Alder, Alanea - Fated to Be Family [Kindred of Arkadia 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (13 page)

“I can’t believe that. It’s getting better,” Kate said.

Caleb smiled and headed to the tiny half bath attached to the office. He quickly cleaned up before returning with a washcloth and gently began to clean Kate. He leaned down and kissed her at the base of her spine. Bran sat up and moved Kate to one side so he could stand. He headed to the bathroom and nodded to Caleb for him to take his place with Kate on the couch. Caleb smiled his thank you and sat down on the couch and pulled Kate on top of him like a blanket. He kissed the top of her head.

“Bran, please close the window. I’m freezing,” Kate grumbled into Caleb’s chest.

“I suppose you’re hungry, too,” he said, walking out of the bathroom. He closed the window. Her head snapped up and she gave him a sad-eyed, boo-boo face. He sighed.

“I guess we could head to town for lunch. I know that Rian and Damian planned on taking the twins to the diner for ‘socialization.’” He made air quotes and then pulled his clothes back on. Kate snuggled down against Caleb.

“Just a few more minutes,” she said kissing his chest. She hadn’t had much time alone with Caleb. It felt really good to just be with him. Bran grabbed their clothes and laid them over the arm of the couch before heading to the desk to pick up a file folder.

“We didn’t get anywhere with the interviews,” Bran said, taking his seat behind the desk.

“I could smell pack at the entry point, Bran. It was one of us, not anyone from town,” she said quietly.

Bran slammed his fist down onto the desktop.

“Goddammit!” He stood and walked to the window.

Caleb looked at Kate and nodded. She slid off his body and walked up behind Bran to wrap her arms around him. Even after the through pounding they had given her, she felt deliciously wicked standing behind him naked, pressing her breasts against his clothed back. He let out a breath and laid his arms over hers and intertwined their fingers.

Caleb came up behind them. He, too, was now fully dressed and pressed himself against her body. Kate shivered.

“Baby, are you horny again?” Bran asked.

“I can’t help it! You two are so hot I should just stop wearing panties altogether. I’m always soaked around you two.”

They both whimpered. She dipped her hand and grazed Bran’s bulge as she wiggled her ass against Caleb. She then stepped away from them to pull on her clothes. Both men were swallowing hard and adjusting their jeans.

“That wasn’t nice,” Caleb said.

“Neither was squeezing me between the two of you. Now let’s go get lunch! I’m freaking starving.” She turned and unlocked the door. She opened it before turning around with an impish smile. She cocked her arm back and threw a tiny ball of lace
at
Bran, which hit him in the face before falling open on the desk.

“Can’t cream my panties if I’m not wearing any!” She stuck her tongue out at them and ran giggling to the front door.

Caleb looked at Bran as they both stood stock-still.

“Toys?” Caleb asked casually.

“Under the bed and most untried,” Bran said, picking up the panties and inhaling her scent.

Caleb took the lace from Bran and tucked it into his pocket.

“You know she’s doing this so she will get punished,” Bran said as they made their way to the car.

“Yes, but what we have to do is come up with a punishment she wasn’t planning on, something that pushes her limits and arouses her at the same time.”

“I can’t wait to get even,” Bran said.

“Me either,” Caleb said and they headed outside.

Chapter 9

“Let’s just say that the man has a new appreciation for cake.” Rebecca waggled her eyebrows. Kate and Ashby laughed.

“Are you kidding?
I
have a new appreciation for cake. That coconut dream cake was divine. I want to incorporate something like that into my ice cream,” Ashby said, wiggling around in excitement.

“I have some saved for you at the house. I wasn’t sure if ya’ll would make it to town today. It really worked in getting more sexcapades. That man cannot resist my cake.” Rebecca sipped from a travel mug.

Kate pointed to it. “What’s that?”

“It’s that amazing ginger-mint tea that Caleb made me. It is working wonders at keeping the nausea at bay. He needs to show Aleks how to make it. I can never get the quantities right.” Rebecca took another sip.

