by Alanea Alder
“See you at dinner,” Rebecca said, rubbing her eyes.
“Later, hun,” Kate said, winking. Rebecca smiled.
Walking away she let go of the men’s hands and reached for her phone. Her fingers flew over the keys in a text message to Rian.
Ri ~ I need nighties in the following birthstone colors. They need to be amazing – my men just hit a grand slam with their apologies ~ lurves K
She typed what colors she needed and it wasn’t long before she got the reply.
Pulling out all the stop s- ur getting premium sexy package - don’t worry I have your cc # ~ lurves R
She smiled. She really did have the best friends ever!
* * * *
Later that afternoon, Kate, Caleb, and Bran found themselves back in the diner. Bran and Caleb collapsed into chairs across from one another. Kate was showing Ma her purchases. She’d been waiting until Rebecca got there, but Ma told her that, after the princely display that Bran and Caleb had done at the library, Aleks felt the need to show Rebecca that even though he was one man, he was more than enough for her. Evidently he had carried her out of the library caveman-style to the cheers of Ms. Tully and her book club. Ashby and Nic said they had plans to go over to Alek and Rebecca’s later in the evening to make cake since everyone was craving it after talking about it all day.
“I told you,” Bran said, placing his head down on the table.
Caleb leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. “I didn’t believe you, but you’re right. She was like a demon possessed.” Caleb shuddered.
“I’m so glad I don’t have to do this alone anymore,” Bran said, pretending to sniffle.
“I have your back, brother.” Caleb patted Bran on the head. They comforted each other like old war buddies. Kate rolled her eyes.
“Seriously you two are big babies. Damian and Rian could shop circles around you. We only went to the mall and Babies ‘R’ Us,” she said as she showed Ma the tiny jumpers she had bought for Landon and Lucas.
Bran lifted his head. “We went into every store in the mall, some of them twice. My feet hurt! I will never give you chocolate before shopping again!” Bran exclaimed.
“Do you need a burger? Your blood sugar must be low. You’re getting cranky.” Kate turned her back on him to hold up two small leather jackets. Bran’s mouth dropped and his eyes narrowed. He was about to lean forward to speak when Caleb patted him on the arm and shook his head.
Just then Bran’s phone started ringing. A second later, Kate’s, Caleb’s and Ma’s phones also rang. Everyone looked at each other and then frantically started pulling out their cell phones.
“What! We’ll be right there,” Kate said, hanging up and grabbing the keys. Everyone in the diner was silent and staring at Kate as she made her way to the door.
“Everyone stay back. We’re on our way,” Bran said into his cell phone, following Kate.
“Are the boys safe? I don’t care about what he did to the pack member. Are our boys safe?” Caleb demanded, moving past Bran to get to the car.
“Connor, pack up the toys and clothes and follow in my car,” Ma said, racing after the three.
* * * *
Kate watched as Caleb continuously bounced his leg in the passenger seat of the SUV.
“If he has hurt the boys—” Caleb started.
“Rian would never hurt the boys, not in a million years,” Kate said adamantly. She maneuvered the car at break-neck speed toward the Pack house.
“What did you get from Riley, Bran?” Ma asked from the back seat.
“He said that everyone was relaxing after a late lunch when they heard a commotion upstairs,” Bran said.
“Rian had shifted and wouldn’t let anyone approach the nursery or the boys. He evidently took a swipe at Robert when he got too close. That is when everyone started reaching out to us.”
“Kate is right, Caleb. Rian would never hurt the boys. Something must have triggered his lion,” Ma said.
Caleb just gave a sharp nod and kept his eyes on the road.
Kate pulled directly up to the front door before slamming the car into park. She and Caleb raced to the front door, Bran and Ma close behind them. Immediately they were bombarded by pack members.
“Sir, he’s gone crazy!” one yelled.
“That God damn cat!” another said.
“We can’t get near the boys!” another one said.
Everyone crowded the four, making it impossible for them to enter the foyer. They had only been able to take a few steps before bodies started pressing in on them. Caleb, frustrated, growled loudly and started knocking people to one side.
