Wolf Tales 11 (31 page)

Adam snored and rolled over. His muscular arm stretched over Anton’s chest and his warm body pressed close along his left side. Stefan stretched in his sleep and shifted his position. He ended up with one long leg across Anton’s thighs, his nose buried in his chest hair. Stef’s fingers idly tangled in the thick, dark hair at his groin. Anton sighed as his once-flaccid cock slowly rose.

He couldn’t possibly be horny. Not after hours of sex with these two, but then Stef’s fingers wrapped around his
erection. Stef was still sound asleep, but his dreams must have been vivid as he slowly stroked Anton’s full length from root to crown.

Any other time, Anton would have slipped inside Stefan’s sleeping mind. He would have shared the dreams, known what his friend was seeing. What he was feeling and thinking.

In a way, it was almost more arousing to imagine. Looking at Stef’s face, at the half smile on his lips, the frown lines that came and went across his forehead, Anton felt his desire grow. Wondering what Stefan thought, imagining his dreams

Even without the mental link, Anton felt their connection, and in that moment of enlightenment, he knew the first positive awareness of his own healing. Maybe this was what Eve meant. Maybe it was a matter of learning to accept, of finding what was truly important in his life.

Stefan moved beside him, turned, raised his head, and winked at Anton.
Bastard.
He wasn’t asleep after all! Then it didn’t matter. Stefan wrapped his lips around Anton’s cock and worked the sensitive spot beneath the glans with the tip of his tongue.

Anton groaned. Stefan sucked him harder, deeper. Cupped his balls in the palm of his hand and lightly rolled them between his fingers, until the exquisite sensations, the warmth and the connection that could only be physical, for now, took Anton over the edge. He climaxed silently, loath to awaken Adam, selfishly taking the pleasure Stefan gave him.

The wild, buzzing thoughts in his mind went quiet. Stefan lay his head on Anton’s belly, but he seemed to have fallen asleep for real, this time, still suckling softly on Anton’s cock. Stef’s fingers were lax, lightly cupping his balls, and Anton might have laughed if he wasn’t so touched by Stefan’s thoughtfulness.

By his amazing love. He was maintaining the only kind
of connection Anton could truly experience for now. Not because Stefan needed to feel the link. No, he must have realized how very much Anton would need it, now that it was missing.

Stef nuzzled close, still softly sucking Anton’s penis between his lips. Anton sighed, relaxed, finally. At peace. It was good. So very good, to feel at least a sense of that familiar connection once again.

Anton awoke at the first pale hint of dawn. Adam’s room was shadowed and dark. Both Adam and Stefan slept soundly. Crawling out of the tangle of arms and legs, Anton went into the small bathroom and quickly showered. He grabbed his clothes, slipped on his dark pants, shoes without socks, and his plain white T-shirt. Then he wadded up his wrinkled dress shirt with his dirty socks and tucked them under his arm.

Quietly he left the room and headed down the stairs, around to the front door. He slipped in, planning to sneak into his room and maybe surprise Keisha with a kiss and a more sincere apology. He’d had plenty of time to think last night, and the only conclusion that had been entirely inescapable was the fact he’d been acting like a class-A jerk.

“Dada!”

He spun around in time to see Lily racing down the hallway, chubby little legs flying, her favorite stuffed wolf in one hand and her blanket dragging behind her. Keisha was hot on her trail. Anton knelt down and caught Lily against his chest and hugged her tight.

But it was Keisha he watched. Keisha who stopped a few feet away, almost as if she feared what he might say. Lily was babbling about her “woofie” and telling him something very important, and he knew he should listen to her, knew that Lily, being Lily, would expect an answer to whatever she asked.

Instead, he risked a toddler-size meltdown, swallowed
his pride, and focused on his mate. “I’ve been a damned idiot. More so than usual. I am so sorry, Keisha. Will you forgive me?”

Keisha sniffed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her hair was in tangles from an obviously restless night, and she was wearing his ratty old bathrobe, the one she wouldn’t let him throw away. “I don’t know. I can’t feel you, so when you’re rude and when you say things that hurt me, I don’t know what you’re thinking. Before this happened, you could be a self-centered jerk, and I still felt your love. I can’t feel it, Anton.”

