Second chance mate

chapter 18 (final draft)

Alpha Richard is asking for you. Axel mind-linked her and she opened her eyes. Zane had long since fallen asleep and she couldn't bring herself to get up so she had merely closed her eyes and focused on her pups heartbeat and the rise and fall of his chest against hers.

I'm coming. She replied and stood up, cuddling Zane closer to her. She walked to the crib and tried to put him down, simultaneously telling Eric to come up and guard him. The pup whimpered and clutched her shirt in his little fists, not letting go when she gently tried to pry him off. A small smile formed on her face before she turned to wait for Eric.

Eric knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter the suite. He was still trying to decide how he felt about his new duties. On one hand, he was a warrior and he loved the fighting, the adrenaline. He felt like that had been taken away from him. But on the other hand, being chosen to guard the alpha heir was an honor. He was good with the kids and Zane was an easy child. He settled easily with Eric, didn't cry for his mother all the time and wasn't fussy about his meals. He loved the little pup as did the rest of the pack.

"He won't go down." Ariel told him as she opened the door.

"He has missed you." Eric replied, reaching forward for the pup. She tried to pass him off but Zane clung harder, whimpers falling from his lips. She could feel his distress through the bond. Eric smiled widely. "Why don't you stay here? I'll explain to Axel."

Ariel considered that and shook her head. She would have to go down because making Alpha Richard would be rude. And she could take Zane down. Because they now had a treaty, Alpha Richard would find out about her pup one day or another anyways. It might even create problems later on, he could be angry for not telling him earlier. It's like a betrayal and she knew she wouldn't appreciate it if someone did that to her.

"I'll come down then. I guess you can have the rest of the day and night off." She told him. He tilted his head to her and left the room. She pulled her son closer and kissed his head, trying to calm him down. After a few minutes, he went back to sleep and she left her suite. She wasn't looking forward to the mountain of stairs. She could barely climb down as it was. She knew it would be harder now, while carrying her pup.

But she had an ego that wouldn't allow her to ask for help. So she started down slowly, carefully holding the banister with one hand and gripping her pup to her chest with the other. A few flights down, she could feel her knees buckling and her legs shaking.

"Ariel." Cain said, coming up the stairs two at a time. She looked at him, a pained expression on her face. He could see the defeat in her eyes too and he hated it. He had put her through all kinds of hell during training and he had never seen that expression on her face. He promised himself that he would do everything and anything to make sure she never felt that defeated again. He could do little about the pain, he couldn't bring back Aiden but he could make sure she became as strong as was possible without her wolf. He would do his best to bring her wolf back too but that wasn't in his hands.

"What are you doing?" She asked when he reached for her pup.

"Erik told me you were coming down with Zane because the pup was fussy." HE raised an eyebrow.

"He won't get out of my arms." She shrugged helplessly when Cain reached for the pup again and the pup wouldn't let go.

"I could carry you." He hesitated. There was only so much she would allow him to do and he knew this wasn't it. There was no way she would let him carry her down. She had too much of an ego. It would be humiliating for her.

"No." She shot down his idea immediately.

"Then let me support you down at least." He pleaded. She sighed and gave a small head nod. He put his arm around her waist and took most of her wait on himself as they slowly descended that last couple of flights. He left her at the last step and quickly went to the kitchen. Meanwhile she walked to the living room where she could hear the voices of the visitors and her beta.