by V. A. Dold
CADE
&
ANNA
Le Beau Series HEA
Book 1
By
V.A. Dold
Copyright© 2015 by V.A. Dold
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author–except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the web.
This novel is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events; to real people, living or dead; or to real locales are intended only to give the fiction a sense of reality and authenticity. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and their resemblance, if any, to real-life counterparts is entirely coincidental.
ISBN–13: 9781943896066
Dedicated To…
To all of my readers and fans of the Le Beau Series, I hope you enjoy the new HEA (Happy Ever After) novella series. I appreciate you more than I can say.
Thank you to my friends and Sisters of the heart, family. The Ya ya’s. You cheer me on and give me the energy to keep writing.
Thank you to all the Bayou Babes who support me every day. Especially, Karen Hall, for your input and ideas for the painting scene.
XXOO
V.A.
The Five Shifter Rules
Always put your mate before yourself.
Respect another shifter’s mate.
Do nothing to expose the existence of shifters.
Do no unnecessary harm to shifters or humans.
Respect all nonhumans.
Note to Reader
Please be aware, this novella is a follow-up to Cade and takes place three months after Cade ends. Timelines will not be chronological to the Le Beau Series but take place during both Stefan & Thomas.
Enjoy Cade and Anna’s Happy Ever After.
Love you all,
V.A. Dold
CADE
&
ANNA
Le Beau Series HEA
Book 1
When Dr. Marjorie schedules an ultrasound for Anna, Cade begins to go into paranoid meltdown. Something must be wrong! He's sure of it.
Seeing his daughter on the computer screen larger than life sets Cade onto a path of foolish, well-meaning choices. In a state of panic, he instigates a series of disastrous projects with the help of Simon, Stefan, and Thomas.
The final disaster lands Cade and Anna stranded on the family's island with Anna in labor and no help in sight.
Welcome to New Orleans, Louisiana, where every myth and scary story you were ever told is real. A place where the things that go bump in the night, or daytime for that matter, are surprisingly friendly. For the most part.
Take a good look at your neighbor, the person sitting beside you at the bar, or your coworker. Are you sure they’re human?
Chapter One
Anna sat on the edge of the bed to put her tennis shoes on. Try as she might, there was no reaching the laces with her six-month pregnant belly in the way. Not only was she the size of a small elephant, but her feet also looked like water balloons.
I can’t believe it’s come to this already.
Growling, she kicked them off and returned to her closet for a pair of slip-on loafers. She wondered for a moment if a shifter baby was just plain bigger than a human baby. Twenty-some years ago when she had Thomas and John, she’d managed to make it to her eighth month before her waistline got out of control. But here she was only two-thirds along and as big as a house. Even her doctor was concerned and had her scheduled for an ultrasound today.
“Cher, we need to get moving,” Cade called from the front door. “We’re going to be late. Would you like me to put your pillow in the car or pack you a snack?”
Anna rolled her eyes. “I won’t kill him. I won’t kill him,” she repeated over and over.
Cade was driving her nuts! Damn, she knew his behavior stemmed directly from their mating bond, but the lovable man was worse than an old, wet hen. In his opinion, a rare, ancient relic couldn’t be more delicate.
“It’s not like I’m made of glass and I’ll break, for crying out loud,” she mumbled.
Somehow in the few minutes it took to change her shoes, Cade managed to load the car with her orthopedic pillow, and a picnic basket filled with roasted chicken, crackers, fresh fruit, and bottled water.
“Are you planning on being gone all day?” Anna chided, raising an eyebrow at him.
Cade frowned, a look of total befuddlement on his face. “No. Why?”
“Never mind,” Anna grumbled as she got into the car. “If you haven’t gotten it by now, you’re not going to.”
Cade hustled to the driver’s seat and leaned over to check her seatbelt before he belted himself in and started the car.
“Really?” Anna snarled, raising both brows this time. “I love you dearly, but you need to stop, or I’m leaving you home and taking Rose with me.”
Cade looked sheepish, blushing an adorable shade of red, and kissed her cheek. “Sorry, mon amour. I know I get a little overprotective. I’ll try to do better.”
Cade was uneasy. Anna had been silent most of the way to town. “Is something bothering you, cher?”
She turned toward him with concerned eyes. “I’ve never asked about when a shifter child first becomes able to change to their wolf form. Tell me Dr. Marjorie isn’t going to see a puppy on the ultrasound.”
Cade struggled to maintain a serious expression. “No, cher. She will see a human baby. Our child won’t shift until he or she is around one-year-old.”
“Thank goodness.”
Cade lucked out when he found an open parking space near the door. Glancing at the love of his life, he decided to keep the knowledge he would have circled until a car pulled out to himself. He didn’t want her walking any further than she had to, and if he’d done that, she would have gotten annoyed with him all over again.
He shook his head at his own behavior. He knew he needed to relax. Even his father had pulled him aside the other night for a ‘pep’ talk. Telling himself to behave, he helped her from the car.
