Chapter Three

Peter

"Daddy, how long do we have to wait here?" Georgi tugged on my sleeve.

"I don't know, baby. I told you until my friend comes for us. Remember?"

"Okay." Georgi went to sit on the hotel bed and turned on the television. "I don't like it here."

I looked around the room. The peeling wallpaper, the clean but worn-looking bedding, and the small, outdated TV weren't what we had at home. But at least we were safe, and there were no bloodstains. The overall appearance of this room just made me feel uncomfortable.

Or maybe it was the fact that my ex was somewhere out there in the world looking for me, and now I knew for a fact he was a killer.

"Did you find something on TV?" I sat next to Georgi on the bed.

"Yeah, this cartoon. Everything else was boring."

"Oh, you used to love this one." I recognized the two cartoon dogs on the screen from when Georgi was much younger.

"Yeah, it's for babies." Georgi shrugged. "But it was better than the other shows."

"Hopefully, we'll be on the road again soon, buddy." I was hugging Georgi when someone knocked on the door, startling me.

"Papa, who's that?"

"I don't know, baby." I stood up and walked to the door. "Can you do Papa a favor?"

"What?" Georgi looked up at me with the big brown eyes he got from his father.

"I want you to go into the bathroom." I picked up the burner phone and handed it to him. "Here. Take this with you. Just wait there until I come for you. Lock the door, and don't open it for anyone but me. Okay?"

"Okay, Papa."

"Only open it if I say the code word. Do you remember what the code word is?"

"Brussels sprouts."

"Correct. So, if I say Brussels sprouts, you'll know it's me. And you can open the door."

"Okay, Papa."

"All right. Go on."

Without a peephole, I couldn't see who was knocking. I waited until I heard the bathroom door lock click before addressing the stranger.

"Who is it?" I shouted to be sure the person heard me.

"Hi. I'm looking for Peter." A gruff voice sent chills down my spine. But not the terrified kind.

Stop it! Not now, libido.

"Identify yourself." I needed to be sure I wasn't letting the enemy in.

"My name is Karl. The Global Shifter Council sent me to pick up some important packages and transport them somewhere safe."

"And how do I know this isn't a trap?" How would I know for sure GSC sent him? I should have thought up a code word.

Karl quieted his voice with a deep sigh, but I clearly heard him. "Is there a naughty boy who needs a spanking from Daddy?"

"Seriously." Laughing, I opened the door. "Only someone who knew my best friend would know that joke."

"It sounds like it could be an interesting story." Karl smiled, and my knees felt weak as the smell of warm vanilla chai graced my nose.

Out of everybody the GSC could have sent, who would have thought the person they'd chosen would end up being my fated mate.

***

Karl

My mouth went dry, and the world stopped for just a moment when the door opened, and I laid my eyes on the most beautiful vision of a man I'd ever seen. My cock hardened at the delicious smell of sunflowers, orange blossoms, and bergamot. I was taken back to the summer days of playing in the fields and feeling free and full of life and love. The smell and the tingling sensation sparking through my body meant this man in front of me that GSC sent me here to protect was my fated mate.

"Papa, who is that?" A little boy with wide brown eyes and floppy blond hair ran out of the bathroom and hid behind my mate. If he had beautiful blue eyes, he'd be a carbon copy of his father.

"Georgi, I told you to stay in the bathroom." My mate placed a protective hand on his son's shoulder.

"I know." Georgi bowed his head. "But I wanted to protect you."

"Well, you don't need to protect me. I protect you. But this time, it's okay because this is my friend—"

"My name is Karl." I knelt to be level with the small boy. "I came to bring you and your papa to somewhere safe."

Still hiding behind his father, Georgi took a small peek at me, but I heard his little whisper, "Hi."

"Are you all set to go?" I stood and gestured toward the bag next to the door.

"We are." Peter stepped back and handed Georgi a small backpack and stuffed bear. "Let me just gather our belongings, and we can go. We don't have a lot. I couldn't take anything from home, but we were gifted with a few things at the zoo. They kept a small room filled with items in case of an emergency, including some clothes in various sizes. One of the security officers handed me a wallet with enough cash to pay for this hotel and a burner phone to contact someone."

"And the gentleman at the exit gave me this." Georgi held up a stuffed polar bear.

"Yeah, he did." Peter ruffled his son's hair, a big smile on his face.

"Okay." I lifted the bag next to the door and backed into the fresh air, scanning our surroundings. "Let's grab what you have and get down to my car. I don't want to be out in public too long."

"We're ready." Peter motioned for Georgi to follow me and closed the door before I led them to my black sedan.