“I love you, Dalton, please don’t be a dream.”
“I feel the same way, baby, you are my dream,” Dalton whispered back.
Cuddling back into his arms his warmth lulled her into sleep. Today had been a good day, an eye-opening day. They could get though anything together, and from the sounds of it, tomorrow and the future would be even better, even with all the things they had to face. Going to sleep with thoughts of a happy future and a healthy non-teething child, Emma drifted off knowing this was exactly where she always wanted to be.
The next morning, Emma woke up feeling happier than she could ever remember being. Kenna’s fever had broken, and she’d been peacefully sleeping for the last 4 hours. Dalton had been a rock, holding them both while they cried, making sure Kenna got her medicine, and trying to let Emma sleep, even though that wasn’t possible. He had finally passed out after the last time Kenna woke up screaming.
The man of her dreams was holding onto her and snoring like a freight train, right in her ear. She decided to give him a wake-up call he would never forget. Pulling away from the comfort of his embrace, she made sure she took the blanket with her, exposing his hard, but still covered cock. She’d dreamed of feeling his silky length in her mouth. Crawling down the bed and crouching over Dalton, Emma was about to pull the waist of his sweats away from him when Kenna decided to make her presence known. Looking toward the crib hidden behind the changing screen, Emma held her breath hoping Kenna would fall back asleep. Staying really quiet, Emma waited, and just when she thought she was in the clear to move, Kenna let out a little squeak. Dalton bolted out of the bed, almost knocking Emma onto the floor. If she hadn’t been awake, she would’ve definitely been on the ground.
Watching the crazy man run to the crib and coo to her daughter, no their daughter, was a sight to behold. He turned to the side and Emma got the first good look at his morning wood tenting his shorts. Damn, the man was huge, he wasn’t kidding. She’d felt it under his jeans, but never imagined what the loose gym shorts would reveal. The phrase hung like a horse repeated in her mind. The other fantasy that kept repeating in her mind was taking that long hard cock and putting it in her mouth. A few minutes more, and she would’ve been there.
Never having given a blow- job didn’t matter, she’d read enough about them, she was convinced she could figure it out. She could practically feel Dalton grabbing the back of her head and pulling her forward for a taste. Emma licked her lips.
“Baby, if you keep on staring at it like you want a taste, it will never go down.”
And that’s when her two-month-old daughter giggled then started making that engine noise. Emma was snapped right out of her blowjob fantasy. Damn. Dalton had the audacity to laugh.
Being more than a little miffed that he would once again laugh at her frustration, Emma got up, mumbled something about coffee, and started stomping toward the door.
“Baby, not that I mind, but don’t you think you should maybe put some clothes on before you go out to the kitchen? I mean those boy-shorts are a killer and show just the right amount of ass, and with your nipples poking through that tank, it’s a sight I would rather keep all to myself. Unless, you have a little exhibitionist in you,” Dalton questioned.
The asshole had the nerve laugh again. Changing directions, Emma went to the bathroom to change. She heard Dalton talking to Kenna about getting a bottle, and shortly after she heard the door open and close. Emma briefly considered having a little ‘me time’ in the shower, but decided against it, which didn’t help her mood any. Damn, she needed to talk to Mia today.
Walking into the kitchen, Emma had only one thing on her mind; coffee. She didn’t see anyone or anything, only the coffee pot with its wonderful dark elixir. Emma had downed half a cup and was still standing in front of the pot when she finally realized that she wasn’t alone. Turning around, she noticed Cash trying very badly to hold back his laughter. Bas was standing next to the table with a look of horror on his face, and Dalton was staring at her like he’d seen Emma for the first time in his life. Shoot, hadn’t they spent the night together in each other’s arms?
Confused and not wanting to play with them this morning, Emma went and sat down at the table next to Dalton. Emma watched in horror as Ryleigh came into the kitchen. The look on her face could only be described as demonic. She didn’t acknowledge anyone and went straight for the coffee pot, mumbling some stuff that Emma wasn’t really sure were actual words, more like grunts and grumbles. She even thought there was a good possibility was speaking in tongues, Emma didn’t know for sure. Ryleigh planted herself right in front of the coffee pot, angling her body so no one could keep her from the pot.
