Chapter 32
Ansley
I fall asleep with five wolves surrounding me.
When I wake up, I expect to be sore. I even groan when I roll over, but I don’t feel any of the lingering ache I should be feeling after what they did to me.
There’s something new. Something I’ve never felt before. I can feel my mates, and not because they’re watching me; they’re fast asleep. It’s like we’re connected on a deeper level now. Emotions. Heartbeats. An invisible thread that connects me to each of them.
The pack bond: it’s real, and it’s strong.
I rub my eyes as I try to get my vision to focus. Wyatt is to my right and he’s massive. As big as Hayden in his true Human Form. So are Remy, and Storm. Jaxton, though. He’s a sight to behold. Larger and broader than Hayden, muscles tight, like they’re permanently coiled, ready to be unleashed.
I sit up enough to realize I’m in much better shape than I should be. I reach back to touch the marks on my shoulders and neck, expecting scabs or wounds. Instead, I find only smooth scars, raised slightly, but not painful. The marks may be permanent, but they’ve healed.
“It worked,” I whisper, shaking Wyatt. “It worked! You’re all Alphas!”
Groans and growls meet my excitement as their eyes open. Hayden is the first to stand up, and he looks like he always has, but his amber eyes flicker when he sees his brothers.
“It’s true! Wake up!” His voice sounds like a boy on Christmas morning. He leans over to shove Remy off the bed. “Get up, brother!”
Remy rises to his feet, rubbing his head, but he smiles when he sees that Hayden is right. The rest of them stir, Wyatt and Storm rolling out of bed.
“I feel stronger. Quicker,” Remy says, swiping a massive hand through the air. “No vampire will be able to stand up to us.”
“Jaxton,” Wyatt says, giving his brother a nudge. “Wake up, you’re going to want to see this.”
Jaxton lets out a growl that doesn’t stop until he’s sitting up, tired eyes bloodshot, the proof that he marked me still dried in his beard. He rises to his feet, towering above all of his brothers, then nods.
“I no longer feel incomplete,” Jaxton rumbles, his voice louder. “I’m finally an Alpha.”
“We completed the mating ritual. It worked,” Hayden declares, then he looks at me. “But that’s not all I did. Can you sense it, mate?”
My hand goes to my belly. I know exactly what he’s talking about. It should be too soon to know something like that, but I’m not dealing with human timelines anymore.
“Your child,” I say, looking up at Hayden, tears dampening my lashes. “I’m… I’m pregnant.”
“Fuck yeah,” Remy cheers. “A new member of our pack. We’ll have to prepare. None of our houses or safehouses are puppy proofed. Or baby proofed.”
“The first step in preparing for that is getting rid of the vampires,” Storm says. “Making sure Chicago is safe.”
“Agreed,” Jaxton says, flexing his hands, balling them into fists. “I can’t wait to tear apart those vampires. They have no idea what’s coming.”
“We should return to the safehouse and make plans,” Wyatt says.
“We’ll shower first and take care of our mate,” Hayden says, moving close to the bed. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m honestly fine,” I say, turning so he can see the marks. “Even the marks have healed.”
“Just like a she-wolf after a mating ritual,” Wyatt murmurs, leaning forward to trace the spot he nipped. “I guess I didn’t have to be as careful as I thought.”
“Your mark reflects who you are,” I say, putting my hand on his as it rests on my shoulder. “I like it just the way it is.”
Wyatt smiles, then pulls away and goes to starts the shower.
Remy heads to the kitchen to start breakfast. Jaxton, despite being the biggest, and despite me saying I’m fine, still holds my hand when I get up from bed.
Hayden walks behind me, like he’s protecting precious cargo.
Storm hovers nearby like he’s not sure what he should do, but he’s ready in case something is needed.
“Ansley, I still don’t think you should go with us,” Hayden broaches the subject apprehensively as we get to the bathroom area. “Especially now that you’re carrying my child.”
“She-wolves fought, even when they were with child,” Jaxton’s voice is still rough with sleep as he voices his opinion on the sensitive matter. “Part of our mate’s soul is a warrior. We won’t leave her behind. She’s safer with us than she is anywhere.”
“My visions got us this far. I’m going with you, and that’s final,” I state defiantly, my voice more growly than usual. “My children will not live in fear, especially since I know we can defeat the vampires.”
“Okay, okay,” Hayden relents. “We’ll do it the way the vision showed.”
