Rocky (Tales of the Were) (6 page)

Swallowing hard, she nodded. He placed her gently on the bed, shocking her as he unzipped her robe the rest of the way and tugged it off her shoulders. Aside from her panties, she was completely naked as he climbed into bed next to her, wearing nothing but his jeans. He pulled the blanket up over them and drew her into his arms.

The heat of him was exciting and comforting. His skin burned hot, just the way Tony’s had, but Rocky was bigger, more solid and a much more commanding presence than Tony had been. Tony had seemed to always hold back with her a little
, and she’d realized just before he died it was because she didn’t know what he truly was. That last week before his death, he’d let her have all of him for the first time, and she learned what she’d been missing during their marriage.

Tony had always been more cerebral than Rocky. Though Rocky was every bit as smart as Tony had been in high school—both at the top of their class—Tony had been dedicated to more scholarly pursuits, while Rocky excelled at sports and anything physical. Tony could command attention with his words
. Rocky did so with his mere presence.

She
reached up and kissed his chin as he snuggled her into his broad arms.

“None of that now,” he teased, “or we’ll never get to sleep.” He spooned her from behind, wrapping his arm around her. “I’ll give you time. As much time as you need, but you need to understand. You’re mine now. The babies need me and I need you, Maggie. As I’ve always needed you.”

“Rocky—” She wanted to ask so many questions, but he stilled her words.

“No. Now isn’t the
time for talk. We’re both worn out and everything is new and strange. We have time now. Time to figure this all out and come up with the best solution for us all. I just want you to know that I’m here for you. I’ve always been and always will be. That’s all. Things will go as slow as they need to go from here.” He brushed a tender kiss near her temple, and she suddenly felt the weight of the hours of anxiety and worry lift from her shoulders.

Tony had been magic, but Rocky…Rocky was solid. He was security. He was her rock. Her Rocky.

Within moments, she was deeply asleep.

Chapter Six

The next morning, Rocky woke with an arm full of warm woman and his ears full of the soft sounds coming from the cubs. They were up again, hungry as usual and demanding attention.

Rocky leaned over and kissed Maggie awake—something he’d dreamed of doing almost his entire life. She was more responsive than he would have believed, cuddling into him as he took the kiss deeper.

She’d been through a lot in a short time, but she was stronger than even he would have thought. She’d impressed the hell out of him with the way she handled everything, the way she’d survived on her own with a killer mage on her trail all those months, but the idea frightened him too. Never again would she face danger alone.

“Rocky—”

His breath caught as she whispered his name—
his
—as she woke in his arms. Even half asleep, she knew who held her. The thought sent a bolt of satisfaction through him that allowed him to draw farther away. The babies needed them now, but later there’d be time for the grownups.

“Sounds like Tony and Jim are hungry.” He kissed her chin, nipping slightly. “Probably dirty too.” He rolled out of the bed before he got too interested in kissing her some more. “I’ll help clean them up, then it’s time for a shower. I’ve got a lot of work to do today.”

Rocky felt a pang of regret for the deliberate distance he had to put between himself and his heart’s desire. He had to give Maggie time to heal both physically and emotionally before he pushed her any further. She needed time to come to terms with the life he was going to build for her here, in the Pack. In his home. Starting today.

“Work?” She sat up
, clutching his sheet to her chest. Damn, he loved the way she looked, rumpled and sleepy eyed in his bed. Where she belonged.

“Some of the Pack is coming out to help me build an addition for the cubs. They’ll need the room as they
grow, and so will we.”

He crossed the room, giving each child a good
morning kiss as they quieted for him. They recognized him already, which boded well for their future as a family. He set about changing them as he heard Maggie tug on the discarded robe and zip it up.

“Rocky.” Her strong tone made him turn. He had one of the babies in his arms. “Do you expect us to live here with you permanently?”

He read confusion and uncertainty in her beautiful eyes. Rocky took a deep breath and placed the now clean, squirming bundle back in the crib before facing her again.

“Yes,” he answered simply, stepping forward to meet her troubled gaze. He had to make her understand. “I meant everything I said last night. I claimed these children. They’re mine to raise and guide, to love and sponsor through their lives. They need me.” He closed the distance between them, grasping her hands as he pulled her forward to meet him halfway. “I’m hoping that at some point you’ll need me too. But if you don’t, I’ll build you your own space, Maggie. Just don’t ask me to let you go completely. I don’t think I could. Not now.”

“I’ve always needed you, Rocky.”

He could hear the unspoken
but
in there and it made him back off, even as her words gave him hope. He’d been bold in declaring his protection for the children and his attraction to her, but he knew she needed time.

Rocky was glad he’d put it out there so she’d know where he was coming from, but he
thought it was probably too soon. Too soon to talk about the future. Too soon to consider anything but the next few days. He cursed inwardly, thinking how long she’d been living in fear, not daring to plan ahead, living day to day.

He’d put an end to that. He’d end the threat to her and her children—his children too now. He hadn’t been born a grizzly for nothing. He’d protect his new family with everything he could bring to bear. In this case, he had the entire shifter community in this region at his disposal. He’d been living among them
for a long time, was one of their community leaders though he had no Clan of his own in the area. He’d helped them all repeatedly. This time, they would help him protect his woman and his young. He knew he could count on them.

Just a few short years ago he’d had no one.
But he’d forged his life here with the Lords, and now his decision to live a lone existence among the other Clans—to be surrounded by their family units, but never part of one—was coming back full circle. He had to believe the Lady Herself had guided his steps when he settled here. It so easily could have gone the other way.

