Chapter 5
It was early afternoon in Scotland by the time Logan finished the report for Jackson about the Alpha of the English Wolves.
After hearing Brian’s story, he was leery about meeting with the Alpha until he was able to get some more information—which he obtained after talking with Morgan, the owner of the Wolf Pack Pub.
When Logan finally finished his report, he carefully reread it to ensure he had omitted nothing.
Satisfied it was as complete as he could make it without a face-to-face sit down with the Alpha, he sent it off to Jackson.
Then, closing his laptop, Logan shoved it into a knapsack and left their bedroom.
It didn’t take long for Logan to locate his mate.
Standing outside the nursery door, he smiled at hearing Kieran’s giggles while he played with the baby sea serpents.
It still surprised him how fast they’d grown since their eggs had hatched; they could all fly and talk now.
Even though Brian and Reif had assured him it was normal for sea serpents to mature rapidly, he was sure the reason behind it was the abundance of love surrounding them.
Giving in to the need to see his mate, he cracked open the door a bit and looked in, spying Kieran sprawled on the floor, surrounded by baby nessies.
“Uncle Ki, read us a story, please?” Julius asked, perched on top of Kieran’s belly.
“I want one too!” exclaimed Tobias, flying around the room before landing on Kieran’s head.
Grinning, Kieran picked up Lukas and set him down next to Julius. Then, holding out his arm, he said softly, “Christos, come here…it’s your turn to pick the story.”
Swooping down from his perch on the bookcase, Christos landed deftly on Kieran’s hand. “I want Lucy, the Lazy Llama!”
“What about me?” Georgios cried out, flying around in circles above Kieran.
Patting his left shoulder, Kieran said, “Your landing pad is ready for you.”
Chuckling at the picture that Kieran and the five sea dragons made, Logan opened the door wider and entered the nursery, heading over to the bookcase. After locating the book, he grabbed it and handed it to his mate.
“Thanks, macushla,” Kieran said, and opened the book to the first page. Then, glancing around at the baby sea serpents, he asked, “Is everyone ready?” After hearing a chorus of ayes, he began:
“Lucy did not run with the other llamas.
She would not jump or hop or play any of their games.
All Lucy did every day was eat the green grass in the field.
The other llamas called her ‘Lucy the Lazy Llama’ but she ignored
them because she had a secret that made her special…”
Logan listened to the familiar story, lost in the sweet sound of his mate’s voice.
He pictured himself lying next to their son while Kieran read a nighttime story.
It was an image he never could have imagined when he was younger, but now it was going to happen…
and soon, if their spirit was correct. It had taken him a while to get used to having a spirit and longer yet to learn to ask their spirit questions, especially about their squirt.
But after many false alarms, Logan had finally learned to trust their spirit.
Lost in his thoughts about their soon-to-be-born son, Logan didn’t hear the nursery door open.
“It’s aboot time for yer naps,” Brian said, walking over to his babies.
“Naw, papa,” Tobias replied, looking up at Brian. “Uncle Ki isna done.”
Glancing at the book Kieran held, Brian chuckled. “Ye all know this story by heart.”
“Ay, papa,” Julius said, giving Brian a sweet smile. “But we love it so much.”
Looking at the five sets of pleading eyes gazing up at Brian, Logan laughed. “You don’t stand a chance,” he murmured. “Admit it.”
“I’m almost to the good part,” Kieran said, grinning at Brian.
“Yay!” Lukas shouted.
“More, Uncle Ki!” Christos pleaded.
Standing in the doorway, Reif chuckled. Their baby nessies sure knew how to get what they wanted from their papa.
Walking over to Brian, he stood behind his mate, glancing down at the scene.
Love swelled up in Reif at the sight of his growing baby sea serpents.
He couldn’t wait until next week when Brian and he would take their little nessies down to the loch for their first swimming lesson.
It would be a big milestone for each of them.
Wrapping his arms around his mate’s waist, Reif whispered in Brian’s ear, “Why doesn’t Kieran put our nessies down for their naps after he finishes the story while we have a little hanky-panky time? ”
Reif’s puff of warm air across Brian’s neck had his cock twitching in response.
Since the eggs had hatched, there’d been little time for sex, and while Brian loved spending time with their nessies, he also loved spending time wrapped up in his mate’s body.
