by Shelby Lynn
“I love you,” Haven told his mate, as he laid a gentle kiss on his lips after cleaning them.
“I love you as well, my handsome mate.” Garrett pulled his mate down for another passionate kiss. He decided later tonight that he would pleasure his mate once the day was through.
They dressed and went into the nursery to check on their precious little girl. Sometimes they still had to pinch themselves to believe they had been given such an amazing gift.
Mandy was reading in the rocking chair when they walked through the door. She looked up as they came into the room. “Hi—is everything okay?” Mandy asked. She was worried about the man in the kitchen. Now, even an hour later, he was in her thoughts.
“Yes—we were just checking on Jasmine to see if she is awake yet,” Garrett told her with a smile.
“I was worried something was wrong when the man came into the kitchen earlier.” Mandy didn’t want to butt into their business, so she didn’t say anything more.
“No—that was Simon. He just brought Sawyer’s and Johnny’s things. He hasn’t had any sleep, so he was very tired.” Haven decided to leave it at that for now, until they had a chance to meet with Simon once again.
“Alright, I was just worried. I’m glad everything is okay,” she told them. Mandy knew they weren’t telling her something, but that was their prerogative. She was just their employee, after all.
Just then, Mandy’s phone buzzed showing there was a call coming in for her.
“Mandy, we’ll let you get that. We have a meeting in the office, so we don’t know when it will be over,” Garrett told her with a smile. They walked out of the nursery after seeing Jasmine was asleep.
Mandy watched the men leave the room and went to answer the phone before it stopped ringing.
“Hello,” Mandy said into her phone.
“Hi, sweetie, how are you doing?” Teddy said into the phone. He had really missed his friend while he was gone.
“Teddy—I am so glad to hear from you. Did you get the tour all wrapped up?” Mandy asked.
“I did, thank goodness. I will be home tonight. How about having dinner with your friend?” Teddy asked.
“Oh—Teddy I would love to, but the guys are working late tonight, so it will have to wait. Maybe we can get together in the next couple of days. I will let the guys know you are home. I wish you had been home last night. I had the whole night off, and I went to dinner and watched a movie,” Mandy told him.
“Did you have fun?”
“I had a blast! I had a relaxing evening, and indulged in my favorite meal. Then I watched a romantic movie and came home to a very restful sleep,” she told him.
“I am so glad you indulged yourself, my girl. You need to do that more often!”
“I agree! I truly feel like I am finally where I belong, Teddy. It is so weird, and I can’t even explain the feeling!” Mandy told her friend.
“That makes me so happy, Mandy.”
“Well, I had better go, Teddy. Jasmine is starting to wake up and she’ll want a change and some food soon. Have a safe drive home. I will see you very soon!”
“Night, sweetie,” Teddy told her.
Mandy hung up the phone with a happy smile on her face. She was always happy after talking to her friend. She couldn’t wait to see him.
Chapter Eighteen
Simon had just gotten out of the shower. He already felt better after a cold shower to cool down his blazing cock. The last thing he needed was to scare his mate to death with his mating urges. He was finally getting over the shock of his mate being a human. Although he was at a loss on how to react to this very key factor. His mate was fragile, and that was something he could never forget.
He couldn’t wait to officially meet his mate. She probably thought he was some kind of crazy man the way he had acted before. Honestly, he still wasn’t sure how to proceed with his beautiful mate. If she had been a wolf, then she would know he was her mate immediately. This was a whole different situation, and Simon knew he would have to consider everything.
All he could think about was getting to know his mate better. She truly was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. From the top of her blond curls like the sunlight, to her dainty feet, Mandy was perfection in his eyes. He was so glad his mate was curvy as well. He didn’t know what human woman found so appealing about looking like a walking stick.
His hands were already itching to roam over the soft curves of his beautiful mate. Shit—he had to stop this! Here he was getting rock-hard all over again. It was time to plan the wooing of his mate. He decided it was time to call in for a little friendly advice. He reached for his phone to call Razz. Where one brother was, then the second one would be close at hand as well. Simon listened to the phone ring waiting for his friend to answer.
“So how is it in the middle of nowhere?” his friend teased.
“It is incredible, Razz, just like I knew it would be. That isn’t why I am calling though. I found my mate!” Simon told his friend.
“Oh shit—tell me everything!” Razz said to Simon. He couldn’t wait another moment to tell his twin, Tazz, the news though. Razz excitedly told him of Simon’s good fortune.
“Well—her name is Mandy. She is the most beautiful woman in the world. I do have one small issue I could use some help with though. Mandy is human, and she doesn’t have a clue about shifters. I could really use some advice on how to start getting to know her,” he told his friend in confusion.
“Damn—well let me think a moment.” He told Tazz the situation quietly while he was pondering the situation.
Simon listened to Razz tell his brother about the “human thing” in the background. They were debating back and forth on ideas to help their friend. Within moments, Razz was back on the phone. “Simon, it all comes down to romance. You need to sweep your girl off her feet. Show her just how Shifter’s feel about their mates. Even if you tell her you are a Wolf, and explain the whole 'Mate' part to her, she may not fully understand how sacred that is to us. How unbelievably incredible it is to find that one special person meant for you.” Razz was so happy for his friend. He couldn’t wait to meet the very lucky young lady.
