by JJ Massa
At the rear chamber, Mik told Tav to come to him. Tav moved in beside him and assumed a slightly more aggressive posture. The newcomers continued to maintain an aggressive posture.
Mik growled but didn’t move until, behind him, a small hand popped out of the bedding.
“Gandad! Mommy cold!” a little voice piped up.
Mik yipped and growled toward the bedding and the tiny hand disappeared. The two new wolves heard giggling and a feminine sneeze.
The green-eyed wolf sat back on his haunches with a smile. The yellow-eyed wolf moved forward a step.
*
“Dad?” the yellow-eyed wolf asked. “Dad, please…”
“Wait son,” Mik growled. “Bethany?” he turned his head to the shifting piles of blankets. “Sweetheart, Riker’s here.”
Riker, the yellow-eyed wolf arched a brow, but otherwise didn’t move. He heard coughing beneath the blanket.
“Mik? Are you sure it’s okay, Mik?” came a weak, female voice.
Mik moved to the bedding and pulled it back. He barked and yipped and Winsome pulled first one squirming toddler and then another from beneath the blankets. They latched on to their grandfather.
“Bet, remember what we talked about. You are the daughter of my heart and I’d kill my own son before I let anyone hurt you or those boys. Riker is your mate. It’s okay.”
With Winsome’s help, he moved the boys away from the bedding.
Riker was stunned. His father had developed quite a fondness for his mate.
Lakon walked to the entrance of the cave and returned with a bag of clothes. He and Riker transformed at the same time. Riker pulled on blue jeans and a sweatshirt quickly. He rammed his feet into deck shoes and moved to the pile of bedding.
Bethany was wearing gray yoga pants and an oversize gray sweatshirt with Wylie E. Coyote on it. She was shivering and her teeth were chattering. Her lips were a deep, purplish blue.
Riker was sure that wasn’t normal even for a human. He squatted next to the pallet.
“Hi, Sweet Baby.”
He didn’t know what else to say. He had to fight the urge, the need to grab her and run. His heart was inundated with emotion and he struggled to contain the tears prickling at the back of his eyes.
She sneezed and her teeth chattered.
“R … R … Riker?” she sneezed again. “I’m so cold, Riker.”
“I know, baby. Will you let me make you warm again?”
She sneezed again and shivered. He placed his hand on her hair, inhaling deeply. It’s really her. I’m really touching my Bet.
“I think I have a cold. I don’t want you to get my cold, Riker,” she was shivering so hard, she shook the pallet of pillows and comforters.
Moving his shaking hand to her forehead, he found that she was hot to the touch.
“Don’t worry, Bet, I promise I won’t get your cold.”
He scooped her up in his arms and pulled her against his chest. She shook violently. He knew he was shaking, too.
“I’m so cold, Riker,” she whispered again.
“I’ll make it better, baby,” he murmured into her neck. “I’ll warm you up.”
“Mommy?”
Lifting his head, he heard two little worried voices.
“No, MAN!” yelled Kaden.
“MY MOMMY!” shouted Kameron.
His chest swelled and once again, emotion threatened to overcome him. His tiny sons were so fierce and protective of their mother. His sons. His sons! He was so proud.
Riker whispered to Bethany, “Bet, tell our sons its okay.”
“It’s Daddy, Kaden. It’s Daddy, Kameron. No more Daddy boo-boo. Give him a kiss. Then go with Gandad,” Bethany croaked. “Go with Winsome and her new friend Uncle Lakon.”
Riker took a moment to kiss his boys. He gave up fighting the tears forming in his eyes. His entire family was right here—three generations of Montgomery men.
With the boys cared for, he turned back to Bethany and just held her for a minute. Finally, he spoke again.
“You’ll let me make you warm?” he choked.
“I was warm with you, Riker. I was cold all the time when I left.” She sneezed again.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m never going to let you leave me again.” He walked out of the cave with her in his arms.
He carried her a half mile through the trees to one of several waiting vehicles. Ella and the wolf elected to walk, but everyone else rode to the hotel and a big meal.
