The Alpha's Mail Order Mate: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (12 page)

It didn’t take them long before the friction building between them exploded, leaving them momentarily sated. They lay there for a time, content to hold each other, but both of them knew that this was not the end of their efforts for the night. Not when they’d been given doctor’s orders to get in as much sex as they could.

Because they always did like to follow the doctor’s orders, of course they did.

*

“I still don’t see why this couldn’t wait until after the baby was born,” Chastity grumbled as she looked at the huge bulge in the middle of her wedding gown. “And white? What are all of you thinking, to put me in white? Not only is that just too close to the human custom, but it also suggests that I’m a virgin, and it’s quite obvious that I’m not.”

“You’re not in white because you’re a virgin,” Tess told her. “You’re in white because I was a virgin, and we modified this thing at the last minute. Unless of course you don’t want to go through with this and all the damned females will still keep trying to steal your man for themselves?”

“You know fully well I’m going to go through with it,” she grumbled. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“Maybe you’re looking at it from the wrong perspective,” Tess said. “You’re not just professing your love to the world, you’re telling those bitches that this Alpha belongs to you.”

Chastity grinned. “Yes, most especially Katie Dawson,” she agreed. “Night told me that she tried to kiss him last week. Apparently, she thinks that the Alpha male shouldn’t have to limit himself to just one woman. But if that is the way she’s thinking, I highly doubt a simple thing like a marriage license is going to cool her jets. Night rebuffs her constantly, and yet she continues to hound him relentlessly. I almost feel sorry for him sometimes.”

“Maybe he should just disallow her from Wolfhaven and be done with it.”

“You know he can’t do that,” Chastity said. “Dawson might be mad enough at him for doing that to tell the humans what is really going on around here.”

“We’ve known Dawson a while now, and he’s well aware of the problem and of the opinions of all parties concerned,” Tess reminded her. “It’s much more likely that he’d commend Night for his bravery than it is that he’d turn us all in.”

“There is that,” Chastity agreed.

“Anyway, this isn’t about any of them, this is about you and Night—the man that you love with all your heart, and whose child you are about to give birth to,” she said, “so let’s at least try to focus, okay?” “You’re right, of course,” Chastity said, smiling now. “He really is worth all this fuss. I am just being selfish. I’m going to march right out there and tell him I love him with all my heart.”

“That’s the spirit!” she agreed.

The pair of them came out onto the green where everyone was seated directly on the ground. The moon was full, and some of them had shifted to their wolf forms to celebrate, but as the bride waddled into view, they all grew still, and those who were not in human form morphed back into it for the solemn occasion they were about to witness.

Night and Chastity came together in front of them all, and grasped each other’s hands. Then, as one, the pair morphed into wolves and began to howl. For several minutes, they just faced each other like that, howling. They were sharing their vows in the most primal way possible; every wolf there knew this bond would last them a lifetime.

When they finally became human again, everyone cheered. They surged forward and offered their congratulations to the happy couple.

“And now, we feast!” Night said with a big grin.

Chastity laughed as the others lifted her and carried her over to the banquet table they’d set up for the occasion. She didn’t even flinch when she saw Katie step over to Night to kiss his cheek, because she already knew what he would do about it. He set the girl away from him, shook her father’s hand, and joined his wife for a glass of wine.

“What was that about?” Chastity asked with a smirk.

“I gave her away to her father,” he chuckled. “Pretty much told him to rein her in from now on.”

“And what did he say.”

“That he would do what he could,” Night said. Then he poured wine into the big chalice that was set before them, and they shared the glass, sipping one after the other, as their people lifted their own glasses among themselves, with the mated pairs sharing theirs as well.

“Boris spiked this, I see,” said Chastity as the warm haze of the supplements he used to give them before Chastity’s pregnancy washed over her. “Remind me to thank him after we’ve thoroughly enjoyed the effect.”

“Perhaps we should go start enjoying it now, my wife,” Night suggested.

Chastity looked down suspiciously, and sure enough, her new husband’s cock was as hard as a rock. Without further ado, they waved to the crowd, and then Night picked Chastity up and carried her away to the sound of ribald laughter and wolfly howls.

However, as they reached their home, a sudden pain pressed into Chastity’s back. “Ow, that wasn’t very good. I’m not going to start birthing tonight after all, am I?”

Night set her down. “Perhaps we should continue with the plan, but keep an eye on you as well. You know that birthing takes a very long time, and sexual contact could aid you along the way.”

“You know, come to think of it, I’ve been kind of achy all day,” Chastity said. “Especially down there. I’ve been so caught up in preparing for the ceremony and all I figured it was just more discomfort from being so huge, but now that I think on it, there has been a regularity to it. I’m not sure it would be a good idea to get frisky until we speak to Boris first.”

“Very well, then, my love,” said Night as he bent to give her a kiss. “I could deny you nothing tonight.”

Chastity waited uncomfortably while Night went to retrieve the doctor. She even got up and began to pace when they seemed to be talking longer than she would like to return. Part of her hoped that Boris would say she was just worrying for nothing and that the baby would arrive in two more weeks as expected. But another part of her was very tired of being huge and wouldn’t mind if the burden could be lessened sooner.

Boris came through the door and saw what she was doing, and laughed about it. “Come here, Chastity,” he said. “Night and I will have a look at you together, and if you are not about to push out that kid, I’ll leave the two of you alone.”

“And if I am?”

“Then your child’s birthday and your wedding day may well be very close on each other’s heels,” he chuckled.

Night led Chastity to their bed and Boris checked her for dilation. “Five centimeters already? You’ve been a busy girl. Best that I remain here, I think. This child will be here sometime before the dawn.”

