Chapter Four

Lee

We could have run the pup's bloodwork ourselves, but I didn't want to leave room for anyone to speculate that we lied about his beginnings. He was tiny, hungry, and displaced already. He didn't need to be at the center of a so-called scandal on top of everything else. So instead of running that risk in a few days, Doctor Michael Lawngry of the Guardians of Glitter Bomb would conduct his own labs to confirm what we already found. The GGBs were our allies, but not closely aligned enough to lie for us.

"I don't think he's going to make international news," Bane said as we settled into bed that night.

The pup, still unnamed, was tucked away in the crib in the nursery we always kept ready. We'd fostered a few pups over the years and babysat enough to know better than to think we didn't need a nursery. The kids were excited about the new baby, but we hadn't told them where he came from either. Before his bedtime, Graysin sat quietly watching the new pup. His eyes glowed with curiosity and joy. He was also very insistent that we had to name him soon, because names were how we knew we were family. At least, that's how we knew according to my kiddo.

"He could," I countered. "We're trying to keep things quiet, but we know from experience quiet is hard to maintain. The world thrives on noise. Silence is perceived as a void, everything and everyone wants to fill up. So, I'm covering our asses. Michael's a good doctor too."

"Never said he wasn't," Bane smirked at me.

"Alpha," I groaned. "I'm too tired for everything that smirk says. I'm sorry."

"Come here," he tugged me closer as I told Magi to turn out the lights.

The hearth magic sunk the bedroom into darkness as Bane pulled me to his chest. He kissed the top of my head and I buried my face in his chest. His scent wrapped around me like a warm, familiar blanket and my eyes drifted closed.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled again.

"It's been a long day," Bane chuckled. "There'll be other days."

"Thank you for not being a cave-alpha."

"I'm too old to become one now. Besides, it's no fun if you're not as into it as I am," he said and kissed the top of my head again. "I'll take the first cry tonight. You get some rest."

"I love you."

"I love you too, mate. Happy Wolf Day."

***

That night I dreamt of Travis and Trista as little babies. The moments I first held them in my arms played out in vivid detail despite them being parents now. I woke up reaching out for Bane and straining my ears for the sound of a little cry. It had to be my turn sooner or later. No pup that age slept through the night without crying for food at least twice. Usually much more often than that.

I opened my eyes and slammed them shut again. Midmorning sunlight shined through the window, and I was in bed alone. My wolf yawned inside his inner sanctum, and I blinked, confused. Was I still dreaming?

"Bane?" I poked him over our mating link, because in my lucid dreams and nightmares our mating link never worked. It was the one sure-fire way for me to know if I was awake for real or not.

"The kids are all at Jake's along with Blake's kids too for now. They'll bring them back this afternoon. I'm in the nursery with our youngest."

"You should've woken me up."

"Nope. You were out cold all night. You were tired."

"It was a long run and it broke my heart to leave her like that without her pup," I yawned.

"Coffee and a bloodshake in the kitchen," he informed me.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love you in the morning?"

"A couple times, but it's always nice to hear."

After swinging into the bathroom to wash my face to wake up, I grabbed the drinks from the kitchen and headed into the nursery. Bane was stretched out with his long muscular legs crossed at the ankles in the nursery's recliner. The baby slept in his russet wolf pup form on his chest. Bane stroked his back and grinned up at me.

"How'd he do last night?" I asked before taking a sip of my shake.

"Five or six feedings. Wild-borns are known to be hungrier. The formula probably isn't as nutrient dense as his mother's milk. So, there's that to take into account too. He'll probably eat more often with the formula."

"You should've woken me up," I told him again. "You said you'd take first cry."

"Mate, when you don't hear a crying baby, I know you're tired," he smiled up softly at me.

"But you'll be tired now."

"Eh, I'm okay," Bane shook his head. "I managed enough sleep last night. Took a nap after Gary and Jake picked up the kids too. I told Blake about him, because there was no way your brother wasn't going to ask about an extra baby when he dropped off his kids. I think he'll keep it to himself."

"He better," I laughed. "Want to switch me places."

"Not until you have a real breakfast," Bane shook his head. "Bloodshakes don't count."

"Technically they could," I pointed out.

"Feed your wolf before I eat you," Bane laughed.

"You saw how well that went last night," I laughed and headed back out into the kitchen.