Submitting to Fate (A Collection of Strays Book 5)

by Toby Wise

  “Yes.” Idris’ voice makes me sag forward. Idris is the smartest and most honest person I know. If he believes I am good, then maybe I really am.

  “Okay,” I breathe, falling forward into his arms. His palm comes up to the back of my neck, just holding me. I feel exhausted. Like I’ve just run a marathon or had the most intense orgasm of my life. And maybe I did. Is there such a thing as an emotional orgasm?

  “I love you,” he whispers into my hair. “I love you so fucking much.”

  “I love you, too,” I say back, my face buried against his shirt. “Can we go to bed?”

  “Yeah, come on.” Idris helps me up, putting his arm around my waist as he leads me to our bedroom. He carefully helps me out of my jeans and socks before tucking me into bed.

  “By the way,” I say through a wide yawn. “I’m sorry about the marble vase. I realize that was too far.”

  My mate smiles down at me, the look nothing but fond. “It’s okay. This dynamic is learned through process and error. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow, okay?”

  “Okay.” I close my eyes, falling into the deepest sleep I’ve had in months.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Wyn

  I wake up before Rhett. Unsurprising after the night we’d had together. I stretch my arms up, arching my back with a pleased groan as it cracks. The night might have been a bit of a disaster but it wasn’t all bad.

  I turn over onto my side, taking Rhett in as he sleeps. He looks so peaceful, tranquil even. He needed that. He needed to be reminded that he’s good. And through that punishment, we’d had a breakthrough. I feel so much closer to him now, my love for him somehow growing even further.

  I run my finger over his cheek, smiling at the smooth touch. My alpha can’t grow facial hair like I can, but I find I don’t mind. For a moment I entertain the idea of waking him up by rubbing my beard against his face but decide against it. I think I’ve tormented him enough for a while. Instead, I roll out of bed as carefully as I can, going over to my dresser and pulling Master Eggsellent out of their drawer. I bring the egg to bed, laying it carefully between us.

  Placing my hand on the shell, I smile. The egg is warm, growing warmer every day. Soon enough we’ll be taking shifts to keep an eye on it, waiting for the day we hear the first crack. I can’t wait to meet them. The longing I feel grows with every passing day and I know the only thing that will quench that longing is finally holding them in my arms.

  “Morning,” Rhett whispers, his voice hoarse from just waking up. He blinks slowly, trying to get his bearings and I find the gesture incredibly endearing. When the hell did I get so soft? Soon enough I’ll become just like Dakota and pick up any stray I find off the street. I suppose there are worse things to collect.

  “Good morning.”

  Rhett turns onto his side facing the egg and I, his lips spreading into a goofy smile. His eyes are still lidded and glassy from just waking up. He’s beautiful. “How’d you sleep?”

  “So good,” he says right away. “Like a freaking rock.”

  “I’m glad,” I tell him. “But we should talk about what happened yesterday.”

  Rhett falls back against his pillow, letting out a long groan as he covers his face with his forearm. “Do we have to?” he asks with a whine to his voice, somehow slipping into his brat role again.

  “Yes.”

  “Fine,” Rhett says with a huff. He flips back over to his side, placing his hand on top of mine where it lays on top of Master Eggcellent. His thumb gently slides back and forth against my skin.

  “What happened wasn’t acceptable,” I start, needing to lay out some rules for the future. “Being a brat is okay, encouraged even, but what happened last night was disrespectful and disrespect won’t be tolerated.”

  “I know,” he whispers and I can hear the remorse in his voice. “I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll try harder to think before I act.”

  “Thank you.” I turn my hand over so we can twine our fingers together. I lift his hand, giving it a light kiss before placing it back against our egg. “Next time the buzzing gets too much, I want you to come tell me. I wanna be able to take care of you to the best of my ability but I can’t do that if you don’t talk to me.”

  “Okay. I promise.” Rhett leans up on his other elbow and I know what he’s going for. I meet him halfway. This kiss is so soft, a silent apology and an acceptance to try again. It’s sweet, making me warm all the way down to the tips of my toes.

