Laying Claim to the Soul (12 page)

“It’s up to him, but I have other means to find things out. Rest assured I will find out what is going on. Do I inform the others?” she asked. “Garyst?”

“He already knows and will help you in any way possible.” He laughed. “You know nothing gets by Garyst. He just does not speak often.” Wol-itelm turned his head to the side.

He sensed that nightmares were starting to creep into Tabatha’s sleep. “I must go, my woman needs me, but please do not put yourself at risk.” He flashed her a smile and she laughed.

“You know full and well that I’m capable of taking care of myself, but I will watch my back and so will my friend here. Go give your woman a hug for me and tell her soon we will go out and do a girl night on 
Spanner.”

“I don’t think so. She will not be going near that all male club!” he snarled, hearing Cywdyn-qua’s laugh and knowing he had been played.

“Women,” he grumbled, appearing in the bedroom where Tabatha was curled up around Chax, crying.

She looked up at him and he swore he’d find the people responsible for putting that fear into her eyes. Shedding his clothes, Wol-itelm climbed up onto the bed next to Chax. Hoyt moved to his side as Tabatha crawled on top of him.

“I had the worst dream. Something happened to Shannon. I had to call her, but she’s not answering her phone,” she cried. “She died, someone killed her Wol-itelm.”

“Shhh, it was a bad dream Tabatha, Shannon is alive,” he said knowing it was the truth, but couldn’t find her friend which was a puzzle unto itself. Why he couldn’t see her friend seemed a little too strange, but tonight was not the night to bring it up.

He wrapped his arms around her, Chax had his arm on her shoulder as did Hoyt from the other side. With the three of them holding and touching her, Tabatha’s breathing evened out and within a few minutes she was sleeping peacefully from the little push he’d given her.

Chapter Fifteen

The cool air blew through the crack in the kitchen window while she cooked breakfast for everyone. Thankful her stomach had settled for now. Tabatha wanted a huge meal like her mom used to make when they were kids, for Melody. Both of them had been through the ringer and it was time to relax today.

She had already asked Hoyt earlier if it would be okay if Melody and Shane shared their wedding day. It would give Melody something to look forward to and keep her mind off of her dickhead brother who had vanished.

Hoyt had wrapped his arms around her and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. She smiled and touched her lips. He had loved the idea and said he would ask Shane about it first, since he had to ask Melody if she wanted to get married. They were already joined or mated through the ceremony in which the whole pack had come out to see. An event which Tabitha had missed two weeks ago thanks to the assholes that had taken her.

“Hey, have any of that…” Furfur stopped in the middle of the room scanning her from head to foot. “Well I’ll be damn! It’s about time they claimed you. Come here, little sister.” Furfur held out his arms and she smiled stepping into her new brothers arms. “Welcome to the family. Just so you know, dad will be here as soon as he finds…” Furfur stopped again midsentence and pulled back looking down at her belly.

“Babies?” he questioned as Derk came into the room staring at both of them.

“What’s going on?” he looked at her his eyes got big.

“Finally!” Derk yanked her into his arms.

“Careful you idiot, she’s pregnant! Two?” Furfur slapped his brother turning to see Nicor leaning against the frame of the door frame eyeing her from head to toe.

“Congrats,” was all he said and left.

“Well at least I’ve got that,” she mumbled and moved to the stove, to flip the bacon.

“Shit, you’re bonded to Wol-itelm too, aren’t you?” Furfur moved to the side of the stove studying her.

“Quit staring at my woman,” Wol-itelm snarled, wrapping his arms around her kissing her cheek. “Yes, we claimed her last night. It was time to put those that threatened my loved ones on notice. I’m done playing games.”

She grinned seeing the small puff of smoke from his nose. “Stay right there.” Tabatha slipped out of his arms running into the living room and digging through her old box in the corner to get her old boom box and one of her favorite CD’s by Peter, Paul and Mary.

Setting the music box down on the dining room table, Tabby plugged it in and hit play just as Hoyt and Chax walked into the room. She winked at them and waited as the song started. It wasn’t long before Furfur and Nicor’s laughter was heard from the other room and Wol-itelm came out of the kitchen, his eyes on her.