“Is there anything special we need to do when you check in? I’ve never seen an ultrasound done before.”
“No, nothing special. They’ll call us when it’s our turn.”
Cade nodded, pressing his lips together to keep them from flapping with the hundred questions he wanted to ask. Besides, he was pretty sure the doctor would cover everything he wanted to know during the appointment, and asking Dr. Marjorie was a lot safer.
His mother had told him at least one hundred times that both Anna and the baby were perfectly healthy. All he had to do was look at her glowing skin to know they were doing great. Still, he wouldn’t be able to take a deep breath until this appointment was over.
Why would the doctor want an ultrasound if there weren't something wrong?
Cade. Relax.
Sorry, cher. I didn’t mean to think so loudly.
Anna smiled at him as she took his hand. Cade was genuinely worried, but there wasn’t anything she could say to ease his mind. She hoped he would relax after this doctor visit. He was stressing her out, not to mention how little sleep he was getting. To be totally honest, she was as worried about his health as he was about hers.
The instant she’d told him she was expecting, he’d developed a nervous tick. He would bounce his knee like a hyper teenager. She could always gauge his level of worry by the speed of the bounce. And today he was generating enough energy with his knee to light a small city.
“Anna Le Beau?” a nurse called from the doorway leading to the exam rooms.
&nbs
p; “Here!” Cade yelled, louder than was necessary.
Anna tried to hide her giggle as the nurse chuckled with an amused twinkle in her eye. No doubt she dealt with anxious fathers every day.
“Your weight is good, and your blood pressure looks fabulous. Put this gown on with the opening to the front so the doctor can do the ultrasound. The doctor will be with you in a few minutes.” Halfway out the door, she turned and winked at Anna. “I’ll have a chair brought in for your husband. Daddies often get wobbly knees when they see their baby for the first time. We can’t have him in the hospital with a concussion, now, can we?”
Cade glanced back and forth between the nurse and Anna, trying to figure out if she was serious or joking. Crap, she looks serious. Well, he would show her. He wasn’t one of those weak, fainting men.
Thankfully the doctor didn’t make him wait too long. Just as he was about to start pacing, the door opened, and the nurse returned with a tiny gray-haired woman and a chair.
She must be the doctor.
“Anna, how are you today?”
“I feel great.”
“This handsome devil must be the daddy.”
Anna laughed at his shocked expression. “Yes, this is my husband, Cade.”
“Hello, Cade,” Dr. Marjorie said shaking his hand. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
“You look a little worried, Cade, so let me put your concerns to rest. I’m doing the ultrasound to check on the baby’s progress and verify the due date. That’s it. Most spouses come in nervous with crazy ideas rolling around in their heads that something terrible is wrong. So, you can relax, the baby and Anna are perfectly healthy.”
Cade nodded and expelled a huge breath he’d been holding.
Thank Goddess!
“Okay, let's get this started. Sorry if the gel is a little cold.”
Dr. Marjorie moved the wand back and forth as she silently stared at her computer monitor. Just when Cade was about to lose his mind, she spoke.
“As I look things over and record measurements, I’ll take some screenshots for you to keep. Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything I’m seeing in a moment.”
The doctor held the wand in place and increased the volume. Instantly, the rapid fluttering of a heartbeat filled the room. Cade’s eyes grew huge.
“Is that…”
“That’s the sound of your daughter’s strong, healthy heart,” Dr. Marjorie said with a grin.
Cade stared into Anna’s eyes, squeezing her hand tighter. “A daughter? We’re having a girl?”
Tears of joy welled in Anna’s eyes. “Yeah, I guess we are.”
Cade looked at the doctor. “Are you sure? How can you tell?”
Marjorie adjusted the screen so he could see the image better. “See right here? Those are her legs. Do you see anything between them?”
The sight of his baby, larger than life on the computer screen, left him speechless. All he could manage was a shake of his head. As he stared at his daughter, a loud gasp erupted from his lips. She moved! He just watched his baby move. A single, silent tear rolled down his cheek as he was struck by the immense emotions bombarding him. His daughter hadn’t even been born yet, and he was in love with her already.
Anna watched him closely as he sucked in a shaky breath and listed to the side. “Babe, you need to sit down. I don’t want you to faint, and I promise you’ll still be able to see from there.”
Without taking his eyes off the monitor, Cade lowered himself to the chair. Little lines began to appear as the doctor took measurements, and then it was over. He wanted to bare his teeth and growl in protest when the image froze, and the live feed of his daughter was taken from him.
Dr. Marjorie removed the ultrasound wand from Anna’s abdomen and wiped the gel away. Then she reached over to a small photo printer along the wall. “I printed several images for you.”
“Thank you,” Anna said, as Cade took the pictures the doctor held out to him with an expression of reverence on his face.
He was still staring at the pictures without having said a word when the doctor closed the door. His attention was wholly engrossed in the first pictures of his daughter. When Anna’s movements finally caught his attention, he was horrified by his behavior. He hadn't noticed her struggling to sit as she tried to get dressed.