  “I love you,” I tell him when we pull away, my lips still brushing gently against his. “I just want the best for you. I wanna see you be your best and for you to see the incredible alpha that I see.”

  “I love you, too. And I think I’m starting to see reason. Next time I’ll sass just the right amount to get a spanking and not. Well. Whatever the hell all of that was last night,” he says with an amused snort. I wrinkle my nose at him, leaning over Master Eggcellent and rubbing my beard against his cheek. Really, I can’t be blamed for my actions! It’s not my fault Lady Fate has given me such a bratty mate.

  Rhett squirms, letting out the most adorable squawk I’ve ever heard and yes, I plan to tease him for it in the future. Eventually I pull back, flopping down on my side of the egg. Our hands rub up and down the shell, just enjoying this moment of peace with our little family.

  “I can’t wait for them to hatch,” I whisper softly.

  “I’m excited. But I’m also scared shitless,” Rhett confesses.

  I nod my head. “I hear that’s pretty normal.” My hand slides off our egg and up Rhett’s arm. He’s always so warm. “Do you have a preference for their genders?”

  Rhett shakes his head. “Not really,” he says but after a moment he snorts. “That’s a lie. I hope they’re alpha boys. I know how to deal with boys. If we have omega girls they’re going to have me wrapped around their fingers before they can even walk.”

  My cheeks hurt from how wide my smile is. I can see it now, Papa Rhett giving in to their every whims because he just can’t help himself, wanting to spoil his girls. Surprisingly, I find myself liking the image. I don’t mind being the serious parent if I get to see that.

  “You are a pushover, yeah.” He reaches over the egg and flicks my nose which makes me giggle in delight. Our relationship has come so far since our mating. We feel so much more comfortable with each other, we’re growing closer and closer every day.

  “You love this pushover.”

  “I do,” I say straight away. “I love you when you’re being a pushover, or when you’re being a brat, or when you’re planning your brother’s murder after finding out about that shiny egg.”

  Rhett makes a face at me. “You’re ridiculous.” After a moment he adds, “I love you, too. I honestly didn’t think I was gonna get this. The family and mate and the whole shebang. But now we’re here and I can’t imagine living without you.”

  “Me neither.” I lick my lips, trying to find the words. “I kinda assumed Gideon was going to be my only love.” I clear my throat, trying to get the lump there to move away. “I’m glad I was wrong.”

  Rhett leans up again. He reaches over and kisses my forehead and I close my eyes, enjoying the feeling. I’m so overflowing with love that it makes me giddy. A small noise of joy flies out of my mouth without my permission and it makes Rhett’s face absolutely light up. And seeing that makes me laugh even harder, just overcome. In response, Rhett begins to laugh and somehow that sets us both off until we’re laughing, holding each other, our egg between our bellies. As tears fall down my cheeks with my laughter, I can’t help but think maybe Lady Fate really does know a thing or two.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Rhett

  “Tony, Tony, Tony,” Wyn says as Tony enters the tattoo shop, looking sheepish. Damn, that boy looks guilty. “What’s got you running late, huh?”

  Tony rolls his eyes as he wanders over to his station. I’m sat in Wyn’s tattoo chair since there’s no customers at the moment, watching their
interaction with a smile. My hands rest against our egg which sits on my lap in a cinch top bag, needing to be close because our hatch day is any time now.

  Wyn told me he looks at Tony kinda like a long lost son. He teases Tony mercilessly but he would literally kill for the vampire. I think it’s sweet, the way my mate loves so fiercely.

  “It’s nothing,” Tony says, sitting down on his stool, making it spin around a few times before Wyn finally puts his hands on Tony’s shoulders, making him stop.

  “You’ve been weird lately. What’s going on?”

  “Tony’s in love,” Cameron calls from behind the reception desk. “He told me he met some guy a few months ago and can’t stop thinking about him.”

  “You are a dirty, dirty traitor, Cam. You’re dead to me. Dishonor on you and your catty ass.”

  My eyebrows jump all the way up to my hairline. “Harsh, dude.”

  Tony huffs, squinting menacingly at all of us. “If I wanted this kind of abuse I would have stayed with my good for nothing Sire.”