“Little Pet…” she said as Chax and Hoyt amusement joined Furfur and Nicor’s. “I can help it. You were so cute there, what with that little puff of smoke coming out of your nose.” Tabatha slid her arms around his neck, kissing his chin. “You’re my Puff the Magic Dragon,” she teased pulling him down, whispering. “Especially when you’re inside me.”

Tabby ducked out his arms before he could react, going back to the kitchen to take out the muffins and flip the bacon. She hummed to the music, remembering old times with her mom, feeling her there with her. Suddenly Tabatha stopped what she was doing, frowning, as a memory from long time ago flashed in her mind.

She set the bacon to the side and turned off the oven, moving out of the room heading to the hallway looking up. The one time Tabby had caught her mother coming down from the attic she had looked guilty, and she tried to remember more.

“What is it?” Wol-itelm asked as he and Chax looked up at the hatch that pulled down a set of stairs to the attic.

“Just something I remembered. It happened so long ago I never really thought of it. But listening to that music I remembered my mom. One day Melody and I were cooking up a storm, cookies and all sorts of things. But I caught her coming down these stairs the same day, but she almost looked guilty for some reason. Can you pull the stairs down for me?” she asked Wol-itelm just as Melody and Shane came out of her room.

Even though Melody carried no more bruises or physical pain, she still carried the emotional bruises inside, and in her eyes. Tabitha held open her arms and Melody ran into them hugging her.

“I’m so sorry,” she started, but Tabatha wasn’t having any of it. She stepped back and shook her head.

“Don’t even. He did this, you didn’t. You are my sister, Melody, and always will be. Whatever is wrong with my brother is his problem. I won’t allow him to hurt any of us again. He has stepped over the line. Now. You want to explore?” she asked and pointing to the ladder that now hung there in the air. “Maybe the men can finish the breakfast for us while we do some digging.”

“Nope, we’re going up with you. We’ll all fix breakfast when we are done if you want to do this now,” Wol-itelm said pulling her back into his arms. “Melody, it’s a pleasure to meet you finally. My name is Wol-itelm and I’m Tabatha’s third mate. Where ever she goes, one of us will be with her at all times now. I can promise you this, no one will harm you or her again. You are family to her and to all of us.” With that Wol-itelm lifted Tabitha up to Chax’s waiting arms above them.

“Shane, I’d like to speak to you for a minute, if you don’t mind,” Hoyt asked, winking at her when she looked down at him.

Shane gave Melody a quick kiss as Wol-itelm lifted her up onto the stairs right behind her. Her friend giggled as they made their way up the stairs into dust bunny haven.

She stepped back almost slipping into the hole in the floor, but Wol-itelm laughed pulling her away from the hole. “What’s wrong, baby? Afraid of the dust of bunnies?” he teased, reading her thoughts a few minutes ago.

“Um, there are no snakes right?” she asked, looking at Chax who snarled, knowing what she was thinking about.

He turned in a complete circle. “No Tabby. We are clear,” he said and she relaxed.

“Okay, bring on the dust bunnies then,” Tabatha said looking around the attic. “Well where should we start?” she asked.

Melody grabbed her hand and nodded to the corner, where two high backed chairs stood. “Might as well start over there. We can have the men bring us the boxes

“You know I think these would look great in our room in front of the window. Maybe when we are done here one of you can bring them down. I know I want my grandmother’s rocker down also. I’ll want that in the nursery.” She sat down frowning. “Do you think we can add a door connecting the spare room to the master? It would make a perfect nursery and it’s sitting there empty anyway.”

“Wait! Are you pregnant? Girl, we have a lot of catching up to do and why do you smell different?” Melody asked.

Tabatha grinned and nodded. “With twins and we had our own private ceremony last night. People were going to come after us no matter what so why not be joined. Plus, it gives us a little bit more of a connection, which can only help us.” Melody hugged her tight.

“Our ceremony was small too, but it was only with Shane. Maybe Ben knew he wasn’t mine and that was why he was mad.” She shrugged. “Well let’s get going. Should we carry the stuff down?” she asked.

“We have plenty of time to do this and Melody, whatever the reason, remember you did nothing wrong. He was wrong touching you like he did,” Chax said helping them over to the chairs making sure the floor was safe and the chairs were clean before they sat down giving Melody a little kiss on her cheek.