Riker and Lakon had rented the entire hotel property for two days citing an impromptu family reunion. They doubled the fee in return for a relaxed pet policy.
A doctor was waiting when they arrived.
* * * *
The Apple Inn, top floor suite
Conway, NH
Bethany was oblivious to all the excitement. Riker found a blanket for her to huddle under until he joined her in bed. The doctor had prescribed her antibiotics, antihistamines, and bed rest. She was run down, exhausted, undernourished and was a hair’s breadth away from pneumonia.
As soon as the doctor had pumped her full of the medications, Riker pulled his clothes off and wrapped himself around her. He’d missed her so much. She shivered and sneezed for hours.
He slept on and off and held her quaking and shivering body next to his warm one. Sometime during the night he woke when she began screaming his name.”Riker! Help me! My babies are going to die and I can’t save them. Riker! Riker! My parents are burned. Help me!!” Over and over, she cried out to him.
“Bethany! Baby! Stop, Honey, hush!” he held her and kissed her. She began to sob. “I’m here, baby. The boys are safe. You’ll never be alone again. I’m here, Bet.”
She melted against him sobbing. He held her next to his heart. The only thing he could be grateful for was that she’d called out to him. At least she was finding solace in him for the fears and horrors she’d faced. Hopefully that meant she trusted him, at least subconsciously. He stroked her and held her, rocking her until she slept again. He hoped some part of her remembered later that he had been there for her.
* * * *
February 5
Top floor
Apple Inn
Conway, NH
At about twelve-thirty the following morning, Bethany’s body began to shake uncontrollably and her fever seemed to go impossibly high. He carried her to the shower and held her under the flowing water, alternating between cool and warm water.
After a while, she seemed to stabilize. He wrapped her in a bulky robe and brought her to bed. Keeping the flat sheet on the bed, he pulled it over them. She seemed to be sleeping more comfortably and he ultimately drifted off to sleep, too.
Two hours later, he awakened to her whisper. “Riker, is that you? Did I die?”
He placed a kiss on her forehead, wrapping his arms around her. “No, Baby, you didn’t die. It’s me.”
“Are you sure? How do you know I didn’t die?” she pulled away from him.
He chuckled. “Bet, I swear to God you didn’t die. It’s really me, Baby.” He kissed her gently on the mouth.
“How’d I get here if I’m not dead?” she asked suspiciously.
He kissed her deeply just to get her attention. “I heard you were ill, Honey, and I came and found you so that I could make you better.”
“Why?” she asked him.
“You are too silly, aren’t you?” he asked her. “If you don’t finish sleeping, I will make love to you until you can’t think.”
“Riker?” she whispered.
“Hmmmm?” he mumbled sleepily.
“That’s really not the worst threat you could make.”
Riker chuckled, and then he laughed out loud. He cuddled her close to him. He was drifting off to sleep again when he felt her shrug out of her bulky robe.
“Bet, what…” Her hand trailed down and found his erect member inside of his boxer-briefs. “Bethany…” he groaned.
She began licking his nipple and moving her
hand on his cock. Before he could stop her, he felt her slide down. She pushed his shorts off his hips and down his legs. He groaned loudly when he felt her mouth close around his painfully hard erection.
*
“Bet, Baby! Oh…” She had him right where she wanted him—in her mouth.
“If I’m not dead, I’m having a dream and it’s my dream. I want to suck you and taste you.” She declared this just before she took his balls in her mouth.
She heard him growl but ignored it. He tasted good to her. So good. She lapped at his cock and ran her tongue along the slit, tasting his pre-come. He began growling in earnest now.
“Want you,” he growled, sounding guttural and bestial.
“It’s my dream,” she insisted. “I want to taste your come!” She began to suck a little harder grazing her teeth lightly against his length.
“Mine!” he insisted. “Me taste!” he sounded very doglike she thought. He pulled her up to him and pinned her body beneath his own.
“I’m not done!” she protested.
“Mine!” he growled. “Me taste!”