Kate dug into her bacon barbecue burger and sighed happily. Her men had been keeping her so busy that she felt as though she was losing weight from all the exertion.
 

“Where’s Nic?” Kate asked, looking around.

“He had to do some stuff at The Grind, but he said he would be over later,” Rebecca said.

Kate nodded and took another huge bite.

“Whoa there, Cujo, what did that burger do to you?” Rian asked as he and Damian brought the boys over.

“Those men of mine are using up all my energy. How are the boys doing today?” Kate asked, picking at her fries.

“Lucas and Landon absolutely scandalized Mr. Gilberton at Bobbles and Things. I swear that cranky old bastard has no right running a toy and candy store,” Rian said, taking a sip of soda.

“What did they do?” Kate asked, looking at the boys, who were enraptured with what looked like their new stuffed toy lions.

“Gilberton was giving us shit, per usual, about being ‘fags’ and ‘does that child’s mother know you’re queer?’ When all of a sudden Lucas looked him right in the eye and released one of the most impressive growls I have heard. Gilberton jumped back, surprised, then disappeared into the back. The girl at the counter was trying her hardest not to laugh. Damian and I didn’t try. Just when Gilberton was coming back out of his office, Landon threw his head back and howled. Back into the office, the old bastard went. I swear I hurt something laughing so hard.” Rian looked like a proud parent.

Kate scooped Lucas up and kissed him all over his face. Landon started whimpering so she reached down and picked him up with her right arm and balanced the boys on either hip. They snuggled down against her neck and cooed nonsensical babblings. She smiled and hugged them close. She sat down and kept them in her lap.

“What were you doing back at Bobbles and Things? Weren’t you there yesterday?” Kate asked.

Rian nodded. “I went there yesterday to see if my order for Cadbury chocolate had come in. He sometimes ‘conveniently’ forgets to call and let me know it’s waiting for me. He called today to let me know it was in, the delivery evidently came earlier this week, just ‘misplaced’ my order yesterday and couldn’t find it. The only reason he called me back was probably to avoid me stopping in with the boys again. You know how much he hates children. He can only complain so much about us being gay. Heaven knows the Pride probably buys more than half his stock. He can’t afford to lose us as customers.”

“It’s a good look on you, Katie,” Damian said, grinning at the way Kate kept kissing the tops of the boys’ little heads.

“I could get used to this, especially in the winter. These guys are like personal space heaters.” She nuzzled their hair. Kate looked down at her burger and frowned, realizing she couldn’t eat with both arms full.

“Give ‘em here so you can eat,” Rian said laughing. She smiled gratefully and then eased each boy into his babysitter’s arms.

“You guys are so amazing for helping us with them. It’s hard enough being newly mated, much less trying to find the hyenas and the traitor in the pack. I couldn’t imagine having to take care of these guys on top of that. They are a full-time job all by themselves.” She
 
picked up her burger.

“They are actually easy to watch despite there being two of them. They aren’t fussy at all,” Rian said as Lucas yawned.

“Okay, boys, nap time,” he said, standing up.

“We’re taking the boys back to the house for their afternoon nap,” Rian said.

Kate stood and kissed each boy. “Thanks again, Ri.” She kissed Rian on the cheek, too, and he smiled. She walked over and kissed Damian on the cheek.

Damian and Rian then walked over to where Bran and Caleb were talking to Ma, Connor, and Aleks, letting them say their goodbyes as well.

Kate had just taken another bite out of her burger when the diner door opened. She was surprised to see Cecelia Raymond walk in. She, as usual, looked elegant and well put together. She radiated a natural beauty and grace. Kate wanted to hate her, considering who her parents were, but found she couldn’t. Cecelia was sweet, kind, and soft-spoken. Everything her own mother had wanted her to be.

When Cecelia scanned the diner, Kate half expected her to head toward Bran, but instead, she started heading her way. Rebecca and Ashby scooted closer to Kate and Kate smiled. They were definitely getting great Christmas gifts this year.

“Ms. Edwards, could I speak to you for a moment?” she asked. Kate, her mouth full of her burger, pointed to the chair across the table from her.

