Authors: Cara Carnes
Tags: #paranormal shifters, #Dystopian, #romance, #wolves, #dragons
“Damn straight.” Adrik’s amusement made Mira tingle in anticipation. Her wolf was feeling extra rambunctious. His hands roamed down her sides, along her back. She closed her eyes, settling into the warm sensation and the tender caresses.
“Hey, Mira, sweetie. Let’s get you home.”
Home. She had a home. Blinking awake she looked around and noticed all the sentinels were gone. So was Doc. She smiled at Bredon and wrapped her arm around Adrik when he lifted her.
“I can walk.”
“I know you can, but I want to touch you.”
“Okay, but I’d like a moment with Bredon. Please.” There were a couple things she wanted to say, get off her chest before she started the new chapter of her life tomorrow as Adrik’s mate. “It won’t take but a second.”
Adrik kissed her lips and set her down. “I’ll be right outside.”
The promise sounded more like a threat as he looked at the golden dragon king. Mira chuckled as the door clicked shut.
“I’m thinking he has possessiveness issues,” she commented.
“All Alphas do, but it’s exceptionally strong in wolves and golden dragons, so I get where he’s coming from. We’re good.”
“Thank you for what you did with Bessa. I didn’t comprehend how dangerous it was for you to expose yourself until afterward. Words can’t express my gratitude for everything you did for me in the facility. Without you I wouldn’t have survived.” Mira rubbed her belly. “I’m going to be a mate and a mother because of you.”
“You’ll be a wonderful mate and mother. They’re going to be lucky to have you for a mother.” Bredon smirked as he rubbed his hand along her stomach. Shock settled within her. They?
“He protects her so fiercely I barely sensed her at first, but she’s there—as strong and determined as her mother.”
A girl.
Tears ran down her cheeks as the doubt she’d experienced earlier doubled. “Twins. Twin shifters. I don’t know the first thing about being a mom, much less a shifter’s mom. I’m so over my head on this.”
“You have an entire pack, Mira. You have far more than this pack behind you. Every wolf would lay their life down for you and your little ones because of their loyalty to your mate.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Bessa will be there to help you I’m sure. I might’ve saved her at the end, but you gave her a reason to hold on for the past few weeks. Your refreshing spirit and love for Redemption and Adrik infused her with hope. Had you not embraced her and the garden she would’ve passed before I’d had the time to desist my foolish hiding tactics.”
“They’re hardly foolish since they kept you alive. Adrik tells me there could be others working against you in Command Central. I hope you’ll be safe when you return.” She didn’t want anything to happen to her friend. He may be king to the Paraspecies, but he’d always be Deimos to her.
“They will have a difficult time downing me a second time since I’m aware I have to be cautious within my own house. We’ll be staying here for a while. I’d like to help set Redemption to rights. I’m ashamed we haven’t helped Adrik and Daryn make this place function fully.”
“I’m glad. We’ll have more time to spend together.”
“Yes.” Bredon grinned. “For now, I think you’d better go tend to your mate.”
Mira gave him a huge hug and headed out to find her man, pausing halfway out the door when she realized she had a shadow. Sighing she looked back. “I thought you were joking.”
“Do you really think I’m the kind to joke about anything?” Peyton shook her head. “Half the pack swears I was born with a stick up my ass.”
“I used to think the same thing about my brother, but I realized this past couple of years how much he sacrificed to keep us alive, safe. It must’ve been a pain to be the older, responsible one.”
“We’ll find him. Adrik’s working on setting up a group to head into Hell’s Highway and track down his faction of The Alliance.”
“I can’t wait to see him.”
“I spent a lot of time with the others we got from the facility before we took them to Hell’s Highway. All they ever did was whine and groan about what they’d endured, yet none of them went through what you did.” Peyton’s voice resonated with respect, admiration. “I was wrong about you, Impure. I’m glad I didn’t string you up by your toes and skin you in the square.”
“I’m glad too.” Mira chuckled.
Peyton looked away. “This is about all the bonding crap I can handle for one round. You tell Adrik or anyone else and I’ll deny it.”
“Consider it our secret.”
“I don’t know much about raising whelps, but if you’ve got questions or problems about the pack in general, find me. Not everyone’s going to welcome you, especially since half the bitches around here stay in heat around your man.”
Mira really didn’t need to hear anything about women lusting for Adrik. The urge to skewer anyone who looked cross-eyed at him was already strong. She’d never been a jealous or possessive person, but she was now. She couldn’t wait to make it official, have every single person know they were together.
Forever.
Euphoria filled her. “Thank you.”
Mira made her way through the square and toward Adrik’s quarters. She couldn’t help but beam a smile at everyone she passed. They probably thought she’d dipped into the special occasion ales they kept stored in the basement beneath the Mess Hall. Oh well. Let them believe whatever they wanted because it didn’t matter.
She was having Adrik’s
babies
. Oh God, he was going to flip when he found out about the girl. Boys translated to warriors in the pack. At least, Mira assumed. A little girl, though, would be protected. Coveted by those very warriors Adrik trained.
Oh dear.
Mira’s belly pitched a fit as her mind processed potential scenarios. Maybe she should hold off on sharing the news with him. Let him acclimate to being Daddy Wolf to a little warrior, then spring the princess on him. Yep, great plan.
As they entered the corridor to Adrik’s room, Mira turned and smiled at her shadow. Peyton halted halfway down the corridor. “Hey, Peyton?”
“Yeah?”
“What you may have heard Bredon tell me?”
“Didn’t hear a thing.” She smirked. “You may not have been my first choice for him, Impure, but you are sure as hell gonna give him a run. I’m looking forward to it.”
So was she.
Thank you for reading Redemption, Book 1 of The Rending series.
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