Quicker than Rebecca could track, Madison was standing next to her mate. She opened her mouth and a long, angry hiss erupted. The dark-haired woman stepped back and then edged backward. Madison hissed again and the woman left the diner in a hurry. The men sat around their mates at the tables, getting warm.
“Brazen hussy!” Ma exclaimed, her cheeks heated in anger. No one dared remind her that she had fussed at Sebastian for using that term a few days ago, not when a strange woman was flirting with her mated son.
“Shameless!” Rebecca murmured, meeting Ashby’s eye. Both broke out into giggles. Ashby got a funny look on his face.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m good. But I so want to learn how to hiss, that was badass!” Rebecca opened her mouth and a faint hiss came out. Kate burst out laughing.
“You might want to stick to your tiny growl.” Liam grinned.
“It just takes practice,” Rian said, pulling up a seat. He opened his mouth and hissed beautifully.
Rebecca tried again.
“I sound like a bicycle tire that has a slow leak.”
“Maybe Lucian can teach you when he gets older.” Lachlan laughed and kissed his great-grandson on the head.
“I’ll just stick to shooting people, it’s easier,” Rebecca said.
“Have you got the lights on yet?” Sebastian asked.
“We’re working on it now, we just needed a quick break to grab some coffee and warm up some.” Connor sipped his coffee.
“All that tree needs now are presents.” Rian laughed.
“Oh! That reminds me. I got you something.” Rebecca reached under the table and handed Rian a box. His eyes lit up and he ripped into the present like a five year old. He lifted the lid and frowned.
“You got me clear plastic balls?” he asked.
“Look closer.” She grinned. She had been working non-stop on this project for days.
“There’s pictures in there!” Rian exclaimed, pulling more of the small spheres out.
“Liam told us about your family and Christmas. I figured if you had all of our pictures in these ornaments, you would never have to wait for family on Christmas again, we’d always be with you.” She dug into her pie. Around her the diner quieted, and she looked up to see what had happened. Rian sat uncharacteristically quiet staring down at the box in his hands. Rebecca looked at Ashby, who smiled at her. She looked back to Rian.
“I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she whispered. Rian set the box down on the table carefully, as if it were made of the most delicate crystal. He looked up and his normally laughing eyes were brimming with tears.
“How could I ever be mad at you? You’ve made so many wonderful changes in the past year, I barely recognize myself with how happy I am. The entire town is thriving and coming together because of you. We’re all here and celebrating together because of you.” Rian stood and placed his fist over his heart, paying tribute to her.
Chairs scraped on the floor as everyone in the diner stood. Rebecca looked around at her friends who smiled down at her. Beside her Aleks took her hand. Kate, Bran and Caleb placed their fisted hands over their hearts. Liam, Kent and Sebastian smiled and raised their fists to their chests. The wolves and the lions throughout the diner followed suit.
Gabriel stepped forward and bowed elegantly. Behind him every vampire in the diner bowed after their Prince. Rebecca covered her mouth with both hands, overwhelmed at their display of acceptance and love.
“I don’t know what to say.” She sniffled.
“You could tell your mate that you’re in labor,” Sebastian suggested.
“What!” Aleks bellowed. Everyone in the diner began to talk at once, except for her bear who steadily and systematically began to lose his mind.
“Stand. Stand. Go.” Aleks pointed to the door. Rebecca rolled her eyes. He was down to simple one-syllable words already. Wonderful.
“In a minute, I want to finish my pie.” She was reaching for her fork when Aleks lifted her, chair and all, and strode toward the door.
“Pie! I want my pie!” she yelled.
“Doc. Come!” Kaden jumped up and opened the door, wide-eyed. The door shut behind Aleks as he carried his mate in a chair to the clinic, with her bellowing for pie. When it closed completely, the diner was suddenly quiet. Doc and Felix stared at each other at their table and both sighed.
