by Susi Hawke
Daniel walked over and rested a big hand on the top of my head. “Is that true, Aries? Could those be your pups?”
I bit back a sob and nodded my head against Seth's chest. “I think so. Or, I hope so anyway. I haven't seen either of them since they were born, I didn't even know if they were alive!”
I broke into full sobs then, my shoulders shaking as I cried. I felt a smaller pair of arms come around me from behind, and smelled Sy's familiar scent brush up against me.
“Come on, Seth.” Sy said huskily. “Let's get Aries up and over to the table.” Seth slid a hand under my legs and stood up, lifting me right along with him, while Sy slipped in front of us and pulled out a chair. Seth sat me down, and Sy immediately slid into the chair next to me and reached out for my hand.
I smiled sadly at my old friend. With Jenny gone, Sy was the only one left who truly knew what we had suffered from the old alpha-pair of Fremont and Helga. Our own Alpha-pair came in right then, with Kai riding piggyback on Jake's broad back.
“Hey, Daniel,” Kai chirped happily, “Did you tell Seth and Maxx about their little cousins yet?”
Daniel and Seth both looked up at him, and tilted their heads at me, as if to stop him from talking. Kai bumped Jake on the arm saying: “Oops, let me down, baby. I need to check on my boys.”
Alpha Jake looked at me with concern, letting out yet another wave of calmness into the air, while letting Kai slide down to the floor. Kai came over and wrapped his arms around my shoulder, resting his cheek against mine.
“I'm so sorry, Aries. I didn't know. I didn't even know you had ever even had a baby! Let alone two of them. Why didn't I know this? I feel like an asshat for not knowing.”
I patted his hand distractedly, while Sy answered for me. “It was long before you came around Kai. Aries was there longer than any of us, I got there right after the old alpha-pair had taken his newborn son. It was dark days that we really don't talk about,” he finished glumly.
Reaching over to rest my hand on his, I squeezed his hand that rested on the table in front of him and said: “Sy, it's only luck that we were rescued before Brianne was born. Don't feel guilty because you have your daughter and I didn't have my pups. Our circumstances are different, but the pain we share is the same. Neither of us asked to be father's, you know that.”
Turning his hand over to clasp mine, Sy looked back at me with tears in his eyes: “Yeah, but Brianne is worth all of the pain that I endured. I'm just so very happy that your babies have been found.”
Alpha came around to sit near Daniel at the back of the table, pulling his phone out. “Aries,” he said. “I came down here to show Seth and Maxx a picture of their cousins, because I had no idea who their other parent was before now. Here, look at this.”
I took his outstretched phone, and gasped with joy. There, on the screen, were my babies! My little ones were so precious, with their big, brown eyes that were just my color and the black curls that I'd also had at their age.
Kai and Sy leaned over me, eagerly looking at the image on the phone. I couldn't trust myself to speak just yet, so I just sat there staring happily at the screen.
Seth spoke up and said: “Wow, I just realized something! Brianne, Erin, and Aries' pups are all half siblings. How great is it that they'll all be together now, with all of us here to love them?”
Sy and I shared a smile, as that sunk in. I'd been so busy staying away from little Brianne, because of the deep sorrow that I felt at the loss of my own babies. I had honestly never realized that our pups were siblings.
“That's amazing, Sy! I almost want to run up to the nursery and kiss your baby right now, while I wait for mine to get here!”
He grinned happily and said: “I have to restrain myself from running up and kissing her all the time anyway! I hate when she's sleeping and I can't cuddle her.”
We all laughed, because as much as that was true, Sy was also a very cautious parent who tried really hard to not spoil his little one.
“Hey, Aries. What are the pups names?” Kai asked me, as he walked around the table to sit on Alpha's lap.
I sighed heavily, and looked back down at the dear faces smiling up at me from the screen that I still held tightly in my hand. “I didn't name them. I knew I would probably never see them again, It just hurt too much, without also having named them. Jenny ached every moment after they took Erin. I tried to tell her not to name her, but you know how Jenny was.”
