Carnal Protector (manxman, Werewolf)**Magic Shifter Book 1**

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Aaron's POV...

(Adorable little William, Sebastian's mate----->)

The entire compound was on lockdown and the family was wary of Carson's foul mood. Even Peyton was walking on eggshells around him and the pack Elders have made themselves as scarce as possible. I know in my gut that someone in their mists were responsible for Miles' breach in security. Nassine wasn't in this by herself and I hated the stress this placed on Seth. Everyone was moved to the houses surrounding the main house and all the leading head of the families into the pack house for safety, since Miles' appearance at Seth and Carson's home.

 I was currently in the nursery at the pack house with the children, Ailis was dozing off on my shoulder and Chantal was sitting on the large play mat with my all the babies. It was absolutely adorable to watch my nephews interact with their mates. Sebastian would toddle over to the play chest in the corner and drag out all the toys and place them at William's feet, or how he would sit and next to little mate and make sure that his brothers and their mates didn't get too close or too rough in playing with the shy little cherub.

 Chantal was a true mother hen and she showered all the kids with love and attention. But don't downplay her sweet caring nature. Her wolf was a consummate protector when it came to not only her children but the entire compound of children. No one messed with our babies if she had anything to say about it. Little Dominic and his mate Joshua were busy rolling around wrestling and playing like the playful pups that they are, and Trenton was currently fascinated with Zoe's bright pink hair ribbons in her lustrous black curls. It was a delight to watch the rapt attention my nephews as they interacted with their mates. Sebastian more so than the others because he was so gentle with waif like little William, whereas he was so aggressive with anyone else.

 Ben and I have noticed ever since everyone was currently under the same roof of the pack house that it seems that Raphael's little boy,  Jayson as well as Gregori's daughter, Pilar were Ailis's mates. They all shared magic and Gregori's mate, Skylar was thrilled and so was I. Ben went into protective daddy mode and gave Gregori and Raphael the what for when he found out that little bit of news. It took all that we had for all of us to not bust up laughing at his ruffled feathers, and Gregori god bless him kept a straight face and humored my overprotective mate. Then there was Raphael who merely shrugged it off because he was busy teaching Sebastian and now William too about their Vampire urges. He was providing blood for the both of them, and since Seth shared the Vampire gene as well. Sebastian alternated between Raphael's powerful pureblood and the mixed blood of his father. As a matter of fact, Seth's mixed blood actually calmed Sebastian's Vampire aggressive urges, but Raphael's blood was still his main source since his was pureblood and stronger.

 The only other tension in the house, other than Carson's volatile temper was the extreme dislike between Raphael's mate, Tendra and Lucas' mate, Kamali. Both women have had some bad blood going between the two of them since the birth of their children. Both of their children were born on the same day and almost at the same time. One Vampire and one Werewolf and both are destined to be mates by the look of it. It was another unexplained bond and mixing of species. It caused a strain on Lucas's and Raphael's working and social relationship to have to be constantly soothing their upset mates.

 I have never said anything to Seth or Carson because I didn't want to cause a rift in the family. But Tendra was power hungry bitch that felt that her offspring, her daughter should be the next rightful leader of their coven, seeing that she was pureblood and Raphael's first born child. Although she was much weaker than Sebastian and definitely not holding the power he was going to grow into. I heard her talk about myself when she was talking to the other pretentious women in her coven. And Kamali wasn't any better, Lucas held the First Beta position and was also leader of the war wolves, directly under Peyton and she had wanted her son to be Dominic's mate, she wanted so much to be in the inner circle of Carson's direct line. That much was clear and she was one of those wolves that believed that species should not mix; she didn't originate from this pack but one of the outside ones. She was fake and unfortunately with everything that had been going on, no one really paid any attention to either of them, much to their detriment.

