Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Noble
“ J aMari, are you dressed yet? Your breakfast is ready,” Noble called up the stairs to his seven-year-old daughter, who was known for being a little slow in the mornings.
“I’ll be down in a minute, Daddy,” came the quick reply.
Noble shook his head, resisting the urge to go upstairs and see what was taking her so long. He glanced at his watch, noting he still had about an hour before they needed to leave for the day. Later, he would meet with Taye Draycott, his friend, second-in-command, and agent who also owned Eclipse Court, a sports bar.
He was Noble Aquillar, a professional basketball player for the Valleywood Warlocks. He was the team’s shooting guard and forward, having decided that last season was his final game. His teammates were not happy, but they understood. They would be announcing his exit from the game in a few weeks. Despite his initial reservations, Taye eventually understood Noble’s reasons for retiring and wholeheartedly supported him, a testament to the strength of their friendship.
Noble had many responsibilities beyond JaMari that constantly put a strain on him when he was away. In addition to his obligations to his parents, he owned a custom auto shop and a gym he’d named after Yaz. Noble let his father manage the gym since it had always been his dad’s dream to run one. Noble had considered giving the gym to his father as a gift, but he knew his dad wouldn’t accept it—he simply loved managing it. His father would suggest something, like putting the business in JaMari’s name.
On top of everything else, Noble was also an alpha mosasaur dinosaur shifter—a massive water creature believed to have been extinct for over sixty million years, along with the other dinosaurs and prehistoric beasts wiped out in the Ice Age. But just like magic, which many believed to be dead or unreal, they were very much alive.
A few years ago, to protect the safety and privacy of his thra'sek or pack members, Noble had used some of the pack’s funds and invested a large portion of his own money to buy a swath of land in the Dragon City district. He’d hired a witch to infuse the area with magic, ensuring his members remained hidden when they shifted, as they didn’t need the aid of the full moon. While Valleywood was a magically accepting place, it would be a different story if a normie saw a Mammuthus or a Tyrannosaurus rex walking around in their shifted form.
Being the Alpha of the only dinosaur thra'sek in Valleywood wasn’t a role Noble had sought, but as a young man, he couldn’t stand seeing his people mistreated. His friends called it his savior complex, while his parents said it was his deep sense of justice. Though they weren’t extinct, his kind no longer existed in the vast numbers they once had when they roamed the earth freely. The mistreatment of the pack members by the previous Alpha, Percy Montgomery, had pushed Noble to fight for the leadership position.
The fight for leadership had been long, and there were times Noble thought he might not survive, even though the battle was on the water, his home turf. He hadn’t believed a T-Rex could match a mosasaur in the water, but the old alpha was experienced. Noble was sure that he would have lost if the man hadn’t grown tired. Still, Noble didn’t escape unscathed. He’d been injured, and it took him months to fully heal, even with his shifter abilities.
However, that didn’t mean everything went smoothly after Noble took over. Some believed he was too young to handle a pack of large, rough, and tough dinosaurs from various sects, which totaled around one hundred members. Despite facing challenges even to this day, Noble had worked through the dissent. He established a council to help govern the pack and collaborated with the mayor to ensure his members were contributing members of Valleywood. Even with his changes, some members still left the pack and Valleywood. Nevertheless, Noble was thankful for the strong support system he had from his friends and parents.
But his thra'sek members were questioning his loyalty with being away so many times during the season. He couldn’t let that continue. It looked bad on him as a leader. His pack had doubts even with Taye as his second who could handle whatever issue arose in his absence. Sighing, Noble returned to the kitchen, finished preparing breakfast, and put JaMari’s lunch into her backpack.
He looked up when he heard JaMari running down the stairs. “No running,” he admonished gently, smiling when she listened without scowling. She was dressed neatly in her school uniform except for her hair, which he needed to care for. Noble chuckled to himself.
As a single father, Noble had to make many changes in his life, but to him, it was all worth it to watch and care for his baby girl. Among many things, like not having a dating life, he had to learn how to care for a little girl—from dressing her to caring for her hair. He’d faced numerous challenges, but Noble happily tackled them with determination and love for his baby girl.
