by B. N. Kasner
"A tactic that revolves around my damn pregnant mate!" Gene roared. He knew it was a bad idea to get so worked up around other dominant shifters. Mason and him had already fought once because Gene was just dominate enough to get him worked up. Now though he'd have to fight almost everyone with the exception of Liam and Nathan.
“My mate is also pregnant.” Mason snarled but ignored Gene's outburst. “We'll stay close, and keep two guards on them at all times. When one of them shows up, we grab them. That way nothing can go wrong.”
“I'm sure Grace and Annie will want to tag along. Besides it seems like they never go anywhere unless it's the four of them.” Nathan looked pained to be admitting that fact. Gene was sure he didn't want to put his mate in danger.
“No. There's no reason for them to be there.” Carter argued before Gene got the chance too.
"You tell Grace that then because I'm sure as hell not telling Annie no." Carter looked to Gene for help. What the hell is this world coming to?
"As much as I don't want Grace there. We both know she'll go anyway." So now both his little sister and pregnant mate were going to be bait for a deranged stalker and raging madman who was hell bent on destroying the town. Just fucking wonderful.
“Alright.” Mason held up his hand to stop the grumbling from everyone. “When the time comes, we'll let the women know and go to a predetermined location. The guards will grab whoever shows up, then we'll interrogate them. Everyone cool with that?” Hell no. Everyone nodded their heads, even if it was reluctantly. “Good. We're dismissed.”
Gene nonchalantly cornered Carter by his stupid sports car. Now probably wasn't the best time for him to start questioning Carter. His mood was awful since the people he loved were going to be in danger, but this seemed like his only opportunity.
“What're ya doing with my sister?” He went straight into big brother mode.
“Nothing.”
“Don't fucking lie to me. I'm not blind.” Carter looked like he wanted to deny it again. Gene growled for good measure.
“I'm just looking out for her. I don't like how the wolf showers her with attention.” It was somewhat believable, but Gene had a feeling there was more to it than that.
“You're sure that's all?”
“Absolutely.” It would have to be enough for now because Gene was more than ready to get home to his mate. He needed to hold her close and tell himself she was going to be safe no matter what.
“Alright.” Carter nodded before hopping into his car and speeding off. Gene took a deep breath, looking around the now empty clearing.
It hadn't been that long ago that him, Mason, Nathan and Carter were joking around about being mated. Now look at them. Three out of the four were mated, two married, and two expecting kids. He would've never expected for things to turn out the way they had, but he wouldn't change any of it for the world.
Chapter Fifteen
"Big guy, move those lights more to the left." Lani couldn't hear his reply but assumed he was mumbling about her being a pain in the ass. Christmas was her favorite time of year, and she always went all out. Which meant she wanted her house to have the most lights. It wasn't her fault the weather was awful.
"How's that look?" The hanging lights now dangled a little too far to the right for her liking. Her face must've shown her thoughts because Gene groaned. "Which way now?" His annoyance was evident through the bond.
"The right, and don't forget to carry in the tree when you're done. The baby and I want hot chocolate, what about you?"
"Yes, I'm freezin' my balls off up here." Lani laughed and made her way up the porch steps. "Don't forget the extra marshmallows." She just shook her head. Her mate was just like a big kid. They hadn't received any other notes or photos in the past few days. For now, the two of them were just enjoying being mated.
The inside of the house wasn't as thoroughly decorated as the outside, but that would change. Along with a new tree, Lani had convinced Gene to get inside lights and tinsel. Soon their home would look like it belonged in a Christmas movie. She even had Christmas towels and dishes. She'd never seen Gene look both annoyed and happy.
All the boxes piled in the living room made her smile. Maybe they'd gone a bit overboard with all the decorations. Although some of the boxes were presents for Ella's baby shower. It was hard to believe that her best friend was only a few months away from becoming a mother. After everything she'd been through Ella deserved to be happy and loved.