Alpha smiled sadly, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, Jenny would never have been able to refrain from naming her baby. But, I understand your point.”
“Do you know their names, Alpha?” I asked hesitantly, eager yet afraid to hear details about my children, until I actually held them in my arms.
Daniel answered saying: “The girl is called Sara, and your son is Dylan. My cousin believes them to be about two and three, is that about right?”
“Yes,” I nodded, in a daze at hearing their names. “Sara will be four in a few weeks actually, and Dylan is two and a half.”
“Damn,” Seth breathed. “Aries, dude. I had no idea that you'd been held that long. I'm so sorry.”
Waving a hand at him, I said: “Not your fault who your family was, Seth. You didn't ask for Helga to be your aunt or for the pair of them to have to take you and Maxx in after your parents died. Don't even worry, I hold no grudges against you, my friend.”
He nodded miserably though, looking from me to Sy, and then down at the table in front of him. Poor Seth, he carried so much guilt that wasn't his to bear.
“Alpha,” I asked, “may I text this photo to myself? I'm sure you don't want me to keep your phone all day.”
He grinned and nodded his assent. “Of course! I should have thought of that myself.”
I quickly forwarded the photo to my phone, and passed his back over after taking one last look at the chubby cheeked little darlings. “Where are they now?” I asked Daniel. “Seth mentioned something about your cousin having found them, when he was looking for Jenny's baby? Are they on their way here now? I can't believe it took me so long to ask!”
Daniel smiled gently at me, and said: “Yes, my cousin Micah will be here with them in about two days, I think. He would have left already, but he needed help with them. Not to mention that Stanley hadn't been taking proper care of them, and they had no belongings to speak of at all. I don't want to upset you. I'll wait to share all the details, until you've had a chance to see them for yourself.”
I gasped, “I totally glossed over the fact that Stanley had them at the cabin, I was so overwhelmed when Seth mentioned my pups that I ignored the rest of what he was saying.”
Kai and Sy looked sick when they heard who had been watching the pups, and where he'd been keeping them. I pushed my horror aside, deciding to worry about that later. Right now, I would focus on the fact that they had been found.
Stanley was a beta wolf who had guarded over the cabin full of omegas that our old Alpha Fremont, and his wife, Helga, had held captive there. He had kidnapped or bought all of us, with the intention of forcing us to breed him an alpha heir. He forced us each to mate with him when we went into heat, and his wife would stand there watching dispassionately while it happened.
If we got pregnant, our pups were taken away at birth, never to be seen by us again. Five of us were males, but there were also three females that had been there at one time or other. One of the girls died in childbirth, along with the baby. One ran away in the night when she had the chance, and we never knew what had happened to her. The third was Jenny, whose baby Erin it was that Micah had gone to rescue.
Jenny was the whole reason we'd all be saved from our captivity. Our new Alpha, Jake, was her twin brother. After she was kidnapped, he spent an entire year looking for her, until he tracked her down. When he found her, he also found Kai, his fated mate. He ended up bringing all of us with them when he and his pack of alpha buddies rescued her.
We all moved up here to this fabulous northern lodge owned b
y Jake's aunt, and we had formed our own pack with Jake as our Alpha. Unfortunately, Jenny had been killed four months ago, when Fremont and Helga had arrived to try and take us back.
Jake had killed Fremont, but Helga had taken Jenny out. Sy killed Helga right after, in a fit of revenge. It was a bad, bad day, but we were all slowly healing now. I'm glad that Jake will have Jenny's daughter here now, it will be like having a piece of his sister back. Fenris be thanked!
I got up to go put on a pot of tea, needing a little comfort now. Sy pushed me back down into my chair gently, saying: “Sit. I'll go fix a cup of your damned tea. You've had a shock, so just chill and let us take care of you for once.”
Kai nodded and said: “Yes, and I want to help with dinner. I know you've been giving me way too much slack because of the twins, but they're three months old now. It's time I help out again. Besides, I miss cooking!”
“But what about your pups?” I asked curiously.
