Page 3 of The Wolves At My Sides

“Don’t eat the new guy,” he said, glancing at the clock.

“Call me if you have an emergency,” I said.

“Do you think I will?” He asked.

“I think processing is difficult at the best of times,” I said.

“One day, I’ll make a spell to forget her.”

“That’s called time, buddy,” I laughed, as he stood up and headed toward the door.

Chapter Two

Irwin

I nursed Baby Faran at the library. We were locked inside my office waiting for Marcus to come for lunch. He’d been on edge for days as Fen Gregory’s arrival date neared. Fen was a wolf shifter from Europe and was born as part of a madman’s plan to extend his power. Bram Valen’s name showed up in so many life stories that sometimes I daydreamed about going to Frost’s Pit in the Other World just to kick him in the balls. He was tied into our friends here in Heartville too. It was Starry, Liam, and Leo who ultimately defeated him as kids.

Fen’s real parents were a beta dragon and an omega wolf who Bram had kidnapped or bought depending on who told Fen the story. We had a lot of details to parse out and we had days of research ahead of us. I was almost finished with Bobby’s story. All the details were there, and the novelization was almost finished. I only needed a few more weeks of writing to wrap it up. Less if the words kept raining from my fingers as easily as they had the last few days.

My first two books were really close to home and had taken their toll on me. It was a burden I was proud to bear, but it was time to put some space between me and those whose stories I told.

Baby Faran blinked his big wolf pup eyes open as the doorknob jiggled. His nose twitched and he smiled. He always smiled when Marcus’s scent drifted back to him after he’d been away for a while. For a split second, everything and everyone except my tiny wolf pup faded away from me. He was perfect. He was healthy. He was happy. He was so beautiful, and I never wanted to sit him down again. I’d hold him forever. I’d carry him across the stage of his college graduation like this. I’d keep him right here with me, where he was safe. I’d keep our little baby safe forever.

My head was still flooded with love and adoration when Marcus walked into my office. Normally, I didn’t keep the door locked, but he insisted on it today. Fen was set to arrive in a few hours, and he wasn’t taking any chances. Normally, I wouldn’t indulge such a possessive request, but it was more about the baby than me. At least, that’s what I told myself.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said, holding bags from Bad Wolf Cakes 2.0. “How’s my favorite guys?”

“I’m starving. I swear he’s eating more than I am. It’s not scientifically possible, but I think he is,” I laughed, leaning back in the chair.

Marcus set the bags on the edge of my desk and unloaded the recyclable cupholder. Then he stole a kiss before kissing Baby Faran on the forehead. Our little guy cooed and pumped a fist in the air. The exchange was seamless, and I pulled my shirt back over my head before setting out our food.

With our baby in hand, Marcus sat down in the chair across the desk from me. For a second, I couldn’t look away from them. He cupped the baby’s chin gently and looked him up and down. When Marcus looked at our baby, he practically glowed.

“Still perfect,” he teased when he caught me staring at them.

He was. They were. I grew up with the omegas around me complaining about how their Alpha mates didn’t help enough with their babies. Sure, Faran was our first, but Marcus did as much as I did. If one of us lost sleep, we both did. Not that Faran had too many long nights. We’d found our routine and except for one middle of the night feeding he slept through till morning.

I’d feed him while Marcus cleaned up any small messes left over from the day that we hadn’t gotten to. Then we’d tuck him into the crib in the nursery. We’d spend a few hours together – talking, making love, watching movies. Then when we were finally ready to sleep, we’d bring him into our bed. He’d wake up at two for a diaper and a snack. Then he slept till we roused for the day.

“How are you feeling about meeting Fen?” Marcus asked, bringing me back into the present moment.

My wolf stretched out and yawned inside his inner sanctum. He wasn’t worried at all.

“I’m excited,” I admitted. “A bit nervous, but mostly excited.”

I didn’t have a real explanation for why I chose Fen’s parents’ story to tell next. I received thousands of letters and emails. I could’ve chosen any of them to work on next, but his drew me in. His story wasn’t much different from the others who had been born in one of Bram Valen’s strongholds, but his was the one who called to me. My best friend, Shepard, said it was my intuition.

“How are you feeling about meeting Fen?” I turned the question around on him when he didn’t say anything else.

“Curious,” he said.

“Hmmmm….. So many words there,” I teased.

“I don’t know what I think about him. I think he needs to tell his story, but he’s coming a long way to do that,” Marcus said.

“I think he wants to be part of the process or maybe he wants a fresh start,” I said.

“He hasn’t told you which?” Marcus asked.

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