Babies for Nikki

by Lynnette Bernard

  When they finally arrived at the back exit, Janine stopped and held the door open for them. “You can go out the back driveway. It will circle around and meet up with the front driveway about a half mile down. You’ll be far enough away from the lodge so no one will see you.” Janine stepped back and smiled. “Good luck.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t,” Nikki told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her along with them. “We go down as a team. Let’s go.”

  Janine hesitated, shocked that Nikki wanted her to go along with her and Laurie. A surprising feeling of hope and warmth filled her chest, and she had to clamp down on her emotions. She had to be careful not to make this gesture be anything more than kindness that Nikki and Laurie both tended to show everyone.

  “Let me just grab my purse,” Janine told them after a moment’s hesitation, turning to go into the nearest office where she kept her things during the work day. Good thing she had planned on going out after her shift at the front desk, or she wouldn’t have brought her purse to work at all.

  Janine smiled as she ran to keep up with Nikki and Laurie. It was the first time in her life she had actually felt like she was part of a group of friends.

  They made their way to Alex’s truck, waiting while Nikki pressed the button on the fob to unlock the doors. The three of them climbed into the front bench seat, buckling in quickly, with Nikki in the driver’s seat, Laurie in the middle, and Janine in the passenger seat. Nikki threw her purse onto Laurie’s lap as she sat beside her.

  “Just like old times, huh, Laurie?” Nikki teased. “Welcome to our crazy world, Janine.”

  Janine laughed, carefree for the first time she could ever recall. “Just remember this was your idea when we get back,” she warned her.

  Nikki smiled and backed Alex’s truck out of the parking space, putting it in drive and slowly maneuvering it around the back of the lodge to circle around and head out toward the main driveway. Once they were on the highway, she breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Remember to keep shielding your thoughts,” Laurie reminded her softly. “If you want to keep this a secret, you have to be vigilant.”

  Nikki nodded, making sure to keep calm thoughts in her mind. She really did want to keep this from her men until she knew for sure.

  “The pharmacy is up ahead on the right,” Janine told them after they had been driving for about twenty minutes.

  “Thank goodness,” Nikki blurted out. “I can barely hold myself together. I’m so nervous, and I really need to go to the bathroom.”

  She carefully pulled into the parking lot and parked in a parking space at the far end of the lot. The last thing she needed was to have anyone damage Alex’s truck while she had it.

  The three of them got out of the truck and made their way into the store. Nikki led the way, too excited to talk. Laurie and Janine waited patiently beside her while she looked over the pregnancy tests on the shelf. After only a couple of minutes, Nikki selected one and went to the cashier.

  “Do you have a ladies’ room I can use?” she asked the cashier as the young girl handed her the bag with her purchase inside it.

  The young girl smiled and pointed toward the back of the store. “Good luck,” she said happily.

  Nikki nodded and rushed toward the rest rooms. Once inside the ladies’ room, Nikki pushed her purse into Laurie’s hands, removed the small package from the bag, and tore open the box. She quickly read the directions and handed everything except the white test stick to Janine.

  “I’ll be right back,” she told them, opening the stall door and disappearing inside. She was about to close the door when she looked back at the two of them, nervousness evident on her face.

  “I hope it’s positive,” Janine told her, smiling.

  Nikki smiled and nodded then turned to look at her best friend.

  “Go on,” Laurie urged her. “It’s going to be good. I can feel it.”

  Nikki said a silent prayer that Laurie was right. She closed the door and prepared to take the most important test of her life.

  * * * *

  “How much time has passed?” Nikki asked nervously.

  Laurie looked at her watch. “Ten minutes.”

  None of them had looked at the white test stick, afraid that looking too soon would jinx the results. They remained silent in the bathroom, leaning against the tiled wall. Nikki was thankful that they had the bathroom to themselves. She didn’t think she could handle anyone else coming in to use the facilities. Her nerves were stretched tight. She had to keep talking herself down, making sure she remained calm and collected. She kept sending soothing thoughts to Alex and Butler even though she wanted to scream that she was afraid and needed their arms around her.

