Chapter 68
Chapter
Sixty-Eight
Candice handed me another sandwich, and I immediately dove into it. She laughed, shaking her head at me. I was stressed. There was so much going on. Both behind the scenes and just with the family. It felt overwhelming, and here I was, eating my feelings.
“Are you okay, dear?”
I looked down at my plate. “I’m…worried.”
She wiped her hands on the towel and came over, sitting down on the chair next to me. “There is a lot going on. Have you talked to Marcus about it?”
“A bit. Everything with Ebony and Queen ended up being okay. I guess. We are still waiting for the confirmation on Dylan and the leadership. I think I’m worried that everything is coming to a head and that it’s just going to be a step forward and then a step back.”
Biting into the sandwich angrily, I chewed. Candice was smiling as she rubbed my back. I shook my head and swallowed.
“Nothing feels right. I keep trying to say it’s nothing. It’s affecting me like this though.” I waved my hand over the plate.
“Eating a little more isn’t a bad thing, Colt. Eva was happy when you hit your normal weight, but you have probably twenty pounds to work with to be at a healthy weight.”
I snorted. “I’d like to stop having to buy clothes. Even now, I feel like I’m going through clothes. Stuff isn’t fitting and I don’t enjoy spending money like that. I don’t have a job. Marcus doesn’t have a job. We both…are just…floating.”
“He has enough money to support you and Kayla for a long time before having to work. Plus, now he’s taking on the full responsibilities of the businesses Keith used to be the primary owner.
You’re going to be okay. You can stay here as long as you want, and I will continue to cook for you, no matter how much you eat. ”
“Candy, I’m eating more than Mar!”
Marcus stepped into the kitchen, chuckling. “I can’t decide if I’m more offended or impressed.”
My lips pursed, and I angrily ate the second half of the steak and pesto sandwich. Marcus got a drink from the fridge become kissing my head. Candice smiled and then clapped her hands.
“I have an idea. Why don’t you two go for a flight? Colt used to do it all the time going up to the Archives, and he doesn’t do it nearly as much now. You’re here and your bond makes it so that you don’t get too toasty on his back.”
Marcus pursed his lips, but I looked up at him. “I…I would like that.”
“I’ve been meaning to have some Grandma and Granddaughter time since you guys have been needing us less and less. We can go out into the garden and see the flowers.”
“Make sure you have a hat or sunscreen.”
Candice raised her eyebrow, placing her hand on her hip. “Excuse me, my sweet son. Did you just…try to tell me how to parent?”
Marcus blushed and cleared his throat. “No, Mom. Of course not. I just remarked that there aren’t any clouds in the sky.”
She snorted. “That’s what I thought. Go take your mate for a fly. Relax a little. Both of you.”
Getting up, she snagged the baby monitor off the counter and took it with her as she went down the hall. Sighing, I finished my sandwich and got up to rinse my plate. Marcus came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.
“We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“I…I do. Actually...” I turned in his arms when I finished rinsing it off and stacking it with the others. “I have a surprise for you?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “You know I don’t do well with surprises.”
“I know. This is a good one?”
Letting out a loud, exasperated sigh, Marcus’ mouth slowly curled up into a smile. “Alright. Well. I’ll allow it only because I know you’ve been scattered. If this helps, then fine.”
Smiling brightly, I nodded. “Let me grab a sweatshirt, and we can go.”
“A jacket.”
“I’m not a child, Marcus. It’s October, not the dead of winter.”
Huffing, I could hear his laughter as I walked out and went up to our room. Grabbing my sweatshirt, I pulled it on, feeling it stretch around my hips a little more than usual. I was definitely getting love handles. My hips had widened, but not that much.
Putting on my shoes, I skipped down the stairs with my school backpack that never saw any use anymore. Marcus was waiting at the door. He smiled as I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail.
“Did I tell you I love you having long hair?”
“Yeah, last night when it was wrapped around your hand.”
He smirked, nodding. “That’s right. I really do like it.”
“Come on, Alpha. Let’s go. We can talk on the way.”
“Do I need shoes where we are going? And how far is it?”
I hummed. “It’s kind of far? Maybe a little over an hour by flying?”
“Over an hour? Colt, do you mean Laila flying or my flying?”
Slapping him in the chest, I took his shirt as he lifted it over his head and tucked it into my bag.
“Rude. Lai isn’t built for speed. I would say you’re flying.
It might be about two hours with her flying.
” I shoved his pants, phone, and my phone into my bag and slung it on my back. “And no shoes are required.”
His eyes narrowed. “So we aren’t going to the city?”
“No. Come on. I’m not telling you. I’ll just give you directions in the air.”
Marcus was less than enthused. He also didn’t believe I couldn’t give him directions, but I had specifically memorized the way to the new house from overhead so I would know.
