Saving the Beast (19 page)

The Professor kissed Abby’s brow and glanced down at the little girl in her arms. “She’s beautiful,” he said. “Tah’s right, just like her mother.”

Abby squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Professor.”

He headed toward the door, taking the bagged afterbirth and cord with him.

“Thank you,” Tah said and surprised Diane by grabbing her and hugging her close. “You’ve given me the world.”

She hugged him back hard. When he released her, Abby held out her hand and Diane sat beside her for a minute, taking in the blinking eyes of the baby girl, now quiet in her mother’s arms and appearing far too attentive for a newborn.

“She’s beautiful,” Diane whispered.

“I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to bring her into this world,” Abby said.

“I’m glad,” Diane admitted. “I’m so thankful I was here to experience this with you. Now, I’m going to clean this mess up and get what we need to give your little girl her first bath.” Diane began gathering stuff. “Do you want me to tell them?”

“Tah will,” Abby answered. “They’ll have heard the baby and be waiting.”

Tah bent and kissed his mate sweetly on the lips. Diane knew how that felt now, the kiss of a mate. Then he bent and placed an even softer kiss on the baby. He reluctantly left his wife, stopping only to startle Diane once again with a kiss on top of her head. Then he walked across the room, growing more confident with each step. He threw open the door and stood there, filling the entrance.

“Well?”

Diane heard Reno demand from the hallway.

“We have a perfect baby,” Tah thundered.

“And?” Amia’s voice prompted.

“A daughter,” Tah said, and his voice was still filled with wonder. “I have a daughter.”

* * * *

Zane had his eyes on his mate’s fine looking ass and wasn’t prepared when Murphy hugged him and slapped him on the back.

“You scared the shit out of me,” Murphy admonished. “I was afraid we’d lost you for good.”

Zane hugged him back. “How’s Finn?” he asked.

“As annoying as ever,” Murphy said. “No claws yet, but his senses are on par with mine. We’ve been testing them.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Zane said with a chuckle. “Logan?” he asked.

One of the last things he’d heard before he’d been hit with the virus was that Logan had been infected, as well.

“Good,” Logan said as he and Clara came bounding down the porch stairs toward them.

Clara hugged him first, then Logan.

“So good to have you back,” Logan said. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better,” Zane told them with a smile.

“Fever?” Logan asked.

“Not gone,” Zane admitted, feeling the truth in his veins. “But sated at the moment. I was going to search for you two.”

“Diane said as much when we saw her,” Clara said.

“Zane.”

The quietly spoken voice of his Uncle Orsai had Zane glancing over and walking toward the porch. Orsai met him at the bottom and they wrapped their arms around one another and held tightly.

“I was waiting for you,” Orsai said.

“I’m so glad to see you,” Zane told his uncle. “It’s been too long.”

Orsai held him another long moment before stepping back. “Now, tell us what news you bring.”

Zane didn’t ask if Diane had said something to Orsai, as well. She wouldn’t have had to. It wasn’t a big surprise to Zane that his uncle already sensed there was something in the air. Orsai had been doing that Zane’s entire life. It was as if his uncle had a sixth sense about things.

“Diane and I met with some others in the woods on the way here.” His glance went to Clara.

“My uncle?” she demanded, stepping forward.

Zane shook his head and hated the disappointment he saw in her eyes. “Three shifters. One injured. Two men. One woman. The leader said his name was Gideon.”

“Long, wavy black hair and blue eyes?” Clara asked.

“A few inches shorter than me,” Zane said with a nod.

“That’s Gideon. He’d have Ariel and Griffin with him,” she said. “He’s here? They’re here?”

“I’ll take you to them. I had to be sure before I brought them here,” Zane said.

Clara nodded and practically bounced on her feet.

“Smart call,” Logan said. “How far are they?”

“Not far,” Zane said. “We’ll make quicker time if we take the ATV’s.”

“Who’s hurt?” Clara asked.

“Gideon,” Zane told her.

“How badly?” she asked.

“He was shot with arrows.” His glance went to his uncle. “They think they were poisoned with something, but there’s no scent of it. He’s not healing all the way.”

“Shit!” Clara cried and turned to her mate. “We have to go to them.”