*

“This was the best idea you’ve had yet, Rick,” Chastity chuckled as she watched Little John crawling circles around baby Hope, who was lying on her back and smiling up at him. The two babies were both giggling happily together, oblivious to anything else in their world.

“Well, I figured we should make sure babies wouldn’t be taking a nose-dive off the veranda, and these two sure do seem to like it in here,” he said with a grin.

“It’s just so cool being able to see through the floor but knowing it’s too thick to break,” Tess said with a smile. Her other two kids, Jacob and Nancy, seemed equally impressed as they stood in another part of the large enclosure, jumping up and down.

“Now we can pretend we are flying,” Jacob said excitedly as he ran up to John.

“Yes, son, you’re no longer a wolf, but a bird instead,” he teased.

“Father, you know I will always be a wolf,” his six year old admonished him sternly.

“Yes, you will,” he agreed with a chuckle. “A very strong wolf, thanks to Boris.”

“We’re ready, then?” asked Boris eagerly. “We’ve managed to find supplies for all the ingredients. We’ve managed to perfect the enhancements for every conceivable type of werewolf. We’ve managed to enhance the conception and delivery of their offspring. The dorms are built, and the family homes are beginning to fill with the paired up couples. The resort is very nearly built, and the true nature of our new world has been well hidden. I believe it is time to have Julian send in the first fifty wolves.”

“I believe it is, as well,” Night agreed as he stepped over and lifted his tiny daughter into his arms. “And what do you think, Hope?”

She looked her father right and the eye and gave him a pleased nod of agreement. Night glanced at Chastity, and she nodded to him as well.

“Great, then I’ll give him a call right away,” he grinned. “Rick, would you mind flipping on the intercom?”

“Sure thing, boss,” he said, doing so.

Night said, “Okay, everyone, I’m about to have Julian send in the fifty recruits. You all know that means that the resort will be up and running soon, and there is likely to be a few humans here at the end of next week. We’ve got to make this place look like nothing more than a small, exclusive resort. So, you know the drill.

While they are here, most of you will need to stay up in the trees. Under no circumstances, should anyone operate the lift into the trees while they are here. You’ll need to remain in one place or the other the entire three days. No exceptions.

As you all know, Rick is working hard on completing the second lift hidden well into the forest, so it’s likely you won’t have to worry about that rule for long. I’ll let you know as soon as I can when to expect the first wave of werewolves to arrive. That is all.”

Rick flipped off the switch again as Night handed Hope to Chastity and gave them all a nod. Then he stepped out of the glass room and walked briskly across the wooden walkway toward a bridge leading out into the forest and the other treehouses that were being constructed beyond the first set. His and Chastity’s home was off to one side of the others, surrounding a huge tree of its own.

Night went inside and sat on the couch, grabbing his cell phone, which was charging there. He dialed a few numbers and then waited for the city Alpha to answer.

“Everything is ready, Julian,” he said with a smile. “It’s time for you to send in the first wave.”

***

“Mr. Nightsky?” said Perrin Dane, in a decidedly British accent. He was one of the rich humans who had come out to the resort on more than one occasion over the past year. “Yes, Mr. Dane, what can I do for you?”

“You can let me remain here among you and your wolves,” he replied with a knowing grin.

“You know about that?” Night asked, growling slightly.

“I know about a lot of things, sir,” he explained.

“How did you find out?” asked Night, menacingly.

“That’s not really the point, sir. The real point is my desire to be of assistance.”

“Go on,” Night replied.

“I, and many of my compatriots, would love to see this little place of yours succeed. In fact, if you should wish for me to, I could easily make certain that only humans who are sympathetic to your cause would be admitted here, you know. I would consider it an honor if you would let me.”

“Tell me something, Dane,” said Night as he stepped closer to him. “How exactly do you know anything more of this place than that which I want to be known? Have you been snooping around, by any chance?”

Dane gulped. “Um, only a little, perhaps, but with the best of intentions. Now that my suspicions have been proven correct, I’m too excited to join up to set them aside again.”

“You want to—join up?” asked Night, one eyebrow raised in surprise.

“You could use my skills, sir, as well as my money and my connections,” Dane explained.

“You’re certain you know what you’re asking of me?”

“Oh, yes, very much,” he replied. “And I do understand that the only way to do that is by receiving a bite, in case you’re still unsure of my exact knowledge. I don’t suppose you could do that straight off? I’ve been lingering about the place ever so long already, I’ve grown rather impatient, truth be told.”

Night laughed and gave the human a wink. “Come with me,” he replied, grasping Dane by the elbow and shuttling him along through the racket ball courts and out a door in the back. The pair stepped into another building marked “staff only” and went through yet another door, which Night quickly closed behind them.

“Where are we?” asked the man uncertainly.

“The changing room, of course,” said Night with a chuckle. “Once I’ve bitten you, you’ll have to remain in here for three days. I won’t lie to you, the transformation process can be painful, and that is why this is a soundproofed room. Meat will be provided to you on your third day, but no food or drink until then. This is necessary to keep you from going into a frenzy and trying to escape. Also, you will be bound with iron chains to this bed. Do you agree to this?”

“I do,” he said with a nod.

“Get on the bed, then, and I will chain you myself,” said Night. “Then I’ll bite you. That, too, is a bit of a pain, and likely, it will cause a bit of a mess, but don’t worry, even if you lose a great deal of blood I can assure you that it is not my intention to kill you, Dane. I’ve been watching you for a while now, and I think you’ll be a very welcome member to the inner club.”

“Thank you, sir,” he said proudly, the beginnings of a smile wiped off his face in the next moment when Night transformed into a wolf right before him. “My goodness! I didn’t know you would still be the size of a man. You’re magnificent, aren’t you?”