Taking advantage of the opening, Caleb, Bran, and Kate ran for the stairs to head toward the nursery. That is where they found Riley standing in the hallway by the nursery door. He stepped forward to meet them. Kate grabbed Caleb’s arm.
“Let me go first. He knows me best,” Kate said. She could see his jaw clenching before he nodded.
“Hurry. I need to see the boys.”
She gave a nod and then took a step into the nursery.
“Ri?” she said, looking at the extremely large male lion standing in front of the crib.
Fully shifted, he looked nothing like the flamboyant fashionista she had come to consider her best friend. He looked deadly. He was huge with a full mane and amber-colored eyes. His paws were soaked in blood. The lion stared at her for a second before it shimmered and morphed into the smaller man she was familiar with.
“Oh, Kate! It was terrible! They came after the boys. I had to kill them!” he said, bursting into tears.
Caleb quickly stepped into the nursery, moved past Rian and picked up Landon and Lucas, who had been sitting calmly in their crib staring up at the now hysterical Rian.
“Oh thank God!” he said, holding them close. He took a deep breath, inhaling their scent before nuzzling their heads.
Bran handed Rian a blanket to cover up.
“Who did you have to kill, Ri?” Kate asked.
He looked up and pointed to the sitting room attached to the nursery.
“You can’t smell them?” he asked.
Kate took a deep breath and a growl escaped her lips.
“Hyena!” she said before stalking into the sitting room where two bodies lay in tatters on the floor. Dark-red puddles had pooled under each body and expanded outward into the carpet. Thick chunks of flesh lay around the room. She turned, walked back, and gave Rian a hug.
“Why wouldn’t you let the pack in? They could have started to clean up.”
She tucked his blanket around him, using a corner to wipe his face. His lips pulled back in a snarl.
“I didn’t know who I could trust. Kate, they had to have been invited by a townsperson to get past the perimeter and onto pack grounds.”
She gasped. Her mind hadn’t processed it that far yet.
Bran’s hands shifted into claws and he growled around his descended canines. “Bring me Arthur Raymond! Now!” He roared out the last word. She saw him breathing hard in an effort to keep his wolf under control.
“Rian, take them!” Caleb said, shoving the boys into Rian’s arms who stood closest to him. He turned and threw back his head as his wolf reacted to the intense feelings of anger coming through the bond he shared with Bran. His howl echoed off the walls of the tiny nursery. His wolf was not only clawing to the surface at the threat to their young but also reacting to Bran’s rage.
Rian held both boys close as their little lips began to quiver at the sight of their father’s fury.
Riley entered the nursery, dragging a struggling Arthur Raymond. Bran spun and took two steps, crowding the older man.
“I will only ask you once. Did you invite hyenas into Arkadia and onto pack territory?” Bran demanded, getting in the other man’s face.
The other man shook his head. “No, Alpha I would never endanger our pack. How could you think such a thing?” he asked.
“How could I?” Bran bit off each word and ba
cked Arthur into the wall.
“Because you have done everything in your power to undermine Kate’s position here. Because, if you were truly loyal to me, you would never disrespect my mate.”
Caleb came around from Bran’s left and lifted Arthur up by the throat with one arm.
“You dare disrespect my mate,” Caleb said, his voice nearly unintelligible as his wolf strained to break free.
“Alpha, who is this cretin that you are allowing to abuse my mate, who is one of your most loyal followers,” a shrill voice demanded from the hallway.
Kate’s swung around to the well-dressed woman who took one look at Kate’s shifted eyes and backed up a step.
“That cretin is my other mate, bitch! And, if I find out that your mate is in any way responsible for the attempt on our sons, I will personally gut him myself!” Kate said, stepping forward.
“Bran, some advice,” Ma said calmly from where she stood next to Rian soothing the boys.
Bran’s looked to Ma and gave a sharp nod.
“I would, for their safety, of course, sequester the Raymonds to their quarters. Take tonight to calm down and look at this fresh tomorrow,” Ma said.
