Page 30 of Baby and the Beast

“I’ve been asked if you’re going to name an heir.”

Kyle’s wolf started snapping in his head, but he knew what Liam was trying to say. “There are lots of alpha’s who don’t have a direct descendant, especially these days.” It was because hedidn’t have a son, and now with Cyrus he had no way of getting one.

Liam sighed. “Not many that have a pack the size of this one though.”

“We just want to know what to say,” Josh said. “You know you have our support.” All three fell silent, uncomfortable. They looked like they disliked this conversation as much as he did.

Kyle scrubbed his tired eyes. “We have another problem. Not pack, business.” They all looked concerned. “Income has steadily atrophied over the last five years. Cheap imports are mainly to blame, plus the increase cost in transportation.” And the fact his uncle had made some really fucking stupid decisions. Kyle didn’t know what the hell he was doing. Could they tell he was quoting Martin? “Selling some land might be the only thing we can do, but I want it kept quiet for the moment. Martin’s looking into some new contracts. There are a couple of national builders looking to specialize in custom luxury builds. If we were able to get one of those contracts we’d be set.”

All three nodded respectfully, but Kyle was just keeping them informed. They strictly handled pack business. The logging company was completely separate, but it provided a lot of finances for the pack and paid the wages.

They all turned at the quiet knock on the office door and Kyle stared in shock as Cyrus walked in with a tray of coffee and what had to be homemade cookies. Liam groaned appreciatively, and Kyle leaned back and stared. He’d purposely abandoned Cyrus to Marnie because he simply didn’t know what to say. He gazed at his shy smile and the touch of pink on his cheeks. His eyes sparkled in pleasure at the thank yous all flowing his way.

“I knew you’d been holed up in here for a while and these just came out of the oven.”

“Marnie’s?” Kyle asked reaching over for one.

“Her recipe but Chloe helped me make them.” Cyrus smiled briefly then left.

Kyle’s lips parted in surprise. Although he shouldn’t be really. The morning after the pups had woken him, he’d finally dropped asleep around six and when he’d woken after eight he’d practically bolted downstairs when he saw that neither Chloe nor Aiva were in bed. He’d rushed into the small kitchen to find breakfast nearly finished and a plate of bacon, eggs, and potatoes keeping warm in the oven. Aiva was playing with her teddy and trying to eat her teething rings, and Chloe was happily coloring a picture.

The radio was playing in the background and everything seemed calm. He hadn’t had a clue what to say to Cyrus. He’d just sat and eaten his breakfast and been incredibly relieved when Liam arrived. Cyrus said he would take both the girls to Marnie and find out what their day was usually like. Since then, apart from Marnie supplying him with food at regular intervals, Kyle had been so busy with either pack business or with Martin that he’d collapsed into bed in the early hours of the morning every night, then barely slept. He hadn’t seen Cyrus or the girls except briefly when Cyrus had them in the pack kitchen with Marnie. He hadn’t had a run for a few days either, but his wolf would be okay. In the Marines he sometimes had to go for weeks without letting his animal out.

He still needed to sort out a bedroom for Cyrus. He needed to get him some clothes as he seemed to just alternate between two pairs of jeans. Kyle flushed slightly remembering what had happened to the third pair.

The betas all stood. Pepper and Josh left, but Liam lingered a moment. Kyle eyed him knowing his beta had something to say he didn’t want to in front of the other two. “What is it?”

“Don’t bite my head off?”

Kyle huffed, smiling. They’d been friends for a long time and had played as kids. Liam had shifted into his wolf the first time within an hour of Kyle. They’d joked Kyle’s wolf had made him. Threatened to bite him if not. “I need all the advice I can get.”

“I wish I had some for you, boss. I just wanted to remind you the pack run is on Saturday.”

“Shit,” Kyle snapped. He’d forgotten.

“And this is where you don’t bite me, but I’d be wrong if I didn’t point out you either have to have Cyrus front and center as your mate or he needs to go. If that’s even possible,” Liam allowed.

Kyle nodded.

“The pack would follow your lead. You show you’re all in with Cyrus whether you have pups or not and the pack will settle down. It’s the not knowing that’s causing discontentment.”

“And discontentment leads to a challenge.” He didn’t have to spell it out. If Fairfield got wind that his pack didn’t support him, he’d be lucky to make it to Saturday. “But you won’t tell anyone else?” Liam raised an eyebrow as if to say “duh” and left. Kyle stared out of the window. He ought to go talk to Martin and make a decision about the land. He didn’t want to do it. He felt like if he sold he would be betraying his dad, but after Martin had shown him the last lot of figures he knew he had to do something.

And what the hell was he going to do about Cyrus? Clara had come to him in tears and apologized profusely for what she’d said about Cyrus. She and Martin had even offered to show Cyrus around, but Kyle wanted him to stay with Marnie for the moment.

Which reminded him, why was Cyrus with the kids? Surely Amanda should have them? He paid the young she-wolf to look after them during the day.

Grabbing the excuse to put off making a decision, he drained his coffee and picked up the tray, heading for the pack kitchen. He could hear the noise as he got there and walked in to see Marnie rolling pastry as Cyrus stood watching with Aiva on his hip. She was tugging his hair and he was chuckling.

“Where’s Chloe?”

Marnie looked up smiling. “Amanda has taken her on a playdate with her sister’s pup. They wanted to go for a walk, so we offered to keep Aiva here. You know how grouchy she gets in the stroller.” Aiva threw her book on the floor and giggled as Cyrus bent to get it.

Kyle shook his head in amazement. “I’ve never seen her take to anyone that quickly before. She usually cries with anyone new.” The words were out before he had a chance to think, but before he said anything else Marnie interrupted.

“Alpha, have you decided if we’re going to hold a pack cookout on Saturday?” She beamed at Cyrus and Aiva. “It would be a really good opportunity to have all the pack meet Cyrus.”

Kyle mentally groaned. “I haven’t decided,” he hedged.

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