by Shea Balik
Those soft lips he loved to kiss curled up into a bright smile. “I love you, too.” Chadwick leaned over and gave him a quick kiss before digging into his food. “Hurry up and eat. Or I’m going to end up breaking my promise to Kellach and taking you right here on this table.”
“You better not,” Kellach yelled from outside the door.
Happier than he’d ever been, Saber found himself laughing. Even though they’d made great strides in changing their world, there was a long way to go. The danger they now faced most likely would be far greater as those who preferred the old Council’s laws would fight to keep them in place. Yet, even with the increased risk, Saber wouldn’t change a thing, because he had Chadwick by his side and nothing, not even a world of peace, was more precious than that.
EPILOGUE
“Are you serious?” Draco, Saber’s second in command, said as he looked at an old farmhouse that had more than a few boards and part of the roof missing on the farm he’d just bought from Edrick.
“What?” Saber knew his men, especially Draco, would balk at having to live there. “You can always put up a tent and camp if you’d prefer,” he suggested.
Jareth, one of his enforcers, gave a snort. “At least we wouldn’t have to worry about anything collapsing on top of us while we sleep.”
Chadwick seemed to take offense as he came out of the house. “Hey,” he yelled. “I’ll have you know this baby is as strong as an ox.” His mate pounded on the railing of the front porch only to have it splinter. The look on Chadwick’s face was priceless as his brows came together and his lips scrunched into a scowl. “Okay, so it needs a little work, but the bones are good and solid, I swear.”
Saber’s men didn’t look convinced. “Either find a spot in the house, or camp outside, but for better or worse, this is our new home.”
Several of them grumbled but pulled their tents out and starting making camp. After a week of living so close to Edrick and Krill, Saber learned one thing, he wasn’t made to live so close to other Alphas. In order to keep Chadwick close to his friends, Saber had offered to buy the old farm that had come with Miracle.
As a kid he had often worked on his grandparents’ farm. He always loved the thought of being able to grow his own food. This way, he’d be able to help the town and yet have his own land.
Chadwick bounded down the stairs of the porch and wrapped his arms around Saber. “I love it. It’s going to be fun putting the old girl back together.”
There was nothing that pleased Saber more than knowing he’d made his mate happy. “I’m glad to hear it because I think we’re going to have a mutiny if we don’t make this place livable sooner rather than later.”
Chadwick looked over at Saber’s men as they set up their tents. “I don’t know,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “The longer it takes, the longer you and I have the house to ourselves.” His mate raised and lowered his eyebrows suggestively several times. “Maybe we should start with the barn.”
Saber burst out laughing. “I like the way you think, Kitten.”
“Are we going to grow crops or raise livestock?” Pryor asked. Pryor had grown up on his family’s farm and loved working the land. If his father hadn’t of caught him making out with one of the farmhands, he probably would have never left. But his father had kicked him out then and there, not even allowing Pryor to say good-bye to his mom, or to get any of his stuff.
“Crops,” Saber said. “According to the records, this farm had grown most of the vegetables for the town. I’d like to add fruit to the mix if we can, so we don’t have to keep buying food from other places.”
Wray, one of the newer members of Saber’s troop, nodded. “That should be fairly easy to do. Although, since we are so far up north, we might want to consider building a greenhouse so we can still produce in the winter months.”
Happy that his men were starting to become more involved instead of just grumbling, Saber decided to let them figure it out. “Why don’t you all come up with a plan and we’ll discuss what will work for us?”
Several of the men went to find paper and pencil, while others jumped into their trucks to map out the land. Only Draco and Jareth stayed behind. Jareth approached Chadwick cautiously. He’d been badly abused most of his life. He might be a fierce fighter now, but he still had trouble approaching anyone he didn’t know well. “Would you mind if I helped with restoring this old place?” There was a light in Jareth’s eyes Saber couldn’t ever remember seeing since meeting the impala shifter fifty years ago.
Chadwick lit up like a Christmas tree. “I would love that. No one ever volunteers to help. It’s like they don’t even care about the place they call home.”
Jareth shook his head. “Not me. I love old buildings. Do you really think we’ll be able to save this one?”
Chadwick glanced at the house in question. “Honestly? Yes, but it is going to take a lot of careful reconstruction. Right now, a strong wind could still blow a portion of it down. But its foundation is intact, so we at least have a starting point.” Then Chadwick looked over his shoulder and gave Saber a wink. “But I thought the better place to start was tearing down the barn. There is nothing better than demolishing something that’s already broken and rebuilding. Don’t you think?”
As the pair walked away, Saber’s second came over to him. “I’m going to head into one of the nearby towns and get us some supplies. Need anything?”
Saber shook his head as he was watching his mate talk animatedly with Jareth. It still stunned him how he could love his mate so fiercely in such a short time. In fact, the more time he spent with his mate, the more Saber fell in love with him. Chadwick was everything he ever wanted in a mate.
There were reports of a rebellion circling and Saber had no doubt they would be forced to fight yet again. Things weren’t going to be easy, but it would be worth it, for now, with the new laws in place, he was free to love his mate and that was something Saber could never put a price on.
“Are you going to join us in tearing down the old barn?” Chadwick yelled from across the yard. The smile and sparkle in his grey eyes telling Saber just how much he was looking forward to the job ahead.
Saber strode toward his mate, the hope for the future right there in front of him. If there was one thing Saber was good at - whether it be those of a building, old laws that discriminated and oppressed his people, or, and probably the most important, the many blocks his mate had erected around his heart to protect it - was Tearing Down Walls.
About the Author
Shea Balik has always had a vivid imagination with stories running around in her head. Often her stories are taken from observations of other people with her own spin. Traveling is one of her favorite ways of fulfilling her passion of people watching. You never know, one day you may spark her imagination for her next book.
Whether at home or traveling she is usually in front of her computer writing or curled up with a good book.
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