  “Nikki, it’s been fifteen minutes,” Laurie spoke up quietly, reaching out to touch her arm gently. “Picture yourself in a bubble of light before you look at the test stick. You need to be surrounded by that white light of protection so you don’t send Alex and Butler the image of what you’re seeing.”

  Nikki nodded and closed her eyes briefly, doing as Laurie had taught her. Once she was sure she was shielding her thoughts, she opened her eyes, turned, and took the test stick from the sink counter. Turning back to face her friends, she looked down and saw the plus sign clear and dark.

  “It’s positive,” she whispered, her voice filled with awe. She looked at Laurie and Janine. “Holy crap!”

  Both women embraced her immediately, hugging her tightly.

  “I knew it,” Janine said happily. “Congratulations!”

  “Oh, Nikki,” Laurie whispered. “That’s so wonderful. You’re going to be a terrific mom.”

  “And my brother and Butler are going to be insufferable!” Janine added, laughing. “They’re going to be strutting around as if they’re the only men in the world to have fathered a child.”

  Nikki laughed, wiping away the tears from her eyes. “I can’t wait to tell them.”

  She wrapped the test stick in the plastic packaging then placed it in her purse and opened the bathroom door, leading the way through the store. Laurie and Janine followed close behind her, but stopped when they reached the front entrance of the store.

  “Nikki, you go on and go to the truck. Laurie and I want to get something before we leave,” Janine told her, reaching out to touch Laurie’s arm to hold her back.

  Laurie looked at her, her eyebrows lifted in question, but said nothing. She saw the excitement in Janine’s eyes. It was nice to see her so happy. It was a good look on her. She realized that it was one that she hadn’t ever seen in Martha’s youngest child.

  “Okay, I’ll be out by the truck when you’re ready,” Nikki answered, walking away as if she were floating three feet above the ground.

  Laurie smiled at her friend as she walked out of the pharmacy, loving how things were finally falling into place for her. She deserved this happiness.

  “What are we going to buy, Janine?” Laurie asked her happily.

  “I saw some baby things in the section along that wall,” Janine told her, pointing to the area listed as Baby Needs.

  Laurie smiled and started walking toward the area. It was going to be fun shopping for her best friend.

  * * * *

  Nikki leaned back against the truck door, her smile threatening to split her face. She had never expected to feel such happiness in her life. She had always kept her secret desire of having a baby to herself. And now she was pregnant with twins! The vision the three of them had seen had shown her that. She was done questioning her visions. She truly believed that every vision she had been gifted with was going to come true.

  She would have a wonderful life with Alex and Butler. They were going to be wonderful fathers, and she was going to finally have a loving home where she would be cherished and desired. She was going to have a life of happiness with two men that she adored and would spend the rest of her life showing them just how much she loved them. And they would have children to love and spoil and raise together to know
that their parents loved them unconditionally.

  “Looks like our patience has been rewarded, boys,” a familiar voice boomed beside her.

  Nikki jumped and turned to face the man who had attacked Alex and Butler by the lake. She remembered that his name was Boyd and that Carter had said he was a cruel man who was brutal in his treatment of his old pack members. She remembered that she had broken his arm with the tree limb and had hit him in the back of the head when he had attacked her mates. Boyd being here with three other shifters was a definite cause for worry. This was not good at all.

  Nikki walked toward the front of the truck to stand in front of the grill. The men stood before her, watching her silently.

  “What do you want?” Nikki asked them angrily.

  “Just a little retribution,” Boyd answered, looking her over from her feet to her face, stopping and licking his lips as his eyes reached her breasts. “We’ll be taking you with us.”

  “Oh, I don’t think so, buddy,” Nikki answered, swinging hard and catching Boyd in the left temple. Pain exploded in her hand, and she suspected she might have broken something.

