Page 6 of Fated Redemption
“I think he may be wet,” Rebecca said, picking up the diaper bag. As she lifted, the strap caught around one of the chairs and the contents spilled out. Moe watched as Rhys was up in an instant and helping her to pick up her things. Calmly, he laid out the changing pad and arranged the items he needed around it clockwise starting at nine o’clock. First was an opened disposable bag for the used diaper, then wipes. To the right of that, a dry cloth, then diaper rash cream. Finally, on the right, at three o’clock was a fresh diaper.
He picked up baby Aidhan and laid him down on the changing pad. He had the snaps to the pants undone in seconds. Quickly he removed the diaper and placed it in the opened bag. He then wiped the baby down with wipes, and dropped them in the opened disposable bag with the soiled diaper. He patted the smiling baby dry, applied the diaper rash cream, and was fastening the new diaper before most of them could blink. He snapped the pants back together and bounced Aidhan in his arms for a second, getting new giggles before he tucked him into his car seat.
Moe felt himself fall more in love with his mate. Rhys’s soft smile and gentle hands were quick and careful.
Rebecca turned her wide eyes to Rhys. “You’re likeSuper Nanny! How did you do that? I always fumble with the darnVelcroand then he pees on me!” she exclaimed.
“You have to be quick with boys. Cold air hits them and they go again.” Rhys handed Ma the dirty diaper bag over the counter and picked up Moe’s lunch to carry back to their table.
“Where did you learn how to do that?” Gabriel asked, looking surprised.
“About ten years after you turned me, my childhood best friend approached me. Her husband had just been killed and she was pregnant. She was terrified about raising her baby alone in the country. So, before I joined you, I married her and Roman and I moved to the French countryside to help her with her baby. Roman was older so he helped me feed when we made trips to Paris. We stayed until her son turned six before we decided to join you here in the States. Neither one of us wanted to watch them grow old and die. But, for six years I was a father to that baby, which meant diapers and teething and nighttime feedings. Things were much harder then. They have so many time-saving inventions for babies now.” Rhys shrugged.
“Neither of you told me that,” Gabriel said, looking at Roman.
“There wasn’t much to say,” Roman shrugged.
“Before moving here, I helped watch my neighbor’s baby. The tiny thing liked to bite on my fingers when she was teething.” Moe laughed. He never realized how much they had in common.
“Henri did the same to Roman, but never to me.” Rhys chuckled and Roman smiled.
“You would have thought that kid was a shifter or a vampire.” Roman leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee.
Jacinda emptied her glass of soda and stood. She sashayed past Rhys and stopped in front of Moe. Behind him he could hear the diner door open and close.
“He may be good with babies, but he’s no woman. Come see me if you miss a woman’s touch.” She leaned forward and ran her finger down his cheek.
He glared up at the woman. “No thank you,” he said, biting off each word. She ran her hands over his upper chest. He heard a chair hit the floor.
“Rhys!” Gabriel exclaimed.
Moe stood to his full height to see past Jacinda to find his mate. Across the table Rhys had stood, knocking the chair over. His fingers had shifted to claws and his eyes burned red.
“I knew he was a monster!” A familiar sniveling voice yelled.
Jacinda screeched and practically climbed up Moe’s back for safety.
“Bitch, get off me!” Moe reached around and plucked her from his back, putting her on her feet as Gabriel and Roman stood in front of Rhys, talking quickly.
“Get the fuck outta here.” He gave the woman a not-so-gentle shove and she raced out of the door, but not before he caught the smirk she gave the wolf beta standing next to the lawyer.
Moe watched as Alpha Devon’s beta Glenn stood by the door, recording the whole thing on his phone. Moe quickly turned back and went to his mate. He simply grabbed the back of Rhys’s neck and brought his mouth down to his. The second their lips touched electricity arched between them. Rhys’s claws retracted and he stopped struggling to get free. When Moe stepped back to look at his mate, Rhys’s eyes were back to their normal deep green.
“That thing is a danger to every shifter. I’m shocked you would allow him next to your children! Give him to me! The Arkadion needs to be protected!” Salsiby screeched, reaching for Aidhan.
In less than a second Rebecca had scooped up Aidhan and was behind Liam, Kent and Connor, sandwiched between Sebastian and Ashby with their own sons.
“You stay away from my son! That ‘monster’ just changed his diaper and is perfectly fine. I trust Rhys with my son beforeI would ever trust you!” Rebecca was shaking from what Moe could only guess was anger and fear.
“Get out of my diner!” Ma yelled.
“This is a public building. You can’t kick us out!” Glenn protested.
“The hell I can’t. As that sniveling little weasel pointed out the day he arrived I am the diner’s owner. That means I can kick out whomever I want. Right now I’m kicking you out.”
“I’d like to see you try,” Glenn sneered.
Gabriel snarled, silencing the entire diner. He waved his hand and both men were thrown out of the diner’s opened doors. Seconds later, everyone heard two distinct booms as they landed.
