Chapter 15
“We need to transfer Fionn’s hoard out of Scotland to California. I found documents showing his life is in danger if his father ever finds it.”
“How did you get the documents?” asked Jackson.
“Fionn found them in his father’s file cabinet and gave them to me…maybe Penn can use them to move the High Council hearing up sooner.”
“That bad, huh? Can you scan them and send them to Penn right away?”
“I planned on doing that after we hang up but I wanted you to know about it first.”
“Forward them to me too so I can show Cody and Dylon. Now what about Fionn’s hoard and how does Mystia fit into this?”
“Fionn needs a place deep underground that only he has access to. If it could be located near the pack house that would be ideal because he’s nervous about it being some place far away and after what I learned, I don’t blame him.”
Jackson pondered the problem before he said, “I have the perfect solution…just let me get it set up with Steel and Mystia. As soon as it’s ready, I’ll call you back.”
“Fantastic! We need to get it out of here as soon as possible.”
“I understand. Get the stuff to me and Penn in the meantime. Oh, and Logan? One other thing…what gift did you get?”
“I can’t say over the phone but Kieran and I will tell you when we get back, I promise.”
“Fair enough. Talk to you shortly. Bye.”
Logan hung up, then, spreading the documents on the desk, began to copy them with his phone.
When he finished, he emailed the file to his brother and Penn.
Then, he locked the file folder in his suite’s safe, relieved that at least his brother would have a copy in case something happened to the original.
Coming face to face with Fionn’s father’s hatred for his son was a painful reminder of his teen years, and Logan decided he needed a dose of his mate’s love.
As he locked his suite’s door and walked down the hotel’s hallway, he chuckled; it was time to put the brakes on Kieran’s shopping list.
~/~/~/~/~
After seeing the documents Logan sent, Steel agreed that Jackson should call Mystia and ask for her help. While they were waiting for her to arrive, Jackson looked at his mate, grinning as he thought about Logan’s news.
“Okay, babe, what is it? Don’t bother denying you want to tell me something because you look like the cat who ate the canary.”
Giggling, Jackson said, “Guess who’s pregnant?”
“Dakota! Damn my brother works fast.”
“Wrong! Guess again?”
“It can’t be you because I’m not in toirchigh.”
“It better not be me, babe. I need some time to enjoy Daniel before I start with another pup.”
“Theo? Oh, fuck, are we going to have a bear cub running around now?”
“Not that I’m aware of…thank goodness…but that reminds me, Dylon said bears mate in threes, usually two males and one female. Do you see Theo and Norman with a lady bear? Cause I don’t.”
“Hmm, you know, it’s times like this I’m glad it’s Cody and Dylon’s problem to deal with. And since I’ve used up all my guesses for who is preg…oh shit, it’s not my mother is it?”
“No, I am not pregnant,” Oracle said, serenely walking into Jackson’s study. “Kieran is.”
“Kieran is? How?”
“Dear, if you do not know how pregnancy occurs, then your father has failed you.”
Snickering, Jackson said, “Your mother has a point, babe. Maybe you need a refresher course about the birds and the bees from your father. Oracle do you want to ask Maximus or should I?”
“Funny, funny. What I meant is I didn’t know Kieran was an Omega,” Steel said.
Jackson grinned, taking pity on his mate. “I didn’t either, babe. When Logan told me this morning, I’m afraid he didn’t initially get the reaction he expected.”
“But you’re happy for them, right?” asked Steel.
“Very much so! Ever since Logan found out about my gift, he wanted the same thing from the Fates, so he’s happy Kieran can have pups…
but I don’t think that’s his only gift.” Then Jackson continued, “We’re really having a population boom in the Blackwood Pack.
Wait till Mystia finds out she’ll be a grandma again. ”
Steel chimed in, “You’ll also be a grandmother again, Mom, if Dakota and Slate have a pup, and I bet my brother’s pup will be as much trouble as my brother was.”
“Let’s not go there, babe,” said Jackson, turning to Oracle. “I’m glad you’re here, Oracle, because Colton told me about their discovery of Ian’s Scottish Wolf subjects…200 of them…living in the north country. Did you know about them?”
