by Tl Reeve
Milk bubbles formed at the corners of Nicolas’ mouth as his son gave a hearty growl then proceeded to guzzle from the full bottle of milk. Caden suspected at Nic’s current pace the bottle would be done in no time. Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was still early, and, hopefully Aiden would sleep another hour or two—if he could get Nicolas back to sleep as well. It’d be a win-win.
Caden could slip back into Dani’s bed and ease the pressure in his balls in his mate’s sweet pussy. Fucking full moons. Nicolas grunted, giving him a look, almost as if his kid knew the way of his father’s thought and they were inappropriate.
Caden cleared his throat. Message received, kid.
“Gotta tell you, you’re impressive. I’m betting you could go up against a bunch of college kids in a beer-chugging contest and win,” Caden said, amusement lacing his words.
Nicolas released the nipple with a loud pop and gave Caden a milky grin. He took it as an open invitation to have a one-sided conversation with his infant son.
“Something happened last night, something amazing. I finished what your mom and I started a long time ago. We’re mated.” Caden decided to give his son the abridged version. No need to scare him at such an early age. “Truthfully, I should have done it before you were born.” Caden sighed. “I didn’t, and I’ve got no excuse for causing my family such pain. I was a pussy.”
Nic smacked his lips on the silicon as if in agreement.
“Always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not the way to live.” Caden tapped the tip of his son’s nose. “I put your mom through hell ‘cause I listened to a deranged psychopath who wanted to hurt your mama and aunt Keeley, because it was easier than facing my own past too.”
Nic frowned, evidently not liking the idea of his mother getting hurt any more than Caden did.
“Worst part. I knew I fucked it up.” Caden shook his head, pissed off at his stupidity. “I just didn’t know how to make it right and ended up just digging a bigger hole to hide in. I hid behind my pain, letting my demons find solitude in a bottle and my own self-pity. My stupid pride made me lose a year with my family. I have no one to blame but my stupid ass self. I broke your mom’s trust. Not one of my proudest moments.”
One of Nicolas’ small hands grabbed onto his thumb. Caden swore, for a second, his son understood every word he was saying and it gave him the strength to continue. “I’m promising you, little man, I’m going to correct the wrong I did to your mama. Even if it takes me more than one lifetime. I’ll gain her trust and love back. It won’t be easy, and it shouldn’t be easy. Anything good in life should require hard work, and I need to work on getting back to where we were before you came along. We might have bad days, when I say or do something dumb, bringing your mama’s bad memories forward. She might get mad, sad or even grumpy. That’ll be on me to fix. You should never be upset at her if she is cranky with me. She has the right, and it’s up to me to right this wrong. I swear. You, Aiden, and your mom are worth anything I have to do to gain back her trust and love.”
Nicolas let go of the now empty bottle and promptly let out a healthy burp. Caden leaned forward, placing the bottle on the side table before placing Nicolas on his shoulder to cuddle him.
“Let me tell you something, you’ll know the moment you meet your mate. It’s like everything just clicks into place and you feel a peace you’ll never be able to explain. First time I saw your mom, I knew she was it for me.” Caden smiled remembering how he’d felt when he saw Danielle for the first time, battered and bruised, unloading the moving truck. “My wolf sat up, demanding I claim her. Everything inside of me... Settled.”
Caden stood then ambled over to the window to watch the early morning colors take over the sky. “I didn’t realize it then, but my wolf marked your mom the night you were conceived.”
Removing Nic from his shoulder, Caden turned the little boy around, so he could see the soft orange and purple hues filling the morning sky. “Today is a new day, a new beginning for all of us. In order for me to be able to move forward though, I need to apologize for abandoning you.” Caden fought back the self-hatred of his actions. Words just weren’t going to cut it anymore. He had to let his actions prove he meant business, even to himself. “I was weak, and it cost me, cutting me deep. I’ll never get back the moment of your birth, your first smile, and laugh. That’s on me.” Caden nuzzled Nicolas’ chubby cheek with his nose. His son’s calm, fresh baby scent helped soothe his uneasiness. “Although, I think it was pretty cool you wouldn’t shift for anyone but me. It was like you were waiting for me.”