I didn’t want to do it this early, but it seemed like the perfect time.
Mike said the main house was done and the two of them had taken a trip to ensure everything was correct.
According to Sabrina, it was amazing. All the furniture is exactly what we ordered and even the photos came in and Sabrina put them into the frames for the wall. I was nervous that Marcus was going to hate it. There was also the bigger surprise of what Selene and I had been working on for months.
Using her magic, channeling it with my own, and constantly feeding it from my body, we solidified the magic circle for the lair into the territory during the last full moon.
The only thing that needed to be done was for me to step onto the territory, and it should secure it as my domain. If it worked.
Marcus rolled his shoulder and cracked his neck before he shifted in the driveway.
Candice was probably going to smack him for that when we got back.
Reaching up, I climbed onto Marcus, sliding in between his two spikes.
Holding on, he pushed off the ground and with one stroke of his wings; we flew into the sky.
It was thrilling, and I hummed happily as we did a lap over the lair.
Where to, Colt?
Head south.
Smoke clouded my vision, and I laughed. Head south? That’s all you’re going to give me.
Yes.
He growled and turned to fly south. I held on for a while before he got into his cruising altitude and speed. Relaxing a little, I sat up and took in a deep breath of fresh air. There was something so crystal clear about the air this high.
Colt, please hold on.
I’m fine. You’ll catch me if I fall, right?
He growled again, a puff of smoke leaving him. Don’t even joke about that.
You know, I really prefer the smoke to Lai’s dirt cloud she kicks up.
Marcus rumbled and laughed, vibrating his body. I rubbed his scales and leaned back a little against the spike behind me. He hummed in my mind, contentment coming through our bond.
You were at Keith’s this morning. It wasn’t a question or an accusation.
Yeah. Dad was there too. They were working on some stuff for the flight. He’s doing better.
I nodded. He’s handling this better than I thought he would.
I think Beau and Lauren stepping in helped.
Originally, when I asked Beau and Lauren to take care of Kayla if I died, they didn’t take it seriously.
As time went on and I got weaker and weaker, I think they realized that there was a real chance I wouldn’t survive.
Their mindset changed to needing to be ready to take on a baby.
I think they were glad they weren’t taking Kayla on.
Not because they weren’t ready, but because of what it meant for Marcus and me.
When we had a sit-down with Keith, he didn’t want to believe it.
Which I didn’t blame him at all. The DNA tests came in and confirmed I was right.
Marcus was 99.5% but Keith was 99.9%. Tyson got it out of Queen that she received the company back by giving Keith’s sperm to Ebony.
She just thought that because they were twins, it wouldn’t ever come out that it was her mate’s and not Marcus’.
The only difference between them was their level, and that was enough to show up on the test.
After that, Keith scheduled to meet the Council of the Dragon’s to remove their bond.
He promised Queen money if she agreed, since she would never be an Alford and never be allowed to be on flight territory.
She signed away all her rights for the kids, including little Justin, the newest addition to the family.
The problem was now Ebony. She swore it was Marcus’ child and not Keith’s. That their love was unbreakable and Marcus would come back to her. It was decided to actually have her committed and held at the Council of Dragons. She would give birth and then she would receive the punishment of death.
Keith didn’t want the child. It might have been his, but it wasn’t even an indiscretion.
They literally stole his sperm and then gave it to someone else.
However, the family felt conflicted because it was still an Alford.
So Beau and Lauren stepped up. When the little hatchling was born, Lauren and Beau would adopt them as their own.
They would stay in the family, and loving parents would raise them, no matter how they came into this world.
It didn’t end cleanly, but it ended. Queen would be gone at the end of the month. Ebony was already under arrest, and they wouldn’t let her out. All that now stood in the way of us and a true breath of peace was Dylan’s request.
Colt, you’re thinking hard over there. I can feel you thinking.
Sorry. The Council not getting back to us like this doesn’t give me peace of mind.
His body lifted slightly as he flapped his wings.
It will come. They are most likely working on a replacement Alpha and making sure that the pack has time to transition.
Then, their children need to be moved, and per our request, a witch will lock their blood to be unable to take an oath of leadership.
When you put it like that…
Marcus chuckled. They won’t go back on their word. It’s just working out the details.
Why not just disband the pack like Dark Night? I still don’t understand.
After the warriors died, there was no one to protect the pack. No leadership left. It would be easier to disband and let the members who weren’t part of her schemes find homes elsewhere.
I leaned forward against his spike, putting my cheek against it. I guess I still think Red River as a whole deserves worse.
He nuzzled up against the bond. I know, little wolf. Still. I think they will find the light with a new Alpha and the right leadership.
You can turn west here and run along the forest ahead.
Do I need to remind you again that I hate surprises?