“Yes, however, I was not given permission to disclose their existence to Ian. I am sorry about it, but the knowledge I possess from the Fates is controlled by them. Has Ian and Colton met them yet?” asked Oracle.
“Next week, I believe. As to what they are going to do about it, I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with Colton yet, but I will later today. Oh, here’s Mystia,” Jackson said, rising, and greeting her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Steel pulled a chair over for Mystia. Then he asked, “Have you seen what Daniel can do yet?”
“No, but I was with Maximus when we found the book he was looking for,” Mystia said, “I assume, the proud grandpa had Daniel show you, hmm?”
“Daniel is totally amazing!” Steel exclaimed.
“He is,” Mystia said, smiling, before turning to Jackson. “What is it you need me to do?”
Pulling out a map of the pack house and its surrounding 200,000 acres, Jackson pointed to a spot on it. “I need a cavern deep in this mountain with only one person allowed access to it.”
Mystia studied the map, then glanced at Jackson. “What will the cavern be used for?”
“It’s for the hoard of an underage dragon Logan rescued the other day in Scotland. Cody and Dylon have been appointed his temporary guardians and he…Fionn’s his name…will be joining us. But in the meantime, we need to move his hoard out of Scotland.”
“I can do that but I will need young Fionn to set up the access portal,” Mystia said.
“He’s in Scotland at the moment,” Jackson said.
“That’s not a problem. I can meet him there, get the portal done and help transfer his hoard to the new location,” said Mystia.
“Okay, can you do it now? I’m worried about Fionn’s life as long as his hoard remains in Scotland.”
Nodding, Mystia said, “Please tell Logan I will be there in ten minutes.”
“Perfect, I’ll let him know,” said Jackson.
“Jimmy and I will be over later to see what Daniel can do,” Mystia said, smiling at Steel before leaving.
“Jackson,” said Oracle, “I will be gone this morning, but will be back at lunchtime to speak with Dakota. My son has promised me he will not claim his mate until Dakota meets with me, so I can explain his gifts.”
“Gifts? Dakota is getting more than one gift?” asked Jackson.
“Yes,” Oracle said.
“Will you tell him about the consequences if he doesn’t claim Slate?” asked Jackson.
“Sweetie, Dakota already knows,” Oracle said, “I told him everything after your brothers found out about your gift. We will talk more this afternoon, and try not to worry about your brother,” Oracle said, before leaving.
Sighing, Jackson said, “I better tell Cody and Dylon what’s going on because they’ll need to talk to Penn.”
Lifting his mate up, setting him in his lap, wrapping his arms around him, Steel nuzzled Jackson’s neck, giving him soft kisses interspersed with whispered words of love. He knew his mate was concerned about Dakota, but there wasn’t anything they could do about it.
~/~/~/~/~
Ignoring the streaks of early morning sun falling across his face, Dakota dozed until his inner clock told him it was time to get up to make breakfast. Then with his eyes barely open, yesterday came flooding back and he remembered going to bed with his mate.
Even though Slate’s arm and leg were draped over him, pinning him to the bed, that wasn’t what got his attention.
Wow! I feel great! For the first time since his childhood, he’d slept through the night without being awakened by nightmares.
Checking his wolf, Dakota found him sleeping peacefully with no signs of agitation.
Inhaling deeply, his body responded to the scent of his mate, his cock becoming hard, wanting Slate’s hand on it to give him the pleasure he craved.
Dakota squirmed back against his mate’s chest until he felt Slate’s hard cock along his crack, causing him to whimper.
His mate was perfect for him in every way and he wanted to wake up in Slate’s arms every morning—but that would mean he would become pregnant.
So what if I do? Would that mean the end of my dream?
Is that even what I want anymore? Thinking it over, Dakota realized there was something he would rather do than own a restaurant.
My mate was right…I have to decide if I want to have pups.
Well, let’s see…will I love them unconditionally?
Absolutely! An image popped into his mind of his son in the kitchen helping decorate cookies, bringing a smile to his face.
