Redemption (18 page)

“Before she left the facility I sensed a subtle change, but by the time I awoke it was noticeable.”

“She’s at risk because she carries my child.”

“Not necessarily. We’ll need to monitor closely.”

A child. A son.

Pride and love thundered in him. The urge to run to her, mate her made him twitch restlessly. The men around him chuckled their awareness, but Adrik forced his wolf to calm. Destroying a den of succubae would be easier.

Mira carried his child.

Even as the euphoria spread through him, terror overshadowed his joy. Would she be okay?

“We’ll need to discuss the issue with Doc and come up with a plan. Fortunately, we have plenty of time.”

Thank fuck.

“Go. Attend your woman. Mate her for fuck’s sake,” Trent growled. “Your twitching makes my dragon dizzy.”

Adrik slapped the dragon’s back and made tracks for his woman. He entered the garden and inhaled the beauty of Mira’s work. Once they got the barracks set to rights he’d have to allocate some pack members to help with the daily care of this place. The functionality of the food source had been restored.

Since Bessa was safe, he hoped to hell whatever decision Shifter Council had made would be overturned by Bredon. Or Trent. Hell, he didn’t care who made it so he could stay. His son would be raised here. In Redemption.

With his pack.

He’d run and chase his fellow warriors along the paths his mom salvaged from the weeds and overgrown shrubs. He’d grow strong eating the earth’s bounty Adrik’s mate had planted. Their son would have the normalcy of pack life Adrik had been robbed of because of The Rending.

A son.

* * *

Mira stretched into wakefulness as heat fluttered along her belly. Blinking she looked down and moaned as Adrik trailed soft kisses from her naval downward. His fingers delved beneath the edges of her panties and tugged downward until it slipped to her knees.

“Adrik.”

He nuzzled her sex. “Spread your legs for me, sweetness. I want to taste you.”

Every synapse in her brain imploded. Her pulse raced. Threading her fingers in his hair, she parted her legs obediently and groaned when he settled his weight between them. Hot breath fanned along her mound.

Pleasure ignited in her with each swipe of his tongue along her pussy lips. Two fingers plunged into her wet channel.

“So beautiful. I love how wet you get for me.”

Her brain shut down when his tongue flicked her clit. A moan escaped as his fingers and mouth double-teamed her with pleasure. Flick. Lick. Fuck. Suck. She mentally chuckled at the sing-songy rhyme the ministrations created in her mind. This was everything she’d dreamed of for two long years.

Comfort. Security. Laughter. Love.

Adrik.

As she tumbled over the edge of desire and exploded into awareness, she clung to him. He growled his approval and moved upward, paying homage to her belly once more.

“Mine.”

Yes. Forever.

“Imagine my surprise when I entered and saw you lying here, your gorgeous breasts on full display and red panties covering your sweet mound. So sexy.” He cupped a breast and licked her nipple.

She moaned as he flicked and taunted the hardened nub. Her body tingled in anticipation, her labored breaths faltered when he scraped his teeth along the sensitive bud. His thumb worked her clit. She writhed against his hand when it moved downward and he thrust a finger into her wet pussy.

“So responsive,” he whispered against her skin. “Mine.”

Yes. Forever.

His tongue trailed along her mouth until she parted her lips. Pleasure spiraled and coursed through her blood as he continued to taunt her with a gentle rub to her clit, followed by a slow plunge into her. Each deft move left her hanging on a cliff of desire as his hot breath fanned along her cheek.

“Mine.”

“Yes. Forever.”

He growled at the admission. His mouth devoured hers and he swallowed her moan when his thick cock thrust into her. She reached down and grabbed his ass, sinking her fingernails into his meaty flesh and urging him to fuck her deeper, faster. He growled in her ear and positioned her knees on his shoulders as he pinned her arms at her side.

He filled her fully but she hissed her displeasure when he kept her confined. Adrik smirked and withdrew from her, releasing her long enough to flip her until she was on her hands and knees. Anticipation beaded along her spine as he bit her ass playfully and then licked a path upward until his hot breath fanned her neck.

“This better, mate?”

“Funny, I don’t recall agreeing. Yet.” He tugged on her hair and plunged into her pussy. She cried out in pleasure. She loved when her man took her like this.

