My Protector (Bewitched and Bewildered Book 2) (14 page)

He heard the men laugh. "Who says that we still don't?" Caspian asked.

"There were so many nights where we just laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling and prayed to whoever was listening that she would outlive us. We were thankful each and every evening after she went to bed that she had survived one more day. The years she lived out amongst humans were the worst." Broderick's voice cracked.

"She's safe now love." Caspian murmured.

"Is she? Is she really? Gavriel, she told us you were going through transition, that you have an enemy stalking Lycaonia that has even threatened Unit Commander McKenzie's mate and on top of everything my precious baby is the type of person who can't even check the mail without sustaining a concussion. Is she safe there with all the dangers and with you?" Broderick asked.

Gavriel moved the phone to his other ear. "All of the unit warriors have been patrolling night and day in addition to daily training to keep the city and people safe. We have created new protocols and drills to help us fight this new enemy. Just today we installed alarm and protection spells here at the Alpha estate to keep our mates safe. Even with this new threat, I honestly feel she is safer here with the Alpha Unit than anywhere else," he said.

"Is she safe with you? My brother's last transition was brutal. The more we gain in terms of abilities and strength, the harder the transition is on us, and this was the transition that put him in position to become our Elder so you know how perilous it was. Towards the end, right before his apex, he turned savage. We are at our most aggressive right before we gain our new abilities. Given Beth's uncanny bad luck, is she really safe at your side?" Caspian asked, his voice hard.

Gavriel didn't answer right away. He thought about the growing number of instances where he had lost control recently. His first encounter with Beth had been almost violent and he knew it would get worse the closer he got to his apex. He searched himself for the answer. When the time came, would he recognize his own mate? Finally he gave the only answer he could.

"I don't know. I want to assure you ... hell, I want to assure myself that I would never hurt her. But I can't guarantee it. I can swear to you that I would never knowingly or willingly lay a single finger on her in anger. That I would die to protect her, but you may be right, I may be more of a danger to her than our enemy." He covered his eyes with his hand. "Maybe I should send her back to Noctem Falls and to you."

One of the men exhaled loudly. "Safeguard yourself. Right before my brother's apex hit, he knew it was coming and he asked to be chained. It was the only thing that kept those around him safe, including myself. I want to tell you, 'yes, send her to us', but I know that would be wrong. Mates belong together. If Fate has brought Beth into your life, now of all times, then I have to believe that she is there for a reason. I have to, or lose my mind with worry," Caspian admitted.

"Thank you for that. I've been without a mate for so long, I thought Fate had forgotten me," Gavriel said ruefully.

"If there's one thing I've learned in my short life, it's that Fate has a design of her own weaving. We may only catch a glimpse of the pieces, but there is a much bigger tapestry being woven that we know nothing of. Fate didn't forget you Gavriel, she was just waiting for our Bethy to grow up," Caspian said kindly.

"Thank all the Gods you watched over her the way you did, or I may not have gotten her at all. Is there anything I can do to minimize the, um, accidents?"
 

"Not to make Beth sound juvenile, because she isn't childish by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, when she isn't actively tripping, falling or tumbling she's very graceful and poised, but you may want to consider 'baby proofing' the estate," Caspian advised.

"Baby proofing? What's that?" Gavriel got out a pad of paper and pen. At the top he wrote a reminder to get her alert necklace reset.

"Oh hell, I guess you wouldn't have much experience with children. But doing things like placing pillows around a brick fireplace so that the angled edge isn't exposed or replacing glass furniture with blunt edged pieces. Lots of soft surfaces and padding. Stairs will always be a danger but by now she's learned how to fall down them with minimal damage," Broderick explained.

"If you're together try to keep one hand on her at all times, you never know when she'll just topple over." Caspian added.

"Never, ever let her in the kitchen,
ever
. There are too many ways something can go wrong." Gavriel could almost see Broderick shuddering. He took notes quickly.

"We have a squire living here at the Alpha estate so she shouldn't have to go to the kitchen often," he said.

"Thank the Gods," Caspian murmured.