She saw his yellow, glowing eyes before he attached himself to her breast like a starving man.
“MMMMM,” he growled as he licked and sucked one breast and then licked his way over to the other. One hand kneaded the neglected breast and the other smoothed down her body to her sex. His fingers combed through the little triangle of tight blonde curls there and slid through her wet folds.
He began to rub her little nub growling, “Open! Want this!” as she moved her legs apart and he slipped a finger inside her. She moaned loudly.
He lowered himself to her pussy and placed a palm on each thigh, forcing her legs wide. He went straight for her dripping center and, clamping his lips around the little opening, sucked until her juices flowed into his mouth. He plunged his tongue into her and grazed her clit with his teeth.
Murmuring and moaning incoherently, she clutched at his hair. When she cried out, he slid a finger into her and began to suck rhythmically on her little nub. When he felt her begin to climax a second time, he surged up and inside her, hooking her thighs behind his elbows.
“Fuck!” he growled gutturally.
She was beyond sense by this time. He’d been beyond it since the beginning. She was groaning and mewling and he continued to thrust savagely inside of her.
As soon as she could, she wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her heels into his buttocks. He pounded into her, thrusting impossibly deeper each time, burying himself to the hilt again and again.
She began to twist and moan, emitting little cries. Suddenly, she sank her teeth into the solid muscle at the curve of his shoulder and felt her vaginal muscles clench around him. He continued to pound himself into her until his own climax ripped a savage roar from deep inside him. Bethany clung to him as he buried his face in her hair.
He licked at her ear and neck until she turned her head to the side allowing him greater access.
“Dead…” she whispered eventually. “Definitely dead.” She muttered again. “I must’ve been a good girl, though.” And she was fast asleep.
*
Riker kissed her eyes and forehead. Her fever was climbing again. He got some water and aspirin and forced them down her. She didn’t even wake up.
He pulled one of his extra-large college sweatshirts over her and tugged a pair of his socks onto her small feet. He spread the sheet over her and found the blanket he’d removed earlier.
* * * *
After donning a pair of threadbare jeans, he pulled the bedroom door mostly closed and made his way to the suite’s kitchen.
He stopped to check on the boys as he passed their room. Winsome raised her head and lowered it again. He caressed each of the twins’ faces and planted a tender kiss on each forehead. He rubbed Winsome behind an ear and left the room.
As he was preparing his snack of raw meat, milk and cheese, Lakon entered through the balcony. He was naked. Since they were on the fourth floor—the penthouse Lakon had joked—his sudden appearance should have been quite a surprise.
“Hey, Rike. Fix me some of that, would ya? I’ll be right back.” Lakon disappeared into his own room. When he appeared again a minute later, he was dressed like his brother in a pair of old jeans and nothing else.
“What were you doing out at this hour?” his minutes older brother asked. Lakon gave his brother a long look.
“I heard her wake up. I had to go fuck something.” Riker stared fixedly at Lakon. The brothers looked a lot alike.
Riker thought they’d have been almost identical except that Lakon’s hair was more blonde than brown and his eyes were more green than yellow. Both sets of eyes were glowing.
Riker snarled low in his throat. His brother growled back but dipped his head a little. Riker handed the other man a plate.
“What’d ya find?” Riker asked.
“Found a female from a local pack out hunting. Not my mate but she was a good fuck. She wasn’t in heat.” Lakon explained around a mouthful of raw meat.
“What about that Winsome?” Riker asked.
“The boys’ nanny? Too complicated” Lakon replied. “Think I saw Mom and Dad.” Both men shuddered. “Glad they’re getting along though.”
“What’d you hear before you took off?” Riker wanted to know.
“She thinks she’s dead? Or does she just think she’s dreaming? That’s pretty much when I gave in, bro, when she said it was her dream.”
He shook his head and got up to get some more milk.
If werewolves blushed, Riker did. “When I left her, she was convinced she was dead.” He smiled. “Apparently she thought she was being rewarded for living a deserving life, though.” Lakon laughed out loud.
