Three Matings And A Baby: A Howls Romance

by Tonya Brooks

  Holy shit. And she'd made that off-handed comment about maiming her father. Oh, boy. Shana was going to have to watch every word she said. No wonder Dane hadn't wanted to be the alpha. Having that kind of power was as scary as hell. "Just kidding about the maiming, guys," she hastened to point out.

  His lips twitched in amusement, but his expression never changed as Dane stepped forward and extended his hand above the car roof. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Nichols," he said cordially.

  Ever the consummate politician, her father had completely changed his attitude now that he knew Dane was a VIP worthy of his notice. He returned the handshake and said, "Welcome to the family, Supreme Alpha Lassiter."

  "Thank you. I'd apologize for causing a disruption earlier, but I'm not the least bit sorry for claiming my mate," Dane replied blandly.

  Shana bit back a laugh at her father's disgruntled expression at the lack of an apology. He'd learn soon enough that her mate was not a man that he could use to further his own interests, political or personal. Dane Lassiter pandered to no one and she loved him all the more for it.

  Dane introduced himself to Lawrence and Bratcher, shook hands with them and invited, "You're both welcome to join us for the mating ceremony."

  "We'd be honored, Alpha," Bratcher replied.

  "Too bad we'll never have one," Lawrence commented.

  "Why won't you?" Dane queried with a frown.

  "Because my alpha won't sanction it," the wolf shifter replied. "As soon as he hears that my mate is male he'll kick me out of the pack."

  Dane wasn't a bit surprised by the revelation. As the former Supreme Alpha's Beta, he'd visited most of the packs in the country and had been shocked at how archaic some of their laws were. Or how much they could vary between packs. He'd long believed that the packs needed a unified set of laws and this proved his theory was correct.

  "That's horrible," Shana exclaimed. "Dane told me that the mate bond knows no bounds, including gender. Surely your alpha can understand that."

  "Unfortunately not," Bratcher denied as he took Lawrence's hand in his. "But since I have to make a choice, I'd rather have my mate than my pack."

  "You're both welcome to join the Lassiter pack," Dane offered. Now that he had the power to implement change, he might as well start with his own pack. "And I'll definitely sanction a mating ceremony."

  "Are you serious?" Lawrence asked in surprise.

  "Alpha, I… I don't know what to say," Bratcher replied, just as shocked as his mate.

  "Say yes and we can have a double ceremony," Shana laughed.

  The couple looked at each other before smiles broke out on their faces and they replied in unison, "Yes."

  Dane hugged her against his side and tossed Bratcher the keys to the Jeep. "Follow the trail through the woods to my cabin. You've got just enough time to be mated and marked before the ceremony begins." The couple exchanged a look before they made a mad dash for the Jeep, grinning like complete fools.

  Shana grabbed Dane's face and pulled him down for a resounding kiss. "You are such a good man," she sighed happily. "Just another reason why I love you."

  "I love you so damn much," he vowed and scooped her into his arms. "I can't wait to show you how much after the ceremony."

  "You mean after the hunt," she reminded devilishly as he carried her toward the main house. "I know how much you like chasing rabbits."

  He grinned happily and said, "Rabbits are tasty. Want me to catch one for you?"

  She wrinkled her nose and replied, "Not unless it's cooked."

  "That can be arranged," he offered as he climbed the steps attached to the massive wraparound porch.

  "Then yes, my mighty hunter can catch me a rabbit," she agreed and placed a kiss on his lips. "But first, I have to get ready for our mating ceremony."

  "Yes, ma'am," he readily agreed and opened the front door.

  ***

  Much to his surprise, his ex-wife and her mate Wallace Campbell were waiting for them in the foyer. Both bowed their heads in a show of respect before the other man said nervously, "I wanted to formally notify you that my mate and I will be leaving the pack as soon as possible, Alpha."

  "Why?" He asked with a confused frown as he placed Shana on her feet.

