»Kyran, we've landed,« I heard Cassian's voice near my ear and opened my eyes, blinking.
Had I really fallen asleep?
The first thing I saw were his eyes and out of shock I flinched backwards, blushing in the next moment. My heart ran a marathon and I needed to concentrate to not lose myself in the bewitching green of his eyes.
»Landed...?« I mumbled confused and only then realized his words.
An old, faded feeling spread through my body. A feeling of coming home, as if I was finally where I belonged.
Hectically, I jumped up and pushed my way through the slim path. The plane was mostly empty by now. Only a few humans and our group was still inside. Fynn was just about to wake up Toby and Naika.
Cas got our bags from the locker above us and gave me my bag which Naika had packed.
»By the way, will someone get us?« I addressed Fynn who now got his and Toby's bag – they shared one – from the locker. »No idea. I assume we need to catch a taxi,« he answered while shrugging his shoulders.
»Oh wonderful, a taxi,« I sighed.
»Are they that bad?« Cas asked when I started to wake Naika because Fynn still couldn't get his sleepyhead to wake up.
»Not bad, but expensive. And from here to the clinic... Well.«
Grumbling, she opened her eyes. »Wake up, sleepyhead. We've arrived.« As if it was a wake-up call she jerked her eyes open and jumped up. »We will come, little brother!« she yelled and the few humans that were still here turned to us in a startle.
»Don't scream like that,« Toby hissed grimly and drove his finger through his hair. »I hate planes.«
»Welcome to the club. We can me quite glad that it isn't easy at all to jump out from a plane,« I joked with a laugh at my lips and the others rolled their eyes – except Cas. »Lucky,« he sighed in relief.
»By the way, I texted Chat on the way to the airport. He will get us,« Naika informed us.
Together we fought our way out through the slim paths and entered the long hall at the exit. And when we finally arrived outside a cold spring wind welcomed us and I knew I arrived where I belonged.
»Home...« I breathed and closed my eyes.
But the nice moment didn't last long. »Cutie! Here!«
Normally I wouldn't have turned to the call but the voice and the smell was too familiar now.
»Valentin,« I grumbled when I saw the cousin of Chat standing next to a Jeep.
»What is he doing here?« Cas growled angrily and grabbed my hand all of a sudden and started squeezing.
»Auwauwau!« I whined in pain and tried to pull my hand out of his grip. »Cas, he probably lives in Canada too,« my whining continued and suddenly he let go of my hand.
»Sorry, I...«
I shook my head. »I know.« Yeah, the nerve wracking jealousy from our bond was shitty.
As hard as it was for Cas and me, we still went to Valentin who was warmly dressed in a thick winter jacket and wore a brisk grin on his lips. And the thick winter jacket with fur wasn't even exaggerated.
Although many plants already grew in spring the wind was still frosty and snow still fell from time to time. Us wolves were not really affected by the cold, but in my case a winter jacket wasn't a bad idea.
»Chat got caught as he was about to steal my uncles car. Grandma isn't quite nice when his grandson tries to sneak out to play taxi driver for his wolf friends. Alliance and peace treaty are one thing, but she still doesn't like your kind. He sent me in his place. I hope that won't cause problems.«
With his last words he addressed Cas and me.
»Of course, no problems at all,« Cas pressed out and was obviously holding back his anger.
»Perfect. By the way, I don't live in Canada to get back to your words. I live in California. If you forgot, we still have our little family meeting.«
Cunningly he smiled at me and held open the door like a gentleman.
»I only expected four people, so obviously one seat is missing. So, if you would squeeze toge-«
Fynn cut him off. »It's fine. I will take a taxi and drive home for now.«
»But-«
»I will follow you later, Toby. First, I want to meet up with Mom, Dad and Nina. After that Dad will drive me to you. Send me a picture of Elias, if May already gave birth and I didn't arrive in time.«
Fynn kissed Toby's cheek and then walked off to wave at the driver of a taxi.
