by Trina Lane
* * * *
Nicole saw Jaryn's lips moving but couldn't hear the words that came out of his mouth. All she heard over and over was Jaryn's confession that the babies in the next room were her biological children. How did something like that happen? The blackouts. Somehow...oh God, she was going to be sick. Nicole covered her mouth and ran for the bathroom.
She fell to her knees in front of the toilet, but all that happened was her stomach spasmed and a little bile came up. Jaryn was there holding her hair back and soothing her with his touch and low voice.
She'd never felt so violated in her life. Two rooms away were children that had been stolen from her before she even realised their reality. She'd never been given the chance to feel them grow inside her, to anticipate their birth, to share the experience of impending parenthood with her mate. Jaryn had told her that only his mate could give him children—she doubted he meant it like this.
How would her mate respond to the two babies? Would he accept them? Would he ask her to give them up, now that they'd been found? How did she feel about them? She had no idea who their biological father was. Who had carried them to term, and where was she? Would that woman want the boys to belong to her? There were too many questions and emotions swirling around in her brain and heart at the moment. She felt as though she'd been tossed into a vortex of uncertainty. Even changing into a wolf hadn't been this traumatic.
"Nicole? Listen to me. Listen to my voice."
She heard Jaryn reach out to her through their link.
"We will get through this together, as a family. I love you. Those little boys are a part of you, no matter how they arrived on this earth. They need a mother and father. We have a chance to provide them with a life filled with love. Together we can nurture them and watch them grow into strong men, along with our children who are yet to come. Couples all over the world adopt children every day. And while Kaden, Gavin and I may not share DNA, I will love them as completely as I will any other pups we may be blessed with. I know you're scared, I know you're hurt and probably angry. So am I, for what you went through, for what all the children we rescued have been subjected to in their short lives. Nobody should have to go through that, but you all survived. You're a strong woman with so much love in her heart. Give us a chance to be a family."
Nicole curled into Jaryn's chest as he gently rocked her back and forth. She wiped the tears that had started pouring out of her eyes as soon as her stomach settled. She clung to Jaryn, her neck damp with moisture from his own emotional response. There was another knock at their bedroom door, and Nicole pushed to her feet from the bathroom floor. She splashed cool water on her face and swished out her mouth with some mouthwash. She went back into the bedroom and opened the door. Her emotional turmoil would have to wait.
Her children needed her.
She crossed the living room with her mate at her side. Jaryn's hand rested on her lower back and she took strength from his silent support. Cooper and Shaun paced the room, each with a baby in their arms. The two little faces were scrunched up and red, tiny hands clenched into fists as dual cries filled the vaulted ceiling of their home. Jaryn headed for Shaun, and Nicole for Cooper. She took the little one from his arms and as if an ‘off’ switch had been flipped, the cries stopped. Nicole looked down at the flushed face in wonder. Her hand caressed the top of his head and the feather light whips of red hair clung to her fingers. She made cooing noises and rocked him back and forth.
The baby's feet kicked out repeatedly and his hands patted at her chest. Maybe it was the endorphins flooding her system with instant recognition of a mother to her child, maybe it was something special but love immediately swamped Nicole and the tension headache that had been a result of her crying jag instantly disappeared.
"You have Kaden,” Jaryn said as he came up to stand beside her. “This is Gavin."
Nicole looked at the infant in her mate's arms and smiled. She adjusted Kaden in the crook of her arm and reached out to Gavin. His hand gripped her finger and she could have sworn there was a smile on his face. “Hello, Gavin,” she whispered.
"We should probably feed them, and they're most likely due for a change,” Jaryn said. “I have some stuff I took from the compound, but we'll need to stock up."
Nicole nodded. At that moment, she couldn't wrap her mind around everything that had to be done. The boys would need a nursery set up, she and Jaryn would have to get them clothes, a supply of diapers and all the other baby paraphernalia that was required for a new addition to the family...times two.