“What?” Ryleigh turned around and said after pouring herself a cup and downing half of it.
“Told you assholes, pay up.” Cash couldn’t hold his laugh anymore and burst out, “We didn’t need a DNA test to prove those two are related.”
“Oh, my God, did I do that too? Emma whisper yelled still in a state of shock.
“Yeah, baby,” Dalton said, “so when were you going to tell me you spoke in tongues?”
Emma’s face heated immediately. Damn red hair.
“Good morning,” Jacks said coming in the room, and went right for his mate trying, to take her coffee cup. “Baby, we talked about this. Coffee isn’t good for the baby. You need to drink decaf if you’re going to drink it at all. The book said water and juice were better options.”
Ryleigh growled. She actually growled and pulled her cup closer to her chest, guarding it from her mate. All she said was “No,” but the look in her eyes was even starting to scare Emma.
“Jacks, it’s okay.” Mia walked in, defusing the possible murderous situation. “I told her she could have one cup of the good stuff a day. That’s way down from her four pots. Your progeny will be fine.”
“Okay baby, I won’t take your coffee.” Jacks walked backward, away from his mate, his hands in the air
Ryleigh grunted and continued drinking her coffee, and the group ate breakfast in shocked silence. When everyone started to talk normally, Emma started to ask Mia if she could have a moment of her time. Mia stopped her before she even had the chance to ask.
“Don’t worry,” Mia assured her, assuming she wanted something else, “I won’t let the demon near your baby until she’s been caffeinated.”
“Ladies, I have exhibit one,” Cash announced, turning on the TV in the kitchen. It was an instant replay of Emma walking into the kitchen toward the coffee pot. She was horrified. Then Ryleigh entering; the similarities were undeniable, they were definitely sisters with severe caffeine addictions. Everyone, except for Ryleigh and Emma, started laughing.
“Sorry, man,” Jacks said to Dalton.
“Well crap,” Mia said, handing Cash a hundred-dollar bill.
Thankfully, Jacks changed the subject by asking how the night went with Kenna. When Dalton and Emma assured him, she was doing well and the fever had broken, Jacks started going over the mission. After several more go-throughs, everyone began to leave the kitchen. Still wanting to talk to Mia, Emma followed her out. Cash had Kenna now and was asking where his sling was. Emma knew it was safe to make her exit, but before she could go, she looked back at the antics of the Alpha Team. Bas was giving Cash a hard time.
“Dude, just hold her. You don’t need the sling every time you have her.”
“That shows how much you know, asshole,” Cash snapped back. “I have to pack, but if you think I’m going to give up my baby time, so you can hold her, you’re fucking nuts.
“You don’t like mean, old Uncle Bas, do you baby girl? Uncle Cash is your favorite, isn’t that right. Yep, you keep smiling. We know it’s the truth. He’s going to miss his baby girl time cuz he sings you to sleep at night, and now, he’s jealous. Mean old Uncle Bas should’ve thought about that before, huh?”
“Yeah, baby girl,” Bas started talking baby talk to Kenna, “mean old Uncle Cash isn’t going to know what to do cuz he can’t find his b
aby sling. He doesn’t do laundry and expects everyone else to do it. Now he has to hold you like a normal person. Since he has to pack that means I get to put you down for a nap. Your favorite Uncle Bas packed last night like a good soldier.”
Kenna cooed and giggled at the two grown men vying for her attention.
“It’s okay,” Jacks said, walking right up and gently taking her, “Uncle Jacks has you. Those fuckers don’t hold a candle to me, isn't’ that right, princess?” Jacks walked out of the room with Cash and Bas following behind, arguing that they should get their baby time because Jacks would get her while they were gone. Jacks completely ignored them, going into his office and shutting the door in their faces.
Knowing her daughter was in good hands, Emma rushed down the hall to catch up with Mia.
“Can you imagine what it's going to be like when Kenna starts dating. She already has those burly bears wrapped around her tiny baby finger. I hate to tell you this, Emma, but I don’t think your daughter is going to be able to date until she’s about thirty,” Mia laughed.
