Both men nodded and walked over to Simon’s truck, waiting patiently for the men to tug off their clothes, shift, and jump into the back seat of the cab. Slamming the truck door behind them, Ryker opened the driver’s side door and climbed inside. Waiting for Garrett to climb in the passenger side, he started the truck and started driving before Garrett had even slammed the door closed. They had two shifters who had been shot with silver bullets. They had to get them back to Beckett pack land for medical attention. There was no time to waste.
“You men stay here with Webber,” Jace said to Eli and Maxwell. “Jackson and I are going to help find Meeka and Eric.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Eli answered for the both of them.
“Yeah, that’s a great idea,” Maxwell agreed, looking down at Ethan and grinning, his canines bared and his eyes flashing golden. “It’ll give us the chance to thank him personally for all that he’s done for us.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Jace,” Jackson cautioned him.
Jace looked at the two men and felt the anger that was surrounding them. He would have to get to the bottom of their story later. Right now, the only thing that was important was finding Meeka and Eric.
“Use whatever force is necessary to keep him contained until I came back,” Jace ordered. “Try not to kill him.”
“That will be his choice, Alpha,” Eli said softly.
Jace looked at the two men and knew that he was going to have to have a conversation with them. There were entirely too many secrets going on with the six men from Randall’s pack. He didn’t question that they were good, loyal men to him and his pack. He just knew that they were all struggling with their own demons because of their time with Randall. It was up to him and Jackson to help them figure out how to release their pain. He had a feeling that only the claiming of their mates would truly help them move on with their lives.
Walking over to his truck, Jace pulled off his T-shirt, boots, and jeans. The power of his magic surrounded him and allowed him to shift into his wolf form in an instant. Not waiting for Jackson to do the same, he raised his snout and sniffed the air. He picked up the subtle scent of both of his missing pack members. They were directly ahead of them, but where Meeka’s scent veered off to the left, Eric’s scent went straight ahead. That was where they needed to go. Reece and Wade were on Meeka’s trail. He and Jackson had to save their cub.
Jace’s black wolf bounded away, followed closely by Jackson’s brown wolf. The two huge wolves raced through the forest, following the scent of the frightened little boy who showed more courage that they could have ever imagined.
Maxwell looked down at the man who sat in the dirt between him and Eli. “I really hope he tries to escape,” he said calmly. “I want to have to do something about it.”
Eli nodded, seeing the sad, beautiful face of their mate in his mind’s eye. He would do anything to erase the pain that Ethan and Boyd Webber had caused her through their actions. He and Max ached for her and the life they could have had as a loving triad.
Another scream filled the air. Wade thought his heart was going to explode. Their woman was in pain.
“Meeka!” he screamed.
Silence greeted his call.
“Meeka!” Reece’s raised voice added to the night sounds.
“Help me,” Meeka’s strangled voice called out to them.
Both men took off running toward the sound of their mate’s voice. Ignoring the way the branches of the trees tore at their clothing and scratched at their bodies, they didn’t care about anything except reaching their woman.
The sudden sound of gunfire made both men skid to a halt and look back over their shoulders, but there was nothing they could do about whatever was happening back there. They had to find Meeka. They heard her cry out in pain once again, spurring them forward to find her.
Reece saw her first, his stomach clenching with fear as he saw her kneeling down beside a tree, her head tipped forward and resting against the rough bark. Wade nearly fell when he saw the blood that was dripping down her legs.
They hurried to her side, touching her hands gently, unsure what to do. She looked up at them with eyes bright with tears. There were scratches on her face and some of her beautiful black hair had been pulled free from the ponytail she wore at the crown of her head.
“Baby, are you okay?” Wade whispered.
“No,” she snapped, the word ending on a long moan of pain. “You have to find Eric. I told him to run. He was such a good little boy. He was so brave.”
“Jace and Jackson are looking for him,” Reece said gently. “They’re the best trackers in the pack, Meeka. They’ll find him.”
“Okay,” Meeka whispered, struggling to catch her breath. “I need you both to help me because your daughter is insisting on being born right now.”
“That’s why there’s blood,” Wade whispered, somewhat relieved to understand the blood on Meeka’s legs.
“Help me,” she begged as another contraction took hold.
“What should we do?” Reece asked as calmly as he could.
“Help me take off my underwear,” she told them, allowing them to support her as she stood. Wade pulled down her panties and set them aside, seeing that they were saturated with blood.
“Should there be this much blood?” Wade whispered when he saw how much of it was on her underwear.
“Yes, that’s normal,” Meeka said, trying to take deep, even breaths as the pain subsided. “I think it’ll only be a little while before our baby is born.”
She had no sooner finished telling them that when there was a rush of fluid as her water broke. Both men held her tightly as she gasped and gripped their shoulders.
“Okay, baby?” Wade whispered, relieved when she nodded and smiled up at him.
“I need to push,” she said suddenly as the urge gripped her. “Wade, get behind me and hold me steady while I squat and push.”
Wade moved quickly and knelt on the ground behind her, allowing her to balance against his chest while she squatted and gripped her legs behind her knees.
“Pull my dress up,” she said through gritted teeth.