"Don't panic about all the shopping that needs to be done. Kaden and Gavin are the youngest of the super-shifters rescued. Gillian has already mobilised the pack and we should be expecting some deliveries in the next couple of hours. Several pack members already said they'd donate the nursery furniture from their pups who no longer use it, and I have a feeling we'll have enough baby clothes to outfit an army by the time the day's over.” He smiled.
Nicole's mouth fell open. “But...why?"
Cooper had two bottles in his hands and handed them to Nicole and Jaryn. “It's what packs do. We look out for each other."
Jaryn looked at Cooper. “I thought Shaun said neither of you—"
Cooper snorted. “Even I can read a formula can."
Shaun came in with a couple of little towels and placed them over Nicole and Jaryn's shoulders. “Yes, he'll make some lucky wolf a great wife someday."
Cooper shoved Shaun. “I don't want to hear it. You were the one who said to test the formula to make sure it wasn't too hot."
There was a knock at the front door, and Nicole watched Shaun cross over to the security panel. He must have approved of who stood outside, because he opened the door with a flourish.
"Welcome to casa de la baby!"
Jaryn's parents and brother poured in, all talking at once. Above the din Nicole heard Roberta, Jaryn's mom, say, “Let me see my grandchildren!"
Roberta headed for Jaryn and started cooing over Gavin, and Charlie came quietly up to Nicole. He peered down at the baby bundled in her arms, contentedly sucking on his bottle.
"Huh, somehow I thought they'd be cooler looking. I mean they're supposed to be super-shifters. Shouldn't they have like wings or something?"
Chris, Jaryn's dad, cuffed his son upside the back of his head gently. “You behave, they're adorable. Damn sight better looking than you were at their age,” he mumbled under his breath.
"Hey, I heard that!"
Nicole laughed. “Sorry, Charlie."
Jaryn walked over, patting Gavin's back as he rested against his shoulder. “I imagine they'll come into their powers when they get older. Probably around puberty. Think about it—you're fifteen and you only started shifting last year, till then you were a normal little snot."
Gavin let out a loud belch and the entire room started laughing. Nicole lifted Kaden to her shoulder and in quick order he also burped.
Roberta came over with her arms held out. “Let me take them. I'll change them then they can settle down for a nap.” She looked around the living room. “Where are they going to sleep, Jaryn?"
"For now in their carriers, but we should have the back bedroom set up as a nursery in the next day or so."
Roberta and Chris carried the twins into her and Jaryn's bedroom. Nicole already missed the feel of Kaden in her arms. She sighed and leaned into her mate when his arm came around her waist.
"So Charlie, are you ready to be on call as a baby sitter?” Cooper asked.
"Sure, how hard can it be?"
All the adults chuckled under their breath, only a teenager could be so naive. Shaun's comm-unit beeped and he looked down.
"I have to go. I want to visit each of the pack homes that have taken in one of the rescued children. There's going to be a lot of paperwork ahead of us to get them identities. I'm working with the scientists to identify which child is what species, then the council is going to contact different packs, prides, dens and so forth to find willing adop
tive parents."
"What about Bryan?” Jaryn asked. “He's nineteen, hardly at an age where he'll be looking for parents to raise him."
Nicole looked up at her mate. “Parents or not, he'll need a support system. Why doesn't the pack set him up with somewhere to live in town? Maybe a family who has a garage apartment or something? He can get a job in Stonepass and slowly learn how to integrate into society. Pardon the expression, but I don't want him to be thrown to the wolves."
Shaun and Cooper both nodded, and Jaryn tilted Nicole's head up for a soft kiss.
"Good idea, sweetheart."
"What about school?” Charlie asked.
"He's had private tutors his whole life. Dr Johns said that his IQ is off the charts. I guess once he gets an official identity he could apply for college, but he'll need a period of adjustment before that's reasonable, I think."
Shaun said his goodbyes and Nicole walked him to the door. She stretched up on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck to hug him. She heard Jaryn's low growl from across the room, but ignored her jealous mate.