JaMari inherited a combination of his and her bearer’s thick curls, and while he styled his hair in a short, curly afro that required little products and care, he was certain his baby girl wasn’t as low-maintenance as him. Besides, Noble would feel gutted if she came to him one day and he cut her hair. He would leave that up to her when she was an adult.
“Do you know how you want your hair done today?” he asked, taking the brush and comb from her hands.
“Nope,” she answered, sitting on the chair.
“How about we just put it up in a bun today?”
“Okay,” she said, sighing.
“This weekend, I’ll take you to Mrs. Jacinta’s Salon to have it washed and braided. How does that sound?”
“Okay,” she said again, and Noble furrowed his brow.
“Are you okay, little bit?” he asked, touching her forehead to see if she had a fever, which thankfully she didn’t. “You’re being far too agreeable this morning. Honestly, it’s worrying.”
“I’m fine,” she said in a tone that said she was far from okay. He touched her forehead again, but she didn’t have a fever. Unlike him, JaMari was a dino-human hybrid susceptible to minor human ailments like colds and flu.
“You don’t sound fine,” he said, turning JaMari’s head so he could look at her. Noble mentally smiled. She was the spitting image of her bearer, Yaz, with pretty brown skin that complemented the light hazel eyes she’d inherited from him. Yaz had been Noble’s first love and mate, who died four years ago from a heart defect caught too late. “Talk to me. Remember, we don’t keep secrets.”
JaMari looked at him pensively, biting her bottom lip before she spoke. “I want a little brother.”
“Say what now?” Noble asked, his voice laced with shock.
“And a new daddy, too,” she stated more confidently. “You need to find a mate.”
“Excuse me, aren’t I good enough to be your dad?” Noble said, pretending to be hurt. Noble knew what she meant. He wasn’t kidding when he said there weren’t any secrets between them, and she understood the concept of finding a mate.
JaMari groaned. “No, that’s not what I mean, Daddy, and you know it.”
Noble chuckled and lightly tapped her nose. “I know what you meant, baby girl, but I told you that my focus is taking care of you right now.”
“But I want a baby brother or sister. Tammy has a baby brother that she talks about all the time, and I get jealous that I don’t have a baby brother.”
Noble sighed. “I’ve told you many times not to get jealous of what your friends have...” He paused and looked at her for a few seconds. He couldn’t go into lecture mode when they didn’t have time. But he knew the conversation was coming. JaMari had talked about Tammy and her brother all week, and although he found it adorable, he had to divert the conversation from babies and wanting a new dad.
“I tell you what,” Noble said. “If you don’t get in trouble for the rest of the month, meaning you go to bed when I tell you, no arguing, and you’ll eat all your vegetables, I’ll…”
“Get me a new daddy and a baby brother?” she asked, perking up in her chair.
“No, but how about we settle for a dog?”
JaMari stared at him for a few seconds. “Alright, but I still want a new daddy and baby brother.”
“Gods, you’re relentless,” Noble chuckled and continued fixing her hair, then got her settled to eat breakfast as he got ready for work.
Noble entered JA’s Custom Rides, Car, and Motorcycle Shop a couple of hours later, the shop he’d opened six years ago. Noble had named his shop after his favorite person, JaMari. Noble was a damn good ball player, but he knew he couldn’t do it forever. And now that he was retired, he had his shop to fall back on if Noble’s other options fell through.
Everyone close to Noble knew he could be found at his shop during the off-season when he was not with JaMari, his parents, or his friends. Ever since he was young, he had driven his parents crazy. If he wasn’t dribbling a ball, he could be found in a corner or backyard tinkering with cars and electronics. He played varsity and studied automotive design in college.
During that time, he’d met Yaz at a party, and just like in the movies, it was love at first sight, becoming an inseparable pair. Even though he painstakingly waited until they’d graduated from college to claim Yaz as his mate, Noble wouldn’t go back and change anything. After Noble and Yaz became mates, things were going well. He signed a multi-million-dollar four-year contract to play for his home team, the Valleywood Warlocks, keeping him close to the pack and Yaz, who was pregnant with JaMari.
“Hey, boss, can we talk for a second?”