“Way to go, Rike!” he guffawed. “So, what’re you going to do when she comes around? She’s pretty sick.”
“Yeah, I know. Shit, I don’t know what I’ll do next. First I’ll make her better and then I’ll deal with what comes next.” Riker shook his head. “We’ll go home and fight the good fight, I guess. See if we can draw old August out in the open.”
“I don’t know what Auggie has in mind, brother,” Lakon speculated. “But get this: That hybrid, Winsome, brought the letters Auggie wrote to Bet.”
“Yeah? Smart move. Just goes to show, huh? You can’t judge a book by its bloodlines,” Riker announced. “Did you read any of ‘em?”
“I read ‘em.” Lakon’s face took on a distasteful grimace. “Auggie is pretty upfront about how you made a regretful error—if, in fact, the children were yours at all.”
Riker had begun to growl when his father came in.
“Where’s Mom?” Riker asked.
“She’s checking on Bethany and the boys,” Mik replied.
Riker and his father stared unblinking at each other for a few minutes. Finally, Riker stepped forward and hugged his father.
“Dad, I…” he swallowed loudly. “Thank you, Dad!” he choked. “You saved my family.”
Mik licked his son’s face and butted him in a hug. “I saved our family, son,” he corrected him. “She’s a fine female and she’ll walk proudly beside you for a lifetime.”
Lakon was apparently as moved as his brother so he did the only thing he could do. He cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“What do you think we should do, Dad?” he asked Mik.
Mik looked at his son and angled his head speculatively. Finally he answered him.
“I think we should head back to our own mountain and draw young Auggie out.” Mik stated decisively.
“Dad?” Riker was uneasy. “That would make Bethany and my sons the bait.”
“Son, he’s not going to get her. He’s just going to go after her. The same way he’s gone after her again and again for nearly a year and a half.” Mik said placidly.
“We’re going to have to talk about this more, later. Did Mom already make the travel arrangements?” Riker asked.
Lakon piped up.
“She did. We’ll take touring buses. In fact, my bus is one of them.” He turned to his brother. “If we’re going back to North Carolina, she’s still going to need a coat, Riker. She’ll freeze her little ass off up in those mountains.” Lakon shook his head.
Riker wanted retribution for that “little ass” comment but he bit his tongue.
“I’m sure I can get my mate a coat, Lake. And quit inhaling like that before I break your nose.”
Riker didn’t like the way his brother kept taking deep breaths. Bethany’s scent was everywhere and he was getting aroused again. His brother had damn well better keep his nose off his mate.
“Get over it, Rike. I found her for you, after you lost her. I’m not trying to get your mate. She smells good is all.”
“Boys!” Mik growled warningly.
Riker growled low and menacing. He knew Lakon hadn’t meant to include that last comment. Bethany did smell good. Lakon would do well to get his ass to bed before his brother kicked it for him. It seemed that Lakon had figured that out for himself.
“Think I’ll say goodnight now, Gracie.” He stuck his hand out to his brother.
“Grrrrrr…” Riker rumbled. “Goodnight, Gracie.” Riker took his brother’s hand and shook it, gripping it tightly. Lakon pulled away and headed back to his own room.
Alone with his father, Riker had a few things on his mind. It was late and they were all tired, but he felt this was his best opportunity.
“Dad, you got a minute?” he was feeling awkward suddenly.
“Get me some of what you’re eating, son. I’ll sit with you a minute.” Mik conceded.
Riker rose and dutifully headed for the kitchenette. Mik followed him. Both men knew it would be easier for Riker to talk to his father if he could pretend to focus on some other task.
“First Dad, I want to apologize for not giving you the credit you deserved all this time,” Riker told Mik as he chopped cubes of steak and cheese.
“It’s okay, Son. You don’t become a father for the recognition.” Mik smiled at his son who smiled back and threw him a chunk of meat. Naturally, Mik caught it.
“Dad?” Riker cleared his throat. “Did Bet tell you why she left me? Do you think she could ever love me?”