  In spite of the fact that he could smell the lesser wolf's fear, the man squared his shoulders and looked him in the eye. An act of true courage from an omega shifter in the face of his alpha. "I will not allow my mate to be ostracized by the pack now that you are Alpha."

  "Why would she be ostracized?" Shana asked with a perplexed expression as she took Dane's hand in hers.

  Giselle lifted her gaze and looked at Shana nervously. "Because I used to be married to Dane," she admitted in a tremulous voice. "And I don't want my presence to make you feel uncomfortable, Lady Alpha."

  Before he could form a response, his mate took control of the situation. "Nonsense," Shana denied as she stepped forward and gave his ex-wife a friendly hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Giselle. Dane speaks very highly of you and I just know we're going to be good friends."

  A smile of sheer pride covered his face as he watched his mate lead the other woman into the gathering room. Shana looked back over her shoulder to flash him a smile and a wink before she laughed at something Giselle had said. His mate was sheer perfection. The pack was going to love her as much as he did.

  "Alpha?" The omega wolf asked warily as he waited for Dane's reaction.

  "We are your pack," he informed the other man. "You and your mate will always be welcome. And if anyone thinks differently… they'll answer to me."

  Wallace went limp with relief before he squared up again and extended his hand. "Thank you, Alpha."

  Dane shook the outstretched hand and was impressed with the other man's integrity and the courage he had shown on the two occasions they had met. "You're a good man, Wallace. I have a position in mind for you if you're interested."

  Omegas were the weakest in the shifter world and more often than not, they had no place in the pack hierarchy. The other shifter was bug-eyed as he stammered in a shocked tone, "You… you're offering me a job? In the pack?"

  Yes, he was. After all, as the Supreme Alpha Wolf Shifter, he was going to need a highly organized and trustworthy assistant. He'd run a background check on the other man when Wallace had claimed to be Giselle's mate, so he knew that the omega was more than capable of filling the position.

  "I am," Dane confirmed. "How would you like to be my executive assistant?"

  "I would," the other man readily agreed and offered him a genuine smile.

  The sight of his future father-in-law entering the house prompted him to suggest, "If you can keep D.A. Nichols entertained and out of my hair until after the ceremony, the job is yours."

  "Consider it done," Wallace agreed and moved to intercept the other man.

  How about that? Being the Alpha did have some perks after all.

  The back door slammed against the wall with a bang, drawing every eye in the room. Looking up he saw Cindy pressing Garrett against it as they ate at each other's mouths, both looking as if they'd been through a hurricane. The feisty little female flashed a dazzling smile and announced, "We need a mating ceremony of our own."

  Dane and Shana exchanged a knowing look across the room before he replied, "We're having a double ceremony with Bratcher and Lawrence. Want to be couple number three?"

  "Hell yes," Garrett confirmed as he lightly nipped his mate's neck with his teeth.

  "Then let's do this!" Shana cheered happily.

  CHAPTER TWO

  The mating ceremony was beautiful in its simplicity yet steeped in tradition.

  Since the Lassiter pack originally hailed from Scotland, Dane, Garrett, and Bratcher wore white gauze shirts, and kilts, with a plaid made from the clan tartan, draped over their shoulders. Shana and Cindy wore white gauze dresses while Lawrence wore a white gauze shirt with a kilt and all three had a garland of heather draped around their necks.

/>   The former Supreme Alpha didn't look nearly as scary as he normally did as he presided over the ceremony. Reece was smiling and Shana would swear that she'd seen a shimmer of moisture in his eyes as he wrapped the heather garland around her and Dane's hands, binding them together as mates for all eternity.

  Once their vows had been spoken, the shifters draped their plaids over their mate's shoulders that bore their bite mark and sealed the act with a kiss. Reece's voice rang out with a hint of Scottish brogue over the thunder of applause, "Lasses and lads, I present to you three pairs of fated mates."

  Dane embraced his brother in a bruising hug and stepped up onto the podium to face his pack. "In my first act as Alpha, I'm admitting Bratcher Phelps and his mate Lawrence Best as members of the Lassiter pack. Make them welcome."