Unable to contain his laughter a second more, Ashby began to chuckle.
“Can you imagine his reaction when he finds out she’s been in labor since last night?” Sebastian laughed.
“Good luck, Doc!” Connor yelled.
“Remember, bob and weave. Bob and weave.” Rian bobbed his head back and forth, holding up his fists.
“I have my taser in the car,” Madison offered.
“Don’t tempt me,” Doc murmured, getting his coat on.
“Doc. Now!” The roar from outside made the windows shake.
“It’s going to be a long fucking night.” Felix followed after his mate to the clinic to bring the new Arkadion prince into the world.
* * * *
Hours later, the Christmas party was still in full swing when Aleks burst through the door, grinning.
“It’s a boy!”
“We knew that already. How big is he? Is Rebecca okay?” Kate asked.
“We were worried for a while. Rebecca’s heart rate dropped a few times. But she is fine now, the baby is…hold on.” Aleks dashed back outside.
Ashby shook his head. A few minutes later the door was flung open again.
“He’s twenty-three inches long!” Aleks announced like the proud Papa he was.
“How much does he weigh?” Sebastian asked.
“Hold on.” Aleks ran back outside.
“It’s like what, two blocks to the clinic?” Liam asked as the door shut.
“Thereabout,” Kent confirmed.
Aleks came through the door a third time.
“He’s nine pounds twelve ounces!”
“What did you name him?” Ma asked. Aleks frowned.
“Hold on.” He turned back around and jogged out.
Ashby’s phone rang.
“Is he still there?” Rebecca asked, sounding tired.
“Just headed out.” Ashby popped a tater tot in his mouth.
“His phone is in his pocket.” Rebecca said, sounding amused. Ashby giggled.
“Crap, call you back, he’s here.” Rebecca ended the call.
“What do you think she named him?” Kate asked.
Sebastian, Ashby and Kate looked at each other and laughed. Nic shook his head.
“It’s Rebecca, it could end up anything.”
Epilogue
Daniel heard the doorbell and veered off from his trek to the kitchen to answer it. Rule number one that everyone learned quickly: Don’t wake the baby. He opened the door and was surprised to see the shifter Mojo at the door.
“Sorry to come by unannounced but I heard about the blood drive. I couldn’t leave the bar the other night since I was looking after Peyton but I’d still like to donate.”
“Come on in.” Daniel walked the extremely large shifter to the kitchen where Baptista sat with David, eating one of Ashby’s sandwiches. He knew shifters tended to be large, but this man took it to extremes.
“Baptista, Moe would like to donate, can you do the needle, bag thing.” Daniel asked. Baptista nodded.
“We can do it in the family room.” Baptista walked him to the front room and sat him down on a comfy recliner.
With steady hands he started the IV. Moe looked over to see the small plastic bag begin to fill slowly.
It didn’t take long, and then Baptista was removing the needle from his arm.
“We can’t thank you enough for coming by. Every drop helps.” Baptista thanked him.
“It’s no problem. If you all are compiling a list for on-demand donors, put my name down. I don’t mind helping out,” Moe offered.
“We appreciate it.
”
Baptista was showing him out when Moe caught the scent of snow, ice and strawberries. When he looked up he saw a thin man standing with Roman, staring at him with the most brilliant shade of green eyes he had ever seen. The man’s mouth opened and his fangs descended.
Holy shit!
“Rhys, breathe through the craving. It will be okay.” Roman stood between Moe and Rhys.
“It’s not the addiction,” Rhys whispered.
“Then what is it?”
“He’s my mate.”
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alanea loves reading almost as much as she loves writing and can be found at any given moment either in front of the computer lost in her own world or on the couch with her iPad reading some of her favorite authors. She believes that love truly conquers all and that everyone no matter what, deserves a chance at that love and a place they can call home.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Alanea Alder, Gifts of Fate [Kindred of Arkadia 7] (Siren Publishing Classic)
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