Dylan was beside me the whole way through the forest, I think that I have really wronged him in not coming out here, clearly he misses me. A soft breeze flowed through the trees as they creaked in the wind. It was early in the evening; the sounds of human life were still abuzz in the town. Cars honking, the dull drone of the music from the club. The leaves rustled in the wind, getting caught up in the draft. They crunched as the pads of my feet stepped on them, I could hear more leaves crunching as the other wolves drew close. Any minute now they would start with their antics, rubbing their scent all over me to piss Sid off. I don't know what they thought it would accomplish aside from cause problems in my relationship.
I sat in the middle of the forest watching the other wolves having their fun, running and chasing each other, getting into all sorts of mischief. It didn't last long, one by one the male wolves started to hang around, watching me. Dylan was nestled in between my front legs as the males started circling. I couldn't understand their yelps and calls, the funny noises that they made. There was probably a dozen of them, some sat for a few seconds watching me and would move again. Others continued to circle never stopping. Dylan wouldn't move from in between my legs, watching each of them. If they got too close his lips would curl and a very deep growl would hiss out. Maybe Dylan wanted to practice his growling skills, I wouldn't know, I couldn't understand the meaning of it. He continued to growl at them, whether he knew they were just causing trouble and wanting to mark me to annoy Sid or not I don't know.
Phil came over and growled at all of them, sending them on their way. I should have realised something was different about it, Dylan's fur was on end, he really was riled up. Once the pack dispersed, I saw there was one wolf that remained and I knew who it was. He just watched me, sitting there without moving. Phil was making all these noises; Lucinda came over as Phil nudged me at the bottom of my neck. He continued to nudge me until I finally moved, he pushed me all the way back to the little change room. Lucinda and Dylan followed me in, Phil waited at the door. I changed back and dressed, when I turned around Lucinda was there with a dressing gown wrapped around her.
"Why?" I asked as I passed Dylan's pants to him.
"Darlin' you are on heat. There's no runnin' with the boys tonight, not unless you want to get knocked up by them."
"Oh."
"And daddy's little boy was protecting his interest, ensuring you didn't fall to another man."
I scooped him up into my arms, looking at my little protector.
"Did you do that little man?"
"Daddy makes you happy."
"Oh he sure does baby." I grinned. "And I think you will make him even more happy once I tell him what a brave boy you were."
He grinned at me then went very shy, snuggling into the crook of my neck.
We found Sid reading a book to Kayla who was fast asleep in his arms. If he knew she was asleep or not, I don't know but once he put the book down he realised.
"You're back early."
"Yeah, Phil ordered me back.
"Why?" he frowned as he put Kayla into her cot.
"Wolves were circling."
"Were they going to hurt you?" he started to walk over looking very concerned.
"Mummy knocked up." Dylan interrupted.
Sid's eyes widened as he looked at me.
"Are you pregnant?"
"No, he's only telling parts of the conversation he heard. Apparently I'm on heat." I grinned "And for obvious reasons should not be out there in this condition."
"I saved mummy."
"Did one of them try something?"
"They never got a chance, this one here stood at my feet and growled at all of them until Phil came and took over the rescue mission. I think I need to learn more about this wolf business before I go out again."
"Definitely." he kissed me softly "Glad your back early. I've got some very important business to attend to."
"Oh ok." I said quietly as he disappeared from the room.
My heart sank, thinking that once Dylan was in bed that we might have been able to spend the night together. Sid had planned the night away from the club, so what business did he have to attend to?
"Ok my little saviour, off to bed."
"Story?"
"Sure, I've got nothing else to do tonight."
After ten minutes of reading, Dylan was very drowsy, willingly climbing into his bed. Even though he didn't have much of a run, he was still tired from the lead up to it all. Finally, his body was settling down and I would have a normal child for a little while. I lingered through the hall not feeling like doing anything, wondering why Sid couldn't stay up here even though he would have still been here if I was out in the forest. Then my mind thought very darkly, wondering if he would have stayed here once Kayla fell asleep. Would he be so stupid to leave her here alone? He emerged from the stairs, looking a little amused.
"You ok?" he moved closer to me.
"Are you going downstairs now?"
"No." he frowned with a crazy grin "I was supposed to be here all night remember?"
"So you wouldn't abandon your sleeping child for the club?"
"You think so little of me, thanks Ronnie, that's great." he grumped "No I wouldn't leave a child alone, sleeping or awake."
He moved closer to me, pressing me into the wall as his face lowered to mine. His breath was warm on my cheek, his eyes watched me with devoted interest.
"How much trust did I lose Veronica? What will it take for you to believe that I learned my lesson?"
"You've had a thousand years as a single man, how can one woman be enough?"
His fingers trailed over my jaw, his gaze fixed on them, then looked up at me with seriousness.
"Just because I've lived for a thousand years, it doesn't mean I've had a different woman in my bed every night. Just because I own a club that people have sex in, it doesn't mean I join them. Here's your reality check. Apart from you, I've had five women in my thousand years of life, all of them weren't worth the time that I gave them. You are different because you give me what I want, infinite love. They were users and that's why they aren't around anymore. Yes, I own a club, yes people have sex in there but I don't. You are the only person that I have ever done anything with in there. There are a number of reasons but mostly because I don't want my staff to see it. I was overwhelmed by you being here that night and I dropped my rule, for you."
I tried to remember all the times we had been down there, there was a lot of hands in places but I don't think he ever dropped his pants for anyone other than me.