“Yeah, last night,” Ryleigh agreed, laughing, “after we got back to the room, Jacks kept asking me if we should go back. Wanting to make sure his little princess was all right. Don’t be surprised if you and Dalton need to veto visual monitoring in your bedroom. Then, when I was starting to get comfortable, Jacks jumps out of bed, going right for his laptop. I thought something else was wrong, so I got up to see what he was doing, and he was on a website that sold fabric. He was looking at cotton batting.”
“Kenna’s going to be crawling soon and I think we need to baby proof the house.” he said when I asked him what he was doing.
“I was like, okay, but what are you looking at the batting for?”
“I’m thinking we should wrap it around all the furniture and maybe even put it on the walls and corners,” Jacks answered. “How much do you think I should order?”
“I swear all I could do is stare at him. You’re lucky he hasn’t gotten the idea to wrap Kenna in padding yet.”
“Oh,” Emma shook her head, “I can actually do better than that. This morning, I was lying in bed with Dalton, feeling all warm and cozy. When Kenna made a little squeak, he almost knocked me onto the ground, trying to get to her.”
“Damn, I don’t know if I’m going to come here anymore. You guys are going to break me,” Mia laughed, handing Ryleigh a hundred-dollar bill.
“Why do you keep on giving people money, Mia?” Emma asked, puzzled.
“Well, the first one was for the bet I lost about you and Ryleigh’s coffee habits. Cash bet me he could’ve proved that you two were sisters even without a DNA test, so I accepted. The second one was because I bet Ryleigh it would take you at least six months to start sleeping with Dalton.”
“We're not, we haven’t…” Emma said, flustered.
“It's okay, this is only between us girls here. If you want my opinion, you two are perfect for each other. Has Dalton told you that you’re his mate yet?” Ryleigh asked.
“Yes, but that’s why I wanted to talk to you, Mia. Dalton said we couldn’t do anything, well, you know…” Emma said, indicating her lower region, “until you released me medically.” Emma felt her face heat. If she was a betting girl like Mia, she would bet that right about now she could give a stop sign a run for its money.
“Well, your last exam was good and you’ve been steadily healing. Why don’t we go down to the exam room and thoroughly check things out, so you’ll know before the men head out? That way you can give Dalton a goodbye to remember,” Mia said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Sounds good to me,” Emma mumbled and followed Mia down to the exam room. Emma wanted to die. She craved Dalton, badly, but she didn’t want to advertise the fact to the team.
“I’ll see you two in a bit,” Ryleigh said, parting from the group. She headed in the opposite direction, giving a little wave as she left.
“Well,” Mia said after she finished the exam, “you’re safe to resume normal sexual activity. I wouldn’t do anything too crazy for a couple of weeks, but if you feel any discomfort, try a different position.”
Emma wanted to turn away from the women; she was so blunt. Emma wasn’t a prude, but she also wasn’t used to talking about sex with other women even Doctors. Some things were meant to be private. At least it was only her and Mia in the room.
“Physically, you are doing great. I would like to see you gaining more weight, and we need to work on that. With Cash’s cooking, you’ve gained 5 pounds, which is a good start. The PT has helped with your muscle tone, and with you doing more around the lodge, I can see a good improvement in your strength. I’m going to recommend you take the guys up on their offer and do some more self-defense training. It’ll help you both physically and mentally. Ava said your sessions are going really well and that you two agreed to cut them down to once a week which is awesome because it means you’re improving.”
“Thanks, Mia. For this and everything else you’ve done for me. I wouldn’t be in the shape I am today without all of your help.”
“It’s what any doctor would do, but Emma, I want you to know, I consider you a friend and I hope you feel the same way. By the way, Ava feels the same. She’s going to come out here when they get a break in the case that she’s working. In her line of work, she stays pretty close to home, but you have her wanting to visit. She even has a picture of Kenna on her phone. She’s definitely a proud Auntie, just like Ryleigh and me. I hope you’re okay with that. We’ve adopted you, little sister. You’re a part of our little mismatched family, like it or not.”
“I’ve always wanted a family of my own, and you guys make it so easy,” Emma admitted. “I love the thought of Kenna growing up with all of you as her crazy family. It's even better knowing that if something happened to me, she would have people who loved her and would take care of her. I never had that, I feel truly blessed.” Emma couldn’t help getting a little emotional. Ryleigh came in and handed her a folder.