  Before she could pull back to swing again, Boyd backhanded her, connecting with her left cheek. The intensity of the hit made her cheek feel as if it were on fire. She was getting tired of being the recipient of this crap.

  Standing tall, she looked at the men with hatred in her eyes. She knew she had to stay calm. She couldn’t lose control. She would not fight them anymore. She couldn’t risk hurting her babies.

  Just then, she saw Laurie and Janine coming out of the pharmacy, carrying bags and smiling. When they saw Nikki surrounded by the men they both started to walk toward her, but Nikki shook her head no, and they stopped. Nikki could see Laurie struggling with Janine, but Janine spoke softly in her ear, and she finally walked backward into the store.

  Nikki opened the link to her men and prayed they wouldn’t be angry with her for leaving pack land without an escort.

  Mates, I need your help. Nikki’s voice was strong as she spoke to them.

  With what, sweetness? Butler’s voice answered her immediately.

  Where are you, baby? Alex asked her, the worry evident in his voice.

  I’m at the pharmacy about twenty minutes from the ranch. Laurie, Janine, and I came here without an escort.

  Nikki! Alex’s voice growled in her head.

  I know, you can yell at me later. Boyd and his buddies are here, and they intend to take me. I think I might have broken my hand on Boyd’s hard head.

  Nikki could feel the panic grabbing hold of her mates.

  I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me. Just come and get me. Laurie and Janine are safe inside the pharmacy. Boyd doesn’t know they’re there. Tell Jace and Jackson. Please come and get me. Maybe you can stop these guys before they can take me too far.

  We’re on our way, baby. Stay strong. Keep our link open so we can sense you.

  Alex’s love washed over her, giving her a moment of hope.

  Please, darlin’, don’t try to fight them. We need you to stay safe until we can get to you.

  When the soft ribbon of love that Butler wove around her tightened, it took all of Nikki’s strength to remain calm. She tried to muffle her panic as the three men held her while Boyd yanked her purse from her shoulder, ripped a section of material from the bottom of his flannel shirt, covered her eyes with it, and tied her hands behind her back with a rough braided rope. When they lifted her and threw her into the front seat of Alex’s truck, she nearly vomited as fear gripped her.

  She sat quietly, unable to think of anything but her mates and their babies growing so new inside of her. She heard Boyd unzipping her purse and fumbling through it, throwing it on the floor of the truck when he pulled the truck keys from it. As Boyd started the truck and drove them out of the parking lot, Nikki realized that she might never see her mates again.

  I love you, Mates.

  She sent them the thought with the image of the pregnancy test stick with its positive result. If they never saw her again, she wanted them to know that their love had created new lives. New lives that she would love and protect to her dying day.

  She could feel their love and happiness at the image and couldn’t stop the emotions that were nearly strangling her. A sharp pain speared her chest, and she couldn’t swallow. She was starting to have a full-blown panic attack. Her heart was pounding, and she was having difficulty breathing.

  She realized that her foolishness had put Laurie, Janine, and the babies that she carried at risk. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she lost consciousness. Then there was nothing but blessed darkness.

  Chapter 23

  “Mitchell, have a seat,” Jace spoke to the young man as he entered his and Jackson’s office.

  He took in the way the young man looked around nervously. He wasn’t surprised to see Laurie’s son Dean enter the office and take his place beside Mitchell on the black leather couch that sat against the far wall in the office. The two had become fast friends, and it was rare to see one without the other. Their triad partnership was strengthening with each day. He couldn’t be prouder of either cub.

  Ever since they had realized that Dean was Mitchell’s triad partner, Mitchell had finally been able to shift into his wolf form. It had been an event that Jace valued beyond reason since it had been Mitchell’s wolf that had protected Laurie from her ex-husband when he had come to the ranch with the intention of harming her.

  Mitchell looked at Dean nervously. Dean nodded in encouragement.

