Tails and Tentacles (Miracle: Salvation Isle #5)

4. CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

The moment Baz had scented his mate, he’d urged first Karim, then Braydon when the water had become too shallow for Karim’s shark to get closer to the shore. It had killed him to watch Channing run from him, but since he was getting inundated with his mate’s aroma, he could hardly blame him when the wind was headed away from Channing.

Once they’d reached a point where Baz could stand, he shifted quickly and tried to call out to Channing. What he didn’t understand was why a small child clung to his mate. Sloshing through the water, he’d nearly made it to edge of the waves, when Braydon called out, “Baz, wait, you need to know something.”

Torn, because all Baz wanted in that moment was to go after his mate, pull him into his arms, and never let him go. Still, the desperation in Braydon’s voice was enough to still Baz from doing what all his instincts were screaming at him to do.

When he turned to look at Braydon, his octopus lashed out with his tentacles against Baz’s mind trying to force him to chase down their mate. Irritated, Baz snapped at Braydon, “What?”

“Watch it,” Karim barked out as he swam toward them. “You will treat my mate with respect, or I promise, no one will ever find your body.”

Braydon rolled his eyes. “Save me from overprotective mates.” He shoved the bag with their clothing Karim had been carrying at Baz. Taking the hint, Baz pulled out a pair of shorts and shoved his legs into them.

Braydon gestured with his chin toward where Channing had run, he said, “I never told you this, because I thought it was between you and Channing, but since you already saw the child, you need to know, before we were taken by the humans, Channing was pregnant by some asshole who lied to him about being married.”

There was a moment of complete stillness before a wave of rage that would rival any tsunami the world had ever seen crashed into Baz. His stomach lurched, nearly forcing him to his knees as bile scorched his throat. Forcing it back down, he refused to throw up no matter how much he might have wanted to.

Uncertain what he was feeling, Baz settled on the things he could deal with in that moment. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me sooner?” he growled at Braydon.

A growl of warning from Karim reminded him it might not be a great idea to put his anger and frustration on the dolphin shifter. Then again, he deserved some of it. His mate had been out in the ocean, completely alone and apparently pregnant. “You should have told me,” he bit out.

“To what end?” Braydon asked, as he stepped out from behind his mate, who had put himself in between them to protect Braydon from an angry Baz. “It wasn’t as if we weren’t already doing everything we could to find Channing. He’d been injured when we ran from our captors. It was conceivable he’d miscarried. Plus, this was something your mate should tell you, but since you’re basically chasing him down, I thought you should know before you scare Channing’s child half to death.”

Hating that Braydon was right, Baz only gave a curt nod to him before turning on his heel to follow his mate to the small bungalow he’d entered. Doing everything he could to control the rage that was boiling in his veins, Baz did his best to concentrate on finally finding his mate instead.

This was a happy day. The rest would work itself out-eventually. Stepping up onto the little slab of concrete at the front of the house, Baz knocked lightly on the door. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Channing’s child. No. Their child.

They were mates. Admittedly, he wasn’t thrilled his mate had a child with someone else, but it wasn’t as if he hadn’t had his share of bed partners before he’d scented his mate thirteen months ago. Since it was extremely rare that males gave birth, he’d never worried about getting anyone pregnant. But in the right circumstances, it would have been possible, as shifters rarely used condoms because they didn’t get diseases like humans did.

When no one answered, Baz called out, keeping his tone gentle. “I’m hoping you can scent me through the door. I’ve been searching for you for a long time. I swear I would never harm you or our child, but I would love to finally meet you.”

He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath until he heard something move away from the door before it was cracked open. He stared into the most beautiful pools of dark chocolate filled with wonder as they seemed to cling to Baz. Damn, but his mate was hot as fuck.

Tiny, maybe five-foot-two, dark brown hair, and the face of an angel. Miles of light brown skin was on display, as Channing only wore a bathing suit. Salivating at the sight, Baz wanted nothing more than to sweep Channing into his arms and worship every inch of him.

“Dada,” a child screamed with a hint of fear in the tone.

