Rhianna rolled her eyes and laughed. "You'd better believe it. If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times. He was always pontificating about how he was 'The Guardian'. He took such pride in his status that I started shortening it to Gard just to annoy him. Of course, when the Queen of Vampires began addressing someone in a certain manner, her loyal subjects followed suit. The nickname stuck and despite what he says, he preened every time he heard it."Her brother shot her a glare but his lips where tugging in a smile softening his expression. "It was my badge of honour," he conceded.Rayne was still shocked but she couldn't stop smiling too. "Kothari," she whispered her hand against her stomach, her voice filled with awe. "The perfect name." Her eyes met Gard's as she sought his approval.His love for her shone so brightly, his hand moving to rest against hers as he leaned down to kiss her gently. "The perfect name," he agreed. And it was. He was looking forward to his son carryi
Caleb retrieved his mate, aware there had been private communication with her brother but not concerned about it. He was slowly coming to adapt to the fact that he had to share his woman; that he had to let her fly free so she would always come home to him."Let's go home, sweet one," he whispered in her ear as she melted against him and gave him one of her many smiles that turned his heart inside out and made him forget all about breathing.They said their goodbyes and headed outside, Rhianna pausing on the steps to look around the compound slowly. Caleb stopped at her side, following her gaze.Two little brown and golden cubs were tearing around outside's Cedar's home, their parents watching carefully with slightly bemused expressions on their faces. Cedar looked up at Alexei and his arms came around her, a reassuring smile on his face as he held her close. He said something low under his breath and his mate giggled before they turned back to watch their daughters romp in the dirt i
He'd studiously avoided Connor since he'd arrived at the compound...well he hadn't actually had to make that much of an effort to avoid his eldest brother he had to admit to himself. He'd been a little tied up with his new mate and new responsibilities within the pack. It had been relatively simple to be somewhere else whenever Connor showed up at the main house.His brother had appeared to sense his unwillingness to interact with him and had given him a wide berth too. Possibly Aaron or Cedar had said something to him, convincing him to stay away until Dayton was ready to face him.His siblings so far had accepted him back into their lives as if he'd never been gone but to have to face his parents...to have to look into his mother's eyes and see the pain he'd caused her. It was suddenly too much for him and his steps faltered before he reached the door as he came to a stand still bringing Freya up short beside him.Freya turned to look up at her mate and saw complete panic on his fac
Connor instantly looked repentant, picking up on his brother's concern and taking a step back. He smiled gently. "No offence meant, Freya. I'm just trying to say thank you for bring Day home to us. I didn't get hit much with the sensitivity stick when I was born and didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."His words were so sincere, his expression so downcast, that she couldn't help relaxing against Dayton's side as she finally worked out that the big gruff male in front of her was trying to welcome her into his family in the same way he related to his brother. She was quite astounded that he felt she was so much a part of the Alexanders that he was willing to treat her on an equal footing as her mate. Maybe meeting the rest of them wouldn't be so bad after all, if they were all so ready to accept her as Connor was."None taken," she finally said, straightening up. "I am still adapting to your pack ways but it's getting easier. Did I hurt your hand badly?" She noticed he was still
Smoky heat danced in her mate's eyes as he leaned down and gave her a slow lingering kiss. "How does me licking every inch of your delectable skin before I slide deep inside you and ride you hard until you scream my name in bliss sound?""Dayton!" Liquid heat immediately flooded her body at his husky words, images of the way he'd done just that the night before coming sharply to the fore. "You are so going to pay for that, wolf," she growled pushing away and facing forward as he laughed and heading out of the compound after his brother.Dayton couldn't help feeling happy as he headed towards the Hanlon compound. He was so damned proud of Freya and the way she was working hard to accept his family. He knew she was making this huge effort for him and he adored her for it.His earlier disquiet about facing his parents and remaining siblings was now just a small bubble of unease rather than the full on panic it had been earlier. He was starting to feel confident that it wasn't going to be
"Play nice, vampire," he growled inside her head.She gave him a mock innocent look as her smile broadened slightly. Dayton's earlier grief was receding to be replaced by his playful side as his emotions dialled back down into something resembling normal. If she could keep distracting him by keeping him wondering what she was going to do next, then this visit would be a lot easier for both of them.A stunning dark haired woman had appeared at Jared's side and Freya turned back to face Millicent Cooper, Jared's mate. She'd only seen the other woman on one occasion in the past as she tended to stay close to the Hanlon Compound with her children when not in the city with Jared."This is my mate, Millie," Jared introduced her. "Honey, this is Dayton and I think you've met Freya once before?""I have." Millie smiled in Freya's direction. "It's nice to see you again."She turned stunning cobalt eyes on Dayton and her smile beamed even wider. "I'm so pleased to finally meet you. You are both
His mother slipped out of his embrace and walked down the steps to come to stand before Freya. "I'm Charlotte," she said quietly, her voice shaking slightly. "I really want to throw my arms around you, daughter, and welcome you into our family but I suspect you would find that a little overwhelming. Instead I will just say that we are honoured to have you join us. And I will never be able to repay you for saving my son's life and bringing such joy to him once more."Freya was almost eye level with Dayton's mother she was so tall. The wolf had such a regal bearing to her, her face so beautiful framed by wispy blonde hair like most of the Alexander family. She had been concerned when they had welcomed Dayton home. The emotion in their voices when they spoke of Faith made it plain they had loved her very much. She had suddenly felt apprehensive that they would look at her and find her lacking somehow.But Charlotte's eyes were so warm, her face still streaked with happy tears at having h
They all laughed at the irritated glare on Connor's face, Brody smiling reassuringly at Freya. "I'm the nice brother, just so you know," he grinned. His expression turned serious as his gaze swept over Dayton for a long moment and then turned back to her."I was late because I was making a present for you," he said quietly. "It's for both of you, kind of like a mating present but I want to give it to you, Freya. When we learned Dayton was coming back to us we all got together and tried to think of something to gift to you, for bringing him home. We came up with this and I didn't have a lot of time but I worked day and night on it so it would be ready for when you came to visit. I hope you like it." He held out the gift wrapped box to her.Freya stared at the box in complete shock, her heart starting to thump hard in her chest and a lump suddenly lodging deep in her throat. They were giving her a gift? She couldn't remember the last time anyone had gone out of their way to buy somethin