Lani may have also gone a little overboard on gifts, but Gene said it was no big deal. That more than likely Ella and Mason were going to get more than they needed by everyone. It was the alpha's first child and heir to the territory of Redwater. Of course, the child was going to be spoiled rotten. Lani felt Gene's relief as he got out of the cold weather.
Not to mention, she heard the garage door shut. She'd locked the front door on her way inside. Even though they hadn't seen a note, they were extra cautious now. Always keeping the curtains closed and the doors locked. There were extra patrols night and day, and not just at their house. Apparently, Ella's brothers, Carter, and Nathan were taking turns watching Grace, Annie, and Ella's homes as well.
"I just put the hot chocolate on, if you wanna get started on the tree?" Lani yelled as she began making their drinks.
"Where you want it set up woman?" Lani had overcome her hatred of that nickname. Now she smiled anytime he called her that.
"By the fireplace, in the corner with the windows." The drinks only took a few minutes to make, but by the time she made it to the living room, Gene already had the tree up and put together. They'd gotten a fake tree since Christmas was only days away, but he'd promised her that next year they could get a real one.
"That's perfect." She gushed, handing him his hot chocolate. Anything chocolate was her new craving. They seemed to change every day now. Gene wrapped one arm around her, using his other to hold his Santa mug.
“I don't think I've ever had a tree as big as me before.” He paused and looked around the cluttered room. “But I like it. Let's get started.” Lani set her snowman mug down on an end table, turned the radio to a Christmas station and picked up a string of lights. Like her mate said, it was time to get started.
"I saw your house on the way here. How long did it take to get all those lights up?" Lani couldn't help but laugh at the look of utter annoyance on her mate's face. He looked like he wanted to punch Carter in the face.
“Well, someone had to make sure they were just right.” He said with a pointed look at her.
“Don't they look nice, Carter?” Lani asked with her own amount of sarcasm.
“I do not want to get in the middle of this.” Carter, the smart man that he was, walked away quickly.
"Didn't know you were going to be so touchy today. I wouldn't have volunteered to sit at your table." Isaiah plopped down in the seat next to Gene. Lani smiled at him.
"Ignore, grumpy bear, here. He's just mad because I made him ride in my car."
“Dude, you didn't?”
"I did." He grumbled, folding his massive arms over his chest. "The damn thing makes this rattling noise. What she needs is a new car, maybe a-"
"I'm right here, you know." She raised a brow at him, standing up. "I'm going to find the girls." Lani still leaned down and gave her stubborn mate a kiss on the cheek. She really did need a new car and one that could fit Gene and a baby comfortably. Her mate was right, but she wasn't about to tell him that.
Ella and Mason had decorated the town hall as if it was a forest. It almost matched the bedding set she'd bought for her nursery at home. Every shifter who lived in Redwater was there, and the gift table had overflowed onto the floor. She'd only gotten to hug her friend briefly before being ushered out of the way for the next guest.
Lani knew it wasn't because Ella was being a bitch. There were just too many people there, for her to be able to linger around and visit with only one person. Mason wasn't leaving Ella's side, but he kept giving the table wher
e his friends were longing glances. Thankfully, Lani spotted a flash of red hair that was just like her mates.
"About time you show up. They're getting ready to open the gifts." She cornered her sister-in-law, who gave her a tight hug.
"I can see the mark. This is great. I have a sister." Grace was on the verge of squealing, which was way too girly for her personality. "Sorry about being late. Jackson drank too much last night. He always gets like this around the holidays." She said it so nonchalantly, as if it was nothing. Lani wrapped her in another hug. Grace should've been able to count on her dad to take care of himself.
"If everyone could take a seat, we're going to open gifts now." Mason and Ella shared a mischievous smile. He helped her down into her seat, before handing her the first present. By the time they were done, there was two of everything and more clothes than Lani could count. The only thing they had one of was the furniture Carter had hand made for them.
"Looks like you're going to have a lot of stuff to return." Corey called out from between Isaiah and Alex. The whole room chuckled.
