Chapter 57

(**Irina’s POV**)

Now that Arianna has come back to Redwood, I think our little family’s peace will be over. Her remarks about how a mother should never be separated from her child upset me. This is the same woman who didn’t think that I had a child at all. The woman who called me a liar and a whore. Am I actually expected to believe she has learned her lesson in just the few days she was away?

What did Sebastion say to her before she left Redwood to have her behaving like this now?

Flynn and Callie stay to help prepare more food while Arianna leaves the kitchen. Zasha lets go of Sebastion’s leg when Callie comes over with Jace to greet her. I can tell right away that the two girls are going to get along smoothly. Callie shocks Zasha by hugging, then running to the miniature table in the corner. Zasha follows her haltingly. When she sits down Callie hands her a piece of paper, then piles crayons in the middle of the table. The two little girls chatter away like they have known each other their entire lives rather than just meeting.

Jace looks at them from where he stands next to Sebastion. He nods his head like he knew that would happen, then hops back up on his stool to continue helping with breakfast.

Flynn breaks the silence by inquiring if I want eggs or anything else with the pancakes. Not having to cook, I mention how an omelet would be wonderful. I relax on a stool as he prepares omelets, bacon, sausage, and crepes. He moves quickly and efficiently as he moves around the kitchen. I make mental notes on where he keeps all the pots, pans, and utensils. I love to cook, and this kitchen is a daydream come true for me.

“He is marvelous when he is in his element,” Arianna says.

She sits down beside me, but her eyes are entirely for her mate. The love I can see shimmering in her eyes for him makes me smile. Sebastion’s hand on my back makes me look to my right. He is standing there like he is protecting me from Arianna. I can see the worry in his eyes as he glances over at his sister. I can’t sense any hostility from her, which surprises me. Maybe she has reverted to the woman I met that first day in his office.

The one who listened to my story, held my hand while I cried, then defended me when I was scared to open to Sebastion. That woman I could see myself being friends with. The woman she became after the night I came to Redwood in my nightie. I have wanted to punch her in the face since she insinuated I was a whore in Sebastion’s office. Natalia slapping her made me cheer in silence but secretly wishing I were the one that slapped her instead.

Glancing over at her, I want to ask questions, but I am afraid she will get pissed and scream at me like she has before. I will not allow that behavior from her around my children. Jace is my child now, and I will protect him in the same way I will Zasha. I will shield them both from Arianna if I must.

*I hope it won’t come to that, Irina.* Sebastion whispers in my head.

*Are you going to talk to her when we get back from the doctor’s?*

*Yes. I am curious about their sudden return and her apparent change of heart towards you.*

“Breakfast is served, my friends,” Flynn says.

I draw my attention back to him after he says this. Four plates with small portions of everything he cooked are sitting on the counter. The aromas make my stomach recoil as nausea sweeps over me. I rush out of the room to the small bathroom nearby. After washing my mouth out, I open the door to head back to the kitchen but stop as Sebastion pushes away from the wall across from the door.

He hands me a plate of lightly buttered toast then motions for me to follow him. I glance back at the kitchen, not sure if I want to leave Zasha in there without me or Sebastion. Knowing she will be fine, I follow him with a frown as he leads me down the hallway close to the kitchen to a small door that I would have walked past had he not reached for the handle. It blends into the wall much like the attic door does.

“What is this room?” I take a bite of toast while I wait.

“You will see.” He pulls a key out of his pocket, then hands it to me.

Now he has my curiosity piqued, so I take the key from his palm. It is heavier than it looks. The top of the key forms a heart which makes me smile. I can tell by the feel it is older than it looks. I check out the lock on the door before I put the key in it. From what I can tell by just a glance, the lock is just as old as the key. What is on the other side of this door?

I take a deep breath, then open the door. Sebastion laughs. “It is just a room. There are no bombs or threats of any kind in there, I promise. There is a light switch on the wall just to the right of the door inside.”

When I open the door, the room is dark, but I can see the outlines of furniture. I reach for the light switch, then flick it up to turn the lights on. What he shows me takes my breath away. The back wall of the room is one big window. At the base of the window, from the left to right, is a long row of small plants. From the smells, I can tell what they are. I use each plant in this room for cooking or baking.

Hanging from the ceiling are more herbs that have been left to dry. A table up against the wall to the right of the door is covered in potting soil. The rich earthy scent makes me want to cover my hands in it and rub them together. There are empty pots stacked next to the table on the floor along with a big bag of the same potting soil I can smell on the table. There is a pegboard with gardening tools hung up in neat rows.

I turn to look at Sebastion as he stands behind me in the doorway. How did he know I used to love gardening? I would spend so much time in the dirt as a little girl. My mother would always shake her head at me when I took so long to wash my hands for dinner.

“How did you know I loved to garden?”

“I glimpsed a dream you had once. You were in this blue dress covered in dirt. There was a small patch of dark, freshly dug dirt in front of you. You had a handful of seeds and felt happy.”

“I remember that day. Oleg found a packet of violet seeds in the trading market. I was so excited to plant them then watch them grow over the season.” I wander around the room as I tell him how they grew so vibrantly. “Whose garden is this?”

