Chapter Six

Cardian

"I need to make a sweep of the house," I told my mate who scooted forward once again in his chair to nuzzle my stomach.

Sure, the affection hit me square between the legs, but he wasn't sucking my dick. Where Terrick found his crude language, I'd never know. Maybe he was just horny since his mate was pregnant and laid up on bedrest and he projected it onto my mate's innocent nuzzling.

"Then we could go for a walk if you want to. I know you're a day liver, but it's still early for you, right?"

"Yeah. I don't go to bed before the toddlers of the village," Dakota laughed against my stomach. "What are you sweeping for?"

"Ghosts, mostly. I'll explain everything after I'm done, okay? Will you be alright out here?" I asked him.

"Unless one of the ghosts you're looking for eats me."

"I'm the only one allowed to eat you," I cupped his chin to look into his eyes.

The sunset played at his irises changing them from blue to green then to grey. It would be too easy to steal away into the woods with him and forget about my brother and his bad attitude for a while, but if Terrick was haunted perhaps his pups would be too and that I couldn't abide by.

Stepping away from Dakota left an ache deep inside me. His gaze followed me to the front door. I glanced around the living room and then sprinted through the rest of the house. There was no one dead hanging around as far as I could hear.

"Why are you stomping around?" Terrick called from his and Scott's bedroom, the only room I hadn't seen with my own eyes. Then again, I didn't actually see the dead most of the time.

"Guard sweep," I said, heading back toward the front door.

"Who did you think was in the house?" Terrick asked, opening their bedroom door.

His shirt was off, and his hair was messy. My brother frowned at me as his eyes swept down the hall.

"You do understand guard sweeps happen whether the guard thinks someone is there or not, right? That's what guards do, baby brother," I shrugged.

"Be kind to Dakota," he said.

"Why would I be anything else?" I arched a brow. "Did I do something to you that I forgot about?"

"No," Terrick shook his head. "I just don't need any bullshit right now."

"I think you're up to your neck in bullshit and Mom sent me to dig you out," I said meeting his exhausted gaze.

"Actually, that's why I'm here," Dakota said, and we both startled.

Scott laughed from the bed as my mate squeezed between my brother and I to get inside the bedroom. I didn't shove Terrick out of his way – but man, I wanted to. Something deep inside me wanted to clear every person and piece of furniture out of his path.

"You didn't even ask why your mate was here, huh?" Terrick arched a brow, a chuckle playing at his words. "Don't worry. I had to ask mine why I was here."

I didn't laugh. It was all good and well that he could make fun of the situation, but he hadn't seen the aftermath of his leaving. He hadn't seen the color fade from faces when we thought he was dead.

"I'm here to help with the babies," Dakota said as if the tension in the room wasn't there at all.

He sat on the corner of Scott and Terrick's bed and slid a pillow under his friend's feet. I glanced at his ankles. They weren't as swollen as I guessed someone's might be if they were put on pregnancy bedrest.

"The doctor's afraid I'm going to throw my back out and fall over," Scott said as if he read my mind.

Terrick glanced over his shoulder at his mate and his scent sombered. The omegas looked at each other and it took me a full thirty seconds to realize they were speaking over a pack link or something. I leaned against the doorframe as my brother turned to observe the exchange too.

"I'll talk to him about it," Scott said aloud, and Dakota grinned at him.

"About what?" Terrick asked.

"We'll talk once they go for their walk," Scott said as Dakota stood up.

"Oh, crap!" Terrick sighed. "You're going to stay here, aren't you?" He turned to face me.

I glanced at Dakota. Was he staying here? Because if so, ‘yes' was the most likely answer.

"We could stay at the other house," Dakota offered up, "but I don't think I'd be much help that way."

Terrick glanced at his mate who flashed him a sad smile. I wanted to ask Terrick what exactly I had done to him, but was old enough to know that whatever Terrick's problems were they had little to do with me.

"No, you came here to help," Terrick said, his voice softer than when he spoke to me. "We appreciate that."

"And if you need time alone at a mating moon house or something we'll understand," Scott added on.

"I'd be checking in on the fours either way," I reminded everyone.

"On the fours?" Dakota asked.

"Every fourth hour."

"Even at night?" Scott asked.

"I'll be quiet," I nodded.

"You guys take guardianship very seriously, huh?" Scott chuckled. "I hope you get some sleep."

"He will once he's settled in and realizes that the baddies aren't thinking about us and we're not the haunted ones. That's Liam," Dakota shrugged.

"Have you seen any spirits since that night?" Scott asked Terrick.

"No," he shook his head and he smelled like he was telling the truth.

"Let me know if you do," I said.

"What? You gonna run the dead through with your sword?" Terrick chuckled.

"Brother, you're only as alone as you choose to be," I said and held out my hand for Dakota.

"I'll be okay," Scott said when Dakota glanced in his direction. "Congratulations you two! I'd offer to host the mating feast, but they've yet to make an over the bed oven."

Dakota hugged Scott and whispered something too fast for me to catch and then after too many agonizing seconds he took my hand.