“Actually.” Ella said, then paused to look at Mason. He nodded his head for her to continue. “We'll be needing all these things, and Carter?”
“Yeah?”
“We're going to need another crib.” It took a moment for the news to sink in, but once it did, there was a small uproar. “We're having twins!” Ella shouted with a huge smile on her face. Lani had never seen her best friend look so happy in her life. Their lives were finally turning out the way they wanted, full of love and happiness.
****
For a baby shower, Gene thought it hadn't been that bad. He couldn't believe his alpha was going to have twins. Twins were a rarity for shifters and witches. Now their territory was about to see both within one life span. If the Goddess didn't plan that, then Gene didn't know what she would. Although at the moment, he was more worried about getting his mate home.
After eating cake with both a bear and wolf on it, Lani complained about having an upset stomach. As the party went on her, usually pink cheeks had faded into a ghostly pale color. He'd finally been able to persuade her to leave when she darted for the bathroom. Now he was stuffed into the driver's side of her tiny clown car.
Okay, for an average sized person or shifter, the size of the car wouldn't have been an issue. Gene was just bigger than most and needed a larger vehicle. Not to mention, the damn thing was making a weird noise, and every light on the dashboard was on. Lani needed a new car, SUV, or maybe a minivan. Anything that both Gene and the horde of kids he was planning to have could all comfortably fit in.
"You want to take a bubble bath when we get home?" He tucked an errant strand of blonde and blue hair behind her ear. Some of it was starting to stick to her forehead.
"Yes, please." She whimpered, curling into a ball as much as she could with her seat-belt on. Gene sped as fast as his conscience would let him. He wanted to get his mate home as quickly as possible, but he didn't want to endanger her or their young.
Since it hadn't snowed in a couple of days, Gene was able to get them home fairly quickly. He didn't bother to ask if she wanted to be carried in when they got home. Just plucked her out of the front seat and headed inside. He didn't stop to put her down until he reached the bedroom, laying her down on the bed. Moving into the master bath, Gene started the large jacuzzi tub, adding Lani's favorite rose scented bubble bath.
For a moment, he thought she was asleep when he went back into the bedroom. Gene was going to let her sleep whatever was making her sick off, but she looked up at him with a small smile.
“Help me in?”
“Of course, sweetheart.” Slowly lifting her to sit upright on the bed, he took his time undressing her. The whole thing would've made him hard if she wasn't so sick. A little color was starting to come back to her cheeks, but not enough for Gene to feel good about. The bubbles were almost ready to overflow by the time he got them into the bathroom.
"I feel a little better already." Lani sighed as she sank into the bubbles. He only panicked for a second when she submerged herself underwater. She was taking a bath, after all. Wiping the suds off her face, she giggled before blowing some at him. Getting his shirt wet in the process, since he had squatted down next to the tub.
“Did you just want to see me shirtless?” He laughed, using one hand to pull off his t-shirt.
"Yep." Then she flicked water on his pants. Gene raised one eyebrow at her. He could see the hints, and her arousal was beginning to trickle through the bond. "I don't feel that bad anymore."
“I can tell.” Gene shucked his pants and boxers. “Tell me what you want mate.”
“Get in with me.” She purred, batting her eyes at him. I don't need to be told twice. There was plenty of room for the two of them in the huge tub, but Lani only scooted over enough for him to get in. She didn't wait to pounce on him once he was in the water. Kissing him like her life depended on it.
“Would you be mad at me if I said I made up being sick to get you home?” She whispered against his lips.
"You didn't?" He leaned back to see her smirking. "You did?" She nodded her head and began to giggle again. "Damn, I love you." She stopped laughing then and reached up to caress his jaw.
“I know.” She placed small kisses along his jaw until she reached his mark.
“Holy honey.” He growled, tightening the hold he had on her waist. As much as he wanted to rush through this and fuck his mate senseless, a bigger part of him wanted to take things slow. For once. They had a tendency to fuck long and hard, but it wasn't very tender.
