Chapter Two
Kiera opened the door with her key and walked inside. As usual, the house was silent. From the back of the house, footsteps echoed off the walls as someone approached.
“Miss Sorrel, good to have you home,” the crisp, formal voice of her uncle’s assistant said, by way of welcome.
“It’s good to be back, Bryson, thank you. Where is Uncle?”
“He spends his days at the Academy. I am not expecting him back until this evening. Will you be staying for dinner?”
Kiera held back her frustration. For all intents and purposes, she lived here too. Why wouldn’t she be staying for dinner?
“I’ll be taking her and the kids out for dinner, then we’ll be spending time at my parents’ home,” Hunter replied smoothly.
“Very well,” Bryson gave a short nod, then retreated back to her uncle’s office.
“Kiera?”
Kiera heard her name moments before two small bodies slammed into her. If not for Hunter’s support, all three of them would have ended up on the floor. “Keran! Nicol! Goddess above how I’ve missed you,” she said, repeatedly kissing the tops of their heads.
The way their little arms squeezed and refused to let go told her more than anything that Hunter was telling the truth. Something wasn’t quite right.
She leaned down and whispered to Keran. “Go get your things.”
Her brother sat back and simply nodded solemnly, before racing away at breakneck speed.
Nicol still hadn’t let go.
“Nicol, I want you to meet someone,” she said, speaking softly.
The small girl lifted her face from Kiera’s abdomen. “He watches us all the time,” she whispered back.
Kiera knelt down until she was eye level with her sister. “He was sent by the Goddess to watch over you.”
Her sister’s eyes widened and her hands went to her mouth. “We didn’t know.”
Hunter knelt beside her. “It was a special mission,” he said, winking at her.
Nicol’s eyes lit up as she smiled. “We try not to make trouble.”
Hunter sighed. “That’s too bad, I love kids that make trouble.”
“Really?” her sister asked, clearly confused.
Hunter looked surprised. “Of course. Everyone knows that when kids are getting into trouble, they’re having fun.”
Kiera stared at him. “Don’t tell her that.”
Hunter turned and gave her an innocent look. “What?”
Nicol giggled quietly.
“Kiera, we’re ready,” Keran said, running back breathless. In his arms, he carried two backpacks.
She frowned. “That can’t be everything?”
Keran looked down at the bags. “Everything that matters,” he said.
Hunter stood. “Good lad.”
Keran started to edge around Kiera, when Nicol placed a hand on his arm. “Kiera said the Goddess sent him to protect us.”
Keran stared up at Hunter. “He’s huge!”
Hunter flexed his bicep. “Of course.”
Keran looked back down at his feet nervously. “Will you protect Kiera too?”
“Hmmm.” Hunter said, looking up at the ceiling like he was thinking something over.
When Keran raised his head, Hunter was tapping his chin. “Since the Goddess gave her to me as a mate, I will be protecting all three of you.”
When Hunter confirmed that Kiera was his mate, it was as if the relief of it overwhelmed Keran, and the boy sagged forward on himself.
Hunter picked him up and held him on one arm. “You rest now, I’ll watch over them,” he promised softly, looking at Kiera and Nicol.
Keran gave a shuddering sigh, lay his head down on Hunter’s shoulder, and closed his eyes.
Hunter turned to her, anger in his eyes. “Let us go,” he said, in a gentle voice that didn’t match the simmering rage in his expression.
Hunter placed all three backpacks on her rolling case and pulled it while carrying Keran.
Kiera held Nicol close as they walked out the only home her siblings could remember.
*****
Hunter was fuming. The boy in his arms had been on guard this entire time, only relaxing when he realized Hunter would keep them safe. No child should have to do such a thing.
“Is he okay?” his mate asked, rubbing a hand over Nicol’s hair.
“He will be, this I swear,” he said, cuddling the boy closer.
“Nicol, honey, what happened?” Kiera asked.
Nicol buried her face in Kiera’s neck. “Nothing bad. It’s just we don’t think uncle likes us, so we have to be extra good.”
Kiera met his eyes.
No child reacted like this if it was simply a matter of not being liked.
“Did he feed you?” Kiera asked.
“Yes.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No,” the girl replied quickly.
Kiera shot an exasperated look his way.
“Doesn’t matter now, they’re both moving in with us,” he paused. “Wherever that will be.”
“That doesn’t exactly give secure vibes, Hunter,” she said, sounding annoyed.
Nicol giggled.
Hunter was already in love with both kids.
Keran for his bravery and strength and Nicol for her resilience and light.
“You all could move in with me in the Nu estate, I know the guys would lose their minds wanting to help, but things have been… different lately,” he said, curtailing his words, not wanting to scare Nicol.
“Witches’ Council crazy?” she asked.