“Wow—I wish I was so eloquent, and maybe I wouldn’t feel like a big goof right now. All I know is I can’t wait to get to know her better. You have given me a lot to think about though. I think flowers are in order. Now I just have to find someone to deliver them today.” Simon was really glad he had called.
“You’re an idiot. Just because you are a strong man’s man doesn’t make you any less romantically inclined toward your mate. Just do what your heart is telling you, and worst-case scenario, call us for help. We won’t let you fail in your romancing of your mate. You will sweep her right off her feet. It sounds like you won’t be able to rush her though. Just enjoy getting to know her,” Razz told his friend.
“Thanks, you always know what to say to make me feel better. I will try my best not to be a Neanderthal. All I want is her happiness above all else, and everything else can wait,” Simon told his friend.
“Spoken like a true mate. Well, at least what I would think one would sound like,” he said seriously. That alone would tell anyone in earshot just how much this conversation meant to him. He was the “humorous” twin, while his brother, Tazz, was known for his common sense and objectivity in stressful situations. They were truly like two sides of a coin.
“Thanks, Razz. I needed your carefree but very intuitive outlook on the situation. You have given me a lot to think about,” Simon told him honestly. He thanked his friend once again before hanging up.
Simon decided to wait a day on the flowers. He at least wanted to introduce himself before sending his mate flowers. It was almost time to meet the Alphas in the office once again. He quietly opened the door to his room, and made his way towards his destiny.
***
“So what did you think of Garrett's plans?” Sawyer asked his mate. He had just met with Garrett while Haven was talking to
Simon. He was glad his mate’s friend had found his mate. Even though it didn’t look like it would be smooth sailing. Mates were sacred to their people, and it was a blessing when another was found.
“I loved the Clinic, and the proposed housing addition. It will be perfect for my practice. He must have done a lot of research on clinics. There really wasn't anything major I would change with the blueprints. They were perfect. Just by looking at them, you could tell Garrett is an amazing Architect. He should be really proud of his work.”
“He has a natural talent, which only some can dream of having. Do you want Garrett to draw up plans for our house once we have some ideas to share with him?” Sawyer asked Garrett.
“He actually showed me several other plans he had drawn up for ideas, when we have a minute to sit down with him. It was a two-story log cabin, with the rustic look. I really liked the open rafters built with logs. There was just something so homey about it. Garrett actually had drawn up a detailed room-by-room overlay for the whole house. Honestly, I fell in love with the look. So I hope you like it, and we can use it as a guide in our planning,” Johnny told him with a smile.
“If you love it, Johnny, then I am sure it is fantastic. If it is exactly what you want, we can even use the blueprint Garrett showed you. I can't wait to see it myself. I’m sorry I wasn't there to look over it with you. Unfortunately, I needed to see the security around the Pack lands. It was a top priority after coming home. I want to make sure you are safe. It still bothers me that we haven't heard anything else from the Demons. It just isn't like the enemy to stop once they have you in their sights,” Sawyer expressed his thoughts Garrett.
“I know what you mean. Not that I haven't enjoyed the quiet time but the old saying, ‘Quiet before a Storm,’ is just the right thing for this occasion. Hopefully it will last, but I wouldn't hold my breath,” Johnny said with a sigh.
“I will do everything within my power to make sure you and the Pack are safe. It is my job, but also my Spirit-given duty as well. I know Haven has the borders patrolled daily for just that reason. As we take in more people, the dangers are just going to rise. Therefore, I am going to talk with Haven about adding more Enforcers to the Pack as well. I have a feeling when the Sanctuary is up and running, then we will have an explosion to our small Pack. It is something we need to be prepared for in every way.”
“I have no doubt you are right, Sawyer. It is an amazing thing Haven started here. There are so many shifters out there in trouble, but they haven’t had a place to go where they knew it would be safe. Look at me, if it wasn’t for the generosity of one Pack, I honestly don’t know where I would be today.” There was so much emotion in his voice. The dreams had started to return as before, and he knew it was time to tell Sawyer about them.
***
Simon headed down to the office to meet Alpha Haven. When he knocked on the door, he was told to enter.
“I’m glad to see you had a chance to relax for a little while. After that many hours on the road, I bet you were more than ready,” Haven told the younger man. It was just him meeting with Simon. Garrett was going over his creations with Johnny. They both had gone to his workroom to see the new plans he had created. He couldn’t help the smile, as he remembered the look on their faces. It was like little boys with their first little Match Box Car.
“Thanks for the hospitality, Alpha Haven,” Simon told the Pack Leader.
“Please call me Haven. We don’t stand on ceremony here. Have you had a chance to think over how you want to handle telling Mandy? I wanted to let you know it was a unanimous vote from the Pack to tell her. To all of us, she is already a member of the Pack and beloved family member,” Haven reiterated him.