"Don't let her order fish too often; we had a scare when she choked on some bones that were supposedly removed," Broderick continued.

"Bathrooms are dangerous too, but, well, we had to let her on her own in there for obvious reasons; but you aren't restricted in that area," Caspian said then cleared his throat.

"Garages, hardware stores, warehouses, and workshops are especially hazardous." Broderick went on listing the places his mate couldn't go.
 

Gavriel paused in writing the list. "We have an armory on premises."

"Oh. My. Gods," Broderick whispered.

"No. Just, no! Not only do you need to lock the door you need a biometric sensor to keep her out!" Caspian sounded like he was hyperventilating.

"Easy my love, breathe," Broderick said.

"She isn't stupid enough to play with weapons!" Gavriel said heatedly. His mate was not immature or reckless.

"Of course she isn't! She's a mature, responsible and grounded woman. But she will somehow find herself in a situation where she has to go in the armory and then once she's inside something horrible will happen." Caspian said between gasps.

"Gavriel, Beth isn't klutzy; she literally has the worst luck I have ever seen. She'll walk into the armory and for some unknown reason a stack of crates holding grenades, that haven't moved in years will suddenly come tumbling down. In the process several pins will dislodge and she'll be trapped under the fallen boxes." Broderick paused. "I don't suppose you watch human movies?"
 

"Meryn has been having us watch them more so we can understand her."

"Have you ever seen Final Destination?" he asked.

"Oh fuck," Gavriel whispered.

"Yes, that about sums it up." Broderick sounded defeated.

"Do they make bubble wrap body suits with tracking devices?" Gavriel joked.

"We could start on a prototype," Caspian offered immediately.

"I'll just keep her in our room," Gavriel said putting the pen down. That was the only way to keep her safe.

"That's just it, you have to let her walk out on her own. You'll watch her trip and tumble. She will break bones and scrape her skin off. You'll want to cry for her as she's getting bones set and skin stitched back together, but you have to let her fall," Broderick said.

"Why in the hell would I do that?" Gavriel practically yelled.

"If you are constantly holding on to her and guarding her every step she won't have the strength or confidence to stand on her own. If you tell her how and where to step she won't be able to walk through life, and if you don't let her walk, you'll never see her fly. And when she is confident and flying through life, she shines." Broderick's voice sounded reverent.

Gavriel felt a deep sense of admiration for these two men. They had been strong enough to watch the one person they loved more than life struggle through so much pain to become the strong woman she is today. "It must have been so hard watching her grow up. I don't know if I'll have the strength to watch her get hurt," Gavriel admitted.

Both men laughed. "Growing up? Gavriel, that was last week watching her recover from crashing out of that office window. She fell out of her wheelchair and broke her other arm." Caspian laughed along with his mate.

Gavriel pulled the phone back and stared at it in horror. His mind raced. How could he keep his mate alive? He put the phone back to his ear.

"So, what kind of a timeline were you thinking of for that bubble wrap suit?" he asked.

The men just continued to laugh.

Shit!

CHAPTER EIGHT

Beth heard the study door open and close, then the sound of a tray being placed on the dresser. Seconds later the bed dipped down. She opened her eyes and looked at her mate. He looked exhausted and worried. She reached up and pushed his hair away from his face.

"Whatever is worrying you, it will be okay," she whispered.

His smile was forced. "Are you hungry baby? Colton left a tray for you."

She shook her head and snuggled closer to him.

"Go back to sleep baby, you need your rest. I'll wake you up for dinner." He pulled the blankets up around them and curled up behind her pulling her close. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him. Out of nowhere the thought hit her that this was her home now.

"Gavriel?"

"Yes, love?"

"Would it be okay if I had my uncle send my things?" Now that she knew she would be living here she wanted the rest of her wardrobe with her.

"Of course, I'll clean out a part of the closet tomorrow." He kissed the back of her head.

Part of the closet? That's so cute. Oh well, he'll find out soon enough.

Smiling, she let herself drift off and return to her nap.