 I heard Kamali call Seth an abomination one time and it was only my respect for Lucas that kept me from frying her where she stood. It was another incident that I kept to myself and I wondered about the wisdom of that decision. Maybe I should have said something seeing that there was someone was behind the security breach on the compound. Carson was practically chomping at the bit to interview Nassine, but in his present frame of mind Peyton had refused him until he calmed down. Seth had fully agreed with Peyton so Carson was currently trying to control himself and it didn't help that Nassine was in this very building in the dungeons below the basement.

 The babies were getting tired and Chantal and I were busy putting them down for their afternoon naps. Chantal had offered the remaining cribs to Tendra and Kamali but they chose to keep their children with them, the snobs. They were trying to deny the mating bond between their children which was just hurtful and stupid. I was going to have to have a word with Ben to let him know about this, but I hate adding to the already stressful situation in the house.

 Chantal as always volunteered to have first watch over the babies while they slept, so I gathered up the toys and straightened the room. I kissed her cheek before leaving the room to carry the children's snacks and juice boxes to the kitchen for disposal. One of Peyton's kitchen staff took everything from me and waved me out of the busy kitchen. They were in the middle of lunch prep with so many people in the house they were constantly busy. Peyton had decreed for the all the leaders and main families to be in the pack house and the remainder of the family move into the temporary houses that surrounded the main house. All of the houses on the outskirts of the tree line were evacuated so everyone was within a mile perimeter of each other for safety and patrolling issues. The alarms and sensors on the empty family homes were set and they were being monitored from the security room house in the main house.

 There was a feeling of anticipation in the air and Carson spent a majority of his time outside. Seth had pulled me aside and quietly explained that he was reading the elements. Something which I thought was unheard of, but he had informed to keep that bit of information to myself. It had peaked my curiosity and under the guise of bumping into my brother-in-law in the hallway I was able to read him by skin to skin contact. His eyes had flared indigo and I knew he knew what I did, but he had let it go. But in that mere amount of seconds, I had garnered enough to know that the power shimmering within Carson was way more powerful than anyone knew about, even the other Elders. And again I feared for my little brother until it dawned on me that they shared magic as true bonded mates and it was actually Seth that made the strength of Carson's energy and power  make an atomic bomb look like a simple firecracker.

 Then I began to wonder how my brother and his magic fared from his mating and it didn't surprise me in the least that his energy far surpassed mine, but where we can both call upon our magic at will. Seth's magic was also tied to his emotions. That was made plain when Carson had been hurt that one time fighting with Miles' Betas when Seth was pregnant and we had to rush him to the infirmary and nothing calmed him until his mate was skin to skin with him.

 Seth had told me about their little slip up and I was happy that Carson didn't breed him again because his wolf would have went insane with his protection of his pregnant mate. Nassine would have been toast and he would have most likely leveled the forest in search of Miles. All of them weren't sure what Miles was after but I knew what Miles wanted, and it was my little brother. He wanted him more than anything else for whatever sick twisted perverted fixation he had on Seth. I had to go to them and really explain to them about what I learned during my time that I was held captive by the psychopath. I had to tell Carson that Miles was sexually obsessed with his mate and how in the hell was I going to break this little bit of news to not only him, but Peyton, Lucas, Raphael, Gregori, and most of all my mate who has always tried to get me to talk about my mad dash from Miles' pack after being kidnapped and held for days after he murdered my family trying to get his hands on Seth.

 I shuddered just thinking about that dark little hut and the pain I went through at their hands when they had held me captive and the totally crazed look in Miles' eyes as he talked about getting his hands on my brother. I just wanted to forget it all in hopes that Miles' had the sense enough to leave Seth alone since he was mated one of the most powerful wolves there was out there, but no, I should have known his demented asshole wouldn't give  up. So now here I was shaking in my proverbial boots to have to go into that library and confess all of my sordid story to my ticking time bomb of a brother-in-law, my doting husband, my Alpha, and my clueless little brother, crap I didn't want to do this at all, but I had no choice now, so I was going to have to suck it up and pray that Carson kept it together.