Nodding briefly, he looked at Kieran and asked, “Shaman, would ye…”
“That’s a great idea,” Kieran said. “Macushla can help me. He can use the practice.”
Inwardly groaning, Logan realized what he’d just gotten roped into. “Mo anan cara, you really need to talk to my mother about all the practice I had growing up with my younger siblings,” he muttered. “I won’t have any problem when squirt is born.”
Ignoring his mate, Kieran grinned at Brian. “Happy hanky-panky time!”
Logan suddenly understood why they were in charge of the nessies’ naptime. Chuckling, he glanced up at Brian and Reif. “You owe me for this.”
“Anytime,” Reif replied, ushering Brian out of the nursery.
~/~/~/~/~
A shaft of early morning sunlight across his face jolted Groose awake.
Groaning at the unexpected interruption, he turned over and buried his face in the pillow, willing himself back to sleep.
But his mind wouldn’t co-operate. Within moments, the events of last night came rushing in and any hope of finding peace in the darkness of sleep became impossible.
Rolling onto his back, he opened his eyes for a moment before the bright light forced them closed again.
He had no one to blame but himself, since he’d forgotten to draw the heavy blackout drapes totally together.
And just that little sliver of light had enough power to wake him up.
Turning away from the window, Groose peered through the narrow slits of his barely opened eyes, cursing himself for the mistake.
Grabbing his phone from the nightstand, he checked for messages and emails, but there was only the normal work stuff dealing with assignments and scheduling.
Relieved, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
His body groaned in protest, but he ignored it and stood up.
A hot shower and a cup of coffee would solve any lingering aches left over from his unexpected, late-night hook-up.
While he hadn’t planned on anything other than dinner and a shower last night, Groose had enjoyed the unexpected arrival of his friend-slash-fuck buddy.
They’d become friends back when they met after being hired by Dire Enterprises.
And their fuck buddy relationship followed shortly thereafter when Steel had assigned Groose to head up the new security division—which resulted in him choosing his friend to be his second.
Groose and his hand-selected enforcers had been sent to many locations on different missions, but he always made sure Turk was by his side—or under him.
But when his boss found his Fated Mate, Jackson, security had to be increased due to the threat Jackson’s uncle, Josiah, posed to the Blackwood Pack.
Steel assigned Groose to build an enforcer army whose sole mission was to protect every member of the pack.
At first, the number of men he needed was small, but as the pack grew, along with the threats, the number of enforcers Groose needed to provide protection also grew.
Soon, the old command structure became so unwieldy that Groose divided the men into several regiments and created a new one.
The buck still stopped with him, but he promoted Turk to be head of the personal protection unit which provided bodyguards anytime a member of the Blackwood Pack left the safety of the grounds.
The job was perfect for Turk, but there was an unexpected consequence that Groose had not foreseen, mainly that he rarely saw his friend anymore.
So last night when Turk knocked on his door, Groose would not let his fatigue keep him from enjoying a night with his fuck buddy.
It was after four when Turk untangled himself and got dressed, but before he left, Groose pulled him down for one more bone-melting kiss.
He listened for the click of his apartment door closing before he grabbed the pillow that carried Turk’s scent and tucked it under his head.
He didn’t know when the next time Turk would knock on his door might be, but he hoped it would be soon.
Sweeping the memory of last night aside, Groose headed for the shower. It was time to start the day and find out what had happened to the mystery man who tried to enter the Blackwood Pack’s land.
~/~/~/~/~
Kieran tiptoed out of the nursery, glancing back to ensure all the baby nessies were snuggled together under the heat lamp.
This time they were all wearing the hoodies he’d made for each of them, along with the tube socks lined with sheepskin.
Closing the door softly behind him, he smiled up at his mate and whispered, “They’re all asleep. ”
Tucking Kieran under his arm, Logan leaned down, burying his nose in his mate’s hair and inhaling.
He never would get enough of Kieran’s scent, no matter how long they lived.
He showered kisses down his mate’s head until Logan reached Kieran’s ear and, after giving the lobe a lick, he whispered, “Our Squirt is so lucky to have you as his daddy.”
Beaming, Kieran said softly, “He’s also lucky to have you, macushla…as am I.”