One hand held her head firmly in place and the other trailed along her side until it settled between her legs. The rubbing on her clit intensified. She swore she could feel his touch along her entire body.

“Come for me, sweetheart.” He fucked her harder. Each thrust became the focal point of her existence, the thing she craved more than the labored breaths she inhaled between thrusts.

His name tumbled from her lips as her body ignited for him—her mate. His release came on the heels of hers. She collapsed in a heap of sated woman. My God. Had she just admitted to herself she was his mate? Had she really accepted that this thing between them stood a chance of working out?

Adrik kissed her forehead as she settled along his side. His hand ran down her stomach before he drew her closer. “You’re going to make a wonderful mother.”

“Hold up there, Mr. Impatient. I haven’t even officially said yes to the whole mate thing. Little Addy will have to wait a little while.”

He chuckled. “You have a few months to accept both, but know this, my little stubborn female. You will officially be my mate before Little Addy comes into the pack.”

Wait. What?

Adrik sighed as he rose from the bed. “I’ve gotta go handle some things. I’ll be back in a few.”

Wait. What?

“You can’t just throw that shit out and get up like nothing happened. What do you mean I have a few months before Little Addy comes?”

“We’ll go to Medical and double check, but Bredon announced during our meeting you are carrying our son.” Adrik grinned as he nuzzled her neck. “And in case your sexy, over-thinking brain doesn’t process it, I’m thrilled.”

Mira stammered as he sauntered out the door as though he hadn’t sprung something massive on her.

A baby. A boy.

A little Adrik.

Mira rubbed her belly lovingly as she inhaled the succulent bursts of spring wafting off the garden’s abundant vegetation. Thanks to Bessa’s green thumbs, Redemption had a great feast in store for them.

A baby boy.

She couldn’t imagine a grander way to start the next chapter in her life. Adrik wanted her for a mate. Pure bliss overwhelmed her a moment until the dull throb of doubt weighted her thoughts.

What did she know about being an Alpha’s mate? How could she care for a tiny shifter baby? He’d be relying on her for so much, yet she couldn’t provide much of anything. She knew so little.

“Is this a private party or can anyone crash?” Peyton stepped into the garden and sat on the bench across from her. “So, I heard the joyous news, which explains all the puke in the alleys around Medical and Headquarters.”

Heat rose in Mira’s cheeks. “I figured I was ill. I hadn’t expected I was fertile. I mean, I never got…” She halted when Peyton’s eyes widened and her face paled. “Sorry, TMI.”

“No. It’s just…” She looked away. “I’m not one of those gossipy wolves who share makeup secrets and sex tips, so I’m going straight for the wrap-up. I’m sorry for giving you so much shit.”

“You don’t owe me anything. You were protecting your Alpha, your pack. I respect that.”

“It’s yours now too.” Her voice lowered. “He’s yours.”

“Not yet. We haven’t mated. I haven’t really agreed.” She sighed. “I guess I’m starting to think you might’ve been right. I’m not mating material, much less a mother.”

“Remember what I said a while ago? About you being good for him because you needed him to be strong?”

“Yeah.”

“Total shit.” Peyton fiddled with her nails a moment. “The thing is, you are stronger than most of our pack, but in a different way. The way you got Deimos to come out of hiding and save Bessa? Huge! You exhibit strength and grit from deep inside, where it counts. I haven’t seen that kind of thing often in your kind.”

“Some would say my kind has tenacity. You don’t survive long in Hell’s Playground without it.”

“True, but yours is stronger, more honed.” Peyton sighed. “Think I’m tapped out on the sentimental shit for today. Let’s get you over to Medical. They’re waiting.”

Unease made her breathing halt a moment. “They are?”

“Just routine stuff. No biggie.” Peyton stood and motioned for Mira to follow. “By the way, I’m your shadow from here on out. You go, I go. The sooner you accept it, the happier we’ll both be. We clear?”

“Um, why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you my shadow?”

“The future leader of our pack is cooking in your belly. My sole focus is making sure he gets a full, dull baking.”

Alrighty then. She’d been reduced to an Easy Bake oven, wolf style. Her tummy growled as the thought of chocolate chip cookies made her salivate. No. Peanut butter.

Peanut butter chocolate chip.

Yummy.