Wade pulled her dress up and over her head. He placed it beside him and wrapped his right arm beneath her breasts while his right hand steadied them against the strength of the tree.
“You didn’t have to take my dress off, Wade,” she chastised him, huffing angrily.
“Baby, you can get mad at me later,” he told her calmly. “Right now, I don’t want anything in the way when we bring our daughter into the world. I love you so much, Mate. I want you to concentrate of having our daughter so we can finally meet her and show her how much we love her, too.”
Meeka snapped her mouth closed. That was possibly the sweetest thing he could have said. “Okay, Poppa,” she said softly.
Wade grinned down at her, kissing her temple lightly. He felt the contraction that took hold as her belly tightened beneath his forearm and wondered how it was possible that women could withstand such intense pain.
“Reece, you have to help me,” Meeka said, gasping as another contraction came right on top of the previous one.
“Tell me what to do,” Reece said, reaching out and placing his hands on her knees as she spread them even wider.
“Put your hand here,” Meeka told him, grabbing for his left hand and placing it at her vaginal entrance. “I’m going to start pushing. Just keep pressure here to help ease the baby’s head out. Don’t pull. Just let me push her out.”
“Okay, honey,” Reece said as he pressed against her firmly, feeling the bulge of their daughter’s head crowning.
Meeka pushed with all her strength, a small scream escaping her as her body fought to open for the birth of their daughter. She knew she hadn’t made much progress. She was already exhausted from her attempted escape. She didn’t know how she was going to remain strong enough to deliver Maizy.
“Meeka, you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met,” Wade whisp
ered against her cheek. “You can do this, baby.”
“We’ll do this together,” Reece promised her. “Take your strength from us, little one.”
Meeka laughed softly, wishing she really could take their strength within her. She needed the rush of power that was needed to get through this.
Their claiming bites will help you, Mother Fate whispered in their minds.
Meeka looked up at her men with wide eyes. “Did you hear Mother Fate?”
Reece and Wade both nodded, their eyes turning golden as their wolves came forth to help their mate. Meeka smiled at them and reached up to touch their faces gently.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Before they could respond, another contraction gripped her and she focused on bearing down. Taking a deep breath she pushed again, her body sagging against Wade as all strength left her.
“Help me,” she whispered, looking up at her men with frustrated tears in her eyes.
Both men leaned forward and kissed their mating marks on Meeka’s shoulders. Opening their mouths, their canines dropped and they bit down into her soft flesh without hesitation, infusing her with their saliva and energy as they drew her sweet blood into their mouths.
Meeka panted as a rush of power filled her. Leaning forward, she pushed with everything she had, moaning as she felt her baby’s head push from her body. Taking a quick breath, she bore down again and cried out as the baby’s shoulders were pushed free.
Reece gasped as their daughter slid into his open hand. He held onto her firmly and helped to guide her from Meeka’s body, amazed by the miracle that he was witnessing. Their daughter slid into his waiting hands, covered with fluids and blood. He had never seen anything so wonderful in his life.
“Wade,” he whispered.
“I see. She’s beautiful,” Wade said softly.
Reece cradled their daughter against his chest, loving the soft mewling sounds that escaped her. She was all pink and filled with life. She was perfect.
“We need to tie off the umbilical cord,” Meeka said quietly, reaching out and touching their daughter’s cheek lightly, laughing softly as the baby turned toward her and searched for her. “Use my hair tie.”
Wade pulled the pink material from Meeka’s ponytail, ripping it in half with his teeth. He handed it to Meeka and waited while she tied off the cord in two places. Her hands were shaking slightly and Wade covered them gently to try to calm her.
“I’ll do it, baby,” he whispered, taking over and making two, firm, knotted closures with the material about an inch apart. “We need to cut the cord.”
“How?” Meeka asked softly. She looked at her men and worried that they wouldn’t be able to do it.
She watched in amazement as Wade’s hand morphed and he carefully sliced through the cord with his claw. The baby mewled softly, making all of them smile. When the soft sounds turned into a full bellow, Reece cuddled her tighter against his chest.
“I know you’re cold, Maizy,” he crooned to her. “I’ll keep you warm, honey.”
He handed Meeka their daughter then removed his T-shirt. Wrapping it around their cub, he drew her back into his arms and smiled down at her.
“I’m doomed,” he whispered, looking up at Meeka and Wade and smiling softly.
Meeka laughed as she reached out and touched his cheek lightly. “We all are,” she told him. “How can we not be?”
Wade caressed the baby’s tiny head, loving the softness and the warmth of her. “I want to hold her.”
“You’re going to have to wait, Wade,” Meeka said quickly, taking a breath and bearing down once again. “I have to deliver the afterbirth.”
Wade held her securely, amazed once again by the strength of their woman. She was the most loving, kind, supportive, and brave person he had ever known. He felt her struggling to push and held her firmly. When she finally relaxed against him, he gathered her in his arms until she stopped shaking.
“You doing okay, Mate?” he asked her gently.
“I could use a nap,” Meeka whispered, smiling when both of her men laughed softly. “Can we find Eric and go home now?”
