“Uh-huh. And a junior lieutenant in the pack.”
Christine couldn't help laughing as she watched Ari fend off advances from the other ladies. Ari held on possessively to Darren, refusing to let anyone else carry him.
Christine turned to Hayley and confided, “When Scott told me that he was taking me and Darren to his pack, I was kind of worried. I thought his pack members would be, well, fierce and feral. I never thought...” She chewed her lip and blushed. “...that I would like all of you so much.”
Hayley gave her a warm hug. “You and your baby are safe here. The pack will protect you. The Duskfall wolves burned down your inn. They tried to hurt Scott, you and your son. They won't get away with it,” Hayley said fiercely.
Christine was about to reply when Scott walked into the living room with Grayson and a few senior lieutenants.
His gray eyes locked on her immediately. Giving her a quick smile, he glanced towards the group of besotted ladies and chuckled. “You had your turn, Ari,” someone protested. “Let us hold him!”
Darren was enjoying the attention immensely, gurgling and grinning at all the doting adults as he was passed around.
“You okay?” Scott asked Christine softly.
“Yeah.”
“My Alpha would like to speak with you for a moment,” Scott told her.
“Oh. Okay,” Christine said, jumping to her feet.
Grayson stepped forward and gave her a gentle smile. “Miss Reyes, please, take a seat.”
Christine sat down nervously and faced Grayson. Grayson Edge, the Alpha of the Sentinels, was a tall, handsome man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Christine noticed that Ari had the same intelligent blue eyes and golden hair.
“Scott told me what happened,” Grayson said. “Very few members of the pack knew that I had sent Scott off on a mission. We didn't want the Duskfall wolves to know that the Beta of the Sentinels wasn't with the pack. But someone tipped off the Duskfall wolves. They knew he was staying at your inn.”
Christine took a deep breath and said, “I don't think it was Yaya. She...”
“I don't believe Yaya did it,” Hayley spoke up. “I know you don't trust witches, Grayson, but Yaya...”
Grayson turned to his mate and sighed. “At this time, we can't afford to trust anyone,” he said quietly.
The corner of Grayson's mouth curved when he heard Darren's happy laughter and his pack members speaking gibberish to the infant. For an instant, his stern, austere expression evaporated.
Grayson glanced at Scott and said to Christine, “You and your son are under the protection of the Sentinels. You can choose to stay here, at our headquarters, or...if you prefer to stay with any of us...”
“I want to stay with Scott,” Christine answered at once. She saw some of the lieutenants wink at their Beta and grin. “If it's okay with Scott,” she mumbled, blushing furiously.
Grayson hid a smile behind his hand. “All our homes are open to you. But—you've made your choice. You've chosen Scott's bachelor pad,” Grayson said, giving particular emphasis to the last two words.
Christine had a feeling that Grayson was trying to warn her about something, probably the state of Scott's bachelor pad. But she wasn't in the least discouraged nor deterred.
She knew that all the Sentinels would take good care of her and her baby. But she only wanted to be with Scott. They belonged together. The three of them.
She didn't want them to be apart. She didn't want to lose another moment with Scott. She had already lost so much. In one night, her inn was gone.
The inn had been her home, her future. But now she had a different future. For a long time, it had just been her and Darren, just the two of them against the world.
But now, she had an entire pack standing with her.
It was a strange feeling to know that she was no longer alone. But it was a feeling she could get used to.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Scott took one of his lieutenants aside and asked urgently, “Mark, I don't suppose you still have your baby cot in your house, do you?”
Mark chortled gleefully. “As a matter of fact, I do! I've been keeping it...for when my Beta needs a baby cot out of the blue.” Mark's little girl was five now, and Scott had helped Mark paint his daughter's room bright pink just a few months back. Mark waggled his brows at Scott and went on, “I'll ask Laura where she kept Sophie's cot. Probably somewhere in the back of the house. Aren't you going to rush home to, you know, tidy up your place? You don't want Christine to think that you're a slob, do you?”
Scott raised a finger. “Good point.”
“I'll come over and help you set up the cot later,” Mark called after him.
“Thanks!” Scott yelled over his shoulder.
He was almost out the door when he heard Christine's anxious voice. “Scott!”
He turned to see her hurrying towards him with Darren in her arms. “Are you leaving now? We're leaving with you, right?” She searched his face and swallowed. “But we can stay here at the pack headquarters...if you're not comfortable having us in your home...”
Scott swore at himself. In his haste to rush home and do what little spring-cleaning he could, he had given her the impression that he was trying to get away from them, that he didn't want them in his house. Nothing could be further from the truth. He was ecstatic that Christine and Darren were coming to live with him. If only he had been more diligent about doing his household chores…
“Christine, you and Darren are coming with me. Right now,” he said, taking her hand. “We are going home.”
She broke into a radiant smile, and he had to resist the urge to draw her into his arms and kiss her right there in front of his pack members.
He helped Christine and Darren into the back seat of his car, and said apologetically, “I will install a baby car seat, I promise. My house is just round the corner, less than three minutes away. So it's just a very short drive.”
