Second chance mate

chapter 15 (final draft)

The phone rang near afternoon, interrupting her work. She picked it up and listened for a second before hanging up. Then she opened her mind to the pack, having realized during the day that she could control it now.

There's a car coming into the property, let them approach the house. She closed her mind before they could ask questions. After a minute, she walked out of her office, feeling too anxious to sit and work. She went to the front door and pulled it open, pacing in the driveway. The more she waited, the more anxious she felt. The pack slowly converged too, confused and cautious and protective.

The car stopped just before her and the front doors opened, her uncle and aunt stepped out. Her aunt stepped to her while her uncle went to the back door.

"He's been crying ever since we entered the territory. Nonstop." Silvia said as she gave her a short hug that Ariel didn't respond to, her eyes stuck on the baby carrier her uncle was pulling out.

"Its his bond to the territory and his mother. He needs his mother." Her uncle said as he stepped to Ariel. She didn't respond to him as she freed her crying pup from the belts securing him to the carrier and pulled him out of it. She held him in her arms and kissed his head. His hands fisted in her shirt as he felt the connection between them, as their bond strengthened. His cries slowly reduced to hiccups and she cleaned his tears and looked in his eyes, same as his fathers. His hiccups ended and his eyes closed slowly.

She held him against her shoulder and looked up. Her aunt and uncle were in front of her and smiling widely. She looked past them to Axel who was staring at the two of them with watery eyes, his expression heartbreaking. She gave him a small smile.

"Here are his bags." Her uncle broke the silence.

"Cain." She said. Cain stepped up and the bags from her uncle. "Come inside." She said to the couple. They followed her inside and she led them to the lounge. Once they were sitting, she turned to Axel and nodded when she saw the question in his eyes. He approached them and looked at the pup in her arms.

"He does look a whole lot like Ade." He whispered as he touched his cheek with the back of his hand. "May I?" He glanced at his Alpha.

She nodded and gently handed over sleepy boy. Axe held him like he was the most precious thing in the world to him, which he was. She let the uncle and nephew bond as she turned to Silvia and Harry. She hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." She whispered when she pulled away.

"It was no problem, sweetheart. Anything for you." Silvia said and kissed her forehead.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

"A little bit." Harry said with a soft smile. She nodded and soon they were all having lunch before Harry and Silvia said they needed to leave if they wanted to get home before dark. When they left, she went looking for Axel and her pup.

She found them in Axel's new suite. She walked to them and sat down beside him silently. "He's beautiful isn't he?"

"Handsome, Ri." Axel said with a chuckle.

"Whatever, Axe." She said as she took him back. "I'm gonna put him to bed."

"Okay. I guess I'll see him in the morning." Axe sighed and kissed both their heads. "Goodnight."

Cain, Axel, River and Cameron, my office. She linked and turned back to the pup in the carrier on the chair next to hers as she fed him the bottled milk.

They entered the office and stood in front of her in silence until she broke it. "River, you are going to be checking on his vitals and stuff to make sure he is healthy. I want a report on my desk when you check on him."