He wanted to make her come undone with slow, wet kissing and soft touches. It wasn't that Gene didn't enjoy their general fucking sessions because, oh hell, he did, but he wanted to show her his passion. He slowed her kisses down by rubbing his tongue against hers in languid strokes. Gene moved one hand to gently cup her face, using it to tip her head back for more access.
Moving down her neck, he left biting kisses, using his tongue to sooth the sting away. Lani caught onto his unhurried pace, dragging just her fingernails down his chest and abs. Before there hadn't been any time for him to actually explore his mate. However, this time he was going to learn every curve on her body.
The way her waist flared out a tiny bit more on the right side, or how the globes of her ass fit perfectly in the palms of his hands. She shivered when he ghosted his fingertips her back to grip the nape of her neck. Gene held her in place as he slowly and methodically brought her to the edge with just kissing. Lani squirmed in his lap, making some of the water in the tub splash onto the floor.
He knew if he drew this out any longer, she'd try and push him. Along with her lust and love coming through the bond, Gene also felt her impatience. Reaching down, he wasn't surprised to find her already wet for him. They'd been kissing and touching for so long the water had turned from steaming to lukewarm. Without any hesitation, Gene guided his hard as rock cock to her entrance.
Lani leaned back to look into his eyes, hers the violet of her wolf, and impaled herself on him in one fluid stroke. His eyes rolled back at the tightness and warmth he felt. She was all his fantasies come to life. Gene didn't try to stop the low growl in his chest as his mate set a slow pace. Rising and dropping herself on him, using him for her pleasure.
He took the time to play with her nipples, knowing she liked them pulled, plucked and sucked. Gene could hardly keep himself from coming when she began to make that damn mewling sound. Sliding his hand around from her ass, Gene reached for her clit. When his thumb grazed over her swollen clit, her head tipped back, and a loud moan escaped her.
“Make me come.” She panted in his ear. Pressing harder, he moved his thumb in small circles. Taking control, Gene held her in place so he could do all the work. Thrusting in and out of her in rough, short movements. He bit down on her mating mark, hard enough to sting but not break the skin. Her walls clenched around him, as her nails dug into his back.
Gene didn't hold bac
k when the tingling at the base of his spine started. One, two, three jerky thrusts later, he was coming with a roar. Laying back against the tub, he took deep breaths to try and calm his heart. His mate was a sex Goddess; there was no doubt about it. Lani must've pulled the plug while he
was in his post orgasmic haze.
“Come on mate, let's go to bed.” She whispered into his neck with her lips forming the words against his mark. Without pulling out, he somehow maneuvered them into bed and under the covers, where he proceeded to make love to his mate again.
Chapter Sixteen
It's Christmas! Lani went to jump out of bed, but a band of muscle kept her in place. Flipping over she started to shake her sleeping mate.
“Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.” She couldn't contain her excitement.
"What is it?" He jumped out of bed ready for a fight. Lani collapsed back against their bed and laughed until her eye's watered. "What're you laughin' about?" Gene walked around to her side of the bed, then leaned down to tickle her, making her roll around in the blankets.
“It's Christmas, big guy!” She squealed, finally squirming out of his clutches.
"That it is mate." He scooped her up into his arms, grabbing her slippers on their way out of the bedroom. "Do you want your big gift now or later?" He stopped at the top of the steps, waiting for her answer.
“Later.” She snuggled into her mate, enjoying his scent and warmth. Lani could hardly wait for Gene to see all the presents under the tree.
“Holy honey.” The amount of gifts they had was staggering. It was more than likely just because it was their first Christmas together. Although, with Gene as her mate, Lani had a feeling she'd be spoiled like this every holiday. Probably my birthday too.
“Want me to make some breakfast or pass out gifts?” She asked as Gene set her down on the couch and even put her slippers on for her. The further along she got in her pregnancy the more her mate was doting on her.