But what if he doesn’t want to cook? What can I teach him other than that?
Of course I do have a lot of talented brothers so that’s a possibility.
Hmmm, I was slightly envious of Jackson…
well more than slightly…when he got this gift and I adore Daniel and I’m good with him.
Okay, I have no problem with being pregnant and having a pup.
And I’m pretty sure I’ll be a good father.
But what about my curse? If junior is unhappy, I’m going to feel it and I know it’ll hurt me more than it does him.
I wonder if Oracle knows of a better way to block other’s feelings…
it might be worth asking her since that seems to be my only reason I have for not having pups.
“What are you thinking about?” Slate asked, his voice rough from just getting up.
Ohh, I love that voice! Dakota grinned, his mind exploding with erotic images triggered by his mate’s guff voice that sent tingles down his spine. “Good morning, sleep okay?” Dakota asked.
“Like a baby. And you?”
“Me, too,” Dakota said, unsure how his mate felt about having pups but deciding to be honest. “I was thinking about getting pregnant and having pups.”
“And?” Slate asked, keeping his voice quiet because he didn’t want Dakota to feel any pressure.
After his mate fell asleep last night, he’d thought about the day and had come to some conclusions.
All reservations about the Fates choosing a mate for him were gone; he’d fallen deeply and completely in love with Dakota.
He knew he’d do anything to protect his mate from the ‘curse’ though he didn’t regard it as such.
It was part of what made Dakota who he was.
Finally, Slate wanted to have pups with his mate—surprised at how much he wanted it—but that would depend on Dakota.
If that wasn’t what his mate wanted, he’d accept it because Dakota would always be his first priority, now and forever.
Dakota turned to face Slate. Placing his hands on the broad chest in front of him, a very low moan caught in his throat as he felt the heat of his mate’s body.
Slowly lifting his eyes to Slate’s and seeing the fire burning in them, he knew his mate was feeling the heat, too.
Forcing himself to focus on Slate’s one-word question, Dakota answered, “I…uhm…well, it would be all right.”
“I hear a hidden ‘but’ in there, so tell me what still concerns you about getting pregnant.”
“Not with getting pregnant but with what happens afterward. If our pup is hurting, I’ll feel it and I know it’ll affect me badly…that’s my only concern.”
“I understand,” said Slate, “and I don’t want you to go through that either.”
“The only thing I could think of was asking your mom if she knew of a better way for me to block emotions…even if it would only work with our pups.”
“We can ask her when we talk later today if you want,” Slate said.
Then, kissing his mate before continuing, “Babe, we don’t have to have pups cause it would tear me apart knowing you’d be hurting.
I. Love. You. And I always will because my love for you is so deeply embedded in my heart it is now part of my very being.
You are the part of me I never knew was missing until yesterday and I know…
just as sure as I know the sun will rise tomorrow…
I couldn’t survive without you anymore.”
“I love you too,” Dakota said quietly. “I’ve become quite addicted to you and I also can’t see a future without you in it.
” He fell silent and, still thinking about pups, continued, “I do want to have pups with you. They weren’t part of my dreams simply because I knew it couldn’t happen unless my mate was an Omega.
So I never included it in what I wanted in life.
My only thought was to get away from my father, and make a life without having to deal with his constant hatred.
But when he was killed, my life took a different road than the one I had mapped out when I was younger.
“I asked myself this morning if I still wanted to own a restaurant and the answer was ‘no’, I don’t.
I love what I’m doing, especially teaching Theo.
That’s when it hit me…what I’d rather do is to teach Cody’s boys how to cook even if it’s just basic meals.
Once I stopped letting an old dream get in the way, I realized how much I wanted your pups… even with my curse.
“I’m not a brave person, babe. My hesitation comes from what happened to me in the past and I’m scared of what might happen in the future. But even with my fear, I still want to have your pups.”
Slate was overwhelmed with happiness. “I’m honored that you want to have pups with me but I disagree with your statement about not being brave. Last night, just before I fell asleep, I remember thinking you are the bravest person I know.”
“You make me brave,” Dakota said, softly.