To Feel Again [Welcome To Wolf's Peak]

Chapter Twenty-Three - Adrian

Adrian

A spike of fear had shot through me when I found my mates in the presence of a hunter. Seconds later it was replaced with an overwhelming need to protect my mates. Now that I'd learned how to fight and protect, I was determined to protect them with my life if necessary.

Though my mates had tried to reassure me that they weren't hurt I couldn't calm down and force myself to relax. Not until the hunter had been escorted out of our home. Once he was gone I pulled Owen close to nuzzle his neck, scenting him for any injuries and allowing my cat to rub his scent all over him. When I was satisfied that he was well I turned my attentions to Niko. He sighed deeply in annoyance but stood still and allowed me to give him the same treatment.

That night I'd taken them both like the animal I truly was and afterwards I'd laughed quietly with Niko as Owen lay unconscious beside us. I'd never fucked someone until they'd passed out before but I found my chest swelling with pride. I'd given him more pleasure than his human body could handle.

The threat of hunters still hung heavy over our heads and we hadn't yet heard back from Bram. It had been more than three days since Mark had been taken to the council. Vale and Casper had returned to the council's headquarters to assist in the questioning of the young man. Their teams had stayed behind at the pack house but they could be called to return at any moment.

My phone vibrated in my pocket letting me know that I had a text and I pulled it out. I kept my phone on silent when I was at work. 

Niko: What time will you be home at?

Adrian: I have another forty-five minutes on the clock unless we get an emergency call.

Niko: We need to talk when you get here. There's news from the council about the hunters.

My heart beat frantically in my chest as I automatically thought the worst. I was picturing the hunters converging on my pack, on my mates and Ginny. She was caught up in our world now and she needed protection too.

Adrian: Tell me!

It seemed to take a lifetime for Niko to reply when in reality it was probably a minute a most.

Niko: Mark wasn't alone. With a little persuasion he told Vale the location of his group. He was sent ahead as a scout. When you get off work we need to go over to the pack house and create a plan of attack. We can't wait for them to attack us first.

My worst nightmare was coming true. The hunters were here and planning to attack. I could feel my limbs growing numb and the phone dropped from my suddenly cold fingers. What if I failed again? This time I had two mates that I could lose. Either of them could be pregnant. I couldn't go through that again, I wouldn't survive it this time. I'd come back once from the brink of death or turning rogue, but this time I had nothing to live for if I lost them. My phone vibrated against the floor of the ambulance I was sitting in. I was grateful that I was sitting in the back of the ambulance alone because if my partner saw me right now I was sure my appearance would raise some questions. I couldn't explain to the human that I was a shifter and my teeth and nails were a reaction to the fear flooding my system. A rush of adrenaline triggers the flight or fight response in most species, for shifters sometimes those two were one and the same. To flee you sometimes had to fight to get free so my partial shift was a perfectly natural response.

I rescued my phone from the floor and turned it face up.

Niko: Baby? 

Niko: Are you alright?

Niko: Answer me!

Adrian: I'll be home as soon as I can. I'll try to slip out early if one of the guys gets here sooner than they should.

I'd barely sent the message when I was opening another message stream to one of my co-workers asking if he could arrive a little early to cover for me. Since he was also a shifter I was able to confide in him why I needed to go home in such a hurry.

He rushed through the bay doors less than fifteen minutes later with his bag of gear over his shoulder. "Get going Mentis," he clapped me on the shoulder as he passed me.

"Thanks, Keller. I owe you man." I sprinted out to my car and hauled ass out of the parking lot in the direction of home.

When I walked through the front door the house was eerily silent. I paused and cocked my head to one side. Then a shuffling sound came from overhead. I took the stairs two at a time and found Niko just coming out of our bedroom. 

"Hi." He smiled and kissed my cheek. "You're early. Owen and Ginny left for the pack house with Peter, I thought they'd be safer there with so many wolves around to protect them. I wanted to wait for you."

"Why didn't you just ask me to meet you all at the pack house?" I questioned him. 

He sighed and led me into the bedroom where we both sat on the end of the bed. "I wanted to talk to you alone."

"Okay," I said hesitantly.

"I want you to stay behind with Owen and Ginny when we go to search for the hunters camp," he told me.

I studied his face for a moment wondering why he didn't want me at his side. I had no issue with keeping my family safe, I'd happily stay and protect them. But Niko was part of my family too. Why didn't he want me at his side protecting him? "Why?" I simply asked.

"Because I need my pregnant mate safe and protected," he shocked me by saying.

I felt my jaw drop slightly. Owen was pregnant? I felt another rush of fear flooding me and overwhelming the joy that should have dominated me at the revelation. "He's pregnant? Have you told him?"

"I haven't told him anything." He kissed the mating mark on my neck, the one he had placed there when he'd mated me. My mark was forever sitting proudly on his neck too. "I thought you could tell him when we get to the pack house. You can tell him that you're pregnant."

"Wait!" I turned to face him on the bed and nearly toppled over in my haste. "What did you say?"

"I said you're the one who's pregnant, love." Niko beamed a smile at me.

"Are you sure?" I asked in shock.

"Yes. I've known for a while but I didn't want to say anything too soon. Not after..." He didn't say the words but I knew he was talking about his own failed pregnancy. 

"Are you - okay with me being pregnant?"

Niko huffed a laugh. "Of course I am. I'm thrilled that the three of us are going to be parents. But you see why you need to stay behind, don't you? Nothing bad can happen to this little one." Niko placed a large hand over my stomach as he spoke.

"I know," I told him. "But if I need to fight, I will. I'm not going to be a coward again. I will fight to protect those I love." 

Niko nodded his head in silent acceptance of what I'd said and pulled his hand back. "We should go. Bram and the others are waiting for us."

"Okay, but can I just do something before we go?"

"What?"

"This," I told him and cupped his face in my hands so I could hold him still while I kissed him. "Now we can go," I said pulling back and smiling at him. I was sure the smile didn't reach my eyes. I felt sick with fear for whatever was about to happen.