Kai smacked Alpha across the chest with the back of his hand saying: “They have another father! Besides,” he grinned, “Aunt Cat loves having time with them.”
Alpha said: “And we could always bring them in here in the travel crib if I'm tied up, it's really not a problem.”
“That's true,” I agreed. I'd never had to worry about things like that before, since I hadn't been able to be around my own children. As if reading my mind, Daniel reached over and clapped a hand on my shoulder.
“Just think, Aries!” He said kindly. “This time next week, you'll be the one needing to figure out the balancing of life and childcare.”
“I know,” I breathed, looking back at him in wonder. “Isn't that fabulous?”
“Only you,” Sy laughed, as he set a cup of tea down in front of me, “would be over the moon about dealing with pups.”
“Please,” scoffed Kai, “like you aren't still that way with Brianne, she's almost six months old and you still hate to leave her in the nursery!”
Sy blushed while we grinned, knowing full well how attached he was to that gorgeous child of his. All of us were actually, we adored the babies that were starting to fill out our pack, and making us all a family. Even the big, bad alphas melted into puddles of goo when the babies were in the room. It was a problem how addictive those pups were. And soon, I would have my own here too! I couldn't wait.
Chapter 3
Micah
I had planned to get right on the road the following morning, but once Angie had seen the three pups in my care, she had put her foot down. Little Erin had an ear infection apparently, and a low grade fever. This was in addition to that fucking awful rash she had, and teeth that she was cutting.
The older two needed to eat and rest after their trauma, before going on a long road trip. Dylan still hadn't spoken a word. I wasn't sure if he was mute, shy, or just too traumatized to speak. For now, Sara spoke for both of them.
Angie couldn't understand a word that Sara said, leaving me to translate, since I had absolutely no problems knowing what she said. Sara was my little angel girl. The more time I spent with her, the more she had me wrapped around her little finger.
I had sent a photo of them to Daniel, after they'd had a proper bath and their hair washed. I was amazed by their bouncy curls, and constantly found myself playing with the pups hair. It was a problem, how much these kids tugged at my heartstrings.
I'd never been around kids, or ever even thought about having pups of my own, but if I could? I would want ones just like these ones. They were simply perfect in every way. I couldn't put my finger on it, but they reminded me of someone. Something about their eyes spoke to my soul, I just for the life of me couldn't place what it was.
“Okay, Micah,” Angie said, walking into the living room where I was finally relaxing while the kids were all napping. “I had an idea that I want to run by you.”
I looked over at my old friend. The poor thing looked so frazzled, with her uncombed, brown waves thrown up in a ponytail and rings under eyes from being up last night with her own sick baby.
Shifters don't usually get sick, but babies are still fragile and have weaker immune systems than we adults do, so they do get the occasional illness. They just thankfully pass faster than in human children. Erin was already healed after the two days we'd spent with Angie, and I had plans for us to hit the road before sunrise.
“What's up, buttercup?” I asked her with a teasing lilt.
Shaking her head, she went on: “I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to travel almost a thousand miles by yourself, with two young pups and a baby. That's insane.”
“What else am I supposed to do, Angie? I need to get those pups home.”
“I know, and like I said, I have an idea.”
Quirking a brow, I leaned back into the sagging, brown couch and spread my arms out across it's low back behind me. “Alright, run it by me then.”
Coming over to sit next to me, she sat sideways, with her knees pushed up against my thigh. “Remember the Collins family, that lived down the street from Daniel's house when we were growing up?”
“Yeah, of course I do! We had some good times over there,” I smiled, as I remembered the stunts I'd pulled with Tommy Collins when we'd been pups. “Hey, how is Tommy? I haven't seen him since I moved back from the city last year. But then, I haven't seen a lot of people.”
Angie sighed and put a hand on my arm, “Sweetie, Tommy died last year. I thought you knew.”
“What the hell? I had no idea! How? Fuck, Angie, he was our age!”
