Chapter Nine: Save the Girls & Go Home

“Shar, calm down,” Dustin whispered as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“Babies,” Shar cried.

“I can wipe their memories. They won’t remember any of this,” Tate said as he moved closer to Shar and Dustin.

Dustin looked at his friend. “Thanks, man.”

Shar looked up at Tate. “Babies,” she whimpered.

“I know,” Tate whispered back.

“What do you care about, some damn humans and shifters? It’s not like you’re connected to any of them,” the dark wizard asked as he watched the vampire.

Tate snarled at the man but didn’t answer.

“When does the vampire come in?” Bridget asked, looking at the witch.

“Usually, an hour after closing. He fucks all the girls one at a time and tells them what they’re to do that day and into the night. We get really good money, thanks to him. The girls don’t fight back with rough customers, and they pay good money to….”

Sharissa screamed and tried to get to the woman again. Before the woman could say anymore, she exploded before them. Blood and goo hit the shield, making Shar and Dustin jump back. The wizard screamed bloody murder, literally.

Shar and Dustin turned around to find Kristoph standing beside Pearl, everyone’s eyes open wide in shock.

“She has been sentenced to death,” Kristoph said. “And I couldn’t stand to hear any more of that filth coming from her mouth.

“Please,” the dark wizard begged.

“Begging isn’t going to save you, I’m afraid,” Kristoph said, shaking his head. “But we do need the information you have stored in your brain,” he snapped his fingers, and the man disappeared.

Shar slumped into her mate’s arms and started to cry. “I want to see Joy.”

Dustin nodded. “So do I.”

“You all did a fine job with this one. You deserve a break. Take a couple of weeks off before you go hunting again.” Kristoph looked at his daughter. “You’re with child, are you not?”

Pearl’s face turned beat red. “Yes, Daddy.”

Kristoph smiled. “Go take a break. If the Goddesses clue you in on anything, let us know.”

She nodded. “Will you come see me?”

“Of course,” he said as he pulled her against him and kissed her forehead.

“What about the employees down below?” Rolando asked as he looked down at the people still staring up at the broken glass.

“We’ll take care of everything,” one of the other elders with Kristoph said. “You kids get going home. If we need anything, we’ll contact you. Kristoph is right; you’ve done a wonderful job.”

“What about the vampire?” Sharissa asked, looking at the elders.

“I’ll take care of him,” Tate said, stepping forward.

The elders nodded. “We leave him in your hands, Tate Umber.”

Tate nodded, then disappeared.

“We’ll make sure the girls don’t remember anything.” Bridget kissed the twins each on the cheek and disappeared.

“Do you think there’s anything still between Bridget and Tate?” Shar whispered to Pearl.

Pearl chuckled. “I doubt it, but it’s fun to watch them argue.”

Shar chuckled. “They work well together, though.”

“They do,” Dustin said as he pulled his mate back into his embrace.

“I’m ready to take my mate home,” Gerald said as he wrapped his arms around Josiah.

“Me too,” Rolando said as he moved over to his mate.

“Two-week vacation before we start hunting again? I’m down for that,” Mara said with a smile.

“I’m ready to hold my cubs,” Lyvia said with a frown.

“Me too,” Raj said as he pulled his mate close and kissed her forehead.

“Let’s head home then,” Daryl said as he headed for the window and jumped down.

“I think I’ll take the stairs,” Shar said as she headed for the door.

“Good call.” Dustin chuckled.

Soon they were in their vehicles and heading to their hotel to gather their belongings. It will take them a while to get home, but they were more than ready for that vacation to start.

~🐺~

“She’s adorable.” Josiah smiled as he watched Shar and her daughter.

Shar looked up at him and smiled. “I have a feeling you’ll have your own soon.”

He looked into her eyes. “You think?”

She giggled. “You’re not in heat anymore. You haven’t been since you came down for breakfast before we went shopping.”

