Page 5 of Daddy's Mail Order Mate

“Yeah, I can hear those gears turning already. But seriously, don’t take too much on your own. I can come right to you and help with the baby.”

“No,” I insist a bit more forcefully than I’d like.

“Okay. I’m gonna be worrying about both of you, so don’t keep me waiting too long. Liam’ll kick your ass if I get too stir crazy.”

“He can try.”

I hang up the call there. She’s right; my mind is already churning with the multitude of tasks suddenly laid out before me.

A warbling sound brings me back to the present, and I lean the baby off of me gently to look at his furrowed face.

This small, red-faced little life depends on me. Paige had needed me, but never like this. The most simple oversight could be the end of him. He is utterly helpless, and I am the reason he is here at all. It is my duty to take care of him above all else. And I know that even though I had no idea he existed until today, I would die for this precious burden in my arms.

He starts to cry. The shrill tone of it sends a pain through me is one I’ve never known before. I’d honestly take breaking a leg or getting shot again if it meant not feeling this sharp, anxious agony.

I cradle him close and shush him as best I can.

He might be distressed because he was no longer in the presence of his mother, but that was something he was going to have to get used to. But most urgently…

“Food,” I mumble forcefully, already heading towards the door.

Shit, I don’t have a car seat. How am I supposed to drive a baby safely without a car seat? But he needs food, as soon as possible.

I force out a long, slow exhale, willing the anxiety from my body.

I had been an agent of the council for over a decade now. I had orchestrated some of the most sensitive and critical missions necessary to maintain the stability of the shifter world.

I can handle a baby.

Mybaby.

Chapter 1 - Thorn

Six Months Later

The drive to Portsmill Pack is always a strange one for me. It’s pretty countryside out to the sheltered settlement in and of itself. Nothing particularly offensive. But these were the mountainous foothills and forests that had been my whole world as a child. It was a world I had fought tooth and claw to escape from, and save my sister from as well.

And here I am going back to it. Quite regularly now since Rowan was delivered to my doorstep six months ago. I’d kept myself somewhat scarce of the place even with my sister comfortably taking roost and reforming the pack, but making sure my little one was taken care of did mean I was visiting more often. Much to Paige’s chagrin however; she’d much rather I just have moved into the place. But I had sworn to myself many years ago that I wouldneverbelong to that pack again. Paige may have been able to start healing her old wounds with the place, but I…

I exhale slowly and flex my fingers on the steering wheel, narrowing my focus back in on the packed dirt road and gentle blur of trees passing me by.

I was just going to stop by, see my family, get my son, and go home to the property I bought near Elm Wood Pack for at least a few weeks of downtime and dote on my boy for a bit. No need to go raising my hackles or go staring at skeletons in my closet. I can tell I was suffering from some lingering tension from my work trip abroad this time. It'd been a rough case.

Even with such self-discipline, my body’s still a bit elevated as I navigate my way along the pack’s communal andresidential buildings and head towards the lane she lives on with.

I’m glad that my sister has a comfortable new home for her family. With all the renovations they've done, it’s easy to forget that it used to be Old Larry’s place back when we were kids. But far better here than the old Vata house. Even just passing by the house we were raised in still gets my hackles up. They’ve gotten another family moved in there now, but if I had my way, I would have torn the place down and burned it to the foundation.

I hear the front door swing open and look just in time to see Paige grinning ear to ear in the bright morning sunlight.

“Hi Thorn! You’re here early!”

“Morning.”

She hurries up to me, and I catch her practically leaping into my arms with a tight hug. Her giddy giggles set off a quiet warmth in my chest. I might not have been able to make sure she had a happy childhood, but she can enjoy such innocence and ease now.

Once I get her set back down, Paige pulls back to smile like always up at me.

“You’re just in time. Little Rowan woke up just a few minutes ago, so I haven’t gotten to feeding him yet.”

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