Chapter Two

Cardian

The rain poured down in sheets, flooding parts of the garden behind the main house. My mother would be cross that I took the backway inside through the mud and rain, but I wasn't in the mood to be bombarded by all the tiny people that were somehow my younger siblings. I stood face up, letting the water wash over me on its way to the ground. The world was filled with petrichor, and the rain drowned out all the sounds coming from inside.

Mom would just have to deal with a little nature traveling inside tonight. She was the one who asked me to come over after all. I was perfectly happy watching movies until the rain passed. She was the one who said it was a pressing matter.

"I knew you'd be wet," she opened the back door before I ever had a chance to knock.

Mom was like that. She read minds and souls like librarians read books.

"Shoes," she pointed to my feet.

I hadn't been in the mood to put them on in the first place. Now, she wanted me to take them off. Sighing, I gave Mom her way. It was her house and the quicker we talked the quicker I could go home.

"You don't have to look so put out when I invite you over, Cardian," she said, flashing me a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"You don't have to smile at me like that either. That just means I'm not going to like whatever you want to talk about," I said and kissed her hello on the cheek anyway.

"You're not."

"Upfront? That's new. Shall we sit?" I asked her.

"I already had the staff put down towels in the side dining room," she nodded.

"Good idea. If you want me to watch kids, just no. I'll go home now and save us both time."

"Not exactly," she shook her head as we entered the side dining room and followed the path of crimson towels to the table. One of the chairs was also covered in towels. I took the hint that was my seat and sat down.

"Your brother's mate is on bedrest," she announced.

"Which one?" I asked. "I think all of them us except, Sheddy and me are mated off now."

"Terrick," Mom said.

"No," I shook my head.

"Cardian," Mom sighed. "I know your brother has had his troubles, but he's settled down now. I won't share his personal information, but he's been through the wringers."

"You mean talking to his dead dad and all," I leaned back.

"Did he tell you about that?" she asked me.

"Not exactly. I just chose to believe he wasn't insane, and he must have your sight," I shrugged.

"That is true," Mom nodded. "I know I'm asking a lot of you, but you are a trained guardian. You took the oath to protect the future of this coven near and far. I speak to you now as your mother and the High Priestess of the Lost Fang Coven. I speak to you now because you're a guardian and I expect you to keep the silence of the Order of the Sharp Fangs."

"Who's trying to kill him now?" I rolled my eyes.

"No one that we know of. Terrick's mate is pregnant, Cardian. Particularly pregnant."

"Is that your way of saying hormones have made him crazy?" I arched a brow.

"No and never say that about a pregnant person. One day you'll have a mate, and you'll want to crush someone's soul to dust if they say that about them."

"Well, unless my mate trespasses through your garden I doubt I'll meet them," I chuckled.

"You might be surprised at who you meet while on assignment."

"Hey! I didn't agree to go!" I said, pushing my chair away from the table.

"You did when you took the oath, Cardian. Now, remain seated while we discuss this, please."

Sighing, I narrowed my eyes on her. Almost every Alpha took the oath and trained to fight. It was a long-standing tradition within the coven. I did as was expected of me and now it decided to come back and bite me on the ass.

"Your brother is expecting four children. His mate is on bedrest," Mom said.

"Four?" I sighed.

"Yes, and if the medical professionals are to be believed, two of them may have inherited his newly acquired genetics."

I groaned. My brother was an asshole because he was apparently haunted and either he or the ghosts scared the other vampires in the coven. He was antisocial unless you were his full sibling like Salta. Mom, in all her wisdom, sent him off on his own where he promptly wrecked his car and technically killed himself. Some old god of the wolves or dragons took pity on him and cursed him with a pit hound. Well, one way or another, I didn't know the ins and outs for sure, he and his mate beat the curse and the pit hound stuck around.

"There are a lot of guards who would gladly volunteer to go," I pointed out.

"Why aren't you one of them?" she asked me.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. Why wasn't I one of them? If it were any of my other siblings, I'd be pissed about having to go, but I'd gladly go. It was a paradox, but it was true. Terrick made himself into a loner. I didn't do that.

"Because if Terrick had any use for me, he'd have made it known by now."

"You forget how young he is," Mom said. "He doesn't have your centuries, Cardian. Compared to you he's practically still a child."

She had me there.

"Why me?"

"Because Sheldon is an omega and hasn't taken the vows you have."

"And the rest of them are mated off," I shook my head. "So, you're banishing me now."

"I am doing no such thing," Mom said, her voice lowering into the serious tone she used when someone cut her with their words and she didn't want to admit it. "I'm asking you because you are his family too. I cannot leave the coven and go usher my grandchildren into the solid world. I'd like to have one of us there. Whatever Terrick has done to you or hasn't done for you, Scott and the children have nothing to do with that."

"Have you asked Terrick if he even wants me hovering over his pregnant mate?" I shot back.

"He knows I plan to send a guard. Our plans were to send one after the babies came, but with Scott on bedrest we agreed it was best to send someone sooner. You'll stay in a house nearby. You'll check on them often and keep your family link open for signs of danger."

"What danger?" I asked. "If I'm going as a guard and you've seen something, I have the right to know."

"You would, but I haven't," Mom said, smelling like the truth.

"Is this your overprotective nature or your concerned mothering?" I asked.

"Does it matter which one, Cardian?" she frowned. "I won't make you go, but are you really going to spend forever locked away in your lair?"

"My lair," I laughed.

"That's what the others have come to call it," she nodded.

"Fuck them," I shrugged.

"Some of them might like that and say nicer things if you did," Mom laughed, and I did too.

"Been there, done that. Lost a chosen mate to a curse," I shrugged. "Not again. Never again."

"Laurni knew what he was getting into. You forget, chosen mate or not, he was an Alpha like us," Mom said. "He knew what battle entailed."

"Yep. That's why I became boring," I shrugged, brushing off the memory of the day he was lost forever to me. "Boring people get to live long boring lives."

"Long lonely lives," Mom corrected.

"I'm not lonely. I have the wildlife for company."

"Cardian," she sighed. "I'm not sending you off on an arranged marriage. I'm not banishing you. I'm asking you to be my eyes somewhere I cannot be at this time. With the silly dragon wars over, Heartville should be peaceful. Your life won't change much."

"They're day livers," I sighed.

"Well, that might have to change."

"And there are shifters galore," I said.

"And what is the problem with that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes on me.

"It's different," I said.

"You can say no," she leaned back in her seat. "There are others I can ask."

"Why me?" I asked again, hoping to get the real answer.

"Because I think it would do you some good to see somewhere that isn't here."

"I have," I shrugged. "Remember, I was out in the Wildlands when Laurni died."

"The Wildlands don't exist anymore," she reminded me.

"I bet they do in the hearts of the people who survived that bullshit," I sighed.

"Perhaps," she nodded.

Laurni would've loved the adventure of going on some made up mission in the middle of nowhere. Only he wasn't here anymore. It was just me now, but we all knew I was going to go.