“I know that you must not be feeling very friendly toward me at the moment, but I would like to state, for the record, I never wanted to mate with Bran. That was my parents’ dream for me, not my own. I view Bran as a brotherly figure only,” Cecelia explained, her hands folded primly in her lap.

“Thank you for that. It means a lot. But something tells me you didn’t track me down here in town to tell me that.” Kate pushed her empty plate aside.

“No, ma’am,” she started.

“Please call me Kate.” Kate smiled at the girl and was rewarded with a shy smile in return.

“Thank you, Kate. I came here because I am worried about Gina. I haven’t heard from her since yesterday. I’m worried something may have happened to her.”

“Do you have any reason to believe that?” Kate asked.

“Besides my intuition? No. It’s why I’m reluctant to go right to Bran. I don’t have any evidence that something is wrong except she missed class today and considering how hard she has to work for money, she would never skip a class. Never. Please believe me, Kate. I know my best friend better than anyone. This isn’t like her.”

Kate wiped her hands and stood, motioning for Cecelia to follow her and they both made their way over to Bran, Ashby, and Rebecca in tow.

“Bran, Cecelia believes something has happened to Gina,” Kate said.

“Do we have any reason to think that?” Bran asked.

“Besides the fact that she didn’t show up for class and the perimeter is down allowing homicidal hyenas into town? No,” Kate said.

“We’ll wait until morning. If she still hasn’t turned up, we’ll send out a search party. At her age, she may be at her boyfriend’s house or out studying,” Bran said.

“People usually turn up in the first twenty-four hours, Kate,” Aleks added sounding more like the town’s Sheriff than a friend.

Feeling extremely agitated, Kate spun on her heel and went back to their table. All four sat down dejected.

“The FBI has also reported that eighty-nine percent of all children die within the first twenty-four hours they are missing,” Rebecca said, her violet eyes serious.

Cecelia gasped. Rebecca looked at Kate and they both had a moment of absolute understanding. This was about being a woman, a mother, a friend and following what your heart was telling you.

“Kate...” Rebecca lowered her voice to the barest of whispers. “As Alpha Mother, I am asking that you go and look for Gina,” Rebecca said firmly and unequivocally, taking full responsibility for whatever happened.

Kate nodded and stood. “Bran, I’m running Cecelia back to the Pack house. She caught a ride with some friends who are at the movies.” Kate yelled and Bran and Caleb smiled and waved.

“Hurry up, hun, before they smell the lie,” Kate said, ushering Cecelia out the door and into her truck.

“They’ll know something’s wrong if they come out here and see my parents’ car,” Cecelia said, pointing to the ostentatious red Beemer.

Kate thought for a moment.

“Grab your keys and follow me. We’re heading to Gina’s house.”

Cecelia got into her car and Kate jumped into her truck.

Kate drove east toward the pack lands. She found herself getting anxious and her wolf was getting restless. Unsure of the reason, she lowered the window to get some cool air into the cab and a familiar scent hit her nose. She slammed on her brakes and saw the red car nearly crash into the back of her truck. She threw the truck into park and turned off the ignition. She jumped out and walked back to where Cecelia looked spooked.

“What happened?” Cecelia asked, looking up at Kate.

“I smell blood. How far is it to Gina’s house?” Kate asked.

“About three miles from here, then there is a long driveway,” Cecelia said.

“Let’s move the cars off the road and shift here,” Kate said. Cecelia nodded.

They moved the vehicles to the shoulder and Kate met Cecelia at the back of the truck. Cecelia handed her a small bag that, at first glance, looked as though it was made out of a net, but when she looked closer, she realized it was crocheted. Kate looked at the pink bag in her hand then back to Cecelia who blushed.

“I’m still not very comfortable when I shift back and I’m naked, so I made these for me and Gina. They can hold your clothes but don’t add bulk or weight. That loop is thin enough that you can easily carry it in your mouth. You can have that one if you want. I crochet when I get stressed. I have a ton of them.” Cecelia opened the drawstring to her bag.