Nic’s legs kicked out, and he laughed.
When his son settled, Caden continued to take in the beauty of the morning with his son. It was another precious bonding moment. He realized more were to come, but he would appreciate each one of them as they came. Nicolas leaned his against Caden’s chest and let out a content sigh.
“I’m making you a promise; things are going to change, for the better. You may have noticed by now, I’ve been staying here, helping mom take care of you kids and the house. Letting her rest and making sure she’s eating. I’m not going to tuck tail or run and hide if life gets hard anymore. I’m going to do better.”
Nicolas’ body went limp in his arms. Caden glanced down and smiled at his son’s sleeping form.
“Hope I didn’t bore you to sleep.” Caden shifted his son to his shoulders before he padded over to the stairs.
Caden placed his large hand on the baby’s small chest, feeling his son’s strong heartbeat after putting him back into his crib. Nicolas’ eyes fluttered open. He gave Caden another toothless grin and promptly fell back asleep. He brushed a kiss on his son’s forehead before he continued down the hall to check on Aiden, who was still asleep, buried deep under the covers. Caden rolled his eyes, when he noticed the stuffed lion clasped tightly to Aiden’s chest. No doubt the stuffed animal had come from Rapier. Damn lion. Later, he’d buy Aiden a wolf.
Quietly, he pushed open Danielle’s bedroom door, so not to wake her. He didn’t have to though because he found her wide awake. She sat with her back to the headboard and her knees pushed to her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Fuck. Was she regretting last night and the fact she was now tied to him forever? The only way to know was to ask, so he did. “Baby, is everything okay?” Caden kept his voice low so he didn’t wake the kids. Danielle’s head jerked up, and he saw the baby monitor she’d clenched between her hands.
She heard every single word he said to Nicolas. Shit.
A year ago, hell who was he kidding six months ago, he would have high tailed it out of her room and most likely gotten drunk till he passed out. “I meant every single word I said.”
Danielle dropped the monitor and swiped at the tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I forgot to turn it off last night. I didn’t mean to listen.” Her words were hitched by a sob. “When I heard you talking, my intention was to turn it off.”
“But you didn’t?” He sat on the bed next to Danielle.
Dani shook her head. “I couldn’t.” A pink flush tinged her cheeks. “I tried. I really did. I just wasn’t able to…”
“I’m not mad, or upset you heard me talking to Nic.”
“I feel like I invaded your privacy.” Another tear trickled down her cheek.
Caden snorted. “You didn’t. It’s not necessarily a bad thing you heard me confessing my sins, pumpkin.” He reached out, wiping the tear with his thumb.
Danielle sniffled.
“I wasn’t lying or stringing you along when I said I had a shit ton to make up for with you and our sons. Granted, it could be considered odd to apologize to a baby who can’t verbally respond back.” He plucked the monitor from her hands and placed it on the dresser. “Call me crazy, but I think he got me. Aiden is next.”
Danielle picked at the cuticle on her thumb. “Aiden’s already forgiven you.”
“How do you figure?” He wanted to grab her up into his ar
ms and reassure her she’d done nothing wrong in eavesdropping on the conversation.
“Aiden’s been worried about Nic’s lack of ability to shift. It weighed heavily on his little shoulders. The moment you coaxed Nic’s wolf out, Aiden forgave you.” Her words were barely audible.
“That’s sweet, but we both know little boys learn to become good adult men by following the examples their fathers set forth. I fucked it up. Aiden needs to see me man up and apologize to those I’ve hurt. Including him.”
“If that’s what you need to do,” Danielle replied.
“Have to do, pumpkin. Just like there is something you should know.” Caden didn’t miss the way her shoulders stiffened or her features went placid, almost like she prepared herself for something bad.
“What…is it?”