“I know, babe.” She leaned back, propping her shoulder against my arm that was stretched out beside her. “He and his parents were killed instantly in a car accident, on their way to Zane's graduation.”
“Oh, merciful Fenris! Are you kidding me? What happened to Zane?”
“Well, that's the whole point. He couldn't exactly stay alone in their family home, being an omega and all. His alpha cousin, Steve, sold the house and put the money into savings for Zane, and he's been living with Steve and his family since then.”
I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to process all this information. “Poor Zane. If Steve is half as shitty as he was as a kid, then I feel sorry for the guy. Remember how that lazy little fucker used to make everyone else do everything while he just sat there? And how if anything happened, he was the first to snitch us out? What a prick. I mean, it's good he took Zane in? But, still. Poor Zane.”
Angie grinned knowingly and said: “Exactly. And now he's mated with four pups, so he basically has Zane as a free, live-in manny for them. Zane needs an escape, and this is the perfect solution for you both.”
I thought for a second, before I said: “And how does Zane feel about going with me and three young pups for a thousand mile trip away from home?”
“I talked to him last night, and he was ecstatic at the idea. That is, if you think the pack up there will take him.”
“Oh, I'm sure that's not a problem. Let me call Daniel right now, and work it out. And, knowing Steve? You might want to go take Zane to cash out his savings, before he tells Steve he's leaving. Steve is just petty enough to try and block him from it, if you don't.”
“Good idea! I'll go grab Zane now, and you keep an ear out for the pups. Call my cell if you need me?”
“You got it, babe. If you want, have Zane pack his shit and bring him back with you. That way we can just leave from here in the morning.”
“Ha! I bet he packed when he hung up with me last night! But I'll make sure we get his stuff and let him say good-bye to Steve. After we hit the bank, of course.”
“Of course. Sounds good, I'll order us all pizza tonight. I think you need a break, baby girl.”
Flashing her trademark dimples at me, Angie quietly slipped out and went to run her errand, while I called Daniel and talked to him about Zane. I already knew the pack would open their arms to the orphaned Omega, but I still had to ask.
“Holy crap! You can't be Tommy's little pain in the ass brother,” I teas
ed when Zane came walking in behind Angie an hour later. The pups were all up from their nap. The older ones were playing quietly with blocks, while I had the two babies in the playpen with their own toys.
Zane blushed and gave me a sad half smile. “Hey, Micah. You grew up kinda big yourself. I haven't seen you in what, ten years?”
“Something like that,” I agreed. “I'm sorry to hear about your family, Zane. I would've been there for you, if I'd known. Tommy was family to me, you know?” I stood up to give him a hug, asking as I stretched out my arms, “How are you doing, kid? You okay?”
He nodded, and stepped into my hug. “I'm okay, Micah. It's been hard, but I'm getting there. It's kind of been a day by day, moment by moment type thing.”
“I get that,” Angie said from beside me. “That's pretty much the only way to get through the hard times. Moment by moment. Just stay strong, Zane. You'll get there. And remember, you can call or text me whenever you need a friend.”
With one last pat on his back, I released Zane so he could step back and set down his bags. He looked around the room, taking in all the little ones.
“Wow, Angie! Your little dude has really grown since the last time I saw him,” Zane commented while smiling down at her son, Rex. “And who's this little princess sitting next to you, Rexie?”
“Dat my sistuh. Huh name Ewin, not Natawee, otay?”
Zane grinned at Sara, before looking back at Angie and me for translation.
“Don't look at me, buddy.” Angie laughed. “Micah here is the pup-whisperer and master translator.”
I shrugged, “What's to translate? Sara just told you herself! That's her sister, Erin, not Natalie, in case you didn't know any better.”
I ignored the amused snorts from the other adults in the room and squatted down to pup level. I held my arms out for my angel. She came running over and climbed on my back, wrapping her arms around my neck in a choke hold.
“This is Miss Sara, also known as my angel. And my little dude over here is Dylan.” I held a hand up, palm outstretched. Dylan came running over to give me a high-five. Fuck, I seriously loved these kids already.
