Chapter 25: Chapter Twenty-Five: Their New Allies

“For the queen and future kings!” The shifters bellowed as they stood and raised their right hands in the air.

“This is so incredible,” Laila said as she stared out at all the different people who are shifters like her and her bears.

“They’d been gathering just outside of town for weeks,” Ryce said with a smile, “Mark’s recruiting worked.”

Mark grinned, “I told you I’m good.”

They all looked at him and chuckled.

“Now let’s meet our allies,” Park said as he took her hand and helped her down the porch stairs.

It took the rest of the day and into the night to meet everyone who had come to pledge their allegiance to her and her children, but she met every one of them and thanked them personally. When she was told that even more were on their way, she burst into tears, and no one knew what to do.

“Thank you all!” She called out to the crowd. “You all don’t know what this means to us.”

“They do,” Park whispered into her ear, and she smiled at him.

“I think it’s time for the queen to get some sleep. She has two cubs draining her energy. We will see you all tomorrow. There are caves around the property, or if you prefer human comforts, there are a few hotels in town,” Paxton said, then took hold of Laila’s arm and lead her inside, Park close behind them.

The shifters went their own ways to dig in for the night.

Laila still couldn’t believe how many had shown up. And they expected more...

“Sleep for you,” Paxton said as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to their room.

“Do I need to go to the cabin?” Riddle asked.

Park and Paxton stared at him, and Laila laughed. “No, I’m too tired and feel fat and bloated. I’m going to sleep until noon tomorrow.”

Riddle grinned, “Right, night Sis.”

“Goodnight, Brother.”

Paxton and Park shook their heads as they continued on to their bedroom.

“What was that about?” Park asked as they entered their room, and Paxton set her on the bed.

Laila laughed, “our link is a bit stronger than we’d thought. He uh -can- uh..."

The twins stared at her as she tried to find the words.

“He can feel when I’m turned on and gets off when I get off,” she blurted out.

Park and Paxton stared at each other, then burst into laughter.

“Don’t tell him I told you,” she said as she watched them.

They both turned to her and smiled.

“Don’t worry, we won’t say anything,” Park said as he walked over to her. “But I’d love to test this out.”

“No, don’t,” she said with wide eyes when he climbed on top of her and pinned her to the bed. “So, does he feel it when I do this?” He asked, then licked up her neck.

She moaned as she felt her pussy become sopping wet. Oh, God.

Laughter from the living room had Laila grunting. Park and Paxton laughed as she pushed Park off of her.

“You two are horrible,” she said, then moved off the bed and went to the door. “Sorry, Riddle!”

Riddle grumbled from the bathroom and said nothing else.

Laila turned to her mates and closed the door. “You two behave, I wasn’t kidding about being tired.”

They both nodded.

“Okay, love, we’ll behave,” Park said.

She looked between them and rolled her eyes, she didn’t believe them for a minute. She opened the door and called to her brother.

“You may want to go to the cabin, Riddle!” She squealed out her brother’s name when Paxton lifted her into his arms, and Park closed and locked their door.

They were gentle with her because of the babies, but they made sure she got as much pleasure as they did.

She just hoped her brother got away in time.

~🐾~

The next few days, more and more shifters showed up to pledge their loyalty to the queen and future kings. Laila made sure she met every one of them. Six more rats tried to get into the house, and between the Osprey and her other house animals, they were disposed of. Only once did Riley catch one of the animals munching on a large rat. She didn’t scream that time, but she puked.

It was getting closer and closer to her due date, and Laila was nervous and excited at the same time.

Three days after the first batch of shifters had shown up, a group of Witches came into their back yard while Riddle and Riley were training.

Vectore got into his stance and sneered at them. “What do you Witches want?”

“Easy Shaman,” the woman in front of the group of five women said as she held her hands in the air. “We’re here as friends.”

“Friends?” Laila asked as she watched her father and the Witches.

The woman who had spoken looked at Laila and smiled. “You must be Laila.”

Laila snorted, “yeah, I must be.”

“Oooh, she has spirit I like that,” one of the other women said.

“I’m Annika Berrings, leader of this here coven.” The first woman who had spoken said with a bow.

“Why are you here?” Vectore asked as he straitened his stance.

Annika looked at Vectore. “We heard that the Queen of the Animals is the daughter of a powerful Witch, and we have come to offer our services.”

“Will you pledge yourselves to her?” Vectore asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“We don’t pledge to no one,” one of the other Witches said.

“Then you can leave,” Vectore said, glaring at the Witch who had spoken.

“Don’t listen to Henrietta; she’s still pissed that we outvoted her.” One of the other women said as she glared at Henrietta.

“Of course, we will pledge our allegiance to her,” Annika said with a smile.

Riddle walked over to Laila and helped her to her feet. He stayed at her side as the five witches went to their knee.

“As the leader of the coven, I pledge myself and my coven to you, Laila, Queen of the Animals, Mother of the future Kings, daughter of a Witch,” Annika said, her head bowed.

Laila smiled, “I accept.”

Annika stood and held her hand out to Laila. Laila paused for a moment then shook the woman’s hand.

“Whoa,” Annika said as she stared at Laila’s hand, “you’re something I’ve never seen or heard of.”

Laila smiled, “Vectore said the same thing.”