  Pipers started playing as the pack gathered around and embraced each of the newly mated couples, welcoming them into the fold. Then Shana found herself dancing a reel, or trying to, and being handed from one pack member to the other before she finally landed in the arms of her beloved mate where she belonged.

  Breathless from the dance and euphoric with happiness, the newly mated couples were led to a banquet table where they feasted like kings. With a wicked wink, Dane placed a chunk of meat on her plate and whispered that it was rabbit. Skeptical, she tried it and discovered that it really was as tasty as he claimed.

  Her mate couldn't have been more pleased and kissed her soundly.

  Torches were lit as the light slowly faded. The moon shone down from a canopy of stars. It was a magical night filled with love and laughter. Then an eerie wail filled the air and she saw the hunt master blowing into what looked like the horn of an animal. It was the call to hunt and every shifter present sent up a cheer.

  One by one they shifted until the area was covered with wolves of every color and size. Dane kissed her tenderly before he shifted into the massive white beast that she adored. He nudged her with his muzzle and she grasped his furry face in her hands. Placing a kiss on his head, she whispered, "Have fun and catch lots of tasty rabbits."

  His tongue lolled out in a wolfish smile before he lifted his head and howled. Wolf after wolf joined in and the night sang with the soulful cry. Chills danced up and down her spine at the animalistic beauty of the sound. After giving her what she would swear was a wink, Dane took off running, the pack falling in behind him.

  It was a beautiful sight to behold.

  "Oh, thank God," a voice beside her breathed raggedly when the last fluffy tail had disappeared into the trees.

  "Jolie, are you all right?" Shana asked anxiously since the woman was nearing her due date.

  "I've been in labor for hours," she admitted as her hands gripped the edge of the table in a white-knuckled grip.

  "Why the hell didn't you say something?" She demanded in shocked disbelief.

  "Because Reece wouldn't have gone on the hunt," the other woman panted as if that were explanation enough. It wasn't.

  "How did you manage to keep this from him?" The way Jolie's overprotective husband watched her like the wolf he was, it was impossible to believe that he had overlooked the obvious signs of his mate in extreme discomfort.

  "I took a shower after my water broke so he wouldn't scent it," she admitted as the contraction eased. "Then I had him watching Bryce and the pack cubs until the ceremony started. After that, I convinced Bryce to insist his dad sit with him and the other cubs during the feast and recount the epic battle with Dane."

  "Oh my God," Shana breathed as the other woman bent over double. Jolie had deliberately kept the impending birth of their child from her mate and gone to extreme lengths to make sure that he didn't find out. What she didn't understand was, "Why?"

  "Reece will lose his mind if he sees me in labor," Jolie confessed. "I can't put him through that."

  Since she couldn't go find Reece, the only thing she could do was offer, "What do you need me to do?"

  "Nothing, my dear Lady Alpha," an older woman replied as she calmly assisted Jolie to her feet. "I'm the pack midwife and this is what I do."

  Holy, holy, holy shit. All Shana could do was pray for the best. Because if the worst happened, Reece would most likely kill them all.

  ***

  While the rest of the pack surged deeper into the forest, the newly mated wolves didn't stray too far from the main house. Neither did Reece. The four of them romped, played and chased rabbits until a sound carried on the breeze caught their attention. The four wolves cocked their heads sideways to listen with rapt attention.

  "Daddy!"

  The sound faint and small wafted toward them once again. The black wolf exchanged a look with his brother before he threw his head back and howled a response. Seconds later, all four wolves were rushing headlong through the woods. Because Reece's son was calling for him in a tone filled with panic.

  Like all of the pack children, Bryce had been warned to never go into the forest at night, and he hadn't. They found him waiting at the edge of the ceremonial grounds, shaken and trembling. The boy ran directly to the massive black wolf without an ounce of fear and threw his chubby little arms around his neck.

  "Daddy! Mommy's hafing the baby!" He announced tremulously. "I heard her cryin' and it scared me. You haf to help her, Daddy."