  “Go ahead and tell Jace what you told me,” Dean told him firmly. “It’s important.”

  Mitchell shook his head in agreement. “Alpha, I had a flash of a vision that the men from my old pack followed Laurie, Janine, and Nikki.” Mitchell hesitated. “I saw them taking Nikki.”

  “Did you see when this would happen, Mitchell?” Jackson asked, leaning forward in his chair.

  Mitchell shook his head. “I didn’t get any specifics from the vision, but I feel like it’s something that will happen soon.”

  The door to the office burst open and Alex and Butler rushed inside. Alex’s wolf beat against his chest, demanding to be set free. Butler was in no better shape. All they could think about was getting to their mate.

  “Jace, Nikki is at a pharmacy twenty minutes from here,” Alex told him quickly, anger evident in his voice. “Laurie and Janine are with her, but they’re safe inside the store. Boyd is with three other wolves, and they’ve taken Nikki.”

  Jace bolted to his feet and rushed from the office. Jackson was close on his heels.

  Laurie! He knew his voice was booming in her head but the fear that shot through him was uncontrollable.

  I’m safe, Alex. So is Janine. But Nikki’s been taken. There were four of them, and they took Alex’s truck.

  We’re on our way, baby. Stay put. We’ll call Hunter and Clay and see if they’re close enough to stop them and get Nikki back. Dean and Mitchell will be coming to get you and Janine.

  Jackson’s soothing voice settled her slightly, but only getting Nikki back safe and sound would erase Laurie’s fears. She would deal with her mates’ anger later. For now, they needed to concentrate on protecting Nikki.

  “Dean, you and Mitchell go and get your mother and Janine from the pharmacy twenty minutes down the road,” Jackson told them as they all rushed into action.

  “Mom isn’t here?” Dean questioned. “Why didn’t she ask one of us to go with her?”

  “We’ll find that out once we get her back home,” Jace growled. “And we’ll make sure she doesn’t ever leave without protection again. If I have to cuff her to my arm, I will.”

  “Even though Nikki is new to our pack, she should know that she shouldn’t leave without taking Lucian and Cole with her,” Butler grumbled, his anger and fear making his usually calm demeanor almost nonexistent.

  Jace looked at both men. “You both do know that your mate doesn’t exactly follow orders, right
?”

  “You mean just like our mate, Jace?” Jackson pointed out calmly.

  Jace growled. “Yeah, just like our mate,” he answered angrily.

  “I’m going with Dean and Mitchell,” Mia spoke up as she ran to keep up with the men’s long strides.

  Jace halted immediately and turned to face her. “Absolutely not, Mia,” he told her angrily. “I will not have one more woman from our pack put in jeopardy.”

  “You’re telling me that the only reason you’re not allowing me to go is because I’m a girl?” Mia yelled. “Don’t even tell me you’re going to go there.”

  Jace stepped toward her slowly, reaching up to frame her young face with his hands. “Please, daughter,” he told her quietly. “I can’t help my instincts to protect you.”

  Jackson’s gentle hand touched her hair softly as he stood beside them. “You belong to us now, little one. It’s our right to care for you and see that you’re always safe.”

  The anger bled from Mia immediately. She had never been treated with such care from a father figure before. In that moment, she realized that Jace and Jackson truly were fathers to her and Dean.

  “Okay,” she finally agreed, not happy about it at all. “But are you at least going to fuss over Dean and Mitchell to be careful?”

  Jace smiled down at her, leaning forward to kiss her forehead lightly. Jackson hugged her before turning to face her brother.

  “Dean,” Jackson began.

  “I know. Be careful. Got it,” Dean answered quickly. “Now let’s go. We have to get Mom and Janine. And I’m going to have a very serious talk with Mom on the way back.”

  Jace smiled and watched as all three cubs ran toward the lodge. Turning back to Jackson, Butler, and Alex, he became serious once again.

  “We need to get to our mates quickly,” he told them as he ran toward the lodge.