*****

"Beth, honey, time to wake up." She felt a hand on her shoulder. Blinking, she looked up. Her mate was standing beside the bed looking dapper as usual, whereas she could almost feel her bed head.

"Is it morning?" she asked.
 

He shook his head. "No, it's time for dinner." She could tell he was trying not to smile.

"How bad is it?"

"You may want to stop by the bathroom before we go downstairs." His eyes danced with laughter. She wanted to pull the pillow over her head. Sighing she got up and walked over to the bathroom. The pain in her side was nearly gone. She reached for the doorknob and noticed he was staying fairly close to her.

Turning, she looked him in the eye. "I don't need a babysitter, Gavriel."

"Maybe I just want to always be near you."

"Fine, but you stay out here while I make myself presentable," she countered.
 

He nodded and pointed to the bathroom. "I'll wait right out here."

She huffed and walked into the bathroom closing the door behind her. When she looked at herself in the mirror she gasped. On the other side of the door she heard his chuckle. Her hair was sticking straight up. Mortified, she turned the water on and wet her hair. She ran a brush through the tangled mess until she looked less like an escapee from an insane asylum and more like the socialite she was. She powdered her face with her compact and added a bit of lipstick. She was so pale she needed the pop of color the lipstick provided.

"When were you going to tell me about your alert necklace?" she heard him ask. Mentally she began to curse her fathers. Of course they would tell him about her magical leash. She opened the door and scowled at him.

"I hate that damn thing. We don't need it."

"I must insist that you recode it so that should you ever need to use it, it will alert me and not your fathers who are across the country and not in a position to provide immediate assistance." One look at his face and she knew better than to argue. She had learned growing up, you had to pick your battles and this was one she would not win.

"Fine!" she stomped over to her suitcase and pulled out the small velvet pouch that had been tucked away in the corner. She opened the drawstrings and turned it upside down dropping a large pendant necklace and three blue stone key chains into her hand. She turned to him. "This pendant came with six keystones. Both my fathers and my uncle each have one. You will receive the fourth. Who would you recommend to receive the fifth and sixth for here in Lycaonia?"

Gavriel stared down at the small, plain looking flat stones. "Are those worry stones?" he asked.

She sighed. "Yes, the fae warrior who made these for us had a sense of humor. But it actually worked out for the best, since they are small and flat they're easy to carry." She held one up to him.
 

He took it and turned it over in his hand. "I would recommend Meryn and Adelaide."

His recommendations surprised her. "Not your commander?" she asked.

He shook his head. "If I wasn't here, it's almost a guarantee that I would be on a mission with Aiden, so it would be pointless to have two stones with us. If Adelaide had one you would be able to alert her, Marius, and more importantly Elder McKenzie to the fact that you need help. Any of those three would be able to mobilize assistance in minutes."

She nodded. "And Meryn?"

Smiling he handed the stone back to her. "She's crazy enough to do anything to save you; in addition to that Ryuu is always with her. I have a feeling there isn't much those two can't do," he admitted.

"Those were the two I'd chosen as well. Okay, give me a moment." She placed the three remaining keystones so that they were touching the large pendant and whispered the spell that she'd learned on her sixteenth birthday. When she opened her eyes the stones were glowing a deep burnished gold. After a few seconds the glow faded and the stones returned to their normal royal blue color. She handed a stone to him and he immediately added it to his key ring.

"I'll give Meryn and Adelaide theirs later." She put the necklace on and sighed.

Her mate surprised her by pulling her in for a kiss. When she looked up at him questioningly, he smiled.

"I know that you hate it, but thank you for wearing it. It will help me worry less when I'm not with you," he said and kissed her on the tip of her nose.

And just like that she didn't mind the necklace anymore. If it helped her mate worry less so he could concentrate more on himself to avoid getting hurt, then she would gladly wear the stupid leash.

"Come on, let's head downstairs. Tonight Ryuu made one of Meryn's favorites, his own version of Hot Pockets. Each one has a different filling, but you don't know what it is until you eat it. It's actually quite amusing."