“Since when does our Alpha take orders from a bear?” Beverly Raymond asked.
Ma raised an eyebrow. “If I find out that you or your mate has invited the hyenas into town and negated the protective perimeter when my daughter is pregnant with my first grandchild, you will beg for what Kate has planned,” Ma said, almost sweetly.
“Riley, take Arthur and Beverly and lock them in their rooms. No one in, no one out. That includes Cecelia. Then organize a crew to clean the nursery.” Bran took a deep breath.
“As you command, my Alpha,” Riley said, placing a fisted hand over his heart. It was an ancient acknowledgement rarely used, but Riley’s way of showing he was loyal. Bran placed a fisted hand over his heart and nodded in return.
“Thank you, my friend,” he said.
Caleb threw the older man onto the floor with some force.
Riley helped Arthur to his feet then led him and Beverly out of the room. Bran placed a hand on Caleb’s shoulder as both of them tried to get their breathing under control. The sound of a tiny hiss had both of them turning to Rian, who was looking down at Landon in surprise. In response to his brother, Lucas threw his tiny head back and howled. Landon, not to be outdone by his brother, joined him in his howl.
Kate felt a burble of laughter start in her chest and move upward. She couldn’t help it. She started laughing and couldn’t seem to stop. Ma joined her laughing. Rian was shaking his head.
“Ya’ll are cats, boys, cats. Don’t worry, Uncle Rian will teach you how to hiss and roar,” he said as both boys continued to howl and growl at each other.
Caleb and Bran were laughing so hard tears were coming down their cheeks. There was a look of pride clearly written on both of the men’s faces. Rian smiled and bounced both of the noisy boys on each hip, his blanket tied around his waist.
It was as if the laughter was a release for the incredible amount of stress they had found themselves under. Bran pulled Kate into his arms and Caleb wrapped one arm around Bran’s shoulder and one around Kate’s. Bran gave each of his mates a squeeze before stepping over to Rian and taking Landon. Caleb stepped up beside him and took Lucas.
“Rian, we have no right to ask. You’ve done so much already. But, with the exception of Riley, I trust you over everyone else in my pack with the boys. Could you stay the night and watch them again tomorrow?” Bran asked.
“Try and keep me away! Is it okay if I call Damian over?” Rian asked.
Kate nodded, she felt better with someone outside the pack to act as his backup. Rian raced into the sitting room and came back with his tattered pants and began to reach into pockets and pant legs trying to find his cell phone and wallet.
“Ma, Riley told me we have a perimeter breach,” Connor said, stepping into the nursery
“I sent a text to Aleks and Liam. Aleks called our sloth to his house to guard Rebecca and Liam is setting up patrols in town.” He paused, took a deep breath and then growled low.
“Hyena!” he rumbled. Ma nodded.
“Let’s head home, son. With the added stress, Aleks will be losing his mind and Rebecca will probably be up and close to killing him by now.” Ma walked over and looped her arm with Connor’s. “Bran, you need to find out who the breach is and kill them. It’s the only way to reseal that perimeter. It will be a breach as long as the person who invited the hyenas in with the intent to harm is still alive. We won’t be safe until they are dead.”
Bran nodded.
“I will take care of it personally,” he promised.
“Damian is on his way over and bringing stuff for us to stay a couple days. I’ll let Riley know that he’s expected. I’m going to go take a shower before he gets here. I swear it’ll take me weeks to get the hyena stench off me!” Rian said shuddering.
“There are no words to thank you for what you did. If you ever need anything, anything at all, call me,” Caleb said, stepping forward to crush Rian in a hug.
Rian, who wasn’t used to gratitude outside of the pride, looked up at Caleb and turned bright red.
“I-it’s o-o-kay,” Rian said sounding flustered.
“I don’t care what anyone says. You’re family to us, Rian,” Kate said, smiling.
Rian looked up, his eyes bright. “I can’t wait to play with my nephews tomorrow. I will get an entire lesson plan started and go through their new clothes.” Rian walked out of the room.