“What’s this?” Emma asked.
“Oh, that’s your portfolio and Kenna’s trust fund information,” Ryleigh responded.
“Huh?” Emma said, dumbfounded. Opening up the folder, Emma had to sit down. She’d never seen so many zeros in her life.
“Ryleigh, what’s going on? You don’t have to give me money.”
“Didn't anyone tell you about Ryleigh’s unique talents?” Mia laughed.
“Ah, no.”
“She’s a financial whiz kid, has been since she was two,” Mia quipped.
“Yeah, I can make a million dollars out of a thousand in about a week,” Ryleigh said, like it was no big deal. “You and Kenna have been here about two months now. I’m sorry, but I’ve been slacking. As for Kenna’s trust, that wasn’t all me, although I’ll keep on adding funds to it. All the guys wanted to chip in, too.”
“This is too much. I mean… I can’t take this,” Emma said, floored.
“Well, you don’t have much choice,” Ryleigh said. “We already did it. I have portfolios for all my family. Since Kenna is my niece and you are my sister, you're going to have one, too. As for the guys chipping in on Kenna’s trust, let them do it, they’re all financially well off. It’s part of their pack mentality to provide for their own; it fulfills an instinct and makes them happy to do it. They all love you and that little girl. I actually had to limit how much they could contribute.”
“Thank you all, so much.” Emma couldn’t remember ever crying as much as she had since meeting these people. She never thought people like this existed.
“You will find debit cards, credit cards, and a checkbook in the back,” Ryleigh continued. “I thought if you wanted, you could do some online shopping while the guys are gone. You haven’t been able to pick out anything for yourself or McKenna since you got here. It might be a good distraction.”
“Don’t worry about using them. The accounts are all valid and completely untraceable to your name or social security number. I had Bas an
d his sister make sure. They’re also monitoring them for anyone trying to access information about you, just in case. Peyton has had a couple of hits, but wasn’t able to track them back fast enough. When Wyatt gets back, they’ll be able to set a trap and piggyback each other to find out who’s looking for you. Maybe sooner, since Bas sent Wyatt her way.”
“Damn, I had hoped they wouldn’t be looking for me,” Emma admitted. “Wishful thinking, right? Why would they go to the trouble of capturing, containing, and impregnating me if they didn’t want to find me? I’ve really been enjoying my happy bubble, and not quite ready to let reality creep in. I knew when I woke up this morning it would happen with the mission, but damn, I kind of still had this little part of me that my nightmare could be over. One question though, I thought you said that Kenna was the first Shifter female? If Bas has a sister, how can Kenna be the first?”
“Oh, Peyton is Bas’s step sister she doesn’t have any shifter DNA that we know of and Emma Please you have to trust me, no way is anyone going to get near you or McKenna again,” Ryleigh said. “But to be safe, I want to talk to you about something. Wyatt and Tory have developed a tracker which is implanted under the skin. You can choose the location and it only takes a second to insert. We usually go for between the toes or in the armpit. I have one and so does every member of the Holly Group. I would like you to have one implanted as well. Maybe even Kenna if you’re okay with it. Please know, it’s only a precaution. You’re both safe here.
“Mine saved my life not too long ago. Only Wyatt and Tory have the ability to activate the trackers. I know you haven’t met them yet, but they’re very good people. I’ve put my life in their hands. I don’t think you’ll necessarily need it, but better safe than sorry, right?”
“Okay, if you think I should have it,” Emma decided, “I agree, but I think I should talk to Dalton before we do anything with Kenna. I like the idea of you guys being able to find me, in case something goes wrong. So, pick the place and stick me, sis.”
Even though Emma made light, the decision wasn’t an easy one. She knew the risks now and she was more than happy to let the Alpha Team know her every location. Picking between her toes for the injection, it was the oddest sensation, like having a splinter that you couldn’t pick out. Ryleigh explained the sensation would fade. The security in knowing she could be found if she was ever taken, more than alleviated the discomfort. After they were all done, Emma went off to see her daughter. Dalton would be leaving her in an hour for the first time since her escape and McKenna’s birth and it was killing her.
NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team Page 54