"I don't know why I thought that anyone would be better than you, I don't know what made me kiss her but I do know it's made me realise that my life is here, with you. Before I thought this was boring and mundane but I was wrong. Seeing you so possessive and almost losing control, nearly killing her, I've never felt more loved and wanted in my entire life. I know you weren't about love and need when you wanted to kill her but that's how I see it. You loved me so much that you were going to kill her for touching me. Right?"
I nodded a little shocked.
"And so you can understand that if that new guy touches a single hair on your body again, he won't live to see another full moon."
Sid stepped back and turned, walking down the hallway.
It took a while for it to sink in, I was enthralled by his possessiveness, the cool demeanour as he ensured I understood what he thought, how much he was prepared to ensure I remained his. My heart fluttered as I grinned, chasing after him. He was in our bedroom pulling back the sheets.
"What business did you have to attend to?"
My breathing was laboured from running up the hall, watching him as he walked toward me.
"Business?" he grinned slightly as his eyes looked away "Just ensuring things were ok downstairs, that's all."
"Things?"
He pulled me against his hard body, his hand on the small of my back, the other running over my neck as he watched it move.
"You're not trusting me again, are you?"
"I know how possessive you are at the moment, with the new guy."
Sid kissed me on the jaw and I felt it in the depths of my body, slowly curling its way higher.
"Tell me you weren't causing problems."
"I wasn't causing problems." he breathed out the warm words on my skin moving closer to my chin.
He pulled my shirt from my body, kissing down my neck, to where my necklace should be. Sid looked up at me, I knew exactly what he was thinking as he pulled my hand up and looked at it.
"I can't wear jewellery when I turn, you know that."
Ignoring the look on his face I went and put my wedding ring back on and the necklace, I would have to be more mindful of that in the future. His fingers slid down my spine to the edge of my bra, trailing along the skin as he kissed my shoulder.
"We both have our demons, don't we?"
"We do." he whispered.
He removed my bra and undid my jeans kissing down my body as he slid them down my legs.
"I think that you should, you know..." he looked up at me as he kneeled at my feet "I don't think it's the right time for another child."
Sid pulled me down to the bed, sitting me at the edge to remove my jeans completely.
"Accept what happens Ronnie." he kissed my knee.
I could feel his fangs scrape along the skin of my thigh as he kissed higher up my leg.
"If it's meant to be then accept it and besides, I don't have any."
Gently he tugged the elastic of my underpants, grinning one very seductive smile at me.
"Do you really want to go without?"
I shook my head, breathing heavily as I watched him slowly pull back the material.
"Good to know." he grinned, breathing on my bare skin. "I'd hate to think you didn't want this."
*******************************************
I woke to the feeling of a little being climbing onto the bed, snuggling under the sheets with us. His hair was a mess as it always was after a good night's sleep although his eyes looked very tired. Big purple bags sat under his eyes like he hadn't had a wink of sleep. I knew he was tired but he looked upset.
"Morning Dylan." I whispered "Why are you up so early?"
"I had bad dreams."
My body stiffened, worried that someone was planting fear seeds in his mind. I had gone through a dream caused by a fear seed and they weren't nice. Silently I prayed that it was just a normal dream, that no one wanted to cause problems. I knew this meant a conversation with Cody, a conversation with the man that never lifted his gaze above my neck. Maybe there really was a reason I bought all those awful clothes. To stop men looking at me and upsetting my husband. Sid was in his usual position of curled in behind me, pulling me tight to his body. Dylan settled quickly and fell asleep. I laid on my side with my two favourite men snuggled into me like my own living blanket. This wasn't a good start to the morning. I could only hope the rest of the day would get better.
I stared at Cody a little stunned, Phil and Sid sat at the dining table just as perplexed as I was. Dylan was on my lap in preparation for having a conversation with Cody about the dream but he waved it off without any of the dream being explained to him.
"Pardon?"
"I said it's not possible for a child to have fear seeds planted. If he's had a bad dream, then that's it. Simple."
"Oh, ok. Uh why?"
"The mind is not mature enough; they won't work unless the person is in their teen years. Anything else, my lady?" His smirk was devious but understated just a fraction due to the other men at the table.
"No, that is all."
"Very good, I shall see you all downstairs, I believe the newest members have arrived."
Cody left with Phil to ready for the acts of devotion for Austin's parents. It was easiest to do everything down in the club, the area was large enough to accommodate the pack and the coven all at once. It was odd, I never thought that the vampires would attend the wolf act of devotion, but they did. Just like the wolves came to the vampire's commitments. They really were making an effort to be a singular group. Sid stood from the table, he really had gone all out in the preparations. He was in a full suit, which was pretty standard for him at one of these events but this was one of his more expensive handmade suits. Dylan was dressed in long pants and a long sleeved shirt, gone were his play shorts and shirts. Even Kayla got a dressing up, in the pink lacy dress. And I was ordered into a black silk dress. Normally I did wear something pretty full on to these events, as a way of showing that it was a celebration that we had new members, but this dress was very upmarket. I wondered if I was going to fit into it, it did look very small. But it fitted perfectly, like Sid had the magic touch when it came to selecting clothes, I looked amazing! It was a floor length long sleeved dress, sitting high on my chest across the edge of my collar bone to the shoulders. Sid never told me what to wear, never even made suggestions yet now he was and now he was dressing the children. It dawned on me as we walked down the stairs toward the VIP room, he was putting on a show.