Josiah’s cheeks turned a bright red. “Do you really think the Goddesses made it so I could carry a pup?”

She shrugged. “Why not? There have been stranger things.”

Josiah chuckled. “How do I find out?”

“You can ask Bridget or Tate when they get back,” she said as she leaned over the crib to place Joy down for her nap.

“I hope you’re right,” he whispered. “Because that would mean the pups I saw in my dreams while I was in captivity are mine and Gerald’s.”

Shar smiled. “I hope so too.”

“There you are,” Gerald said as he pushed the nursery door open.

“Shhh.” Shar and Josiah hissed at him.

Gerald froze in the doorway. “Sorry,” he whispered.

Shar smiled. Josiah is definitely ready to be a parent. Even after all that happened to him, the Goddesses had ensured he knew his future was bright. She fleetingly wondered if he would need sunglasses, then giggled at her horribly stupid thoughts.

“You ready to go home?” Gerald asked, smiling at his mate.

Josiah nodded, then kissed Shar on the cheek. “See you around.”

Shar smiled at Josiah, then looked at Gerald. “You better bring him around,” she said, pointing a finger at him. “A lot.”

Gerald chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”

She nodded, then turned back to her daughter to watch her sleep.

Gerald took Josiah’s hand, and they left the nursery.

“That was a pain in the ass,” Tate said as he appeared in Dustin and Shar’s living room.

“How did it go?” Dustin asked with a grin.

“Well, one less vampire to deal with,” Tate said as he plopped down on the couch. He looked over at Gerald and Josiah and smiled. “Hey, you two, you heading out?”

“Home,” Gerald said with a smile.

When he’d moved here with Rolando and Maddy, he’d found a small apartment to rent in town. It was cheap, but home, for now. He’d wanted to save his money for when, or if, he started a family. Even if he had to adopt, he’s always wanted kids.

Tate looked at Josiah, then down at his stomach and back up at his face, and started laughing.

Josiah’s cheeks turned a bright red, and Gerald’s eyes narrowed at the vampire.

“What?” Gerald asked.

Josiah shook his head at the vampire, and Tate smiled at him.

“Nothing you need to worry about. You two kids head on home. We’ll fill you in later.” Tate winked at Josiah and went back to talking to Dustin.

“That was weird,” Gerald said as he and Josiah headed down the path toward his car.

Josiah only nodded, a brilliant smile on his face.

Gerald opened the door for his mate, and Josiah beamed up at him as he said thank you.

Gerald closed the door and went to the driver’s side. The drive home was quiet, and he couldn’t get the thought of pups out of his mind. He parked in the parking lot, then helped his mate from the car, and they walked up to his apartment.

“It’s not much,” Gerald said as he opened the door. “But it will do, for now.”

Josiah nodded as he looked around the small living room and kitchen.

“It’s nice,” he said and meant it.

It wasn’t too bad for a small apartment, especially after living in a cage for ten years.

“Well, if we decide to adopt kids, like in your dreams, we’ll buy a house close to Dustin and Shar and the rest of them.” Gerald set down his bag with his and his mate’s clothes packed inside. They need to go shopping for more clothes for Josiah.

“Uhm, Gerald.” Josiah chewed on his bottom lip.

“Yes, Mafilio?” Gerald asked, turning to him.

“We won’t need to adopt. The pups in my dreams weren’t adopted,” Josiah said with a brilliant smile.

Tate had confirmed what Shar had said.

“Oh?” Gerald asked, his eyebrows raised.

Josiah nodded as he moved closer to his mate. “The Goddesses knew what they were doing.” he placed his hand on his mate’s chest and felt a shiver run down his back when Gerald’s muscles moved under his touch.

“How so?” Gerald asked, his heart beating faster and faster. Is he saying what he thinks he’s saying? “Josiah,” he whispered.

“Tate confirmed what Shar and I were discussing in the nursery,” Josiah whispered.