  “Hey now,” Wyn says softly, his hands still on Tony’s shoulder. “You know we’ll give you shit until the day we die. But we will also always be fiercely on your side.”

  Tony looks up, giving Wyn a small nod. “Yeah, I know,” he whispers before turning away. I can see his shoulders rise and fall as he takes in a deep breath, calming himself down. Whoever this guy is must be pretty special for Tony to be this worked up about him. I remember meeting Tony for the first time. He seemed like nothing ever made him tense, letting everything slide off his back like a duck. I also know he’s not big into repeat performances when it comes to his bed partners. Immortality made him realize he had a lot of years ahead of him which most people don’t share.

  “So what’s on the schedule?” Wyn calls out to Cameron. He ducks down, kissing my forehead before looking at Cameron for an answer. My chest warms at the way he can’t seem to keep his hands off of me, always needing to stop to smooch me or run a hand through my hair.

  “Looks like we’ve got a piercing later this afternoon. And then you’ve got three appointments one right after the other.”

  Wyn nods his head seriously, his fingers scratching his bearded cheek. “Okay. I’ve got everything ready for those.”

  Just then, the bell above the door rings as someone enters. They’re wearing a black hooded jacket that comes down to mid-thigh. I can’t see their features but I can tell by their hands that they’re somewhat pale, kinda like Tony. Though Tony’s a vampire, he can still go out into the sun unlike popular belief. He just has to be careful because he’s more sensitive to it now and he always complains about the sun hurting his eyes.

  “Hello?” Cameron calls. “Is there something we can help you with?”

  The hooded figure carefully pulls his hood down. It’s all very dramatic and I decide I like this dude’s style. Now that he’s come closer I get a better look. He’s got long, dark hair that falls just past his shoulders in waves, aqua eyes that pierce right past me towards Tony, and light skin. He clears his throat. “I’m actually looking for Tony.”

  Tony makes a noise at the back of his throat that’s the cross between a nervous snort and cough. He’s frozen as he looks at the man. “Yasha?”

  Yasha’s face breaks out into a wide smile as he slowly steps forward. I feel like I should look away, to give them some sort of privacy but I just can’t seem to pull my gaze away. This is better than any movie I’ve ever seen.

  Tony clears his throat. “It’s actually really great to see you, Yasha.”

  “You too,” Yasha says, his voice deep and raspy. Very fitting with his broad shouldered build. The man looks strong despite the fact that he’s slightly shorter than Tony. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

  I swear, if Tony wasn’t a vampire he’d be blushing something fierce right now. Instead he gives a shy smile. “It was a good night,” he says with a little nod.

  “You can say that again,” Yasha tells him before opening his jacket. I suck in a sharp breath as my eyes dart down to Yasha’s round belly. Oh, I know exactly what that bump means. Oh fuck. “Best night of my life.”

  I look back over to Tony. He’s staring down at Yasha’s belly, his body completely unmoving. A long moment goes by as everyone waits, watching with bated breath. After a moment I hear Cameron whisper, “oh shit.”

  That seems to snap Tony out of his stupor. He looks up into Yasha’s face before looking over at Wyn. His features show just how lost he’s feeling and my heart gives a stutter for him. Then he looks back at Yasha. “I’m sorry,” he whispers before he’s a flash of movement in front of me. I’ve never seen Tony use his vampire speed before today, jolting out through the back door.

  “Damn it,” Yasha hisses under his breath, pulling his jacket closed again.

  Wyn steps up to Yasha, putting a gentle hand on his forearm. “It’ll be okay.”

  “Right,” Yasha says with a sniffle. “I’ve been trying to track down my baby daddy for months and the moment I finally find him he runs away. But you’re right, short stuff, everything is fine.”

  “Dayum,” Cameron calls from across the room. “You got a mouth on you.”

  Yasha turns towards Cameron and I watch as his smile turns feral, showing off his own shiny pair of vampire fangs. “And don’t you forget it.”

  “I’ll talk to him,” Wyn says gently. “He’s probably going to be very embarrassed when this all settles down. He’s a new vampire and probably never thought this could even be a possibility.”

