Page 68 of Out of Peril

“It's going to be okay.”

She nodded and wiped at her eyes. “I need to call Lucy and then make sure the kids get dinner. Or if you need time with Maya and Dante, I can keep watch over Lindsey.”

“Thanks, but I know how vulnerable she feels in this form. I can't leave her.”

“I figured as much. You really love her don't you? I know you, Walker, so don't bother lying to me. I can see it clearly written all over your face when you look at her. That's more than just a mating call.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yes.”

I groaned while Shelby just smiled happily.

“Is it okay if I just fix dinner here for everyone?”

“Sure, though I have no idea what I actually have here. People just keep dropping off food, but I've been too worried to even bother eating.”

“Leave it to me.”

She had Lucy on the phone before she hit the first step.

Lucy and Shelby had bonded over their children. The triplets bio mom had been held in a Raglan facility experimenting with DNA on embryos. Lucy had been held captive in that same facility and she was artificially inseminated with her daughter, Vada.

So far, all four children were growing up normally and meeting the same milestones of any child. But there was no way for us to know what had been done to their genetics pre-birth or what that would mean for their futures when they grew up and started to shift.

My godchildren's biological mother's Pack had turned them out, calling them monsters and abominations. That's how Ben and Shelby came to adopt them.

But the truth is, we can't predict their futures.

I knew that seeing Lindsey with all her genetic mutations, yet still a fully functioning being capable of intelligent thought, emotions, and humanity meant the world to both sets of parents.

Realizing she was likely going to sleep for a while, I sat down on the ground and leaned into her. I breathed in her unique scent and let it comfort me.

She was going to be okay.

I tried not to let myself think about what could have happened. I'd been pushing thoughts like that away all week. I had to believe she would be okay because if she wasn't, then I knew for certain I wasn't going to ever be okay, either.

The stress of everything had weighed heavily on me. I had refused to sleep as I kept a vigilant watch over her as she healed. Now that I knew she was going to be alright, I could relax a little.

“Walker? Walker, where are you?” Shelby yelled.

I startled. I knew I had been in the process of crashing but thought I had fought it off. The exhaustion must have won out, as I now realized I had fallen asleep.

Trying to stretch, I found myself trapped by Lindsey’s large feather wing as she tucked me up next to her and covered me with it.

“I'm here,” I yelled back to Shelby.

In the process of freeing myself, I woke Lindsey.

Reaching up, I petted her face and then kissed her nose. “Go back to sleep, babe.”

“You two are adorable.”

“Oh shut up.”

“I'm serious.”

“You aren't freaked out by her beast?”

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