"Thank you for saving him. He doesn't think I know, but I saw the images.” She stepped back and looked over at Jaryn. “What's going to happen now? Do you have any idea where Adam disappeared to?"
Shaun shook his head. “We'll find him, though. I promise."
"I know.” She opened the door “Now go on. I know you're anxious to check on your pack. You're a good Beta, Shaun. Someday you'll find a mate that will appreciate all your qualities."
Shaun bowed his head. “Thank you."
Nicole had just closed the front door when Jaryn's and her bedroom door opened and Roberta and Chris carried Kaden and Gavin out.
Roberta brought Gavin over to Nicole. She held up her finger to her lips. “All right, everyone. We should leave so the new family has time to bond. There will be plenty of opportunities to play the doting uncles and grandparents later,” she said softly.
Chris handed Kaden over to Jaryn then wrapped his arm around his mate. “You're just saying that because you're all full of yourself since you got Gavin to fall asleep before I got Kaden to."
Roberta giggled, “Well, I have to take my credits where I can."
Jaryn hugged his mom then his dad. “Thank you for your help.” He went over to Charlie and rubbed the back of his head. “See you soon, yeah?"
Charlie nodded and smiled. He came over to Nicole and lightly put his hand on Gavin. “Don't worry, little buddy. I'll teach you and your brother everything you need to know about how to get around the boring old adult rules."
With that, he dashed out the front door.
Jaryn shook his head. “I swear that kid is nothing but trouble."
Nicole walked over to her mate and leaned against him. “And you love him for it, don't you?"
Jaryn smiled. “Yeah, wouldn't have him any other way."
Jaryn's parents quietly left, and Nicole relaxed on the sofa with her mate. “I guess we should call my parents, huh?"
"Might be a good idea, unless you want to give them heart attacks when we send out our Christmas greeting next month."
Jaryn had Kaden tucked in his left arm, so Nicole rested her head on her mate's right shoulder. “You must be tired. Why don't you give me Kaden and go lay down for a while?"
Jaryn rubbed his cheek against the top of Nicole's head. “I have a better idea,” he whispered. “Why don't we put the boys in their carriers? We'll take them into the bedroom and all four of us will have a nap. I'd really like to hold you, and I'm sure you didn't sleep much last night, either."
Nicole stood and picked up one of the carriers sitting on the living room floor. She heard Jaryn behind her order the house to go into secure mode. Nicole put the carrier on the floor at the foot of the bed. She gently placed Gavin in the padded holder, making sure he was settled before stepping away. She stripped off her jeans and climbed into bed. Jaryn came into the bedroom with Kaden already in the carrier. He stripped and glanced over at the bathroom.
"I really should shower."
"Go ahead, we're not going anywhere."
She should probably join her mate, but at the moment the bed was much more inviting. Nicole closed her eyes and found that the events of the night and the emotional rollercoaster of the morning had taken their toll. Her eyes were heavy as the mattress dipped and Nicole naturally rolled back against Jaryn's naked body. His arm came around her, pulling her tighter against him. His lips nuzzled on the back of her neck, his legs twined with hers beneath the sheets. The hair that covered his arms, legs, and the patch on his chest rubbed against her skin as his scent drifted over her. She smiled as she floated away towards unconsciousness.
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Epilogue
* * * *
Six months later
Jaryn sat at his desk in his home office looking at the calendar for the newly dubbed Phantom River Conference Centre. Two months ago, when construction had been in full swing on the chalet, he'd hired Alec Rogers to be the manager of the chalet. The human had come with impressive references and a degree in hotel management. Jaryn had been equally impressed with Alec's ability to seamlessly communicate with the shifter construction crew as well as his ability to coordinate marketing with the general public. As a result of Alec's efforts the conference centre now had events booked solid all the way through to the end of the season, well into the fall.