Annika nodded then looked at Riddle. “You must be Riddle, the queen’s twin brother.”

Riddle nodded, “that I am.”

Annika held her hand out to Riddle, and before Vectore could stop him, Riddle shook her hand.

“Holy Mother of Creation,” Annika said as her eyes grew wide.

Riddle pulled his hand from hers and stared at her. “You have a lot of power,” he said, watching her.

She swallowed, “so, do you. But that can’t..."

Vectore interrupted her. “So ladies, there’s a cave not far from here I’m sure you would find perfect.”

“Is it dark and scary?” One of the women asked.

“Of course,” Vectore said with a smile.

“Ooooo, I do like them dark,” another of the witches said.

Annika blinked then looked at Laila. “Excuse my rudeness,” she said as she flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder. “Let me introduce you to my coven.”

Laila nodded, and the woman introduced her to the other witches. “This is Delilah, Vivion, Star, and of course, you’ve met Henrietta.”

Laila nodded to each of the women. “Nice to meet you all. I hope we become friends.”

Henrietta snorted, “unlikely.”

“Henrietta!” Annika hissed.

Henrietta rolled her eyes, then turned and walked away from them.

“Please excuse her. She was against this because her fiancé was killed by a wolf shifter a hundred years ago.”

Laila frowned, “you know only a few wolves are around. Most of them are against us.”

Annika nodded, “I know, but she’s against all shifters, including those cubs you carry inside you.”

“Well, they’re not full shifters,” Laila said with a frown.

Annika smiled, “yes, I know. But that power from your -uh- Witch blood makes them even more dangerous.”

“They’re only cubs,” Laila said.

“And I promise you she won’t hurt them. You have my word.”

Laila nodded, “all right.”

“Let me show you the cave,” Vectore said as he walked up to the Witches.

“All right, Shaman,” Annika said as she turned to Vectore, “show us the way.”

Once Vectore and the five witches were gone, Riddle finally relaxed.

“Are you okay?” Laila asked as she looked at her brother.

Riddle shook his head. “She has the gift to feel power,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Laila said with a nod, “I felt that when she shook my hand.”

Riddle nodded, “she knows we’re not the children of a Witch.”

Laila’s eyes opened wide. “What? How?”

“She felt my power. And apparently, my power screams, SHAMAN!”

“Great,” Riley mumbled as she joined them. “Now what?”

Laila and Riddle looked out towards where their father and the witches had disappeared.

“We hope Vectore can keep her from spilling the beans,” Laila said with a heavy sigh.

~🐾~

Vectore showed the witches to the cave he had found that would work perfectly for a coven of Witches. It was too small for his own use, but they’ll like it.

“So, are you going to tell me, or do I have to ask?” Annika asked as they walked behind her coven.

Vectore shook his head, then looked at her. “Do you really have to ask?”

She snorted. “Then it’s true?”

Vectore didn’t answer, and they walked in silence.

Once they found the cave, the witches moved around, admiring the beauty of the cave.

Annika took hold of Vectore’s arm and pulled him outside the cave. “Are they yours?”

Vectore ignored her and looked out among the trees.

“Vec, come on, tell me. I felt it in each of them, but the most in the boy. They’re half-human, but their Shaman blood runs thick and overpowers their human side. They will be very powerful when this is all said and done.”

Vectore nodded, “I know they will be.”

She stared at him. “You didn’t know about them.”

He shook his head. “Just found out a couple months ago.”

She whistled, “that’s why you hissed at us.”

He nodded.

She chuckled, “I thought it was because you were still angry with me.”

“There’s that too,” he said as he looked at her.

“Come on, Vec, it was over two hundred years ago. You can’t tell me that you’re a saint.”

He shrugged, “no, I’m not a saint. But I’ve never betrayed my friends either.”

She grunted, “you think of it as a betrayal I think of it as choosing my own fate.”

“And how did that work out for you?” He asked, looking at her.

She blushed.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” he said with a growl.

She frowned, “I thought I loved him.”

He snorted, “he was using you..."

“You don’t have to tell me what he was doing. I was stupid, okay. But I still consider you my closest friend.” She said as she touched his arm.

He pulled away from her, and she sighed.

“What good is a friendship when you betray said friendship?” He asked, then disappeared.

Annika sighed, “I’m sorry, Vectore.” She whispered then went into the cave to prepare her coven for the coming war.

~🐾~

“Are the Witches settled in?” Laila asked when she saw her father walk out of the woods.

Vectore nodded and smiled at her. “All settled.”

She frowned. “Everything okay, Dad?”

Vectore nodded again, “yeah. Let’s get back to training,” he said as he looked at his son and Riley.

“Is she giving you a hard time about us being Shamans?” Riddle asked.

Vectore shook his head. “No, she knows it’s important to keep it quiet. Now let’s get back to your training we only have a few days before the boys arrive and you know the enemy will be knocking on our doors.”

~🐾~

Laila watched her brother and Riley train for a couple of hours then went inside. Her back was killing her, and she was so tired she wanted to sleep until the boys came.

“You okay, love?” Park asked when he saw her.

She nodded, “tired and sore.”

He took hold of her hand and led her to the couch, then helped her lay down and sat at her feet.

“You really are an amazing woman, you know that?”

She smiled at him. “You’re not so bad yourself, hot stuff.”