Page 36 of Baby and the Beast

Kyle hesitated. They really had to talk. “And one family has seven people,” Liam said. “We don’t have any cabins big enough.” Kyle shot an apologetic look at Cyrus, then hurried after Liam.

It was chaos—well organized chaos anyway. It was also well past one in the morning when Kyle finally fell into bed. He still hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to Cyrus.

The next day was one of the busiest Cyrus had ever had and he enjoyed every moment, even if he still hadn’t had a chance to talk to Kyle. He’d hoped they were going to at least have breakfast together, but Chloe had woken around four screamingwith a nightmare. She’d only wanted Cyrus, so he had gotten in bed with her. By the time they woke up again, Kyle had to go sort out a fight between the son of one of his gammas and a young wolf from one of the new families.

“You look tired,” Marnie pronounced glancing over as they shared a coffee around two in the afternoon. The pack was meeting at three, so it would be their last chance. “How’s the secret project coming along?”

Cyrus smiled and his heart gave a happy bounce. “It’s finished.” And the room looked gorgeous. He’d even been able to rescue most of the books. The ones that were too damaged he’d put in a small cupboard to keep dry until Kyle decided what he was going to do with them. He’d shared his plan with Marnie when she’d found him washing the drapes and she had given him another two boxes of photographs and knickknacks she’d personally rescued before the challenge. They had finished the room off perfectly.

She’d even produced a picture of a younger Kyle in full uniform he must have sent to his brothers. Cyrus had copied that one in secret to keep himself. He couldn’t wait to show Kyle and intended on doing just that after the pack run. He’d actually overheard Martin take the call from the rescue place. Something about rehoming a large pack that was being split up. Martin had promised to ask Kyle, assured the person he was interested, jotted down a number and then fled. He knew that was why Kyle had been so busy. It was also the reason why he couldn’t share what he had found in the statements with Kyle until after the pack run. Another day wasn’t going to make any difference. At least Cyrus could help him sort out the mess, along with saving him thousands of dollars.

He had sent off the grant applications and they had an extremely good chance of getting them, which would more than cover the money Kyle had paid Mike.

By three in the afternoon, everything seemed to be in full swing. The table with the food was groaning. The kids were all running around and having fun. He knew Kyle had tried to speak to him another two times, but he wanted to wait until they were alone and show him the room. He wanted it to be perfect.

Cyrus stood by the huge cooler getting out enough coleslaw and potato salad to feed an army when Amanda looked up at the sound of a powerful car engine. “Wow.”

Cyrus followed her gaze and saw the top-of-the-line Range Rover pull up a few hundred yards away where the other pack cars were. “Who’s that?”

Liam glanced over—strangely enough he’d decided Amanda might need help carrying all the food. Amanda and Cyrus had shared a smile. “Oh, that’s the Fairfield pack alpha, George Larramy, and his family.” He screwed his forehead in concentration. “He has two sons.” Cyrus saw two of the most handsome men he’d ever seen get out of the back of the car. The alpha and his wife greeted Kyle who had jogged over to meet them.

Amanda fanned herself and grinned mischievously at Cyrus. “They are gorgeous.”

Liam huffed. “You’re out of luck. The older one is mated, but she’s heavily pregnant and sent her apologies, and the younger one is gay.” He smirked. “He’s an omega. It’s why Kyle invited them here.”

The rest of Liam’s words disappeared in the black haze that seemed to almost swallow Cyrus whole. He watched as Kyle carefully took the hand of the young man when introduced and seemed to linger over him. The omega laughed and put his other hand over Kyle’s. They were touching.

He’s an omega.

Exactly what Kyle needed and exactly what he wasn’t.

Liam’s words seemed to be on repeat in his head, and like an automaton he handed out all the food until everyone had gone. Slowly, carefully almost, he crossed the kitchen and went into the office. With shaking fingers he dialed the phone number for Shifter Rescue that Martin had written down. When he’d finished the call, he picked up a spare envelope, turned and jogged upstairs and shoved what he could carry into a couple of bags. He had no idea where the old suitcase he’d come with was and he certainly wasn’t going to look for it. He pulled the key to the room downstairs out of his pocket and for a moment had to hold the envelope out of the way because tears fell on it.

That surprised him. He hadn’t realized he was crying. For too long he stood and debated what to leave Kyle in a note. Then he decided to make it simple. He wrote down the bare bones of what he had discovered in the account statements and about the hidden account. It was up to Kyle what he did with that information. He dropped the key in the envelope and sealed it, scrawling Kyle’s name on the front and leaving it on top of the empty dresser.

He went to the window and smiled as he saw Kyle swing Chloe up in his arms and throw her in the air. She screamed in delight and begged him for a second one. He inhaled sharply. Aiva was sitting on the Fairfield alpha-mate’s knee and as she turned to her youngest son, he plucked Aiva from his mom’s lap and settled her on his. And she didn’t cry.

That was all Cyrus needed to see. He picked his bags up and left.

Baby and the Alpha

Chapter Seven

Kyle grinned at Chloe’s antics and passed her to Amanda to go get some food, glancing back at the kitchen. If Cyrus didn’t come out in another minute, he was going to get him. He wanted him to meet Owen. He liked George very much. His mate was wonderful, and they both seemed to share very similar values.

“I’ve been approached to sit on the shifter council.”

Kyle raised his eyebrows.

“I’m very undecided.”

Carol leaned over and nudged him. “That’s not what you told your mother.”

George flushed. “Yes, well. At fifty-nine, I think I’m entirely too old to be informed that everything I damn well do isn’t what my father would have done. I hoped it would shut her up.”

Kyle grinned. “What do you know of this Shifter Rescue group?” He’d never heard of it prior to this week.

“Not a lot, to be honest,” George replied. “Very forward thinking, though. A wolf hybrid seems to be in charge.”

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