Wade nodded, easing back and removing his T-shirt. He folded it until it was a thick wad of material then placed it carefully between Meeka’s legs. He picked up her sundress and slowly dressed their woman, kissing her shoulder lightly when she settled back against him and sighed. Gathering her within his arms, he stood carefully and carried her back toward the place where Jace had parked his truck.
Mother Fate, if you’re listening, please let Jace and Jackson find our son, Wade whispered in his mind.
Please, Reece added.
Meeka pressed against Wade’s chest, whispering the same prayer and offering her thanks for the wonderful mates that she absolutely adored and the beautiful daughter that they had created. The only thing that would make everything perfect would be to have Eric cuddled within their arms.
Jace’s wolf led the way, racing through the forest and tracking the scent of the cub. Jackson woofed behind him, calling out to the boy.
Eric’s scent is getting stronger, Jace said with relief.
That cub is the bravest child I’ve ever met, Jackson said with reverence.
He is, Jace agreed. It seems that all of the children of our pack are outstanding.
The sudden explosion of a gunshot made both men look at each other with worry. Neither wolf slowed their speed. They had to focus on tracking the cub.
What the hell just happened? Jackson asked as they raced through the trees.
We’ll deal with it later, Jace said, growling. Right now, we have to find Eric.
Jace! There he is, Jackson called out, spotting the little boy running about twenty yards ahead of them.
Jace picked up speed, determined to reach Eric quickly and calm his fears. It was time to take the cub home.
As he eased around the trees in a wide arc, he came to a halt in front of the boy, glad when Jackson stood beside him. Eric stopped running and looked at both of them calmly.
“Hi, Jace. Hi, Jackson,” Eric said happily. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around their necks, hugging them tightly. “Mommy said you would come and get me. Are Daddy and Poppa here, too?”
Jace chuffed and nudged at Eric’s belly, glad when the cub laughed. He lay down on his belly and waited while Eric climbed on top of him. Once Eric had firm hold of his pelt, Jace rose and started the long trek back through the woods.
This cub is amazing,” Jace whispered.
He’s going to be a strong and caring mate for our daughter, Jackson said softly.
Jace was quiet for a moment as they traveled the distance back to his truck. He may have some major daddy issues about the future of their daughter, but there was something he could not deny. Jackson was correct.
Eric was a wonderful cub and would be a worthy mate for their daughter Cassy.
Are you ready to accept the destined mating of our daughter, Jace? Jackson asked, knowing how hard it was for Jace to think of their Casandra as anything but the tiny infant that was growing within Laurie’s womb.
It’s taken me some time, but I have, Jace admitted. I hope that Owen and Eric are ready to love and protect our Casandra.
They will.
Jace’s soft laughter filled Jackson’s mind. I think Casandra is going to be as loving as her mother, but I think she’s going to be a handful.
Why do you think that, Jace?
Because she’s already got you and me wrapped around her little fingers and she’s not even born yet.
Jackson laughed softly. She’s also as smart as a whip, Jackson added. We’ve both seen the visions. She’s going to be strong and funny and independent. Owen and Eric had better not try to discourage that in her.
Jackson, take a look at this little boy, Jace said gently. He’s a brave child who is loving and kind. I know he will love Cassy. I also know that Owen will be a good man just like his fathers are.
You know what, Jace?
>
What?
I’m glad Casandra is going to be mated to Eric and Owen, but I just want her to be our little girl for now.
Jackson, she will always be our little girl.
Jackson chuffed his agreement. He ran beside Jace as his triad partner carried Eric back to his truck to reunite him with his parents.
You’re right, Jace. It doesn’t matter how old our children become. They will always be our little girls or our little boys.
I have two very smart and loving mates, Laurie’s voice entered their minds, making them both smile. Come home safely to me. I need to hold you.
Both men laughed softly, sending Laurie a picture of how they intended to cuddle her between them when they returned home.
Ethan Webber looked at the two shifters who remained behind to guard him. He knew that if he didn’t get away from them, his life was over. Beckett would see to it that he would receive punishment for taking the woman and her brat. He couldn’t allow that to happen.
Eying the gun that the shifter named Maxwell had hanging loosely from his right hand and pointed toward the ground, he calculated if he could reach it before either shifter could stop him. Whatever the odds were, he had to take them. The only other option was to be taken back to Beckett’s land for trial. He knew it would not end well, whatever the outcome. There was a good possibility that he would be tried, convicted, and executed for what Beckett considered crimes. Ethan didn’t though. He considered them strategic moves that were necessary.
It had been a good plan. He and Alpha Hayward had thought it through carefully. Hayward had wanted him to wait for the weekend when his enforcers were available to help out, but Ethan had been adamant that he could take care of the situation successfully. He hadn’t told Hayward that, of course. The alpha would have punished him for defying him. But Ethan had thought for sure that he wouldn’t need the extra help. The only outcome he had envisioned had been the death of Jace Beckett and Jackson Scott. Of course, Meeka and her brat would have been dead, too.
Hindsight was always twenty-twenty. He realized now that he should have waited as Alpha Hayward had insisted. He might have had a better chance at getting away.
Meeka's Reluctant Mates [Beckett's Wolf Pack, Triad Mates 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Page 38