I don’t get to shower on my own. Hayden and Jaxton do all the work for me, guiding the water, washing away every hint of the mating ritual except the scars.
Their hands feel amazing on my skin, so I just let them take care of me.
Once I’m done with my shower and have some food in my stomach, I feel even better than I did when I woke up.
“Can you drop me off at work on the way to the safehouse?” I ask. “I’m already going to be late.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Storm says, happy to be contributing and looking around until he finds his phone. “Give me a minute.”
I tense up a little when I realize Storm is calling Ms. Frost. I can’t hear what he says because he walks away, but when he returns, he has a smile on his face.
“What did you do?” I ask apprehensively.
“I told the Ice Queen that I’m about to invest a lot of money in York Financial. But only if I get to borrow their new superstar for a few days to help me straighten out my current investments,” Storm says. “She was more than happy to agree. She’s been after my business for a long time.”
“I thought you used to work there?” I ask. “Didn’t you already have money invested with York Financial?”
“A little. I didn’t work there because I wanted them to manage our money. I can do that on my own,” Storm chuckles. “I was just after information that wasn’t available to the public back then. She had no idea how much money I was sitting on until after I quit.”
“Wow, okay,” I say. “Well in that case, I shouldn’t have to worry about work for a few days. Um, when are we going to deal with the vampires?”
“Soon,” Hayden replies. “Let’s get back to the safehouse.”
“I drove,” I say, looking around. “Sorry, Storm, but I borrowed your Porche. Seemed like it would get me here faster.” I give him a sheepish little smile.
“As long as you didn’t total it,” he chuckles. “You can drive it back. I feel like running this morning. Anybody else?”
“Absolutely,” Remy agrees. “I’m curious to see if I can maintain my speed now that I’m an Alpha. Without tearing the ground apart, at least.”
“I could use a run myself,” Jaxton says, popping his neck and back.
“I’ll meet everyone there,” Wyatt says. “I need to swing by my place first.”
I get kisses from all five Alpha wolves that leave my head spinning before they shift into their Natural Forms. They’re all bigger now, except Hayden; he is still the same enormous eight-hundred-pound behemoth he was.
The others have grown so much, though, especially Jaxton.
Five beautiful, magnificent Alpha wolves who have devoted themselves to me, no matter what happens.
Once I recover and catch my breath, I hurry to Storm’s Porche.
I don’t feel much different than I usually do, but I’m energized.
Refreshed. Like the best night of sleep, mixed with the strongest coffee, mixed with something supernatural.
I’m not sure if it’s because of the mating ritual, or because I’m carrying Hayden’s child.
Even now, I can feel life growing inside me.
“We’ll have to come up with some names,” I smile to myself and my baby as I place a hand on my stomach.
I drive back to the safehouse, which takes a while, since morning traffic is a hindrance. I drove like a maniac when I was trying to get to The Den. I’d probably get the belt from all five of them and never get to come again if they had seen me speeding through town.
When I get to the safehouse, the garage is open. I see all five of them inside. Even Wyatt beat me here, and he had to stop on the way. I pull the Porche into the garage beside the SUV and get out.
“Took you long enough,” Hayden grumps.
“I’d be worried if most of you didn’t make it back before I did. I’m pretty sure you weren’t stuck in traffic,” I laugh. “Anyone checked on Daisy yet?”
“No, we were waiting for you,” Remy says. “I’m still fast, by the way. Faster than any of them.”
“I didn’t try to reach maximum speed,” Jaxton’s face reflects good-natured annoyance. “No need to leave a canyon across Chicago.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Remy mutters.
“I’m not sure if this is what your vision showed you, but this sword has been in our family for a very long time,” Wyatt says, reaching over and picking something up.
Wyatt turns and I recognize the sword immediately.
It’s exactly the same from my vision. Polished steel that gleams in the light, the blade elegant and deadly, with a slight curve that gives it both grace and menace.
The crossguard sweeps upwards, shaped like wings, both ornate and functional, etched with symbols that shimmer.
A large gemstone is embedded in the pommel, deep amber, similar to my mates’ eyes. It doesn’t glow, but the way the light catches it makes it appear like it does.
“That’s it!” I say excitedly, walking closer to him. “May I?”
“It belongs to you now,” Wyatt says, turning the hilt towards me.
The grip is wrapped in worn leather, dark with age, but when I take the sword from Wyatt, it feels almost weightless in my hand.
“What is this made from?” I ask, marveling at the way I can wield it. I give it a few swings, finding it feels like an extension of my arm.