For what seemed like an hour, Melody and Tabitha went through the old things, making piles of what she wanted to keep, what was to go down stairs, and which things she would give to charity until Wol-itelm brought over a small trunk and sat it on top of another box waiting for her to go through.

“If I’m not mistaken this has your mother’s scent on it and there was a lock,” he nodded to the now open lock. “But after this one, I want you two to take a break and eat,” Wol-itelm order and Melody giggled.

She nodded reaching for the trunk, then hesitated. Melody stopped what she was doing going through and came over to sit on the arm rest of her chair. “I’ve never seen that, have you?” she asked as Tabby pulled the chest into her lap.

“Nope, not at all.” She ran her fingers over the top of the lid and lowered her head down taking a sniff of the chest. Wol-itelm was right, it smelled like her mother’s perfume. “I’m almost afraid to open it.” She looked up at Chax and Wol-itelm.

“Why don’t we bring it down stairs with us and you can go through it at the table while you two eat something.” Hoyt said coming up into the attic. “Shane and I finished making breakfast for you two and you will have more room to spread everything out.”

She looked up at Melody who nodded. “Sounds good to me, plus you’ve been too long in dust bunny heaven. Have to think of those two little ones in your belly. I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt. Wait till Shannon finds out.”

At hearing her friends name, Tabaha looked up at Wol-itelm. “She is alive, I know that, but I can’t place her right now,” he reassured her coming over to take the trunk.

“Come on baby, let’s get you out of here,” he picked her up into his arms and did his magic thing moving them to the dining room in seconds.

“You need to warn me before you do that.” She rubbed her belly.

“You okay?” He asked kissing her nose and pacing her in one of the dining room chairs.

Food filled the table and she laughed. “I’m fine, but it seems Hoyt and Shane out did themselves.”

“Damn ,what do they think we are, pigs? We’re not going to eat all of this,” Melody joined her at the table followed by Shane, Hoyt and Chax.

“There is enough for all of us, now dig in. You guys can go through the trunk after you eat,” Hoyt said and started to pile the food onto her plate.

“Wow there! Little at a time please. I don’t know how the stomach is going to handle all this food. It was still a little sensitive this morning,” she said, taking a sip of her orange juice.

“Did you get sick? It could be the babies?” Melody asked.

“I was thinking it was from being injected with that shit that kept me out. I hope it does not affect the babies. What about doctors? I can’t go to a human one?” Tabatha asked rubbing her belly.

“We have a doctor in the pack. I’ll arrange an appointment with him for you,” Hoyt stated grabbing a plate for himself, while Wol-itelm just sat there watching everyone.

“Do you trust the doctor Hoyt? I know there are a few in your pack that are not happy with me. Aren’t you going to eat?” she asked.

“Who? Has someone said something to you? The doctor is a close friend with my father.”

Tabatha looked down at her plate taking another bite of food. “She hated to stir up trouble.

“Tabatha answer me, baby. I need to know who might be a threat. We can’t protect you if we don’t know what is going on,” Hoyt reached over and squeezed her hand.

“It’s just that I saw these guys talking when Ben and I don’t want them to get them in trouble if it’s nothing.” She looked over at Hoyt and he nodded.

“I understand that and I promise we won’t judge anyone, but they will be watched.”

“Fine,” Tabatha told Hoyt and Chax the men’s name and looked over to see that Wol-itelm just sipped some coffee. “Aren’t you going to eat? We have plenty?”

“I ate early this morning and don’t ask what, because I really don’t think your stomach could handle the answer right now,” he informed her.

“You are right, so please don’t tell me yet. You’re part of me now and I want to know all about you. Just like I’m waiting for Chax to share about his family, especially his father who I haven’t met yet?” She gave him a look and he laughed.

“He’ll be here tonight according to Furfur. He’s beside himself, our children will be his first grandbabies.” Chax laughed. “Even in our world, we cherish children.”

“Then what about your mom? Any word on Lilith since I was out of commission?” she asked remembering… “Of fuck!” Tabatha gasped and dashed for the bathroom. The thought of what that woman had done to her had set her stomach rolling.

The toilet was too far, as her stomach let lose all of the food she had just consumed into the sink. “God, I hate getting sick!” she grumbled after five minutes of hovering over the sink.