Had Tim and Rafe been any other kind of leaders, they may well have driven off a lone bear shifter from their Pack lands. Instead, they’d welcomed him. Made him a part of their extended family. Given him a position of authority within their hierarchy. He would call on that support system now to help him keep Maggie and the boys safe.

But the confusion and worry in her eyes broke his heart.

“Don’t worry, Mags. I swear to you, it will all work out.”

“I hope you’re right, Rock. I’m so afraid.” Those last three whispered words made his heart clench.

“Don’t be.” He stroked her back, folding her into his arms for a comforting hug. He liked the way she fit there, her cheek resting over his heart where it belonged. “I’m here. And there’s a big wolf Pack, raptors, cougars and other assorted shifter Clans
right outside the door, ready to help protect you and the boys. You came to the right place. Finally.”

“I didn’t want to be a burden on you and your friends, but there was nothing else I could do.”

“Nothing else you
should
have done. Tony sent you to me for a reason. He knew I would protect you and his sons with my life if necessary. I’m only sorry you waited so long to get here.”

She stiffened in his arms and he drew back, becoming aware of the babies fussing nearby. He had to let her go. The boys needed attention. But he was reluctant to lose the warm feel of her in his arms. Still, he had time now. Time to convince her that she belonged with him and that he loved her more than life itself. He just had to be patient.

He let her go and they turned together to take care of the infants, the sound of cars pulling up into Rocky’s yard drawing him away just a few minutes later. The work crews were here, ready and willing to help him in any way they could. It was a beautiful thing, what Tim and Rafe had accomplished in drawing all the Tribes of the
were
together here.

Rocky, as a strong Alpha, was one of their
highest ranked lieutenants, though he never thought much about his placement within the community. He was the only grizzly shifter in the territory, the only one he knew of in the region now that Tony was dead.

Both
Tony and Maggie’s parents were gone as well, and Rocky’s folks had long since moved to the coastal woodlands. They were enjoying their semi-retirement, though he had a feeling once they knew they had grandcubs, they’d be here like a shot. Which reminded him, he had to call today and let them know what had happened. He’d be in big trouble with his mother if she found out through the shifter grapevine.

He went out to greet the work crew, taking his cell phone with him. He’d place the call as soon as he got a
moment.

Work on the first small addition to his house was well underway before he had a chance to phone his folks, but he knew he could put it off no longer. Rocky walked a short distance from the house and the new construction and hit the button. Leaning against a tree for support, he waited for someone to answer. He should’ve known it would be his mother. She always seemed to know when he was calling.

“Hi, mom, it’s me.”

“Rocco? Sweetheart, how are you?”

Even after all these years on his own, his mother’s voice still made him homesick for those early days when she’d baked his favorite cookies and fussed over him and Tony after school. If it wasn’t his mom, it was Tony’s, since the boys were never far apart as they grew.

“I have news. Can you get Dad to pick up the extension? I think you both should hear all this at once.”

“I hope it’s nothing bad. Are you all right, son?” He heard her moving through the house as she spoke. Probably looking for his dad.

He heard a click and knew his dad was on the line even before he had a chance to answer his mother’s question.

“The news is mixed, but I think overall you’ll be happy. First, Maggie’s here. Did you know she was pregnant? She had the babies last night. Twins. Twin boys.”

“Oh, sweet blessed Lady. Where’s Tony? We haven’t heard from him in so long, but I didn’t worry because he had Maggie.” His mother’s voice broke his heart. He hated to have to tell her this. Tony had been like a second son to her.

“He’s gone,
Mom. A mage was hunting him and killed him about eight months ago according to Maggie. She’s been on the run from the same people ever since. Tony made her promise she’d come to me when the time came for her to have the babies.”

“Twins?” That was his father’s gruff voice.

“Yes, Dad. The next Lords, if their appearance at the sabbat is anything to go by. They’re already shifting. They’ve got so much of Tony in them. So much of his magic.” Rocky had to swallow hard to keep his voice from cracking.

“You claimed them.” His dad’s voice was certain. It wasn’t a question.

“Yes. They’re your grandsons now.”

He heard his mother sniffle and knew there were tears running down her face. His dad would probably have his arm around her, offering silent comfort. He hated to have to tell them all this over the phone, but they needed to know.

“We’ll be on the first flight we can arrange,” his father said in a firm voice.

“Actually,
Dad, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. We’ve been up against the
Venifucus
before in recent months.”

“
Venifucus
?” His mother’s shocked whisper reached through the phone line to twist his heart.

Word had gone out from the Lords to all shifters in their domain a few months ago about the reappearance of the organization most had thought long gone. The
Venifucus
were a collection of regular people and magic users intent on bringing back an evil the likes of which this realm had not seen in centuries.

Elspeth, the one known as Destroyer of Worlds, had been banished to a forgotten realm by the combined efforts of many different kinds of magical folk the last time the
Venifucus
had been confronted. Now they were back, and they were trying to bring her back too. It would take a great deal of dark, evil magic to retrieve her from such a place and her minions in this realm were working toward that goal.

They’d already tried to kill Allie and the Lords. They’d failed in that attempt, but who knew how many Others on the side of light had been silenced already? The
Venifucus
were playing the long game, taking out their opposition one by one before anyone even realized they were still a viable organization.

Now that the Lords knew for sure they were back and what they were plotting, the forces of
Light were being rallied. Nobody really knew if it would be enough to prevent catastrophe. And no one knew exactly when or how the
Venifucus
planned to act. Vigilence was the order of the day.