Cyrus dodges from the latest thing she’s thrown in the kitchen. Since all I hear is metal clattering on the floor and there’s no growl, I sense she missed him once again. Even that pisses her off to the extreme. I’m not sure any of us will remain unscathed by the time she delivers their child.

“Get out! Getoutgetoutgetout!” Harmony yells. “I can’t take this anymore, Cyrus. If I want to make myself a tuna fish sandwich, I’m gonna. Electra!”

“Yeah,” my woman answers from the perch on my lap.

“Find that damn book! We’re gonna burn it in the pits,” Harmony directs.

“You’re not burning that book!” Cyrus roars. “And you’re not eating tuna fish, dammit! The book says it could contain mercury and it’s bad for you… both of you.”

“A limited amount is perfectly fine, Cyrus. I sent a message to my doctor through the portal to ask her some of these asinine questions that have y’all driving me positively insane! If you keep this up, I’m calling my mother.”

I snicker when I hear Cyrus growl. Harmony’s mom is actually pretty awesome and has settled in Redwich to be closer to Harmony and of course, Jazzy, but no man wants his mother-in-law all up in his face.

“Harmony?” Electra calls out.

“Hmm?” Her tone is deceptively sweet, and I watch in absolute horror as my mate throws all of us under the bus.

“You realize that Cyrus got every single one of the brothers a copy of that book, right? He wanted to make sure they knew what to look out for,” Electra says, a smirk on her face.

“Nymph, you’re gonna pay for that,” I growl through our bond.

“Looking forward to it,” she teases.

“Electra, we’re on a mission to find all the copies,” Harmony states, stalking through to the common room from the kitchen. “Then, we’ll start a roaring bonfire.”

“Mama, can we have s’mores?” Jazzy asks, forcing me to choke back laughter.

“Absofreakinglutely,” Harmony decrees glaring at Cyrus.

The fucker doesn’t even look remotely chastised. Doesn’t he realize that there’s another saying about happy mate, happy fate?

Deciding to humor Harmony and replace her scowl with a smile, I pull out my phone and say out loud, “Adding marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers to the master grocery list now, Harmony.”

“And this is why you’re one of my favorites,” Harmony sweetly replies, causing Electra to jab her elbow into my stomach. Looking at her, I shoot her an innocent smile since I did steal her thunder. She was trying to incite a riot amongst the members and Harmony with that mass book handout she ensured her club sister knew about. She’s scandalous sometimes and I love that about her. We’re two peas in a pod, both of us enjoying the fact that we can get under our leader’s skin and cause chaotic reactions from the members.

Cyrus glares at me and flips me off behind Jazzy’s back, which has me throwing my head back in gut-busting laughter. He’s got a somewhat unhinged look on his face right now and I don’t see him surviving the pregnancy at the rate he’s going, because Harmony will eventually have enough and smother him in his sleep with her pillow.

“Let’s have a cookout!” Prowler says. “Seems to me we’ve got a lot to celebrate even with all the shit swirling around us.”

Harmony euphorically claps her hands and states, “Electra, come and help me plan what we’re going to have on our menu.”

“A pig, of course,” Cyrus states. At her look, he adds, “Burgers, steaks, chicken, too. Fuck, woman, whatever you want, we’ll have.”

I see resignation wash over his face when he realizes that Harmony’s going to march to the beat of her own drum where this baby is concerned. Deciding to allay his fears somewhat, I call out, “Cyrus, she’s not gonna do anything to harm y’all’s pup. Besides, she has an entire band of brothers at her disposal. We’ll do all the heavy lifting.” Knowing my last sentence is going to irritate Harmony, I send her a conspiratorial wink. She gets the meaning behind my silent message and beams back at me, clapping her hands.

Harmony’s eyes widen as she continues the game I started and she whirls to face Cyrus, her hands now pressed against his chest. “Cyrus, I would never do anything that would hurt our baby! I’m following my doctor’s orders, honey, I promise. And I understand why all of you are like a bunch of nattering hens, I really do, but trust me enough to know that I won’t put myself or the baby in harm’s way.”

He leans in and kisses her while nodding. He still looks rather fierce, but I suspect that Harmony’s won this little battle. “I know you will, Harm. But that doesn’t alleviate my fears with all of the dangers that seem to be directed at you and the rest of the women. Hell, it feels like a black cloud is swirling around all of us as a whole. It has me on edge and it’s my job to see to the safety of every member,” he reminds her, leaning over and cupping her belly. “Every damn one of y’all, including the ones not born yet.” She nods, her face saddened before she steels her resolve and squares her shoulders, being the badass president’s mate that she is and comes to some sort of resolution. And considering she isn’t voicing whatever that is out loud, I trust that whatever that is, it’ll be in the best interest of her loved ones.

Electra leans in and kisses me before standing and walking toward Harmony who asks, “Cyrus? Remember that store in town that Karsyn and I have been ordering things from? Can I invite Sloane, the owner, to the cookout? Syn and I both want to actually meet her, and I don’t think she has a lot of friends.”

“Invite whoever you want, sweetheart,” he replies. “If it’ll keep you and Karsyn happy, why not?”

I chuckle because ever since he and his brother, Corbin, have found their mates, they’ve softened. Okay, maybe not a lot, but it’s noticeable enough, at least to me, and I’m glad not only for my president, but his brother. “Get me her information so we can check into her,” I demand.

While I won’t actually run the background check since that’s not my forte, as the club’s enforcer, it’s my job to make sure the club is protected at all times. I know the likelihood of a woman attempting to infiltrate us and cause issues is slim, but it could happen, and since we’re still figuring out what all the dream messages mean, and how to be prepared as a club against an unknown enemy, I take that role entrusted to me by my brothers seriously.