He jogged over to the driver's seat and got in. His pack members were crowded at the entrance of the house, waving enthusiastically and pulling funny faces for Darren.
Scott tooted his horn at them and drove away from the Sentinels' headquarters. He was driving Christine and Darren to his home, and he couldn't help feeling both proud and apprehensive.
He thought of his pile of laundry on the couch and the dirty dishes in the sink. Had he left his dirty socks by the door as well?
“Scott, is everything okay?” Christine asked softly.
“Huh? Yeah. Of course. Why wouldn't everything be okay?” he said cheerfully.
“It's just that you're rather quiet. There seems to be something on your mind.”
Scott laughed awkwardly. There certainly was something on his mind. He was calculating the time needed to throw his laundry into the washing machine, wash up his dirty dishes and mop his floor. If he was really fast, he could get all that done in...three minutes? Maybe he could finish all his chores before she even got out of the car, he thought hopefully.
“I won't park in my driveway,” he said, glancing at Christine in his rear view mirror. “I'll park a little distance from my house. I'll run in to, um, childproof my house, pick up bits and pieces off the floor so you and Darren won't trip and fall. You just take your time getting out of the car. Walk very slowly, okay? You can never be too careful.”
Christine frowned. “Er...okay.”
“Right. Here we are!” Scott announced, parking his car at the side of the curb.
He bounced out of the car and hurried towards a white, single-story house. His lawn was freshly mowed and he didn't have any pretty flowering plants growing in front of his house. The only thing he succeeded in growing was grass.
“Take your time!” he called out, as he hastily unlocked his front door. Christine had gotten out of the car and was looking around the quiet neighborhood. She adjusted her baby on her hip and started towards him.
“I'll go inside and get the place ready for you and Darren! Don't co
me in just yet, okay?” He stumbled into his house and slammed the door. He opened it again and poked his head out. “Ring the doorbell!”
That would give him enough warning. Slamming the door, he began to move at superhuman speed, snatching up his laundry from the couch and grabbing the mop at the same time. He managed to drag the mop across the floor, pile the dishes into the dishwasher and switch on the washing machine in under a minute. He was a man on a mission, moving determinedly through his house like a tornado.
“You got this,” he said to himself, trying to tamp down his panic. He was the goddamn Beta of the Sentinels. He could do this. He could do housework.
He had everything under control.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Christine's eyes rounded when she saw Scott slam the door and duck into his house. He looked terribly flustered, and she thought she saw a look of panic cross his face when she got out of the car.
“What's he doing?” she whispered to Darren.
Darren sneezed and blinked at her.
Christine quickened her steps. “Let's get you indoors,” she said, hurrying towards Scott's house. “It's pretty windy out here.”
She stood at the front door and frowned as she pressed the doorbell. Was Scott playing a game with them?
“Knock, knock,” she called out.
She heard something topple on the other side of the door and Scott's muffled curses.
“Coming!” he shouted.
The door opened and Scott stood there, grinning and panting slightly. His eyes looked wild and feverishly bright.
“I thought I heard...”
“I have everything under control,” he declared with a flourish. “Come in, come in and see for yourself!”
Christine stepped into the house and saw a trail of clothes leading to the back of the house. She kept her face straight as Scott picked up the clothes in a hurry and explained, “I was just doing the laundry.”
The dishwasher was merrily whirring away. “And the dishes,” he added.
The doorbell buzzed and Scott dumped the rest of the clothes into the washing machine before skidding to the front door. He took a deep breath and threw the door open. “Mark! You're...”
“I'm right on time, aren't I?” Mark said, wrestling a foldaway baby cot through the door.
Mark looked up and smiled at Christine. “Hi, Christine. Meet my wife, Laura, and my daughter, Sophie!”
A pretty brunette and a young girl of about four or five came bounding into the house.
“Hello!” they chorused.
“Hi,” Christine said.
The girl came up to her and stroked Darren's cheek. “You're adorable,” she cooed. “I've always wanted a baby brother. What's your name?”
“This is Darren,” Christine said.
“Well, Darren, you'll be sleeping in my cot,” Sophie said proudly. “I have my own bed, coz' I'm a big girl now.”
Mark looked around the house, impressed. “Not bad,” he said. “You finally got round to doing your chores, eh, Beta?”
Scott growled at him.
Mark chuckled as Scott helped him carry the cot into one of the rooms. “I once cleaned the whole house in five minutes,” Mark whispered to Scott. “I got everything done just before Laura came home from shopping. How long did you take?”
“Two minutes, I think.” The two men hi-fived and bumped fists.
Laura rolled her eyes at her husband and turned to Christine. “When they say they've cleaned the whole house, you've got to...” Laura peeled the carpet back and sighed. “Look under the carpets and rugs.”
Christine let out a laugh when she saw the food wrappers, crumbs and dust bunnies that Scott had swept under his carpet. But she was touched that Scott had put in the effort to try and make his house as clean and comfortable for them as possible. She hadn't given him much notice. Scott had done the best he could, given the very limited time he had.
“We brought Sophie's old playpen too,” Laura said. “It's not very big. I'll get it from the car and help you set it up.”