Caden sniffed the air. Fear. He’d done this to her and if he could, he’d kick his own ass. “Relax, it’s not bad.” Caden took her hand in his. “I found my way home, and I won’t let anything come between us ever again. Even myself.” He cupped her cheek, and a thrill of acceptance rushed through him when she nuzzled his palm. “I need you to know, no matter what life throws at us, I’m in it all the way with you. You’re an amazingly strong woman, who dug in the last year to take care of our children. I’m grateful, so grateful, baby. Even after everything I put you through, you’re still willing to work with me to rebuild what we had waiting for us a year ago... Shit, pumpkin, I don’t deserve you. But, I want you to know—no, I need you to know, I love you.”
Danielle’s mouth opened and closed several times. “Wow, talk about dropping an early morning bombshell on a person. I don’t know what to say, Caden.”
“You don’t have to say anything.” He saw everything she wanted to say but couldn’t when her gaze met his. Pain, anger, and love reflected back at him. He wanted to always be honest and truthful with her. “I don’t expect you to say it back to me, Dani. I’d be surprised if you ever did. I’m willing to wait for when you can trust and love me again.” He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before resting his against hers.
Neither of them said anything and as far as he was concerned it was okay for now. “It’s still early. With both boys still sleeping, you should try to get some rest.”
“You’re driving me batty with the constantly trying to get me to eat and sleep spiel,” Danielle huffed.
“Get used to it. It’s my job. If you promise to go back to bed, I’ll lay beside you, and hold you until the boys wake up. Then will we’ll have breakfast together as a family.”
“Well, what if I didn’t want to go back to bed? Maybe I want to do something other than sleep right now.” Danielle patted the spot on the bed he’d vacated no more than a half an hour ago.
Caden couldn’t help but smile at her boldness or at the lovely shade of pink her cheeks turned. Little tease. Two could play her game. “Last night, when I took you, I knotted your pussy. You let me in now, I won’t be easy. The ardor for my mate is riding me hard. It’ll be a rough, hard fucking.”
Danielle gasped, and the sweet scent of her arousal wrapped around him. Pre-cum pooled at the tip, darkening the fabric of his pants. Danielle’s gaze dropped to his groin. The little minx licked her lips, and Caden imagined her pink little tongue lapping the tip of his dick.
“It won’t end with me coming deep inside your pussy. It’ll end when I knot your tight ass.” He growled, fighting back the wolf who clawed at his skin.
Fuck, the scent of her need was killing him. Caden was already too close. He recognized with the slightest push, he’d rip her sleep shorts off and sink into the warmth of her body, rutting until they both found their release.
Caden finally understood how the mated males felt. It wasn’t fun, denying the urge to fuck his mate. The ache in his balls would only dissipate at the end of the full moon cycle.
“Caden...” Danielle eyes were dazed with passion, and he knew the need to mate was riding her just as hard.
“Baby, stop.” With every shift of her legs, the sweet scent of her need thickened around him. “I was locked inside of you for at least a half hour last night. What are we going to do if the boys wake up and I can’t pull out of you?”
“I don’t know, but this sucks donkey dick.” She pouted, crossing her arms. The swell of her breasts pushed past the collar of her tank, and his mouth watered.
“Do me a favor, don’t use sucks and dick in any form of a sentence right now.” He reached down and adjusted himself.
“Welcome to my world.” Dani groaned.
“Lie down, baby,” he ordered.
“I don’t want to go to sleep, Caden,” she snapped.
“Fucking you is out of the question, but there are other ways.” He wrapped his hand around her ankle and pulled her to the edge of the bed. Caden ran his fingertips up her thighs, stopping at the hem of her sleep shorts. “If you’re up for it, of course.” One of his fingers slipped under her shorts, seeking the warm, wet heat of her pussy.
“What other ways?” She gasped when he traced the slit of her sex, before finding the throbbing bud at the top of her sex.