He pulled up his mail system and shot a quick note off to Shaun, asking for an update on the last of the adoptions of the super-shifters they'd rescued from Broyles’ compound. His Beta had worked tirelessly to find them all good homes with shifters of their same species. The Phantom River pack had always been open to intershifter relations, but rarely sought them out. Placing the super-shifters had required his Beta to build bridges that hadn't previously existed, and as a result their quiet little pack was now extremely well known throughout the nation. Fortunately, the general public had never been made wiser about the activities that occurred in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. As hungry as the world was for salacious news, Jaryn was amazed that the ASC and COP had managed to keep everything under wraps.
He thought of the additions to his home as a result of their discoveries that night. Kaden and Gavin were now eight months old, and both boys were little crawling machines. He spent half his time at home chasing them around, and the other half waiting to hear their little voices babble out ‘da-da', instead of the ever popular ‘ba-ba'.
Of the multitude of memories he'd built with his family over the last several months, the most cherished was the first time Jaryn had shifted in front of the boys. He and Nicole wanted the boys to be comfortable around their parents’ wolf forms and had taken turns showcasing for their children. Their little eyes had widened in almost comical proportions. Gavin had laughed hysterically as Jaryn nuzzled his tummy, and Kaden had curled his little body around one of Nicole's paws then promptly tried to stick it in his mouth.
He lifted his head as his mate's scent drifted towards him. Nicole stuck her head in the office and Jaryn found himself smiling, as her presence never failed to make the room seem brighter. He pushed back from the desk and held open his arms. “Did they finally go down?"
Nicole sighed as she sank onto Jaryn's lap. “Yes. I think Gavin may be teething. The only thing that seems to calm him is the rocking chair and a cool cloth to gnaw on."
Jaryn encouraged Nicole to rest her head against his shoulder. “How's Kaden handling it?"
"I can tell he's upset. He doesn't understand what's wrong with his brother. As soon as I put Gavin in their crib, Kaden reached out for him."
The boys were so close, so aware of each other. They relied on Nicole and himself for daily care, but when it came to companionship, it was obvious to everyone who came in contact with the twins that all they needed was each other. Sometimes Jaryn's heart ached a little when he'd be holding one of his sons, and they made it clear to him that they'd rather be in the playpen with the other
. But there were other times Kaden or Gavin would be sitting on the floor playing and he'd come into the room to see one of them lift their arms, asking silently for their father. His heart would fill with such love he feared the muscle would explode from his chest.
"What are you thinking about so hard?” Nicole asked softly.
Jaryn's arms tightened around his mate. “How much I love my family. It's amazing how quickly those boys have managed to completely wrap me around their tiny fingers."
Nicole murmured her assent and placed a little kiss at the corner of Jaryn's neck. Her tongue came out to sample a taste of his skin, and just like that, Jaryn's mind shifted from innocent babies to the feel of his mate's body writhing beneath him in ecstasy.
He buried his hand in Nicole's long hair and lifted her head for his kiss. Jaryn locked his mouth onto hers, kissing her deeply. So much of the time they'd spent together over the last few months had been caring for their sons. Pleasurable duties in their own way, but with his mate's taste upon his tongue, Jaryn ached to claim his wife in the most base and primal way. They needed to lose themselves in each other. To share a mating, where neither of them thought for one second about the next bottle of formula to heat or dirty diaper to change. He was compelled to remind his mate of the love and lust that flowed through their bodies and souls in a physical way that left them both panting and sweating as they tried to process the intensity with which they came together.
With images of writhing united bodies swirling in his mind, he nibbled and tasted his way to her ear. He ran his tongue delicately around the rim of her ear then nibbled on it before sucking on her earlobe. Nicole's neck arched back, granting him access as she shivered with pleasure.
"More,” she moaned.
His ears picked up the sound of her rapid breaths and his eyes watched the pulse in his mate's neck pound with excitement. His mouth descended and sucked up a mark over the same tender skin he'd marked the night they consummated their union. There was no physical trace of his mating bite, or for that matter the one Nicole had subsequently given him, but Jaryn knew their souls would forever carry each other's mark. Any preternatural being would instantly recognise that Jaryn and Nicole belonged to each other, and every morning he awoke with Nicole in his arms, he was thankful for the day she drifted into his hometown.