“I think you have that wrong, babe…you saved me, remember? I’m the lucky one.”
Kieran stretched upwards until his lips brushed lightly across Logan’s. Pulling back until there was only a whisper of air between them, he murmured, “Let’s agree to disagree who saved whom, okay?” Then, after kissing his mate one more time, he asked, “Did you get your work done?”
“Yup…sent the report off to Jackie,” Logan replied. “I doubt I’ll hear from him today, so I thought we can see Angus tonight, that is, if you and Squirt want to take a ride on my dragon.”
Kieran’s eyes shone with happiness. “Duh…perfecto! Squirt has been eager to go and has begged me to ask you…well, not me, actually, but he did beg our spirit, so after I found out, I was gonna to ask you but Theo thought I should wait until we got home since then Fionn and Hunter could come with us, but Squirt didn’t want to wait.
Did you know he pouted for two days when our spirit told him it wasn’t gonna happen?
Can you believe that? After our spirit told me that, I entered it in his baby book.
I can’t believe how smart our Squirt is…
already he can talk to our spirit, know what he wants, and even express emotions, so when are we leaving?
Squirt is gonna be so happy when our spirit tells him. ”
Chuckling, Logan said, “Our Squirt is gonna be a handful...just like someone else I know…but I can’t wait for him to join us, so we’ll be a family of three...a dream come true.”
Even though Logan tried to hide it, Kieran detected the nervousness about becoming a father in his mate’s voice, even though there was no reason for it.
His mate was going to be a fantastic dad.
Linking his hands behind Logan’s neck, Kieran kissed him deeply this time, using the power of their love to erase any doubt Logan might have.
When he felt the tension leave Logan’s body, Kieran leaned back until their eyes met.
Then, grinning mischievously, he said, “I’m thinking we should do what Brian and Reif are doing… whatcha think?”
Logan’s eyebrows shot up. Smiling seductively, he pressed his hard cock against Kieran’s and murmured, “I think you have a great idea.” Without waiting for an answer, he scooped his mate up into his arms and headed for their bedroom.
~/~/~/~/~
Jackson had planned to be up earlier, but after the night spent enjoying Steel’s presence, it just wasn’t possible.
Descending to the first floor, he paused for a moment, listening to the clang of pots and pans in the kitchen as Dakota began making breakfast. Smiling at the familiar noise, he walked slowly down the hall, his mind busily organizing his day.
“Hey, Jackson, you got a minute?” asked Sawyer.
Looking up, he saw his cousin leaning against the wall next to the door to his study. “Sure, what’s up?” Jackson asked, opening the door and then heading to the chair behind his desk. Sitting down, he turned on his computer before asking, “Where are your mates?”
“Sleeping,” Sawyer replied, sitting down in front of his cousin’s desk before continuing. “It’s about Henri.”
“Alex’s grandfather?”
“Yeah…last night we found out he sent you an email requesting permission to visit Alex…did you get it?”
Opening his mail program, Jackson searched through the list of unopened messages until he found it. Clicking on it, he quickly scanned it before looking back at Sawyer. “I don’t have a problem with it, but I want to talk to Fionn first.”
Frowning, Sawyer asked, “Why? There isn’t any bad blood between him and Alex.”
“I know…and I’m grateful for that, but I just want to make sure that Henri’s presence here until Alex gives birth won’t bring up Fionn’s bad memories of his father deserting him,” Jackson explained.
“The last thing your pregnant mate needs is to be caught in the middle…between his grandfather and brother.”
“I don’t think that will happen.”
“Maybe not…but do you want to take that chance?”
Shaking his head, Sawyer said, “Of course not…but I don’t want the alternative to happen either.”
“Which is?” asked Jackson.
“Glenn suggested if Henri can’t come, we go to France until after the cub is born.”
“Shit,” Jackson muttered. “I don’t think that would be a good idea, considering the cub will be a dual shifter.”
“Exactly…so could you please talk to Fionn today? Alex is worried about you giving his grandfather permission.”
“Sure,” Jackson said.
“Thanks, I appreciate it,” Sawyer replied.
Jackson watched his cousin leave before picking up his phone and sending a text message to Hunter. He didn’t think Fionn would mind, but he owed it to the young man to listen to any objections he might have, just in case he did.