“Oh, my Goddess. I’m so sorry, cher. Do you need help with anything? Do you want me to help you with your shoes?”
Anna sighed, just when she thought she’d caught a break. “No, babe. I’ve got it.”
The ride home was quiet. Anna relaxed with her eyes closed while Cade considered the ramifications of what he’d just seen. It had all become frighteningly real, and panic was setting in. They weren’t ready. They hadn’t even painted the nursery, much less gotten a crib. He was going to have to take the bull by the horns, or their daughter wasn’t going to have a place to sleep.
Cade’s wolf rumbled its pleasure as he gazed at his sleeping mate before he gently woke her. “Cher, we’re home.”
“Oh, wow. I only meant to rest my eyes.”
“You needed a nap. I know you haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“I know. I had forgotten how difficult it is to get comfortable and sleep when I’m this big. I think I’ll lay down and try to sleep a little more.”
“Good idea. I’ll take care of dinner so you can rest.”
Cade waited until he was sure she was sleeping before he left the house. He had a mission and would need a few of the guys to make it happen. First stop, Simon’s house.
“Hi, Cade, what’s up?” Rose asked as she opened the door.
“Hi, Rose. I’m making a surprise for Anna. Is Simon here?”
“Sure, he’s in the kitchen. What’s the surprise? Maybe I can help.”
“I appreciate the offer, but this is a daddy and uncles kind of surprise.”
“Okay, but you might want to get a woman’s opinion before you go around surprising a pregnant woman. Just sayin',” Rose laughed, shaking her head as she went back to reading her book.
“Hey, Cade!”
“Hi, Simon. Want to help put together the baby nursery for Anna? I want to take care of it for her as a surprise.”
Simon glanced nervously toward the living room where Rose was reading. “Are you sure you want to do that without her knowing?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that? Yes, what part of surprise didn’t you understand?”
“Hang on, now. Don’t get all bent out of shape. I’m just asking. What did you have in mind?”
“For starters, painting. I don’t want her near the paint fumes.”
Simon pressed his lips together and nodded. “I can understand that. Do you have the paint yet?”
“No. But I know what color I need to get from the hardware store,” Cade said grinning ear to ear.
“Really?” Simon stretched out the word and grinned along with his big brother.
“Pink!”
Simon’s mouth fell open in shock. Girl babies were rare in the shifter world.
“What’s pink?” Rose called from the other room.
“Nothing,” Cade quickly responded. If Rose got wind of what he had planned, she might spill the beans to Anna.
Cade waved Simon closer so he could whisper. “I’ll get the paint and supplies. Could you get a couple other guys to help us tape and paint?”
“Yeah, sure. What time do you want us to show up?”
“Give me thirty minutes, and don’t knock or make noise. Anna is sleeping.”
“Okay, meet you in the nursery.” Then Simon glanced toward the living room again. “Mum’s the word.”
Cade lit out for the hardware store while Simon headed to Stefan’s. He knew there was no way Stefan would miss out on this.
“Hey, bro. What’s happening?” Stefan asked as he munched potato chips.
“You’re about to be an uncle,” Sim
on grinned.
Stefan scowled back at him. “Yeah, I know. Are you feeling okay?”
“But did you know you're going to be an uncle to a niece?”
Stefan choked on his mouthful of chips. “No! Are you sure? Anna’s having a girl?”
“Yep,” Simon grinned rocking on his heels. “Cade just told me and asked for help with a surprise. You want in?”
“Hell, yeah. What’s the plan and who’s the surprise for?”
“Cade wants to paint the nursery pink for Anna and wants our help painting and stuff.”
“Oh, okay.” Stefan cocked an eyebrow and nodded. “I can do that. I happen to rock at painting.”
“Since when?” Simon snorted.
“Always, you Neanderthal. Some of us actually painted our own houses.
“Whatever,” Simon snorted. “You painted the front door.”
“Well, it’s more than you’ve ever done.”
“If you can manage to fit your inflated head through the doorframe, I need to ask Thomas if he wants to help.”
Thomas leaned over the deck banister to see who was at the front door. “Hey, what are you two up to?”
Simon squinted up at Thomas as he shaded his eyes. “Cade wants to surprise your mom by painting the nursery. Want to help?”
Thomas frowned when he saw Stefan standing next to Simon grinning like an idiot. “I don’t know. It depends on why Stefan looks like that.”
“Pfff, he always looks like an idiot. Ignore him.”
“Hey!” Stefan objected, thwacking Simon’s shoulder.
“Why do I get the feeling this is a really bad idea?” Thomas asked through gritted teeth.
“I have no idea,” Simon shrugged innocently. “We’re just surprising your mom with a freshly painted nursery, so she won’t try to do it herself and breathe in the fumes.”
Thomas gave them a good, long look. “All right, I can help out, but we better not get into trouble. My mom’s really scary when she’s mad.”