“I think it would be best to hear about Shifters from someone Mandy trusts completely. The last thing I want to do is scare my mate to death. In fact, I had a chance to talk to a good friend, and he suggested romancing my mate. I agree with him. I think she will be shocked enough as it is. At least she will know I am a wolf after tonight. If the mating heat works on humans like it does on us, she will feel the pull toward me, and I want my mate to be one hundred percent on board before she makes any kind of decisions. It would kill me to cause her any kind of pain,” Simon told him.
“I think that is a very wise decision. From everything we have been able to find out Mandy hasn’t had an easy life. When she first moved into the Pack house, we made it a part of the deal that she wouldn’t invite any friends onto the property. After we go through with the unveiling tonight with Mandy, and see how it goes, I think it would be a good idea to meet this man that is an important part of her life. His name is Teddy, and all we know is he is a writer.”
Chapter Nineteen
Mandy watched the happy baby girl swatting at the toys hanging above her head from the mobile. She was giggling as the little animals twirled in a circular motion just for her pleasure. Then she stopped moving suddenly and stiffened. It was the strangest thing she had ever seen her do. Jasmine went from a very happy baby to screaming at the top of her lungs in a second flat. Mandy rushed to the side of the crib to pick her up.
It was a constant scream, and honestly, it scared the hell out of Mandy. She tried every way she knew to make the screaming stop. For a little one who never even cried at all, it was very terrifying. It was only a matter of seconds before Mandy heard the sound of running feet in the hallway and the door to the Nursery busted open.
“What happened, Mandy?” Haven asked the obviously distraught young lady trying to calm his daughter.
“I don’t know. Jasmine was playing with her mobile, and then all of sudden she stiffened and started to scream bloody murder,” she told him. There were tears running down Mandy’s cheeks she was so upset.
They weirdest thing happened then. Jasmine’s head started moving as if looking all around the room. It was only then she stopped screaming.
‘Daddies, there is a demon in my room. He is invisible, but I can feel him,’ Jasmine whispered into Haven and Garrett’s mind. ‘I am sorry to upset Mandy, but I knew you were too far away to hear me in your minds yet. Please tell Mandy I am okay,’ the little one told them unhappily.
“Jasmine is okay, Mandy. Please don’t cry. Something just scared her for a moment. She seems fine now,” Garrett told the distraught young woman.
Simon watched his mate in pain from the doorway. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and wipe away the tears. His wolf was once again prowling under his skin from his mate’s tears.
Jasmine smiled at Mandy. She didn’t like it that she had upset one of her favorite people in the world. There was danger near though, and she knew her daddies would do everything possible to keep them safe.
“Wow—I have never even heard Jasmine cry. She scared me to death. I am really glad that she is okay, though,” Mandy told them, as she wiped away the last of the tears running down her face.
Garrett took Jasmine from his mate. He slowly searched the room for any sign of the demon his daughter had felt. Unfortunately, he didn’t feel anything as he searched one more time in vain. ‘Jasmine, do you still feel the demon in the room?’ Garrett asked his daughter in her mind.
‘No—Daddy, it is gone now,’ Jasmine whispered back.
Dammit, now it seemed Jasmine was the only one who could sense a cloaked Demon. Hell, he didn’t even know they were able to do that. It would make keeping his loved ones safe so much harder. He knew the time had come to tell Mandy as well. She was stricken because of what had happened with Jasmine, when she wasn’t even aware of what was really going on. For her safety, as well as his daughter, the secrets had to be revealed as soon as possible.
“Why don’t we all go down to the kitchen and enjoy a cup of coffee. I bet Jasmine is about ready for a bottle, anyway,” Haven told them. He listened to Jasmine gurgle in response to the statement. Hell, it was going to be quite a day it seemed. Now they knew their enemy hadn’t left this realm after all.
Mandy went downstairs with the
gentlemen. She was still pretty shaken by what had happened. She wondered if something else was going on that she wasn’t aware of, from the looks on the men's faces. She decided if it was something she needed to know about they would tell her. She started making Jasmine a bottle, and let the men take care of themselves. Most of the men were out this afternoon, so it was just Haven and Garrett, along with the new handsome hunk.
She hoped he couldn’t tell her heart was beating faster than normal just by him being in the same room as her. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if he were gay like all of her good friends? Not that he would pay attention to me anyway, Mandy thought.
A few moments later, the guys nodded to each other in silent communication. Garrett took Jasmine and went to the living room to rock his little one. Mandy sat down with a cup of coffee at the bar in the kitchen. She was finally starting to calm down, and no longer shaking from the scare earlier.
Haven came over and sat down next to Mandy on one of the barstools. The timing wasn’t going to get any better, so he knew he had to start the conversation.
“Mandy, we have something we need to discuss with you,” Haven told her.
“Sure—you can tell me anything.”
This had to be one of the hardest things to explain. He thought about how best to approach the subject. The last thing he wanted was for Mandy to think they had gone off their rocker.
“Mandy, I think you have gotten to know all of us pretty well over the last few months. It is time we shared a very special part of ourselves with you. As you know already, we are primarily single, gay men living all together in this household, with the exception of Garrett, and myself who are soul-mates, as well as Sawyer and Johnny. We are a very close-knit group, and it is not often we let a stranger into our world,” Haven told her as he continued with his story.