The Wolf's Marine

There's Another Kid

I must keep them safe from the dangers.

I must protect mate. I must protect our pups. I must protect my family.

I need to get them to the den. The dangers will not find us there.

I grab mate's sleeve and tug on it, trying to pull her into following me. She does not move and pulls back.

"Stop it Wilder!" I let go to make her happy.

I must keep them safe. She will follow me if I take the pups.

I go to make a grab for the oldest pup and get a smack to the head.

Wilder's Normal Pov.

I shake my head and look at Eva wondering why she hit me. I shift back and ask her.

"You were being funny." She squints her eyes at me. "I was?" I don't remember anything. The last thing I remember is talking to Leo and Paul. Why do I have a gap in my memory?

"Yes, it was weird. Your eyes were pitch black and you brought back this puppy." Storm points towards the pup in Eva's hands.

"That's Alpha Conan and Luna Rose's son. I don't remember a whole lot but I do remember saving him from being killed."

"What's his name?" Eva looks at me with inquisitive eyes. "I don't know. I don't think Luna Rose got the chance to name him before she died."

"We shouwd name him..." Eva trails off as she tries to think of a name. I take that as my chance to take him from her and hold him properly.

"Barky!" She says with glee.

"Eva, he's not a dog." I try telling her.

As if to prove my point he shifts back into baby form.

Storm looks at the baby with a look I can't decipher. She doesn't look happy though, I can tell that much.

"When these two go to bed, you and I need to have a talk." She says in the most neutral tone I've ever heard. This can't be good.

Flash Forward Three Hours

I didn't think it would be that hard to put a baby to bed. I thought I would just be able to set him there and he'd go to sleep. Nope! He wiggled and cried and pooped himself and I had to clean it up!

Eva on the other hand was a breeze to put to bed. I told her a story and she fell asleep halfway through it. It was easy! I have a feeling this conversation with Storm won't be easy though.

I find her sitting out of the dock and I join her. "What do you want to talk about?" I ask.

"You're going to hate me for this-"

"I could never hate you." I cut her off. She smiles with a hint of sadness at this before continuing.

"I don't want kids. It's not fair for a child to have to deal with me having a PTSD meltdown right in front of them. I could hurt them, you saw what I did to Eva back in the hospital."

Oh.

A swirl of emotions fill my chest. Feelings of anger, sadness, worry, and understanding course through me. I'm a bit ticked off that she doesn't want kids because I want kids. I'm sad that she thinks her PTSD will make her hurt them. I'm worried that her PTSD will make her hurt herself. And through it all I can understand why that would make her not want kids.

"I understand why you don't want kids, I would be worried about hurting them too. Now do you remember how you and I both agreed we would help each other through our trauma?"

"Yes."

"You see, I want us to be together as a happy family so I'll make you an offer that would benefit both of us. I help you get a better control on your PTSD and we keep them. If you can't get a better control, I will find good homes for them." I offer, well more like negotiate. As much as I want to keep these two kids, I want to keep my mate happy more.

She looks out over the lake for a few minutes in silence, clearly thinking everything over. After what seems like an eternity she turns back to me.

"If this doesn't work you promise you'll find them good, loving parents?"

"I promise."

"Then you have yourself a deal."

All of a sudden the distance between us closes and our lips meet. It's not the most passionate kiss but it's still a damn good kiss.

I pull away first and give her a wolfish grin, "We're sealing all of our deals like this from now on."

"I like the way you think." She winks before throwing another lip lock on me.