“Are you saying….” No… he didn’t want to think it if it wasn’t true. Gerald sucked in a long breath.

“I’m going to have your pup,” Josiah whispered so softly that Gerald had to use his wolf’s hearing to hear him.

“Josiah,” he breathed.

Josiah smiled up at his mate. “In thirteen weeks, you’re going to be a daddy.”

“Fuck yeah!” Gerald hollered with excitement as he lifted Josiah into the air and spun him around.

Josiah chuckled.

Gerald set his mate on his feet, then leaned his forehead against his. “I love you,” he whispered.

Josiah smiled. “I love you too.”

“Do we call you mama or daddy?” Gerald asked with that grin Josiah loved so much.

“I think daddy.” He chuckled. “With as many babies being born within the Fated Mates, there’s going to be a lot of mommy and daddy hollerings.”

Gerald smiled. “As long as we are among them, I don’t care how confusing it gets.”

Josiah nodded as he looked into his mate’s eyes. “I hope they have a blend of our colors. That would be so beautiful.”

Gerald nodded. “Black and grey wolves, can’t wait.”

Josiah chuckled. “Shar pointed out that I’m no longer in heat.”

“Yeah, I’d wondered about that,” Gerald said.

“It also explains why my sexual organs are so different. I guess I have ovaries.”

Gerald chuckled. “That would explain your sopping wet ass.”

Josiah let out a laugh that sounded like a snort.

“Speaking of which.” Gerald grinned. “How about we celebrate?”

Josiah nodded. “I’d like that.”

Gerald turned Josiah around and led him to the bedroom. They celebrated through the night and finally fell asleep when the sun shined through the windows.

Gerald woke a few hours later and looked down at his mate, cuddled against him. A pup. He’s going to be a father. It was hard to comprehend, but the Goddesses had said they would provide.

“Do you like what you see?” Josiah asked, a grin playing on his lips.

Gerald chuckled. “Very much,” he said, kissing him lightly on the lips.

“Are we going out today?” Josiah asked as he moved up to look down at his mate.

“Nope.” Gerald grinned. “We’re staying in bed all day. We’re still celebrating.”

Josiah grinned. “I can get behind that.”

Gerald pushed a lock of hair out of Josiah’s eye. “I told you, I’m the one who will be getting behind you.”

Josiah snorted a laugh. “Actually, could we do missionary?”

Gerald grinned. “Now, that, I can get behind.” He moved his mate under him and made love to him until they got too hungry. They ate in bed, then made love until the sun went down.

It was hard to believe how much Gerald’s life had changed since the night his best friend found Maddy in the woods. And now he has his own mate, and they’re all going to be parents.

“I love you, Gerald,” Josiah said as he cuddled against him.

Gerald sighed. “I love you too, Mafilio.” He whispered as he closed his eyes.

“I hadn’t realized until now what the Goddesses were telling me to live for,” Josiah said, his eyes opening.

“I thought it was the pups,” Gerald said, opening his eyes and looking down at his mate.

Josiah shook his head. “No. It was you.” He looked up at Gerald. “They wanted me to live for you. The black shadow in my dreams was you.”

Gerald smiled. “Without you, I would be a shadow of a man,” he whispered.

Josiah nodded. “We are where they want us to be.”

“Here and now, this is what we live for,” Gerald said as he kissed his mate.

“Here and now.” Josiah nodded. “We live for each other.”

“For each other.”

“For each other,” Josiah said again as he moved over top of Gerald.

They started another session of lovemaking.

Gerald looked into his mate’s eyes and knew he was one of the luckiest men in the world of shifters.

This book may be over but their story is not.

THIS SERIES IS A LONG INTERTWINING STORY THAT IS OVER 250,000 WORDS. I DIVIDED IT INTO 13 BOOKS, SO THAT EACH FATED MATE COUPLE HAD THEIR OWN BOOK. SO THE BOOKS ARE SHORT (BUT SWEET). ENJOY!