Even though he completely understood, Baz hated to have lost Channing’s eyes on him. He’d appeared as enamored with Baz as he was with Channing. Not daring to come in when he hadn’t been invited, Baz stayed right where he was, his gaze following the lean lines of his mate’s back as he went over to a playpen and picked up a small baby, who kept glancing over at Baz with trepidation in those brown eyes so similar to Channing’s it would be impossible to mistake the baby as anyone but his mate’s.

“It’s okay, Selah, I’ve got you,” Channing cooed as he held her close.

Doing a half-sway, half-bouncing motion, Channing made his way back to the door. Even though he continued to reassure Selah, his mate’s gaze clung to Baz as if he couldn’t be certain Baz was real.

Smiling at the pair, Baz felt something within him click into place. He’d searched so damn long for Channing. That he not only found him, but their first child was… perfect. He didn’t give a damn if Selah was biologically his. All that mattered was she belonged to them both.

When Channing was once again standing right in front of Baz, he whispered in her ear, “Selah, precious, I’d like you to meet my mate.” Channing’s eyes went wide as he suddenly realized they hadn’t actually introduced themselves.

“Baz,” he provided. “But I’m hoping she’ll one day agree to call me papa.”

Damn if those beautiful eyes didn’t get even bigger, as those lush lips parted in surprise. It took several moments, but once Channing got over his shock, he beamed at Baz. “Are you sure?”

Focusing on Selah, who was cute as a button, with the same light brown skin, dark hair, although it was still only a wisp on her head, and even the same lips. She was adorable. “Positive.” Then he shifted his gaze back to Channing. “If you’re okay with it.”

“I would love it,” Channing told him as he stood back from the door. “I know the place is small, but would you like to come in?”

Why were his hands clammy as he stepped over the threshold? This was his mate. The one person who had been created to accept him as he was. Still, he was nervous about fucking things up. He’d already proven he wasn’t exactly great at it when he scented Channing on Braydon, mistaking him as his mate. He’d scared the hell out of Braydon at the time.

Braydon had assured him it was because even though he had scented his mate’s blood on Braydon, deep down, his octopus had known he wasn’t Baz’s mate. That might have been true, but he still shouldn’t have been the ass he’d been. Would he do the same thing to Channing?

Closing the door behind him, he stepped into the postage-stamp sized living room. He glanced at the tiny couch, certain he and Channing would never fit on the little piece of furniture. Hell, he feared he’d end up breaking it.

When Channing put Selah on a blanket on the floor and kneeled next to her, Baz breathed a sigh of relief that where to sit was resolved. Kneeling, he plopped himself down on the other side of the blanket, allowing him to see Channing as they spoke while keeping their daughter between them.

“You don’t have to get on the floor.” Channing’s cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink as he looked around for a better suggestion.

Reaching across the blanket, keeping his movements as non-threatening as possible for Selah’s sake, he touched Channing’s knee. “I want to be here… with both of you.”

Damn if that pink turned even darker from his mate’s neck to his cheeks. Talk about adorable.

“Dada,” Selah yelled, her fists slamming down on the floor.

Startled, as if he were shocked he’d forgotten Selah was in the room, much less right there in between them, Channing pulled a small cloth bag and put it in front of her. With no hesitation, even though she was keeping a wary eye on Baz, Selah started pulling toys from the bag.

There was a look in Channing’s eyes that put Baz on alert. Sensing his mate wanted to say something but seemed to fear giving voice to it, Baz did his best to reassure him he could say anything he wanted, and he would always listen. “I know we only just met, but we’re mates. You can tell me anything and I’ll still be here, by your side, never leaving.”

Those stiff shoulders dropped significantly. Channing gave a single nod. “Are you upset that I had a baby with someone else?”

That was a loaded question on many levels. But his one goal was to reassure the one person in the world who was his everything. “I’m not upset you had sex with someone other than me when we hadn’t even met. I would be hypocritical to expect you to be a virgin when I’m not.”

Nerves gripped him when he added, “that said, I can’t deny I wish Selah was my biological child. Not that I will ever think of her as anyone other than ours.”

Holding his breath, Baz prayed to any and every God in existence that he hadn’t just fucked that up. The soft smile he received released some of the tension within him.