Chapter 118: Chapter 118
Kane POV
“Hell no,” Axel protests heftily. “There must be another place we can stay.”
I do not say anything, but I kind of agree with him. Not only are there three very small babies with us, but also three men who are in love with the same she-wolf. The place will explode into chaos in about two seconds.
“I’m not sharing a fucking bedroom with these two.” Mason tosses his head toward us.
“Seriously?” Elara snaps. “You’re ungrateful. Braden risked his ass saving you and this is your gratitude?”
“We’re not ungrateful, and we don’t mind sharing,” Axel tries to reason. “But can you honestly stand there and tell me it’s going to be sunshine and rainbows with Mason in the mix?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I say firmly. “We’ll make it work, thank you, Braden.”
“There’s a couch and floor space,” Braden replies. “How you split it up isn’t my problem. Just don’t break my furniture when you kill each other. In the meantime, I’ll get rid of the body.”
“I’ll help,” Mason steps forward.
“And there’s no other place you can go, so don’t ask again,” Braden continues. “I had a witch cast a protective spell on the cabin and a small area of the land surrounding it. There’s an impenetrable dome around the whole thing.”
“Have you always lived here?” Elara asks, looking around with wonder.
I look around, too, but cannot see any sign of a spell.
“No. This is where I’ve been living while spying on the Council’s little hybrid project,” Braden explains.
“You think he’s bullshitting us?” Axel looks over at me.
“Hard to say,” I shrug. “I can’t sniff out a lie on a vampire.”
“Who cast the spell around the house?” Axel steps forward.
“Rhiannon, actually,” Braden answers. “We met during the Great Wars, that’s how I know Gabriela, too. We were all working together to try to liberate the she-wolves during the Great Wars. The testing they’re doing now on innocent hybrids started back then.”
“Wait a minute,” I look at Braden. “So, the Great Wars weren’t just a power struggle between factions of shifters. It was also about checking the Council’s power?”
“Yup,” Braden nods. “But that’s a story for another day.”
“So,” Axel frowns, not ready to drop the subject. “In the wars, Mother was fighting for good?”
“She sure did,” Braden nods. “She has been all along, even though your dad’s a royal asshole.”
“I’d rather not discuss him,” Axel grunts.
“Well, I’m sure you’re all tired,” Braden says, changing the subject. “You can move safely around the cabin and as far away as that cluster of trees. You’ll be able to feel when you’ve gone out of bounds.”
He points to a group of trees about twenty meters in the distance. It is better than nothing, but there is still not enough space for wolves to run and burn off energy. It would be a miracle if we do not rip each other’s heads off within the first day of staying here.
“Get in, Mason,” Braden orders. “We must dump this dude far, far away from here.”
Axel, Elara and I shuffle inside, already crowding the living room with our babies. I move into the bedroom and discover it is even tinier than it looks from the outside, with barely enough room for a bed. Great.
“Damn, it’s small,” Elara walks up behind me and looks over my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I chuckle nervously. “You should take it.”
“Oh, because there are three other bedrooms to argue about,” she laughs softly. “But most importantly, we have one bassinet and three babies. We should start there.”
We walk back to the living room, where Axel is starting a fire.
“I placed the couch’s pillows in the corner over there,” Axel says, tossing another log on the fire. “The kids will be fine there.”
“I have enough formula and diapers for about three days,” Elara lays Stella down next to the twins. “We can send Braden to the shop when he returns.”
“Man, I’m starving,” I say with a growling stomach. “I’m going to make something to eat. Does anybody else want something?”
“I can eat,” Axel replies. “While you whip something together, I’ll sweep the perimeter.”
“I’ll help with the food,” Elara offers, walking to the kitchen. “I’m not familiar with your cooking abilities, and I didn’t escape the High Council to perish from food poisoning.”
“Very wise, milady,” I grin. “Why do you think Axel fled the scene?”
“Then I’ll take it upon myself to teach you,” she smiles, placing a tray of eggs in front of me. “We’ll start with omelettes.”
I look at her intensely. She is still as gorgeous as always, but there is a maturity and strength in her green eyes that were not there before.
“Elara,” I whisper, placing my palm against her cheek. “Are you okay? A lot has happened today.”
Her eyes darken, and the playfulness from a moment ago turns into sincerity.
“It’s scary,” she admits softly. “I never knew I was capable of killing a person. Regardless of self-defence and protecting my people. The worst part, I don’t feel bad, or an ounce of remorse. He threatened you ... us, and he deserved to die. Do you think my vampire blood is turning me into a monster?”
“No, no,” I say, rubbing up and down her arms. “You’re anything but. You’re a mother, protecting your child. A Luna, protecting her mates. You did what needed to be done.”
“Luna,” she sighs, lowering her gaze for a moment before looking back at me. “I haven’t thought about that since ...”
“Since we took Alice as a second mate,” I finish the sentence for her. “Axel and I fucked up bad with her, I’m sorry.”
“Water under the bridge,” she smiles, stepping away from me. “I just ... oh!”
She abruptly goes quiet when I spin her around and into my arms. I claim her lips desperately. I have been missing her so damn much and have been dying to do this since I got my memories back.
Her lips are as soft as I remember, but sweeter. Her body melts against mine, and her arms go around my neck.
“I missed you so much,” I mutter against her lips, pulling her closer.
“So did I,” she sighs. “We have so much to discuss.”
“I know,” I agree, slipping my tongue into her mouth.
“Kane,” she pulls away, panting as her eyes search mine. “Maybe we should talk first.”