Once the little playpen was set up in a corner of the living room, Christine put Darren in it. Laura insisted on helping her sweep and mop up the place, while Sophie entertained Darren with songs and rhymes.
By the time Mark and Scott emerged from the room, the whole place was spic and span.
Christine thanked Mark, Laura and Sophie profusely for their help. After they left, Christine turned to Scott with a smile. “Laura told me you helped them paint Sophie's room.”
He shrugged. “Sophie wanted pink walls and unicorns on the ceiling. Her dad and I tried to tell her that wolves are way cooler than unicorns, but she didn't think so.”
Christine laughed. She was beginning to understand and appreciate the close ties and bonds that weaved through the pack. The Sentinels were a close-knit, united pack, and their members genuinely cared for one another. They offered their help unhesitatingly and unreservedly, and they took care of the surviving family members of their fallen comrades.
She'd never had such support before. All along she thought that she would be fine on her own, that she could raise Darren alone. But now she realized that it did indeed take a village, or in this case, a pack to raise a child.
Being with the Sentinels made her realize that Darren would be so much happier and healthier growing up with loving, supportive people around him. He would have other kids to play with, and there would be other adults to care for him and dote on him.
She stole a glance at Scott. Did Scott want the same thing? Was he taking care of them out of pity and a sense of responsibility, or did he feel something more for them?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Scott stood at the door and watched Christine hum a lullaby as she rocked Darren to sleep. It had been a long day. His pack members had dropped by throughout the day to pass Christine clothes, toys and home-cooked meals. He had rushed out to buy boxes of diapers, baby bottles, infant food and clothes. He wanted to make sure that Christine and Darren had everything they needed.
Christine seemed overwhelmed by the attention. She kept thanking everyone for their help. She was deeply touched by their kindness, and she had to blink back tears as she hugged his pack members.
The spare bedroom would be Darren's nursery. There was a baby monitor on the table beside his cot, but Scott didn't need a gadget to hear Darren's cries. He could hear the little boy's whimper from a mile away.
He had only two rooms in his house, so Christine would be sleeping in his bedroom. Which was where she belonged—in his bed.
He had to suppress a growl as he watched Christine step out of Darren's room. They were alone at last.
Christine closed the door and whispered, “He's sleeping now. He's exhausted. He had a really fun day, playing with all his new toys.”
Scott tucked a strand of her wavy hair behind her ear. “You've had a long day too. You ready for bed?”
“I am.” She blushed and pushed herself up on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth. “But I don't want to go to sleep just yet.”
Scott held her by the waist and leaned in to nuzzle her neck. “What do you want to do, Christine?” he said in a low voice.
Her blush deepened as she pressed her hands on his chest. “Scott, I...”
He knew what she wanted. Her body couldn't lie. The color in her cheeks, her quickening breaths, the scent of her arousal told him in no uncertain terms what she wanted.
She wanted him.
Scott tilted her face up and looked into her eyes. He could feel her quivering in his arms. She was nervous and worried, but she didn't hide her desire for him.
“Don't push me away,” she whispered. She closed her eyes. “Please don't volunteer to sleep on the couch or something. I want you to sleep with me tonight. Please, Scott.”
Scott gripped her arms and growled. “I won't ever push you away. Do you know how much I want you, Christine?”
She swallowed repeatedly before speaking again. “I'm a si
ngle mom. Darren and I...”
“Darren and you are a whole package. I get that. And I want that. I want you and Darren,” he said fiercely. “I want you and I want everything with you. I want this family. I will be proud to be Darren's dad. Darren's biological father…”
“He is not Darren's dad!” Christine snapped, her eyes blazing. “He's a jerk who thinks that money can solve everything! When I told him I was pregnant, he broke up with me immediately and wrote me a fucking check. He said he didn't want anything to do with the baby. He used money to get rid of us.” Her laugh was harsh and hollow. “That money was for my baby. So I used the money to buy the inn, thinking it would secure our future. But now...”
“Your future is with me,” Scott said. “The three of us are a family, you understand?”
She took a shaky breath. “You don't mind being burdened with a kid and...”
“Burden?” His voice rose. “Do you think Darren is a burden?” he demanded.
“No! He's my son...”
“He is my son too,” Scott said firmly. “And you are my mate.”
She opened her mouth but Scott silenced her with a kiss. Scott moved his lips over hers, savoring her taste and memorizing her curves as he caressed her body.
Christine moaned and clung to his broad shoulders when he deepened the kiss. Scott's body jerked when she touched her tongue to his. He groaned her name, his hands cupping and kneading her heavy breasts.
Walking her backwards to his bedroom, Scott tumbled her onto his big bed and began to undress her.
Christine lifted her arms to let him remove her top. She tried to reach his zipper but he captured her hands and pinned them high above her head.
Christine writhed and whimpered but he wouldn't release her. He pulled one erect nipple into his mouth and sucked hard. She gasped when he pushed his hand into her damp panties and fingered her.
With a ripping sound, he tore away the rest of her clothes, leaving her completely naked in his bed.
“I want you like this, every single night,” he growled.
Beta's Baby: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance (Wolves Hollow Book 2) Page 6