»Well, then.« Smirking, Valentin held his hand out to Naika. »Mylady.«
Naika only snorted and ripped open the door to the passenger seat and climbed into the car. Arrogantly she crossed her legs and cocked her eyebrows as she looked down on us. The Jeep was built quite high.
»The boys can squeeze together on the backseats.«
»Feisty,« Valentin purred ecstatic
»Sisters« Toby and I mumbled in sync and rolled our eyes before we climbed into the Jeep and sat down on the backseats. Cassian followed after me and closed the door behind him.
»So, my darling dears, next stop - hospital,« Valentin announced after he jumped behind the wheel and started the car.
»And now tell me. What brings you to Canada? Mostly you and you.« With his words he pointed through the mirror to Cas and me.
»That's not your fucking business, hunter,« Naika snarled.
We left the small city where the airport was located and took a quite long road through a forest.
»I love feisty women and feisty men too. If she just wouldn't be a wolf,« Valentin sighed theatrically and Naika growled as a threat. »See? That's what I mean, feisty. You just love to provoke them.«
»That's enough You talk about my little sister,« Toby cut in, growling.
»I'm just joking.«
Annoyed, I rolled my eyes and leaned against Cas while I played with the ring on my finger again. Somehow, I got used to playing with it if I was nervous or just wanted to distract myself.
For the rest of the way we mostly stayed quiet. Now and then Valentin joked around which only got responded with a growl or an annoyed answer.
Just when we were almost at our destination my phone rang and on the screen appeared the name 'Papa Maxim'.
»Hey, we are almost there. What's wrong?«
I raised the phone to my ear with my ring-hand and informed Toby quietly that it was Pa because he looked at me as if to ask who I was talking to.
»Finally. The birth finally started twenty minutes ago and she kicked me out right from the beginning. How long until you arrive?«
»About 15 minutes.«
»I hope you can still find the labor ward.«
»I know the hospital like my own pockets. If not, we will follow your scent. See you soon.«
»See you soon,« he said goodbye before he hung up.
»I assume you heard everything, you overcurious eavesdropper.« Naika and Toby flinched and acted as if they did nothing.
Smirking, I rolled my eyes and tousled my hair and noticed in the same moment that Valentin watched me through the mirror. Not as if he wanted to undress me or in some similar way, more thoughtful.
And after fifteen minutes we stopped in the parking lot of the hospital.
Just when I wanted to distance myself from the car, Valentin stopped me.
»What do you want?«
From the corner of my eye I could see that Cassian held some distance between us but still watched us – mostly the hunter. Naika and Toby waited next to my mate.
»Your ring. Can I take a look at it?«
Confused, I looked down at my hand. »My ring, why?«
He frowned. »I saw such a ring somewhere, I'm sure of it. If you would just let me take a look, then I will leave you alone.«
Sighing, I pulled the golden ring off and gave it to the hunter. What did I have to lose? Though I just wanted to run straight to Maxim and May.
First, he eyed the ring for some time until he saw the signs on the inside of the ring. »Just as I thought,« he said and held the ring in a way I could see the signs too.
»I won't ask where you got that ring. But if someone gave it to you with an intention, it was probably the right decision to wear it.«
Confused, I frowned. »That means?«
»This little bit deformed star that is six-pointed is called an aquarischer star. I can't really tell you its origin but it stands for strength, might and magic. Then the star with the sun. No idea what you want with it, but that hinders you from getting possessed. And the last start with the sign. Simply said, that is a devil trap. If I'm not wrong and I'm never wrong in this kind of area then this is a devil trap in an old-enochian style. They normally don't get used anymore, because not many know about them and they are quite complicated. But they are strong. However because they are strong I can't even say why they are so unknown. Those three stars in this combination are used as a shield, so simply explained you are invisible for some creatures. And if it's the same kind of ring I think it is, then it got forget in holy water.«
He gave me my ring back and I put it on.