“We will,” Logan assured her, turning to Murphy. “Pull either Vic or Holt, whoever you see first and have them go with us. You, Clara and I will head out, as well.”

“I’ll take you to them,” Zane offered, but Logan shook his head.

“You should head in to the Professor for a full work up. You said yourself the fever isn’t gone, yet. Tell me where you left them. We’ll find them,” Logan said.

“I’ll go with them,” Orsai said. “Take a look at Gideon and see if I know what was on those arrows. Did he have one of them with him?”

Zane shrugged. “I didn’t ask. I was more concerned with getting my mate safely home.”

“We’ve got it from here,” Logan said. “Let Reno know where we went and why. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

Zane nodded and stood watching as they walked away. Murphy came back with a grumbling Vic beside him.

“Great,” she muttered. “More of you grouchy bastards to add to the mix. Maybe we could find a few more humans. I’m starting to feel outnumbered here.”

Zane grinned. Man, he’d missed them, all of them. No matter what lay ahead, this group was his family, and he planned to stay with them, him and his mate. He knew without asking that Diane felt the same way. He’d seen it on her face when they’d arrived and she’d gone to check on Abby. They belonged here.

He went up the steps and opened the door just as a baby’s wail filled the house. The baby was here. He hurried down the hall, seeing Reno pacing outside Tah’s bedroom door while Amia leaned against the wall, one foot tapping on the floor.

“Zane,” she said as she peeked up and saw him. She pushed off the wall and met him, embracing him. “It’s so good to see you.”

Reno was next in line, wrapping Zane in a hard hug. “I’m glad you’re back,” he said.

“Glad to be back,” Zane said.

They all turned toward the door as it opened and the Professor stepped out. He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat.

“Everything okay?” Reno asked, and Zane felt as tense as his friend seemed at the thought something might have gone wrong. Tah would go ballistic, and Diane would never forgive herself.

“We have a healthy baby,” the Professor said then glanced at Zane. “As soon as you get a chance, I’ll expect you downstairs. Full work up.” He turned to head toward the staircase leading to the lab but turned again. “I’m glad to see you. We would have lost Diane without you.” With those cryptic words, he turned and left.

“Lost her?” Zane asked as he, Reno and Amia took up the waiting vigil again.

“She might have fallen apart a bit without you around,” Reno said with a smile.

Zane would have to talk to his mate a bit more about exactly what had happened once he’d left. He remembered her saying she’d yelled at the Professor and Tah. Finn and Holt came down the hall then and more hugs were given just before the door opened and Tah filled it.

“Well?” Reno demand.

“We have a perfect baby,” Tah thundered. He looked shell-shocked but happiness radiated off him in huge waves, encompassing them all.

“And?” Amia’s voice prompted.

“A daughter,” Tah said, and his voice was filled with awe. “I have a daughter.”

“A daughter,” Reno said and grinned.

Zane watched as the two friends embraced and wasn’t surprised when Reno wiped tears from his eyes.

“When can we see her?” Finn asked.

“Let’s give them some time alone,” Diane said as she stepped out of the bedroom with her hands full of laundry. “I still need to wash our newest member up.” Her gaze skimmed over everyone else and found Zane. He liked the way her breathing picked up and her cheeks went a light shade of pink. He didn’t know for certain what she was thinking, but he guessed it was pretty close to his thoughts.

“I’ll help you with those,” he said, moving forward with eyes only for his mate.

“Zane,” Tah said and stopped him to give him a hard hug.

Zane didn’t remember this gruff group of Marines being so touchy-feely before. He blamed Abby for this influence, and he thanked her for it, too. He figured the other mates had a lot to do with it, as well. It seemed natural to give a hug now instead of a mere pat on the back or squeeze on the shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Tah asked.

Zane nodded, and his gaze skimmed to his mate again. “I am, now.”

“We’ll talk soon,” Tah said. “Join me when Diane comes in to wash the baby. I want to hear everything.”

Zane nodded and turned back to Reno.

“Logan and Clara took Murphy, Vic and my uncle to pick up some visitors Diane and I ran into on the way back,” he said.

“Who?” Tah demanded and his voice vibrated with a growl.