Noble was pulled from his wool-gathering when Flynn, a good guy and mechanic, called out to him on his way to his office. “Sure, Flynn, what’s up?”
“Just wanted you to know I need to leave early today,” Flynn told him.
Noble’s brows furrowed. “Is everything all right?”
“Not really, my mom’s getting worse,” Flynn said, running hands through his hair.
Flynn’s mother was diagnosed with dementia a couple of years ago. Her condition had been declining, and she was having difficulty with basic tasks like feeding herself.
“What’s your schedule like for the next couple of weeks?” Noble asked, pulling out his phone to see his schedule, as Flynn had done the same.
“I’m finishing up a 1920 hot rod,” Flynn said, looking at his phone. “After that, a customer requested an American Iron-horse Chopper remake.”
Noble nodded. “How about this? Take the next few weeks off, and Thorne and I will cover for you.”
“Boss, I can’t let you guys do that,” Flynn told him. “Besides, I can’t afford to take any time off. I need the money to pay my mom’s hospital bills.”
“Don’t worry about it. I got you covered,” Noble assured him. “It’s about time I hire a couple of part-timers and an office assistant, anyway, so this would be a good time.”
“Are you sure? I know you have a lot on your plate with just retiring and JaM?—”
“Don’t stress yourself, man,” Noble said assuredly. “Letting you take care of your mom won’t put too much strain on me and Thorne. The place will still be standing when you get back. Just focus on your mom and make sure she’s fine, and if you need more time, let me know.”
“Are you sure?” Flynn asked again.
“Yes, I’m positive. Let’s go into my office and work the schedule out.”
“Man, if only you knew how many worries you just took off my shoulders,” Flynn said, relief clear in his voice as they walked to his office. “You’re fucking awesome.”
“Enough with the buttering up; you are already getting some time off with pay.” Noble chuckled. "Have you considered hiring an in-home nurse to look after your mom while you're at work?"
"I have, but I have trust issues, and my finances aren't as grand to hire someone full-time," Flynn explained.
But Noble understood Flynn’s situation. His family and friends had been his support after Yaz’s health condition and later his death. Not only that, but he also had to keep his head on straight to care for JaMari. But that didn’t mean that Noble didn’t break down. Yaz was his only mate, and he hadn’t thought he could fall so quickly and easily for another person. He shook his head, thinking about JaMari’s request. As much as he would love to give her a brother or sister, he didn’t know if he could find another mate like Yaz.
"I might know someone who can help," he told Flynn. "And since you've been working to hold this place down while I've been gone, I think it's time for you to get a raise and promotion. Don't you think?"
"Boss, you?—"
"Stop, I'm not giving you a handout, so get that thought out of your head," Noble told him. "You and Thorne have been invaluable to this place."
Flynn nodded and smiled, shutting down anything else he had to say. It took them three hours to work out a new schedule. Noble had called Louis, a pack member who was also a nurse, and set up a time for him and Flynn to meet and discuss his mother's care. Flynn opted out of receiving a promotion but took a considerable pay increase.
Later that day, Noble walked into Yaz Fitness and nodded to the young lady at the front desk, who smiled at him. His dad had hired her three months ago, but sadly, Noble couldn’t recall her name. Noble headed to the back office where he knew his father would be. Knocking twice, he entered without waiting for his father to answer.
“Hey, Dad, do you think you...” Noble didn’t finish his words because he got the shock of his life, which caused him to cover his eyes, quickly turn around, and close the door. He would need bleach or some disinfectant to scrub the vision out of his eyes and brain.
He did not need to see his prim-and-proper mom straddling his father’s lap. Her skirt was pushed up above her waist while he whispered in her ear, making her giggle like a schoolgirl. He knew his parents were active, but he really didn’t need to see it. Noble hurried out of the gym, deciding he’d text his dad about meeting with him later or tomorrow.
Sitting in his car, Noble chuckled, shaking his head. “Why does everyone feel the need to surprise me today? There’s gotta be something in the damn air.” Pulling out of the parking lot, Noble returned to the shop for more work since he had time before meeting Taye. Sighing, he looked at the stack of paperwork and knew he had to hire a shop manager soon.