She shook her head so hard her curls bounced. “I know this is a terrible thing that’s happened to you, but it’s happened to me, too. The man I love, the man who is always in my heart, isn’t there. Instead I’ve had this stranger who says terrible, hateful things to me and expects me to understand. I don’t understand because I only hear words. I can’t hear your heart.”

He stood up, holding Lily tight to his chest. Her little arms went around his neck and she kissed his cheek. She smelled of peaches and cereal and her favorite shampoo. He shifted her to his hip and held her firmly with one arm so he could pull her mommy into his embrace.

Keisha came willingly, wrapping her arms around Anton and Lily and holding them close. Anton nuzzled her hair and sighed. “It’s the isolation that’s hardest,” he said, trying to explain how his world had changed. “I’m so used to being part of your thoughts, hearing you as you go about your day. Slipping in and out of the minds of our packmates as if they’re all an extension of my own thoughts, my own world.”

“I know.” Keisha raised her head and kissed his chin. “I miss the sense of you. The feeling that you’re always with me, no matter how far apart we are.”

He took a deep breath. “I can’t shift anymore. Liana had me try last night. I couldn’t do it.”

Keisha nodded. “She told me, but she said she believes that once you’re healed, you’ll regain all your abilities. Shifting, mindtalking, everything. You just have to be patient.” She planted a kiss on Lily’s nose and her daughter squealed and giggled. “Patience is not your strong suit.”

“It’s not yours, either, m’love.” He raised one eyebrow and stared at her.

She grinned. “This is true, but we will get through this and you will get better. What can I do to help?”

“Just love me. Don’t give up on me. Tell me when I’m acting like a horse’s ass.” He chuckled and kissed her. “I know you can do that. You’re very good at cutting me down to size.”

She kissed him back. “That’s because you don’t scare me. You make me madder than …” She glanced at Lily’s wide eyes and said, “Madder than a really grumpy mommy, but I’m never afraid of you.” She sighed. “Only afraid for you.”

“Why don’t you let me have the rug rat this morning and take some time for yourself. I need to adjust to this new reality, and I figure a dose of Miss Lily will remind me what’s really important.”

Keisha laughed and kissed him soundly. “You’ve got her. She’s all yours, and if you take a deep whiff of that diaper she’s wearing, you’ll know exactly why I was trying to catch her. Mind Daddy, Lily. Be a very good girl.”

She spun around and headed down the hall to their room. Anton took a deep breath and realized his mate hadn’t been kidding. With Lily tugging on his long hair and giggling, Anton headed to the nursery in search of the diapers. He was smiling by the time he’d stepped into his daughter’s brightly colored room. Smiling and actually feeling hopeful, in spite of the silence. Maybe Lily was the key. Lily and her perfect giggles, her sticky kisses and warm, snuggly hugs.

If he couldn’t feel connected with that kind of attention, his problem went far deeper than merely his ability to mindtalk or shapeshift. There was nothing like a not-quite-two-year-old to remind a man what was truly important in life.

Bay rolled over in bed and pulled Manda into his arms. She grumbled and snuggled close, but he knew she was awake. “I dreamed last night,” he said. Just mentioning the dream brought it back. It had been so amazingly clear, as if he’d really stood in a beautiful meadow and chatted with Eve.

Except she was different than the Eve he remembered. Something about her eyes …

Manda rose up on her elbows and frowned at him through her tangled hair. “And your point is?”

He couldn’t help himself. He leaned close and kissed her. “My point is, I dreamed of Eve, and it was as clear as if I was standing right next to her. We talked about her new role as our Goddess, about your pregnancy.” He kissed her again. “Yes, she said you are definitely pregnant. And then she said we need to go to Montana. That Anton will need us in two weeks. She didn’t say why.”

“You sure it was just a dream?”

He shook his head. “No. It was more. Much more. I think we need to wrap things up here and make plans for a trip west. Besides, that’s about the time Tala and Lisa’s babies will be due. I want to be there to meet my nieces and nephew.”

Manda lay back down, across his chest this time. “If I’m really pregnant, I may be at the puking stage by then. You sure you want me along?”

“I wouldn’t dream of going without you.”

There was a soft knock on the door. Shannon poked her head in. “I thought I heard you guys talking.” She glanced
over her shoulder. “Told you they were awake.” She stepped into their room, tugging Jake along behind her. “Tell Baylor what you just told me.”

