One year later
"Are you done with me?" Charlotte asked Caleb as he crawled in bed behind her.
He laughed. "Maybe." He wrapped his arms around her and placed them on her very pregnant belly, gently kissing his mark. He knew she was tired.
Charlotte smiled, curling back into him. "I might surprise you and wake you up later."
He chuckled. "I wouldn't mind that." He ran his hands gently over her stomach, feeling for his pup, and was rewarded with a kick.
"Don't get her started," Charlotte muttered tiredly.
"He's just showing me how strong he is," Caleb replied, softly. The midwife seemed to think they were having a boy, and she was rarely wrong.
Charlotte hummed quietly and then her breathing changed, signaling that she was asleep.
Caleb closed his eyes, thinking over the last year. Charlotte had officially become his queen. He still couldn't believe he had almost not taken her as his mate. He'd gone through such a dark time in his life before she had shown up, burning brightly and leading him back to himself and her. He'd almost extinguished that flame, and it had taken him a while to forgive himself.
Charlotte had settled in well to her life. She still had nightmares ever once in a while, but they were few and far between. She loved being in his pack, and his pack loved her. Charlotte didn't mind helping out in the kitchens or anywhere else that was needed. She spent her spare time in the library, and Caleb was fairly certain she'd read more books in there than he had.
While they still shared the south tower, Charlotte slept in his bed every night now. She rarely even entered her own room, telling him it held a lot of dark memories for her. He hated to think how he'd contributed to them.
Alpha, you have a visitor.
Caleb opened his eyes and groaned. At this time of night? Not that it was late. He and Charlotte had come up to their room right after dinner and he'd spent a good hour making love to her.
Caleb slipped out of the bed, making sure that Charlotte was covered. It was chilly. I'll be down in a few.
Caleb walked into the sitting room twenty minutes later and was surprised to see an old friend of his, someone he hadn't seen in a few years. "How are you, William?"
William stood and bowed. He'd aged quite a bit in that time, Caleb noticed, his eyes tired. "I'm well."
Caleb poured him a brandy and watched his old friend down it very quickly. The man looked up at him. "You look well, much better than the last time I saw you."
Caleb sighed. The last time he'd seen William, he'd been mourning Sofia still and contemplating his own demise. Caleb had done business with William more than once and he liked the fact that the man was honest to a fault. William was one of the few humans that knew of Caleb's true nature.
"I have a new mate," Caleb told him, taking a sip of his own brandy.
"Congratulations are in order," William said.
Caleb poured him another brandy and they toasted in honor of his new queen.
"So what can I do for you William?" Caleb asked.
"I know I have told you about my family, and I do believe I mentioned that I was purchasing a plantation in Jamaica the last time we spoke. I know it's been awhile," William stared hard at Caleb, who nodded. He didn't remember, but he just vaguely remembered the last time they'd done business.
"Well, on our way across the Atlantic, our ship was accosted by pirates, and my eldest daughter was kidnapped. I wanted the captain of the ship to go after the pirates, but he refused to do so, and we still sailed to Jamaica. Once we were there, I boarded the next ship back to England and began to look for my daughter. It's not easy to find out information like that, and it took me almost a year to learn that she was sold to a slaver on the Barbary Coast. I offered the slaver a great deal of money to tell me who he sold her to, but the man refused." William sat back, a defeated look on his face.
Caleb watched the man carefully. His story was so similar to Charlotte's own, but he knew it happened frequently.
"I have come to you to ask for help. I know you have resources that I don't have access to. I will be deeply indebted to you. I just want to find out what happened to my dear Charlotte," William took a deep breath and rubbed at the tears on his cheeks.
Caleb stilled at his words. "You said her name is Charlotte?"
"Yes. She also had her maid with her," William sighed.
Caleb stared at the man long and hard. Was it possible?
He mind linked Brianna. Go upstairs and wake Charlotte. Help her dress and bring her down here as quickly as possible.
Yes Alpha.
Caleb poured William another brandy and requested some food from the kitchen, asking the man for more details.
Brianna hurried up the stairs to fetch Charlotte, wondering why Caleb needed her. It was getting late and she hated to wake the pregnant Luna. She slipped into the room and carefully roused Charlotte. "The Alpha wants you to come down and meet his visitor."
Charlotte yawned as she sat up. "At this time of night?"
"He would not call if it wasn't important," Brianna said, picking out a dress and helping Charlotte with her undergarments.
Charlotte sighed as she slipped the clothes on. It had better be an important visitor. She'd been sleeping very well, which didn't happen much anymore.
Brianna helped her with her hair, and Charlotte stood in front of the looking glass, eyeing herself. Brianna had chosen a rose colored gown and she looked quite lovely in it. Charlotte didn't have many gowns right now that would fit over her belly.
She followed Brianna downstairs and towards the sitting room. She entered the room and crossed it to Caleb, who was sitting at a table across from another man who's back was to her.
Caleb took her hand and she turned to the man, who looked up at her in shock. "Charlotte?"
"Papa? Papa! What are you doing here?"
William stood and pulled Charlotte into his arms, hugging her tightly. "Oh Charlotte, I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Papa how are you alive?" Charlotte pulled back and looked at the man. She reached a hand up and touched his cheek, wondering if she was dreaming.
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I saw the ship on fire. From the pirate ship. I saw it burn," she said softly, tears in her eyes.
William stared at her a moment in confusion, remembering back to that day. "That wasn't our ship, Charlotte. There were three ships there that day. The pirate ship that took you had attacked another ship when we happened upon them. Our captain thought to help out the other ship, but that didn't go well, and the other ship was fired, while the pirate ship made off with you. I begged the captain to go after you but he refused." William hugged her again, then looked at Caleb. "How did you end up here?"
Caleb and Charlotte sat down and told him the story. "Are Mama and Katie okay?"
"Yes, though they miss you terribly," William said. He'd barely taken his eyes off of Charlotte the entire time. She looked well, and happy. He was so afraid of what had become of her and glad to see that she had ended up in Caleb's care. It was obvious that Caleb truly loved her, and she him. He was glad Charlotte was with Caleb and not the Earl she had originally been betrothed to.
Charlotte looked at Caleb. "I need to see them."
"I know." He looked at William. "Will they come here? I'd prefer Charlotte didn't travel right now."
William nodded. "I will fetch them, my lord."
"Sleep here tonight. You can leave in the morning with some of my men. They'll ensure you make it safely," Caleb said, taking Charlotte's hand in his. He could feel her excitement.
Food was brought in, and the three of them ate and chatted. Charlotte still couldn't believe that her family was alive.
Finally, she and Caleb headed upstairs. He began to help her out of the dress she was wearing.
"I don't think I can sleep any time soon. I'm so excited to see them all, Caleb," she said as she pulled the pins out of her hair, letting it fall around her bare shoulders.
"I can think of other things we can do," Caleb said as he pulled off his own clothes.
"Like what, Alpha?" She giggled.
"Oh I'm sure you can think of a few too," he said pulling her down on the bed.