He nodded. “What have you heard?”
“That your unit leader threw their enforcers against the castle.”
Nicol looked over at him. “Did they get hurt?” she asked, looking concerned.
Hunter hesitated. There was no world where he was going to tell this sweet child what actually happened. “I’m pretty sure they didn’t feel much pain, hun.”
Nicol nodded, satisfied by that answer.
Kiera raised a brow.
‘They didn’t feel much pain, because they probably died on impact,’ he thought to himself.
He smiled at his mate, who shook her head.
“Or, we can get the kids settled in with my parents and you could move in with me at the Nu estate.”
“No!” Nicol protested.
Hunter leaned in and shocked the small girl by kissing her forehead. “You say that now. But, have you ever been spoiled by a grandma before?”
Nicol shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing around. “Never had a grandma before.”
Kiera smiled sadly. “Both of my parents lost their parents before I was born.”
Hunter wagged his eyebrows up and down comically and was rewarded with another small giggle from Nicol. “Grandmas are like superheroes. They always know how to make you feel better and make the best food.”
Keran stirred in his arms. “That doesn’t sound bad.”
“I’ll make you both a deal. If you don’t want to stay with my parents after meeting them, we’ll all go to the Nu estate. How about that?” he asked.
Keran turned to look at his sister and Nicol nodded.
“Deal,” Keran said.
Hunter couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride for this child. “Keran, have you ever thought about becoming a warrior?”
“Hunter!” Kiera exclaimed.
“What? He is displaying every trait we look for. Strength, bravery, and honor. He’d make a great warrior,” he exclaimed.
“It’s too dangerous. He can work at the Academy.”
“No!” Keran practically shouted. “I’ll never work there.”
When his mate leaned forward to ask questions, Hunter shook his head. She glared at him, but he kept her gaze. Finally, she relaxed a bit. “We have plenty of time to figure it out,” she said.
Keran rested his face on Hunter’s neck. “Never,” he whispered.
Hunter patted the boy’s back the best he could with his hands full, letting him know he was heard.
Before he knew it, they were walking up the familiar path to his parents’ house. He opened the door and couldn’t help himself. “Ma! Brought you visitors!”
There was a moment of silence before he could hear the quick patter of his mother running towards them. She turned the corner and when she saw who he was holding, he witnessed his mother falling in love.
“Oh!” she crooned and immediately scooped Keran out of his arms, before picking up Nicol to balance on her other hip. “They look hungry. Honestly, Hunter, you could have fed them,” she fussed.
Both kids looked shocked at the attention, but were leaning into his Ma’s warmth.
“Ma, why would I take them anywhere else to eat, when I know you’ve been cooking?” He put all the bags down by the door then pulled his mate close to him, wrapping arm around her waist.
“Kiera isn’t it?” his mother asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied.
“Pffft! None of that ‘ma’am’ stuff, you can call me Ma, like Hunter does,” she said, smiling at them both.
Kiera nodded, then wiped her eyes. “It’s been a while since I’ve called anyone, Ma,” she said.
His mother walked over and somehow managed to give his mate a hug, despite having an armful of children. “All three of you come with me. It’s a bit late for the muffins I packed. The soup went on over an hour ago, that won’t be ready ‘til supper, but we’ll see what I can whip together.”
She turned and carried both kids toward the kitchen.
Kiera continued to wipe her eyes. “I tried you know, but I’ve never been able to give them that, a motherly love.”
“You’re their sister, that makes sense.”
“I feel like I’ve failed them at every turn.”
“They’re good kids, you must have done something right.”
She looked up at him, vulnerability in her eyes. “Really?”
“I don’t think they got their best traits from your uncle,” he said, making a face.
She laughed. “I’ll concede that.”
“Hunter Armstrong! You better not be canoodling that poor child when she’s hungry!”
Hunter felt heat effuse his cheeks.
Kiera covered her mouth to muffle her laughter.
“Ma!” he complained loudly.
“Don’t ‘Ma!’ me, get in here.”
Hunter took his mate’s hand and led her to the kitchen.
The kids sat at the table, their feet swinging while they watched his mother go from cabinet to cabinet.
“Now, I have some jam from Boragina somewhere,” she muttered, pulling out fresh bread.
Hunter quickly moved both of them to also sit down. If his mom was making her version of PBJs, he wanted some too.
His mother turned and saw him also sitting at the table. “I suppose you’re hungry too?”
“Aren’t I always hungry?”
“Yes, you and your brothers are always hungry.”
“Hunter?” he heard a familiar voice call to him.
From the back door, his father stood, spade in hand. “Is this them?”
“Yes, Dad. I have the pleasure of introducing, Kiera Sorrel my mate and her two siblings, Keran and Nicol.”