Bay and Manda scooted back to sit up against the headboard so they could give Jake and Shannon room to sit on the bed. Jake sat cross-legged near the foot with Shannon leaning against him. “I think I spent some time with Eve last night.”

Bay glanced at Manda and they both burst out laughing. “Let’s see,” Bay said. “Shannon’s pregnant and you need to go to Montana.”

“How’d you know? Oh. You saw her, too.” Jake grinned at Shannon. “But, yeah. We’re going to be parents. You, too?”

Manda nodded. “I think so. Shannon? Are you sure?”

Shannon’s grin nearly split her face. “I’ve been thinking I might be. I mean, I know it’s way too soon, but I just feel different. My breasts hurt and I feel sort of sleepy and weepy.”

Jake and Bay shook hands. “It’s gonna be a long nine months, Bay. She’s already had one crying jag this morning.”

Manda punched Bay before he could say anything stupid. He probably owed her a thank you for that. Instead, he said, “Then we definitely need to plan a trip to Montana. You can both see Logan, get checked out, find out if you need anything like vitamins or stuff. And even though it’s not convenient, I want you to think about delivering there, too. I like the idea of the others helping you share the pain from labor.”

Manda chuckled. “What he really likes is the idea of the
other women
helping share our labor pain. Can you see either of these guys sharing the pain the way Tinker did when Tia was in labor? That man is a jewel.”

Jake pressed his hand over his heart. “Are you casting aspersions on our character?”

“Just telling it like it is, sweetie.” Shannon kissed him. “You wouldn’t know an aspersion if it kicked you in the butt.”

Bay laughed. “She’s right, you know. And I really don’t see either one of us dealing with labor pain. I talked to Tink after the babies were born. He said it felt like someone was trying to rip his balls right out of his sac when Tia had a really strong contraction.”

Jake went a little green and turned slowly to pin Shannon with a hard stare. “You’re definitely going to deliver in Montana. With as many of the pack there as we can get.” He stared at Bay. “Maybe if we offer to pay Tinker …”

“I want the kids to come with us this time. Are any of your people capable of watching this place for a week or so?” Ric leaned over Millie with an arm on either side of her, effectively pinning her to the comfortable chair in her office at the wolf sanctuary. She glared at him.

He grinned back at her. “Deacon, Matt, and Daci need to get to know the rest of the pack better. They should have a chance to hang out with others of our kind, younger people. Not just a couple of old farts like you and me.”

Millie raised her eyebrows. “If you think this is how to coerce me with your sweet talk, Ulrich, referring to me as an old fart is not a particularly effective way to go about it.”

He shrugged. “I shouldn’t have to coerce you. It’s a chance to see Adam and Manda, so I know you want to be there, but it’s also Lisa and Tala’s time to deliver, and the kids are close to Tala. Hell, they saved her life. We are not going to leave them here babysitting your flock.”

“A flock of wolves. I’ve never heard them referred to in quite that way.” She looped both arms around his neck, dragged him close and kissed him. “It’s all taken care of. I talked to Manda this morning and she said she would love
to see Daci again. I checked with the day manager and he’s willing to break up the shifts so that someone will be here at night while we’re away. The kids are already figuring out what they need to get done before we leave. For your information, the High Mountain Wolf Sanctuary is entirely under control, and we will be ready to make the trip in two weeks.”

Ric straightened up and glared at her. “You do this to me on purpose, don’t you?”

She laughed. “Of course I do. Someone has to keep an old fart like you on his toes.” Standing up, she grabbed his hand. “C’mon. I haven’t had lunch yet. Let’s go back to the cabin so I can get a bite to eat.”

“And?”

She ran her palm over the growing mound at the front of his jeans. “And maybe a little cardiovascular workout?”

“That can be arranged.” He tilted his hips forward as Millie pulled her palm away. Groaning he stepped out of her way.

She shut down her computer and closed the door. Daci was at the front desk, already working out the schedules for the time they’d be gone. “I’ll be back in about an hour, Daci.”

She smiled at Millie and then winked at Ric. “Take your time. I’ll be here.”

“Why do I have the feeling that everyone knows more about what’s going on around here than I do?” Ric waved at Daci and followed Millie out the door.

“Because everyone around here
does
know more about what’s going on than you do.” She gave Daci a saucy wave and headed across the snow-covered meadow to the trail leading to their cabin.