If they had the provisions she’d make some for everyone later, after the mysterious tests. She trudged over to Medical with a thousand possible scenarios ping ponging in her mind. Relief and arousal flared within her when her gaze landed on Adrik, who was flanked by Ren and Marek.

He crossed his arms, a smug, knowing grin on his face. Miserable toad knew she was still reeling from his attentiveness earlier. Heat rose in her cheeks when she realized everyone would be able to sense her arousal.

Oh well.

Something told her she had a lifetime of that problem so she might as well accept it and move on. Adrik dragged her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. His tongue delved past her parted lips and did the lambada with hers until her pulse spiked and her body tingled and hardened in all the right places.

“I told you to calm her down, not turn her on,” Doc stated.

“Oops,” Adrik drawled as he kissed her softly and groaned. “I do nothing in half measure when it comes to my mate.”

Mira squinted at him.

He drew her in for another kiss. “You are my mate, woman. Accept it so we can plan the party before the flyers have to leave.”

“Oh, all right,” she teased.

Everyone around them cheered. Adrik chuckled and drew her closer until his breath fanned along her earlobe. She shivered in anticipation as he cupped her ass. “Thinking you deserve a spanking for holding out so long.”

She hummed her approval and looked up at him. “Thinking I’d rather forget about whatever this is and move on to the dessert, especially if it involves you.”

She squealed her delight when he lifted her up and carted her into a room, setting her gently on the examination table. Her pulse quickened as she looked around. This wasn’t the facility.

Adrik’s warm fingers ran along her neck and massaged her shoulders. “Nice and calm for me, sweetheart. I’m right here.”

Peyton sat in one corner, with Ren and Marek in another. Apparently this was a pack thing. She looked over at Doc as he entered with Dei…Bredon on his heels. One of these days he’d be Bredon before he was Deimos in her mind.

They both offered warm smiles that belied the worry chewing away at her. “Is everything okay?”

“Of course,” Doc commented. “We just need to get a few vials of blood to run routine tests. I figured Bredon and I could have a look at the little tyke, make sure he’s behaving in there.”

Oh, okay. She settled against Adrik, who’d hopped up on the table behind her. His hands draped around her waist and rubbed her belly as he nibbled at her earlobe. Her body tingled and her pulse raced.

Doc rolled his eyes. “Clearly taking pulse rate and blood pressure are a moot point.”

Adrik chuckled. Bredon grinned. Even Peyton smirked.

They’d all come a long way since the last time she’d been in the examination room. Mira glanced down at her arm, shocked to see Doc had already inserted a needle and drawn three vials of blood. Three. And she hadn’t felt a thing.

All she’d felt was Adrik taunting her with his warm caresses and sultry kisses. Sneaky wolf. She rested deeper into his embrace, allowing him to support her fully. He sighed his contentment.

“Thinking I’d embarrass myself if I got up right about now, sweetheart. Can’t wait to get you alone.”

“Ewww. We can hear you,” Peyton said as she covered her ears. “Tomorrow,” Adrik whispered.

“‘Tomorrow?”

“Yes, tomorrow I make you my mate before the pack and everyone else here at Redemption. I want everyone to know you are mine. Forever.” He nipped her neck. “What do you say?”

“Is it tomorrow yet?”

“Okay, Romeo, lay off on the arousing enough for us to get a good reading from the little tyke.” Doc rested his hand on Mira’s belly. “You shouldn’t feel anything more than comforting warmth, okay?”

“Sure.” She rubbed her hands along Adrik’s powerful thighs and sighed in frustration. The sooner they finished, the better. She couldn’t take much more teasing. She looked over at Doc, whose hand still roamed her belly as though it were a crystal ball. “Everything okay?”

He grinned. “Everything is remarkable, the picture of health.”

“May I?” Bredon asked.

Adrik growled in her ear. She slapped his thigh. “Behave, wolf of mine.”

“I thought we got past this already, man.” Bredon chuckled as he approached.

“I guess not,” Adrik grumbled. “Go ahead and cop your feel, dragon breath.”

Everyone gasped, but Bredon laughed harder as he settled his hand over Mira’s belly. The warmth spreading through her was more prevalent now, but she suspected mentioning the difference probably wouldn’t work well for her growly, possessive mate-to-be.

“Healthy and vocal, much like his father,” Bredon commented.