Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Liam woke up fuzzy.
It had happened a lot since he started shifting, but he was getting pretty adept at shifting back before Theo woke up.
He was also working on a cradle for their baby, keeping it in one of the outbuildings with the tools and such.
He and Ryan had gotten the plumbing, solar, and generators all working, and the floors were all cleaned and repaired. Now they were painting and cleaning and moving in the stuff his brothers had brought up.
Theo had made the big kitchen spick-n-span, with everything in its place. His brothers had supplied them with jars and jars of food, enough provisions for a whole pack.
And Theo was busy working on the greenhouses and the heated chicken coop as well, making it so they could grow some food all year long. Liam felt glad they hadn’t had to start from scratch, but he was super proud of what they’d accomplished.
Theo stretched, belly just barely beginning to show a swelling. “You okay, mate?”
“I am. I was just admiring us as a group.” He picked up Gael, who was grunting at him.
Gael cooed and kicked, smiling at him, little fingers reaching right for his nose.
“Yeah, buddy. We’re studs, huh? Making a house for us to stay in.” The place was a warren of rooms, with tons of separate living quarters around a central hub of a big kitchen and living area. They could invite several wolves to come up and stay.
Gael hugged him tight, chubby arms squeezing his neck.
“Oh… you’re getting loves!” Theo rolled up to admire them both.
“I am. He’s very happy today.” Liam nuzzled Gael’s cheek.
Gael’s answer was a throaty chuckle. He had become a healthy, happy baby, chubby and joyous.
“So am I.” Theo beamed at him. “How’s the work going?”
“The floors are done, and the walls are getting there.”
“The chickens are settled and roosting, and the goats are also doing well. They’re very gentle—the goats, not the chickens.”
“No, chickens are never gentle.”
“No, that’s true. They are well… I suppose that they’re very little and very fragile and they have to be fierce.” Theo rolled up onto one elbow and grinned at him, those blue eyes glinting with mischief. “Some of us little ones have to be fierce.”
“Do you now? Good to know.” He balanced the baby a little better, then leaned down to steal a hard kiss. “Good morning to you too, fierce one.”
That got him a warm smile, and he felt Theo’s happiness, his peace.
“I think blueberry muffins for breakfast today. I have a craving.”
Liam did like to hear that his pregnant omega had a craving. First, it made things so warm and real and put a glow in his belly.
Second, he had yummy food to show for it usually.
“I like muffins.” He kissed Theo one more time.
“Good deal. I—” Theo stopped, frowned. “Something’s wrong.”
“With the baby?” A wild horror filled him in a rush, and he reached down with his free hand to touch Theo’s belly.
“No, no, get Ryan. Something’s wrong. Someone’s coming. Hurry.” Theo grabbed Gael from him and pointed out the door with one imperious finger. “Go on, get your clothes on and go see what’s wrong.”
Well, that was definite. He immediately started getting dressed, hollering for his brother as he pulled on his jeans and boots.
Because if Theo was this sure, then something was wrong.
Ryan! It was instinctive, to call to his brother as he would his mate, and damn if he didn’t get an answer right back.
What?
Get dressed. Theo says something is wrong.
Damn, he was glad he didn’t have to go get Ryan, who had taken what was Zeke’s old quarters, the deepest into the underground.
The dogs sounded the alarm, the beasts running around as he rushed outside.
He tore the door open, searching the grounds as the dogs tumbled out. And what he saw made him stop and blink.
There was a little pod of scraggly, exhausted-looking people carrying babies, holding children, hoisting packs of what little they had.
They all just stopped and stared at one another.
Finally, it was one of the small children who looked at him and said, “Are you going to shoot us?”
“What? No!” What the hell?
“Our seer had a dream and, before he died, told us to come here.” That was one of the adults, the man near skeletal. “They said that we would find a new pack here, that we would find a home here, that we would be safe and welcomed.”
He didn’t know what to do, but Ryan opened the door and called off the dogs.
Suddenly, Theo was there, arms open with no Gael in sight. “Please, of course, come in. Come in where it’s warm. Let’s get you and everyone some soup, some hot tea, or maybe some cocoa.”
Mate.
Yes, alpha?
Shit. He didn’t know what to do.
What is going on?
Their seer said, mate. We can’t deny that. What if Niall had told them to come?
Ryan nodded to the eldest one among the tiny pack. “There’s room in the big family area for everyone to sit and have a warm drink. I’ll make some breakfast.”
“Do you have milk?” the same little girl asked.
“We do. Come on.”
She walked up to Ryan, completely unafraid, and took his hand. “Thank you. I’m so hungry.”
“Lindy!” one of the adults said, and Liam found his voice.
“Well, if you’re hungry, come on in. Let’s have some food. Welcome, all of you. We have space, and this is a safe place for everyone. My name’s Liam.”
“And I’m Theo, his omega. Welcome.” One of the babies began to cry, and Theo sprang into action, immediately moving to dig out some bottles.
“Liam, can you get everyone settled? Ryan and I will get food, and we’ll start the process of letting everyone have baths and warmer clothes, beds, and their own spaces. ”
“Of course.” He found himself standing taller, and he shut the door behind them. He needed to call Loyal and Keegan and Jameson and figure out what the hell to do.
But first, he needed to fire up the extra generator to heat water, because there was no way the system he had now for four of them would be enough. And he needed to marshal these folks and get them blankets and pillows for them all to sit on, and make sure they had room enough to feel comfortable.
Then he would grab the sat phone.