“Gideon,” Zane answered. “Clara described him perfectly. He has two other shifters with him. Clara said they were Ariel and Griffin. Gideon was shot by hunters.”

“Will he make it?” Tah asked.

“Depends,” Zane said. “He thinks the arrows they hit him with were laced with some type of poison. He doesn’t seem to be healing like he should.”

“Reno,” Tah said.

“I’ve got it,” Reno assured him. “Take care of your mate and baby girl.”

Tah nodded, and Zane turned once more to join his mate. Together, they moved away, heading toward the stairs and down to the labs. He was watching the sway of her lush ass before him as she walked when she stopped and turned to him. His cock was hard and aching with the need to fill her again. She stole his air when she leaned into him and whispered the exact words that hovered on his tongue.

“I need you.”

Chapter Thirteen

Diane was ready to toss the dirty laundry on the floor and take Zane right there. She saw the same intense desire reflected in his eyes. Dropping her glance, she took in the blatant bulge of his arousal cupped by the faded denim. He was more than ready for her.

“I’ll take those.”

The Professor’s voice interrupted, making Diane jump.

“Easy,” Zane said and placed his hand at the small of her back.

“We need to have a talk,” she told the Professor.

He smiled sadly and nodded. “Later. Right now I’ll go see to Abby and the baby while you and Zane clean up. I’m sure you’d both appreciate a shower. I’ll see to it no one disturbs you down here.”

“I thought you wanted samples?” Zane questioned.

The Professor’s gaze stayed on Diane’s. “I think we’ll let that pass for now.”

She tried to hold on to her anger with him, but in light of all that had happened, it was hard. She and Zane were together, mated. Glancing toward her mate, she felt her heart swell and knew she’d never been happier. The Professor’s methods were mad, but this time, the right result had occurred.

“You can’t play with people like this, Professor,” she said. “No matter your desire to help. Sometimes, you need to sit back and let nature take care of itself.”

He shook his head. “I couldn’t take the chance.”

“It’s not your decision,” she countered. “Don’t you get that? It’s not always up to you. You can’t manipulate people to get the results you want.”

“There’s no excuse for what you did to Diane.” Zane grunted with a throttled growl rumbling from his chest.

“I know you wanted to increase my odds of finding Zane, of the two of us mating,” Diane said. “But to inject me with a shot that forced my body into ovulation?”

“Why the fuck would you do that to her?” Zane demanded and his body vibrated with anger.

Diane stepped between them, putting her back against Zane’s chest. His hands dropped to her hips and held her snug before him.

“She was going to leave without you here. She needed you but didn’t yet recognize it. I just tipped the odds in her favor, in both your favors,” the Professor said with no trace of remorse.

“Did you know I was a virgin?” Diane asked softly, and the Professor’s eyes widened in shock. She nodded. “I was.”

“You sent her to me knowing I was primal. I could have hurt her.” Zane grunted, his voice hard and cold.

But the Professor still supported his actions. “You’re mates. You would never have hurt her, no matter the circumstances. All I did was cut down on the time it took you to find one another. Abby was getting ready to deliver the first baby to this pride. We didn’t have time. We needed Diane back here, and we needed her mate with her. This pride needs you, both of you, and you’re damn right I’d do anything within my power to give this pride what it needs.”

“And did you have any help in deciding to give her that shot?” Zane asked.

Diane sighed at Zane’s question, hoping the answer wouldn’t set her mate at odds with is uncle, but the Professor laughed.

“If you think Orsai would condone me doing that, you’re wrong. Your Uncle told me to leave well enough alone and have faith in the two of you.”

“Why didn’t you listen then?” Diane demanded.

He sighed. “Time is not endless. We run out of it far too quickly sometimes.” He looked sad for a moment before shaking it off and smiling at them. “Hate me if you want, but I’d do it all over again.”

“Professor…” Diane broke off, unable to say anything else. What was going on with him? Had she been so wrapped up in her own emotions she’d failed to notice something was different about him?

“I’m needed upstairs, Diane, by another little girl destined to steal my heart, and I’m looking forward to that.” He gave them both a small smile and turned, heading toward the other end of the lab.

“What’s going on with him?” Zane asked, echoing her own question.