Page 89 of Chev's Mate

He turns and shoots me one of his rare dirty looks before widening his legs and swinging again. It’s much better. I shift my attention to Cassia. David’s axe is clearly too heavy for her, but I let her have a few minutes before switching her back to her smaller one. Immediately, both she and David improve.

Having a good axe—one appropriately weighted and sized—is key.

“You’re doing great,” I say, continuing to make my rounds between the three children.

I’ll have each one chop down four trees before showing them how to remove the branches. Then, they’ll pick where they want to build their home. I’m very excited.

David screams as a tree falls and almost lands on him, and I bark out a laugh before showing him how to direct the direction of the fall. Silas will kill me if I let one of his children get crushed. They’ll live, and I personally think it will teach them a valuable lesson on safety, but I doubt Silas will see it that way.

Useless male.

Two hours pass before each child has their four trees, and I pull out the food I packed for lunch. The bloodhounds smell it and come running over, their axes swinging dangerously around their legs. Valeria and David set down their axes to eat, but Cassia holds on to hers. I fear it will be hard to get it back from her at the end of the day.

“I packed ucka and juice,” I say, pulling the food out of my backpack.

All three little demons dive in, sticking their fingers into the ucka meat and ripping off large chunks. They eat like wild animals, and I love it.

I originally planned to eat with them, but as I watch Valeria practically pounce over David to get an especially juicy-looking piece of meat, I realize I underestimated their appetites. I lie on my back and listen to them eat instead, specifically Cassia.

She chokes sometimes.

Twenty minutes pass before they collapse next to me, their faces covered in grease and their eyes sleepy. There’s not much ucka left, but I pick apart the few chunks of meat they didn’t get to and eat while they nap. I often fall asleep after a big meal, so I know exactly how they feel.

It’s not long before they’re up and moving around again, and I show them how to clean their trees. I’ve already picked out and cleared the general area where they’ll build their house, and I hold their axes while they work together to carry their logs to the spot.

The shifter children around their age have been building homes closer to the pack’s center, but I chose a spot on the outskirts of the pack, closer to my house. Shifters love kids, but I know the demon blood makes them wary.

“Here we are,” I say as we reach the area I cleared for them. “Look around and decide where you want your home to go. You can’t change it once you’ve started.”

Valeria and David immediately begin to fight, and I lean against a tree while waiting for them to work it out. They eventually settle on a spot, mainly because Cassia throws herself onto the ground and begins screaming. David concedes to stop the arguing, letting Valeria pick the spot.

I peer through the trees, happy when I notice my kitchen window is just barely visible from where I stand. My excitement falls when I catch sight of my mate glaring at me through the glass, though. She told me very specifically not to give the children axes.

I pretend not to notice her as I show the children how to begin laying down the framework. Their first house will be small, but it’s for practice. We’ll discuss more permanent options once they’re large enough to chop down real trees.

My heart pounds when I eventually take them back to my home.

Vanessa’s going to yell at me.

She’s full of smiles when the four of us come sauntering inside, but I know it’s a lie. I can feel her anger through our bond, and it’s confirmed when I walk into the living room and see she’s brought the bird figurines out.

Valeria sees them, too, and I’m proud of how well I’ve trained her when she begins to cry. She loves birds, but she knows to act scared when she sees them in my home.

“Oh, no. It’s okay,” I coo, rushing to grab the evil objects and shove them deep into the nearest junk drawer. “I’ll put them away!”

Valeria gasps and wipes her tears, and I avoid looking at my mate as I pull the tiny being into my arms and rub her back. I don’t like fates, but this one’s okay.

“Food’s in the kitchen,” Vanessa says.

Her voice isn’t nearly as angry as I was expecting, and when I work up the courage to meet her gaze, I’m surprised to see she’s looking at me with a soft smile. I don’t trust it.

The kids sprint out of the room at the mention of food, the little goblins already hungry again. I’m going to begin charging Aziel for the food they eat. Maybe I can convince him to hunt me down an ucka in payment.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble when Vanessa and I are alone.

She hums, and I stiffen as she approaches and wraps her arms around my waist. This is an attack I’m unfamiliar with, and I remain rigid as she rises to her toes and kisses my lips.

“Did you teach Valeria to cry when she sees those birds?” she asks.

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