“Lesson plans?” Bran looked at Kate.
“Don’t ask. It’s better not to know. Grab a crib. They’re sleeping with us tonight,” Kate said, taking Lucas and Landon from the men.
Both men nodded and carried the wooden crib down the hall to the master bedroom.
Once everyone was showered and changed, no one felt like eating, so they tucked the boys in and went to bed. Kate snuggled between her two mates and fell asleep to the sounds of two men and two tiny boys snoring.
Chapter 8
The next morning Bran and Kate were eating from the breakfast trays that Ma had sent over. Caleb had both boys in highchairs and was attempting to feed them their breakfast of pureed bananas. Rian and Damian were yawning over their coffee. The normally nocturnal lions were having problems staying awake this early. Rian reached for the coffee pot and poured himself another cup.
“You people really wake up this early normally?” Damian asked, yawning.
Kate smiled. “Usually, we like to get a jump on the day.” Kate handed Damian a chocolate chocolate chip muffin, his favorite. His eyes lit up and he smiled. He and Kate shared a chocolate addiction and commiserated with each other often.
“We usually like to get a jump on the night and the men it has to offer,” Rian replied, winking at Kate.
She smiled. “Thank you for doing this. Bran will have interviews for most of the day. He has been Alpha long enough that he should be able to sniff out anyone who is lying.” Kate began working on her second chocolate muffin.
“Caleb, you should sit in on the interviews, too. You don’t have any preconceived ideas about anyone, so you may pick up on things that Bran may miss or discount,” Rian said offhandedly, going through the muffin basket, not caring that he was manhandling the entire basket in his search for a lemon muffin. He grabbed one triumphantly and looked up and saw everyone staring at him.
“What? Just because I don’t participate in Pride politics doesn’t mean I don’t know how it works,” Rian said, pouting.
“You surprise me with how awesome you are almost daily, RiRi,” Kate said, blowing him air kisses.
“You are forgiven then. Especially if you give me details from the other night. I heard it was so good you passed out. I swear if you weren’t one of my best friends I would totally hate you,” he said getting comfortable in the dining room seat before staring at Kate for his story. He reminded her of a child waiting for a bedtime s
tory.
“Well…” Kate began.
“Kate!” Bran and Caleb said, both turning red.
Rapidly, Rian began firing off questions.
“Did you…” Rian started. Kate nodded. “Did they…” he asked and she nodded again. “No issues with…” he asked. She shook her head. “Bigger than…” He giggled. She nodded and giggled. “Any supplies required?” he asked. She nodded. “Did you like…” he asked, his eyes wide. She emphatically nodded. He acted as though he was dabbing a tear from his eye with the napkin. “Welcome to the club, my sister,” he said, patting her hand. He looked up, serious, before they both dissolved into giggles.
Damian was smiling as he ate his muffin.
Caleb and Bran had been looking back and forth between the two of them.
Caleb turned to Damian. “Did you understand any of that?” he asked. Damian turned bright red.
“Looks like he did,” Bran said, groaning.
“Hey, if you three go at it again, I get to videotape it,” Rian said.
“Like hell!” Bran said.
Rian just pouted. Caleb, catching on, winked at Rian.
“I don’t know, Bran, we do owe him for protecting the boys,” he said seriously.
Kate bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Bran’s mouth dropped.
“Seriously?” Bran whispered, his eyes wide.
Caleb couldn’t take it anymore. He threw his head back and laughed, which triggered the twins. They started giggling, sounding like little old men. Kate couldn’t take it anymore and began to laugh so hard she couldn’t get a breath in. Her chest just moved up and down as tears streamed from her eyes.
Kate started to see spots when Rian leapt from his chair and whacked her on the back. This caused her to inhale deeply and then loud, deep laughter burst forth. She fought to draw in breath and ended up sliding out of her chair under the table, laughing. Rian ended up beside her as they rolled around, giggling and laughing.
“It’s not funny,” Bran said, seriously, his mouth twitching.
Caleb slapped him on the back. New howls of laughter were heard from under the table.
