The doctor putHannah on bed rest two days ago. She wanted to induce her, but my mate was adamant that the baby should come when he is ready. It’s her body, her choice, and we support her decision. That hasn’t made keeping her off her feet any easier. She’s too used to cooking, cleaning, and caring for everything to spend a day lazing in bed. Several times now, one of us has caught her trying to help around the apartment.
When Kaitlin started acting out, feeling stir-crazy cooped up in the house with too much energy and no space to run it out, I gave up and called for backup. “Go, take my granddaughter to the playground and let her have some fun. I’ll sit with your Beta. I brought your baby books so we will be busy while you’re gone.” My mother hefts a bag full of photo albums into her hands. I grumble as she heads toward the bedroom, but I’m glad she brought them. Any excuse to keep my wildfire off her feet is fine with me.
“Let’s go, Princess,” I tell Kaitlin as I help her slip on a jacket. Today is a little chillier than it has been, dropping into the low fifties. Still not too cold for a few hours at the local park, thankfully.
She bounces on her toes as we head down to the car. Being stuck at home with no other kids to interact with can’t be good for her. After we move, I’ll speak with Hannah about enrolling her in school. Somewhere we can guarantee will follow the right safety protocols to prevent her asshole of a father from trying to take her.
Not that he has shown up since I had him arrested for trying to force his way into the apartment a few weeks ago. He’s too much of a coward to go after my girls when they’re at home. It’s when they aren’t home that he poses a threat to them.
The park is fairly busy despite the chill in the air. Kids run and laugh on the playground. I squat down and go over the rules with Kaitlin before sending her out to play. No talking to strangers, and stay where Foster and I can see her. We pick a bench with a clear view of most of the equipment and sit down. I tuck my Omega under my arm, and we watch our daughter make new friends and wear herself out.
How did we get so lucky? To be blessed by Fate with an amazing kid and two wonderful Beta mates.
An hour passes quickly, but Kait shows no signs of tiring. The amount of energy stored in her tiny body amazes me. If I ran around as she does, I’d be huffing for breath after half an hour. And I’m in decent shape.
Foster is across the nearby parking lot, ordering us something for lunch from a food truck. He winks when he sees me checking on him, and I feel a pulse of love slide through our bond. I smile and shake my head, turning back to Kaitlin. She ducks behind a tower that leads up to an enclosed slide, something she’s enjoyed going down several times already. My skin pebbles, instincts pushing to the surface, and sensing something is wrong before I hear her terrified scream.
I pound through the grass, ducking around children and equipment to get to her. She sprints around the corner, terrifiedeyes locked behind her. Tears stream down her cheeks, pulling a rumbling growl up my throat. I catch her as she throws herself at me, arms wrapping so tight around my neck it’s hard to breathe. Foster catches up to me then, eyes wild and alert as he scans the playground for whatever threat frightened our daughter.
“Little Princess, what happened?” he asks, but she just sobs against my chest, head shaking back and forth.
Fury roars through my veins as I gently peel her away from my chest and pass her to my mate. I stomp around the slide tower. My gaze flicks from face to face, searching for anyone suspicious or out of place. No one stands out. The only people around are other families, elderly couples, and a few joggers with their dogs.
I take Foster’s hand and drag him toward the car, still vibrating with anger. Whoever dares to fuck with my family next had better have a death wish, because my inner Alpha is going to lose control.
On the way back to the apartment, I send my mom a text warning her we’re coming in hot with a distraught kid. She replies as we pull into the parking garage, promising that she and Hannah are ready for us. As soon as we’re through the front door, Kaitlin flings herself to the floor and runs to her mother, sobs starting back up as she buries her face against Hannah’s hip.
“Oh, Little Bug.” I help her lift Kaitlin onto the couch, tucking her against her mother’s side.
Mom steps into the kitchen with us, watching me pace, my fists clenched tight. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I grit out, mind running through every scenario that could have caused Kait’s meltdown.
Mom’s hand stops my frantic movements, and her lilac scent washes over me, calming the haggard edges of my rage. “Theyneed you calm, not ready to tear the world apart to protect them.”
“If I knew where their enemies were hiding, I’d destroy every one of them.”
Foster wraps himself around my back, letting a resonant purr sink into my body and forcefully remove my tension. “We know you would, Alpha, but taking out threats isn’t where you’re needed today. Our little princess needs you to comfort her. To show her that the monsters hunting her cannot get through you.”
His words rattle through me in time with his purr, slowly clearing the red from my vision. Taking a deep breath, I release a long exhale, sending my anger with it. “You’re right,” I croak. “I’m good. Thanks, Baby. You too, Mom.”
Calm—for now—I head into the living room and drop onto the couch beside Kaitlin. It’s my turn to purr. The sound rattles up my chest and soaks into her back as I hug her and Hannah to me. Slowly, her sobs turn to sniffles, and she goes lax between us.
Hannah cups her face, thumbs brushing away the last of her tears. “Little Bug, can you tell me what happened?”
Kaitlin turns and plasters herself against my chest, shaking so hard it makes my teeth chatter. Foster wraps a blanket around her, covering all but her face. “I-I was p-playin’ at the park with my new f-friends. We was going to go down the big spooky slide, b-but when I went ‘round the back to c-climb up-” A hiccup cuts her off. Mom joins us, sitting on the coffee table and patting Kaity’s back. It seems to help, and she continues. “Mean Grandma was there. S-she was gonna t-take me back to the church with D-daddy.”
Motherfucker!I want to roar and slam my fist into something—preferably Hannah’s ex-husband’s face—but I force myself to remain calm. I won’t let my anger show and rattle myprincess after she’s finally calmed down. Given the intensity in Foster’s eyes, he feels the same as I do. If we ever come across Colin or Hannah’s mother…
I’ll gladly make sure those pieces of shit are never seen again.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Mom coos. “Papa Shepherd will make sure they never take you away again. Won’t you?” Her eyes flicker to mine, giving me this chance.
“Always, Little Princess. You’re ours now. Part of Pack Wilson. No one can take you from us.”
I hold her until she falls asleep, snoring gently and drooling on my sweatshirt. Only after I am sure she won’t wake do I shift her to lie on the couch. My hand brushes her hair away from her face, and my heart lurches at the redness surrounding her eyes.
Closing myself in the bedroom, I grab my phone and dial Donovan. If the Montgomerys are stepping up their attempts to get to Hannah and the kids, then I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they’re safe. Including having agents follow us everywhere we go.
