Chapter Four

Peter

Boom!

I grabbed Georgi and hid us under the nearest table. "Hush, I won't let Alessandro find us," I whispered into my son's ear.

"Sorry!" A shout came down the hall, and I saw Karl and Rayne relax.

"I thought he was getting better." Karl gripped my arm and gently guided Georgi and me toward some chairs away from the windows and door. "It's okay, everyone. That was one of the trainees. I know it was scary, but Nikolai probably just blew up a plant or can of peanuts."

"Are you sure?" I followed Karl but still looked around the room for signs that we should start running.

"I do apologize for that. Please allow me to help settle some of those nerves." Rayne Ramano-Survolar, one of the training center's directors, reached out and squeezed my shoulder, offering a hint of calming energy through the brief touch. "My brother-in-law, Nikolai, has been improving his skills as a magic weaver in recent months but has been a bit dysregulated. I hope we can talk to him about taking a longer sabbatical."

"Oh." Karl covered his mouth with his hand and closed his eyes. "I heard about the passing of his wife, Stacey. And the baby—"

"Willow survived, luckily." A tiny smile appeared on Rayne's face as he spoke of his niece. "But my brother-in-law is overwhelmed with grief and the responsibility of being a solo parent. We are trying to help him as much as possible, but he will only allow so much."

"Give him time." I pulled Georgi closer into my body. "Making sure he knows you are there for him is enough, trust me. There will come a day when he realizes he is drowning and needs the life preserver you offer. Be there when he calls."

"We will. Thanks." Rayne nodded. "I want to assure you that you are safe on the training center property. We are both physically and magically protected. We have living accommodations on the premises that you are welcome to use. I can take you down to the one we were preparing for you and ensure it has everything you three will need."

"That would be great." Karl stood up and held out a hand for me. "We are very thankful for the assistance. GSC wasn't sure about the safe houses we had in the area. There was a breach in the system a couple of weeks ago, and they are still working on fixing it and rehoming the people who were actively using it. They will have to start over and eliminate all the old ones now that the information was compromised."

"It's no bother." Rayne led us out of the office and down the hall to the bank of elevators. "We could use your help at the center while you are here. GSC would be okay with that. We already checked."

"What sort of help?" Karl held the elevator doors open while we all stepped in. "Training in fighting styles or research techniques?"

"Perhaps." Rayne pressed the button for the first floor. "But I was thinking of having you help my brother Wolf on a new project we will be starting. We were looking into a training program for younger shifters and magic weavers. In the last couple of years, we have noticed that many of our children are developing abilities much younger than their parents' age group did."

"Georgi can do things I was able to do as a small child." I followed Rayne out into the lobby and out the front doors.

"We will have to talk later about Georgi and see if he should join us." Rayne winked at Georgi, who was still clinging to me shyly. "But that is what we mean. The children born today are capable of things their parents weren't, and the training center is thinking about how we can help parents and children handle the immense powers with respect and responsibility. Sadly, I have seen GSC call a few homes in the past year because an excited child exploded in the neighbor's house or made a bully at school disappear, not knowing how they did it or how to reverse the damage they caused. With training for parents and children, we can ensure we see fewer of those incidences."

"That sounds like a wonderful program." I looked around us at the training center campus and admired the lush green trees surrounding the border and the vast field where I saw shifters training in some hands-on battle techniques. "This place looks amazing. I am so glad to see that you were able to open it up and start teaching so many of us. Not everyone has a strong family that teaches you how to use your powers. Those of us who were lost have somewhere to go and learn."

"Thank you." Rayne stopped in front of an adorable two-story house with rose bushes and a tree with a tire swing. "I thought this one would be perfect for you guys. What do you think?"

"It's adorable." I walked up the path. "Can we look inside?"

"Of course." Rayne took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. "I had my cousins decorate a bit and stock the pantry and fridge for you. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"We'll be sure to let you know." Karl followed us into the entryway but stopped at the door. "Sorry, I was taught to always remove my shoes upon entering a home."

"That's a good rule." Rayne took his off as well. "We won't drag mud into the house with that rule in place."

I nudged Georgi to do the same and we placed them next to Karl's. Something seemed right about seeing them all next to each other in this place. I knew it was a temporary house to stay in, but it already felt like home somehow.

Rayne gave us a tour of the beautiful house. Four spacious bedrooms and three bathrooms were decorated in lovely cool tones—except one, which had been perfectly decorated for my little boy with building blocks and action figures. Georgi was in heaven over his new room. "This place is perfect, Rayne. Thank you."

"I knew I picked correctly." Rayne grinned. "Now, I wanted to ask if I could take Georgi back to the training center with me so he could play with the kids in the daycare center. Technically, they are all my children or my nieces and nephews, but when they heard another child would be around, they begged me to bring him by to play. I can drop him back off over here in about three hours. This way, you will have some time to make sure the house is right for you."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the little wink that Rayne flashed, but I appreciated the offer. "If you don't mind, I think Georgi might love that. Let's ask him."

"Yes." Georgi bounded over and put his shoes on.

"You little eavesdropper." I should have known he was listening. "Okay, you can go, but make sure you listen to Rayne and behave,"

"I will, Papa. I love you." Georgi hugged me and kissed my cheek before walking out the door.

"I guess I have you all to myself now." Karl snuck up behind me, and his voice sent tingles down my spine—in a good way.

"I guess you do, alpha." I met his eyes. "Are you going to claim your omega, or what?"

Karl growled and swooped in, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss. Backing me up against the hallway wall, he blocked me in with his body. I would never be caught complaining, though, because the position allowed me to feel his hardness against me, and I was drowning in my desire.

"You are so sexy." Karl groaned as he rubbed himself against me and licked my neck. "I can't wait to taste you."

"Then don't wait." I gently pushed his head down, and he knelt before me, unbuckling my pants and releasing my thick cock.

Sliding a tongue along its length, Karl teased the head before wrapping his lips around it entirely, engulfing me in his warmth. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the pleasure, not opening them until Karl's mouth left my dick, and he headed back up my body, leaving a trail of wet kisses in his wake.

"Yum. You taste so good."

"Fuck me, alpha."

"You need me, my omega?" Karl leaned in and nipped my earlobe, and I almost came. There was something about that spot that just turned me on so much. "Let's go to the bedroom."

Stumbling our way, we stripped our clothes off so we had less to do once we got there.

"Get on the bed," Karl growled, a little bit of his dragon showing through his voice. I had no choice but to listen when he sounded so alluring.

Lying back on the bed, my arousal grew as Karl climbed up the bed, hovering over my body. My breath caught at the tantalizing sight of my mate dominating me this way. I felt my hole slick as it waited for his penetration.

Karl used my slick lubricant on his finger and slid it in, stretching me for his cock. Locking his lips to mine, he played my body until I was a withering mess begging to come. "Please, alpha."

"Needy omega." Karl's low and sexy chuckle only made me want him more.

Making good on his promise, Karl shifted his weight, and I felt the tip of his cock at my entrance slowly gliding in. Our bodies moved in rhythm, and our kissing grew more frantic with each thrust. Never in my life had I felt so filled, and I had the rest of my life to share this with my mate. As our orgasms neared the surface, our instincts took over, and we claimed one another with mating bites.

Coming down from climax, Karl rolled off me and pulled me to his side. "I love you, mate."

"And I love you, mate."