  “And I planned this? You know vampires can only get pregnant with their one true mate, right? And mine just hauled out of here like his ass was on fire. You’d think I was holding up a stake instead of a bump.”

  Cameron snorts and I cover my mouth with my palm. Good gods, this guy is gonna fit right in with our family. I can’t wait for Isaiah to meet him. “Just give me your contact information and I’ll make sure he calls you, okay?”

  “Fine,” Yasha finally says, pulling out his cell phone. “It’s not like I have any better ideas.”

  Wyn takes the phone, putting his number in before calling himself so he has Yasha’s number. “I’m sorry he left like that,” he says softly, his hand touching Yasha’s shoulder.

  Yasha shakes his head, his long hair bouncing a bit as he moves. His face is so sad, so distressed that I wanna wrap him up into a tight hug. Thankfully, my mate seems to always be one step ahead of me.

  “Thanks,” Yasha whispers. “It’s fine, really.” He wraps his arms around himself, pulling his jacket tight. “I’m not alone or anything. I have a small clan that helps me. It’s fine.”

  “If you say fine one more time do you think you’ll finally believe it?” Wyn asks softly.

  Yasha scowls, a look that is genuinely terrifying if I’m being honest. Yasha holds himself how I imagine a stereotypical vampire would, so different than how Tony usually acts. “If I wanted someone to call me out on my bullshit I would have stayed home and listened to my roommates.”

  Yasha flips his hair over his shoulder before putting his hood back up. “It was nice meeting you,” I tell him with what I hope is a warm smile. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of you.”

  “I hope so,” he says back before leaving the tattoo shop.

  Wyn, Cameron, and I all sit quietly, taking in what’s just happened. The room around us feels heavy and I can’t help but worry about these two. But I also trust in Lady Fate, I mean, how can I not after everything she’s done for me with Wyn. She’s got a plan for these two and Tony better get his shit together and ready because he’s about to be a part of a wild ride.

  “Well,” Cameron says, breaking the tension. “I’m not sure today could get any more exciting.”

  Just then, I feel the egg in my lap shift before I hear it begin to crack.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Wyn

  “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.”

  “Rhett,” I say sternly though I can barely keep t
he smile off my face. “Language.”

  He looks at me with wide eyes. “Fuck. Sorry.”

  I shake my head at him. “Deep breath.” He sucks in a breath. “And now let it out, slowly.” He blows the breath right into my face and I have to hold myself back from face palming.

  “Thanks,” he says softly, his eyes darting back down to our egg. “I can’t believe Master Eggcelent is hatching. I’m not sure you noticed this or not but I’m kinda freaking out.”

  “Oh, really? You don’t say?”

  “Wow,” he murmurs. “You’re usually way more perceptive.”

  Now I really do face palm. Dog strolls over, jumping into my lap and nuzzling against me. It’s soothing, the motion of petting his back. He begins to purr and I smile, sitting back against my couch and watching Master Eggcellent jolt occasionally, the little crack that had started growing longer over time.

  “I didn’t miss the party, did I?” Star asks, poking her head into our apartment before stepping inside.

  “It’s just getting started,” I tell her.

  Rhett places his palm against my face. “Shh,” he says, his eyes never leaving the egg. “Quiet. They’re almost here.”

  In retaliation I bite his hand. He finally looks away in order to turn wide puppy dog eyes towards me. He holds his hand against his chest. “Meanie.”

  “Brat.”

  “Why am I always breaking up a silly fight between you two?” Star lets out a groan as she kneels on the floor on the other side of our coffee table. She gets eye level with the egg, a smile crossing over her face. “Everything looks splendid, dearies. It’s only a matter of time before you’ll have two little ones running around here.”

  “Oh gods,” Rhett whispers, his eyes staring at the egg. “They’re gonna be here so soon. I don’t think I’m ready.” Then those crazed eyes turn over to me. My hands come up to his face, one on each of his cheeks. I take a deep breath and Rhett mirrors me. Then I let it out slowly, watching as he does the same. We do that, over and over until Rhett’s shoulders fall away from his ears, the tension melting away.