“It was my great-great-grandmother’s originally. My mother tends to it when she is here but has a gardener that cares for it when she can’t be. I asked her before she left if I could give you the key. Since you love to garden, this can be your sanctuary if you want it. There are only three keys to this room. My mother has one, her gardener has one, now you have the last key.”

A mixture of emotions runs through me as I turn to face him. The love shining in his eyes makes me swiftly close the distance between us. Reaching up to him, I place my hands on his cheeks, then pull his mouth to mine. When I pull back from the kiss, we are both gasping from breath. He smiles down at me when I stroke his cheek one last time before walking to the door.

“Let’s go get those kids off to where they need to be so we can go see the doctor.”

When he exits the room, I lock the door, then grab his hand to lead him back to the kitchen. Arianna and Flynn look up when we enter, but neither of them says a word. The look she gives me lets me know she is aware of my condition by my hasty rush from the room. She nods her head, then goes back to eating her breakfast.

Well, that went better than I expected it to.

(**Sebastion’s POV**)

After we leave Zasha with Alexei, we head to the pack house with Jace. He is pulling Irina along behind him as he talks about the family portrait he drew for her. The mist of tears in her eyes makes me want to hug her, but I know they are what my mother calls happy tears. The love and acceptance Jace has given her means so much to her.

Our two small broken families have now become one big, blended family. This baby we have made together will bridge the gap to make us complete. I know we talked with Jace about giving him a sibling one day, but to have it happen so soon has made my head spin. I recall how her scent changed shortly after that first night we were intimate. It passed from my mind as all the surrounding chaos interfered.

Did she become pregnant after that first time? Is that even possible? We are mates so she very fertile with her mate. That explains why she didn’t go into heat after we marked each other to complete that mate bond. She was already pregnant.

When we reach the attic rooms, Jace pulls Irina to the large bulletin board, where Sarah pinned all the drawings. He points to his picture of our family. The one he drew the day after we brought Zasha home. Her stunned expression, then tears of joy spill down her cheeks as she bends down to hug him.

Jace flings his arms around her neck, then buried his face in her long blonde hair. He whispers something to her I can’t make out, but by the sound of her watery laugh I know it made her happy. When she stands up, he rushes over to me with a huge grin on his face.

“What’s up, buddy?”

“I asked Rinny if she will be my new mommy.”

“What did she say?” I look up to meet her eyes.

“She said she already is. Does that mean Asha will be my sister now?”

“Is that what you want?”

“Yes, I want to keep her as my sister.”

“Then I think when we all go home later today you should ask her if she wants that too.”

He jumps up and down, then runs off to look at his picture again. Irina walks back to me, then hugs me tight. We leave when Sarah and the other children arrive. Jace waves when I call to him before I walk down the stairs. My son is growing into an amazing little man. His protective instincts are powerful for the women in his life. I think he will make an excellent Alpha when it is his time if he chooses to take the role.

I will make that his choice if it is what he wants.

When we arrive at the hospital, a nurse who tells us that Dr. Murphy is on his way greets us. Doctor Kyle Murphy is Sarah’s father. I didn’t know he was an OB-GYN when I recruited his wife Laura to be one of our new teachers. That was a pleasant surprise to all our other doctors. Having a doctor who specializes specifically female werewolf reproduction will be an enormous asset to the women of Redwood.

“Hello, Alpha, what brings you in today?” Kyle asks.

He joins us in the waiting room, wearing in his white doctor’s coat, looping a stethoscope over his neck as he walks forward to shake my hand. His warm eyes remind me of his daughter’s, which instantly makes me relax.

“Dr. Murphy, meet my mate, Irina Belova.”

“I believe I am pregnant but want to confirm with you to be sure.” Irina says.

“Follow me into exam room one and we will draw some blood. Then I with your permission I will do a pelvic exam.”

I growl at the idea of him touching her but calm down when she strokes my cheek. “I insist on being in the room for the exam.”

“That is fine with me if it is alright with Irina.”

With a laugh she nods her head, then leads me into the exam room behind Kyle. I spend the next half hour struggling to hold Aries in check as Kyle draws her blood, then calls in a nurse to watch over him as he performs the pelvic exam. Knowing he has a female nurse in her to watch over him calms my nerves but does nothing to soothe Aries.

**I want to rip his head off for touching our mate.** His growls are giving me a migraine.

Kyle leaves the room to let Irina clean up, then to get dressed again. When he comes back, he is smiling. “Well, from the pelvic exam, I can confirm what you already know. You can wait here for the results of the blood test or I can call you when they come in.”

“You can call us when it is ready.” Irina tells him.

“When we get the results, I will schedule you for more tests to confirm how far along you are. I will send you home now with some vitamin or if you prefer to wait, we can have them ready for you to take home after the rest of the testing.”

“Now is good for me.”

By the time we walk out of the clinic, she is practically jumping with joy. I pick her up, spin her around, then plant a kiss on her lips. With a wide smile on her face, she hugs me tightly to her. I lift her up in my arms, then carry her bridal-style back to the house. My intentions are to take her straight to our room to lay my head over her belly.

I stop in my tracks when I reach the courtyard. Standing next to a cherry red sports car is someone I never expected to see again. Morty, the vampire I met in Bodega Bay on Rayne’s deck the night I found her again. What the hell is he doing here? Why was I not alerted to his presence the minute he entered my territory?

Where the hell are all my guards?