With every flick of his finger, her hips jerked, and she gasped. Christ, she was beautiful. Instead of telling her, Caden dropped to his knees between her spread thighs and promptly showed her.
Chapter Fourteen
The call came too early for Caden. Since the full moon, he’d tried his best to not leave Danielle’s side. It seemed the whole town experienced the same emotional roller coaster he did as well. It’d almost been like walking through a ghost town. Most of the stores, with the exception to the chain stores, had closed to mourn with those who lost loved ones. In the span of a year, the town had seen seven deaths. Those who perished in the hotel bombing perpetrated by Simon and Hazel, and now the sheriff’s department, where four more people died.
Already, memorial services were being put together for their deputies and the two inmates who also died. The city was picking up the tab on all of the funerals, which helped ease the guilt he and Kalkin were still trying to process. And, due to the extensive damage, the building was being torn down. For now, until the insurance and the wheels of justice could turn, they would be working out of City Hall. All calls would be routed through the E-911 center in Safford then dispatched to them.
Thankfully though, Loraine would recover. It would take time. She was burned over forty percent of her right side, and pieces of shrapnel had done some internal damage, the worst of it to her right leg. She also had a concussion. Jace wouldn’t be coming home until she could leave. Blake also wasn’t leaving their side either. After Jace’s initial phone call, he hadn’t said another word to them and it worried Caden, but he couldn’t think about his brother right now.
Which left Charisma, Penelope, Crow, and Marie. Senator Winters arrived late the day of the bombing. He set her up in his apartment farther away from the center of town. Royce and Max were both staying in an apartment adjacent to the Senator’s place. Convenient how that shit happened when they needed it to. He snorted. No, what probably happened was Winters bought out whoever lived there. It didn’t matter though, he supposed. The girls were safe, and his nephew and their newfound friend were safe for the time being. Which made getting through everything a bit easier, especially since was supposed to meet Kalkin and Blackhorn at the site to go over the arson investigator’s findings.
He glanced down at his mate, who lay in their bed. Danielle, shit. He poured his heart out to her. In the long run, he supposed it would be worth it. Now, she knew what his heart wanted. What he wanted. What he’d do to make everything up to her, not that he technically could. All he’d be able to do now was move forward and reinforce he wouldn’t leave her side ever again. Caden bent to her and brushed his lips over her forehead. What he wouldn’t give to stay by her side.
Even now, the need to claim his mate gripped him by the balls. He wondered if it would ever get easier. If there would be a respite to what both he and Danie
lle endured. It left little time for anything other than claiming and taking and fucking. Now, he understood why so many were caught during the Strawberry festival. Caden glanced at the mark on her neck and winced. He hadn’t been gentle any of the times they were together. The last time, earlier that morning, he’d lost control and bitten her harder than he’d meant to.
Instead of her being disgusted with him, she embraced it. Through their shared bond, he experienced her arousal, her desire. The pure satisfaction of being rode hard and knotted. Caden adjusted himself. He never expected it. Never thought the mental bindings tethering them together would produce such interesting effects. It seemed as if every day she surprised him with something new about her abilities, and every day he understood more and more why she’d been of value to PBH. It left a sour taste in his mouth and churned his guts.
“Is it morning?” Danielle mumbled, rubbing her eyes. “Are the boys okay?”
He sat down on the edge of the bed and kept his tone soft. “They’re fine. Kalkin called. I have to meet him and Jerome at the site. I’ll probably be gone for a good bit of the day.”
She nodded. “Be careful.”
“Always. I have to come home to you.” He pressed his lips to hers. “Logan will be here soon to watch over you and the boys. If you need me, call me.”
“I will.”
Caden stood.
“Caden?” She blinked twice before opening her eyes.
“Yeah, pumpkin?” He held his breath. Would she say the words he ached to hear from her? The rational part of his brain told him to not get his hopes up yet. He had to give her time. He had to give her space. Allow her to come to him when she was ready to utter those three words.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he answered. “I’ll check on the boys on my way out.”