  At the sound of a muffled yet pain-filled cry from the main house, the black wolf fixed tormented eyes on his brother. The white wolf nodded and shifted to his human form as Reece tore across the clearing at a ground-eating lope. Dane scooped his nephew into his arms and rose as he hugged the boy tightly to his bare chest.

  "You did good, Bry," he praised the child. "Mommy will be just fine." At least he hoped like hell she would. His brother would go insane if anything happened to his mate.

  "Daddy will make her all better," the child said confidently and gave him a brilliant smile so like his mother's.

  In spite of the fact that the boy had a genius level IQ at the age of four, his unshakable belief that his father could solve any problem was a testament to Reece being a great parent. The kind of parent that they had both longed for as children. The kind of father that every child deserved to have.

  The kind of father that Dane hoped to one day be.

  His mate knew that he loved children and when Shana had discovered that she couldn't have any, she'd tried to set him free. His beauty and Lawrence had planned to marry to save their mates from suffering. If their plan had worked, Bratcher might not have lost his pack, but Dane… well, he would have lost his mind.

  "Found your kilt, Alpha," Bratcher said as he joined them and extended the plaid. "What can I do to help?"

  "Know anything about kids?" He queried.

  "Yeah. I've taught every kid in my pack how to throw a pass," he admitted before his eyes darkened sadly. "Guess those days are over now."

  "Maybe not," he refuted. "New pack, new kids to train."

  A slow smile covered his face before it lit up his eyes. "I'd like that," Bratcher confirmed. "Thank you, for everything, Alpha."

  "Drop the alpha and call me Dane. If you hadn't stopped the wedding to claim your mate I could have lost mine," he pointed out. "I'm in your debt."

  "I'd say you've more than repaid it," the other shifter assured him.

  "You say that now, but you've never tried to keep a four-year-old with a genius IQ entertained," he laughed before introducing his nephew to the famous quarterback.

  ***

  Fear.

  It was an alien feeling for the black wolf. He'd never experienced it, but he knew what it was. He'd smelled it on lesser wolves many times. This time he was the one who stank of it. The stench was an open invitation for predators such as himself to attack, but he didn't care. He'd annihilate anything that tried to stop him from getting to his mate.

  Heart in his throat, the black wolf tore ass across the clearing, bounded onto the porch of the main house, through the open front door and raced up the stairs. He would have burst right through the closed bedroom door if he hadn
't known it would frighten his mate. His paw shook as he lifted it and pushed down on the lever to open the door.

  His precious mate lay on the bed, sweat dampening her golden hair as her body bowed upward in agony. A piercing cry fell from her lips as her burgeoning stomach contorted from within. The black wolf crept across the room to her before he shifted and Reece fell to his knees beside the bed, his hands reaching for her.

  Needing to touch her.

  To soothe her.

  To take her pain away.

  Pale blue eyes flew open and met his own wild-eyed turquoise gaze. "Why?" The one word tore from him filled with raw emotion that managed to convey everything he was feeling.

  "Didn't want… you to see… me suffer," his sunshine girl panted as she gripped his hand with a strength she didn't look capable of possessing.

  His mind was racing a mile a minute as he calculated how far along she was in the delivery process versus how long it would take the chopper to get her to a hospital. The odds were not in his favor. The baby would make an appearance first and there was no way in hell he would risk moving her at this stage.

  Pure panic took hold at the realization and everything he'd learned in their birthing classes was erased from his memory. Reece simply didn't know what to do. He couldn't think. Couldn't form a coherent thought beyond the primal need to protect his mate. His voice was ragged as he pled brokenly, "Tell me what to do."

  "Just… don't… panic," Jolie rasped before her entire body tensed. She released a scream that stopped his heart as her entire body bowed with a powerful contraction.

  "That's it," the midwife's voice filtered through the haze of sheer terror clouding his brain. "Push, Jolie. Push!" Everything began to blur as darkness encroached on his vision. Through the roaring in his head, he heard another scream, the midwife saying words that had no meaning, a slapping sound and then a wailing cry filled the room.