»What should that mean now and what exactly do you want to tell me?«
Valentin shrugged his shoulders.
»No idea what it should mean. But the one that gave you that ring had a pretty big knowledge of strong and effective protection magic. Simply said, that person is damn clever and probably had reasons to give you that ring. And I will be so bold and order you in their name that you should never take this ring off.«
I snorted. I had no plans in taking this ring off. Even if I had, my subconscious forced me to wear it at all times.
»Good. Maybe we will see each other in the future and because I'm nice I will greet Chat in your name!« Valentin got back into his Jeep and drove off.
»What do you think his words meant?« Cas asked when I caught up to the others and we finally went to the building.
»I don't know. Doesn't matter right now.«
Ignoring the words of the hunter I concentrated on Maxims smell but that came from all kinds of directions and was combined with the lousy smell of disinfectants.
»You can't follow his scent too, right?« Toby asked.
»I expected nothing less. After all, he works here every day,« I answered.
»Gladly, you spent most of your time here next here,« Naika whistled.
»Go on, GPS. Lead us to our father and our brother that gets pushed out just now.« Couldn't you say it a little bit nicer, Naika?
But they weren't wrong at all. I spend most of my free time here and know almost every corner from the hospital. From the human and wolf wards.
And I helped with two births, though I only held their hands and was there for them. I kind of knew what was going on with May, from my two experiences, and why she kicked out Maxim.
With quick steps we walked through the hallways until we caught sight of a nervous Maxim that was walking up and down.
»Dad!« Naika and Toby yelled at the same time.
Maxim looked up and in the same moment we could hear May's scream from the closed door followed by a surge of curses.
»I will kill him! How can he put such a big child inside me! He should prepare himself! When we get home, he won't get the chance to close his eyes! AH! I will kill him!«
Maxim flinched and walked to us, whimpering and whining.
»She kicked me out with the words that she can't see my face and when everything opened wide enough to finally start the birth, she wanted to choke me,« he whined.
I needed to suppress my laughter and pressed my hand over my mouth to not show how amusing I found his behavior.
Cas twisted his expression in pity.
Grinning, I kicked him in the side and immediately he gave me his attention.
»No pity. He put Elias into May's stomach. He could have put something over his thing. Now he needs to suffer the consequences. Moreover, those words are just empty. Believe me, May's words are quite nice next to the words from other women. My arm got broken one time when I was there for the birth. I tell you, that female Omega was damn strong.«
»But that is my wife!« Maxim yelled, offended.
»Och, come on. She pushed out Naika and Toby before Elias. You got to listen to her nagging there too.«
I cocked an eyebrow in amusement when he snorted, not any less amused.
»I was there the whole time while she gave birth to Naika. She was so small that May didn't curse at all. But Toby before that... Puh... I don't want to think back to that. Such a thickhead.«
»Hey!« Toby yelled in protest while Naika held her hand over her mouth to stop her laughing.
He just wanted to protest more when the cries of a child sounded from behind the closed doors and we all listened up. Maxim's eyes began to shine just like Toby's, Naika's and mine.
And after the last few preparations, May got pushed with her bed into her room and we followed after her.
She looked exhausted and her ringlets clung wet and gleaming from the sweat to her head.
»You did such a great job, my dear,« Maxim breathed and kissed her sweaty forehead.
»Don't act like that, buddy. If I wouldn't be tired like this, I would have choked you with my hands already.«
Threateningly she looked up to him and we all knew she would make her words come true if she wasn't that weak right now.
And then the door to the room opened and a nurse came inside with a little being in her arms.
»Here we are, Mommy,« the woman said with a soft smile, lifting her lips and handing May the sleeping boy.
»Have you already thought of a name, new backed parents?«
Curious, the nurse looked at Maxim and May who shortly exchanged a look and then looked at me.
»Elias Kyran Ramsay. His second name stands for his godfather.«