Chapter 74

(**Sebastion**) 
*Later that night* 

With the night sky clear like tonight, all the stars are bright and visible. My family is laying out on a thick layer of blanket. It is just Irina and our kids out here with me. Arianna and Flynn took Callie inside after she got sick from too many marshmallows. 

I am on one side of the blanket with Zasha curled up next to me with Jace beside her, then Irina is on the other side of the blanket next to Jace. He keeps pointing out stars and asking questions about them. Irina has pointed out a few constellations to him as we lay here.  

When I feel Zasha shivering, I reach over to the pile of blankets next to me, then cover her up with a thick blanket to keep her warm. Her radiant smile always makes me smile back at her. With everything she has been through in her brief life, to have that smile be given freely is something I want to continue to nurture. 

“What about that one, Rinny?” Jace asks.

The wonder in his voice is amazing. His thirst for knowledge of new things makes me proud. I think a small telescope for his birthday will be a wonderful present. 

Irina’s laugh makes me turn my head to look at her. She is looking down at him as his little hand is up in the air, pointing to the star in question. There is nothing but love on her face as she looks at him. For that look in her eyes alone, I love her more than I can say.  

She has embraced my son as her own just as much as I have with Zasha. There is no ‘your daughter’ or ‘your son’ sayings in this family. It has been our son or daughter since we brought Zasha home. Well, even before that, Irina looked at Jace not just with longing for her own child, but also with a love for him as her own.  

*I love you, Irina.* 

She glances over at me as I whisper that through our link. The smile that blossoms on her face is instantaneous. A deep feeling of peace settles over me at the way she is looking at me. Her eyes tell me without words that I am the only man she sees when she looks at me. 

The weight of feeling like I will be forever in Gustav’s shadow suddenly lifts from my shoulders. There are no ghosts between us as we stare at each other under the starry sky above. It is just her heart and mine twined together. 

*I love you too, Sebastion.* 

“Seb... ast... ion.”  

Zasha pronounces my name slowly as she tugs on my shirt. It is the first time she has called me by name. I look away from Irina to the little girl tugging on my heartstrings.  

“Yes, sweetheart?” 

“Can… I… call you… daddy? Like… Jace does?” 

She stutters as she asks me the most powerful question I have ever been asked. My heart melts into putty in the palm of her little hands. I can feel three sets of eyes looking at me after her heartfelt plea. 

“Zasha, my sweet girl, you can call my daddy all you want. You are just as much my daughter as Jace is my son.” 

She wiggles up off the ground then throws herself onto my chest. When she buries her face in my neck and hugs me, I bring both my arms up to wrap her in a hug that holds more meaning than I ever thought a hug could. 

If anyone asked me five years ago what would make me the happiest man on earth, my answer would have differed from what it is tonight. If someone asked me the same question a year ago, it would have differed greatly from I what ever thought it would be. What I have here in my arms and with me on this pile of blankets is what I have been dreaming about all my life. 

In the past I thought it would be with Gia. I am happy it isn’t. That would have been a train wreck.  

Irina and Zasha bring something into my life that I have just been waiting for but never knew I needed. Redemption for past wrongs. With them, I have become the man my parents raised me to be. The man that Monroe sees becoming something better. 

Thank you, Moon Goddess, for giving me the choice you did. My death set Rayne free to be happy and put me on the right path. You saw something in me I didn’t know was there.  

A good man. I became a better father for Jace. Now I will become the man they all need me to be. Is this what growing up feels like? I am an adult, but until I met Irina, I was very immature.  

It is sad to admit that now. 

I did everything in my personal life in the past for selfish reasons. For the first time in my adult life, everything I do is for those I love and all those I swore to protect as their Alpha. I can see the change in the way my pack looks at me now. With all the improvements I have made in the territory since coming back from Jade Moon, they have all seen me in a different light. 

The respect in their eyes makes me feel proud that I finally pulled my head out of my ass and looked around. It was late, but not too late to change. Better late than never.  

When I pull myself out of my thoughts, Zasha is asleep on my chest, and Jace is curled up next to Irina, who is looking at me with a thoughtful expression. I didn’t close the link, so she heard everything I was thinking about just now.  

*Lay Zasha next to Jace and then walk with me a bit* Irina whispers through the link. 

I slowly ease Zasha onto the blankets, then cover her and Jace with one before I stand up. Irina stands then holds her hand out for me to take. She leads me away from our children towards the edge of the woods surrounding the backyard.  

When we reach the woods, she stops, then looks up at me. The look on her face is one I have never seen before on her. I stop in my tracks, then wait for her to speak.  

“I only caught some of your thoughts, not all of them. What I did catch made me proud of you.” 

“How so?” 

“You have told me about your past. What I heard in your head proves how much you have grown since we have met. Being able to admit your selfishness and why you made the changes that you did is a good thing. Did you really mean what you were thinking? About being a better man and father for me and our children?” 

“With all of my heart.” 

“Come here,” Irina says. 

I close the distance between us, then stop in front of her. She makes a motion with her index finger for me to bend down to her. She tilts her head up and closes her eyes. I take the invitation she is giving me by placing my lips on hers. 

This kiss feels different from all our kisses before. Something has shifted between us on an emotional level. I feel the love she has for me pour through our bond. Our kiss turns tender and sweet as she molds her body to mine. Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her close to me as I deepen the kiss. 

The bond between us breaks wide open as we kiss. I can almost feel our souls dancing together as we kiss. With her small body pressed to mine, I let all my feelings for her go through our bond. For her and our children, my life starts and ends with them.  

Irina breaks free of the kiss, then glances back at the kids sleeping on the blanket. When she turns to look at me, there is a bright smile on her face. She reaches up to cup my face in her hands. 

“You are an amazing father to our children. The man you have become since I met you is a good one. You have my entire heart and soul. Zasha loves you so much. Jace idolizes you. Your pack respects you more than they did before. That is all you Sebastion.” 

“Thank you for saying that, Irina.” 

“I mean it.” 

“Come, let’s go get some sleep with those beautiful kids of ours.” 

I move to walk away from her, but she grabs my hand, then shoots me a look that says she has another idea in mind. That sultry look in her ice-blue eyes has lust spiking through my veins. My little mate has turned into a vixen. 

“We shouldn’t leave them alone.” 

“They are not alone. Flynn and Arianna are out on the back patio with Callie. They can see our kids from there.” 

I turn my head to look back at the house. Sure enough, my sister and Flynn are curled up on a lounge chair with an obvious line of sight to Jace and Zasha. I shake my head as I turn to look back at Irina. 

“How long have they been out there?” 

“A few minutes. They came out as we were talking.” 

I was too distracted with her to sense them. That is a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. For now, I grab her hand and pull her into the thick tree line. I lead her deeper into the woods until I am satisfied that no one can see or hear us. 

When I stop walking, I spin around, then move her backwards until her back hits a tree. “I am going to need you to hold on tight to that branch above your head.” 

Irina’s eyes go wide as a little of Aries slips into my voice. She nods her head and follows my orders. I watch with the hungry eyes of my wolf as she wraps her hands around the thick branch above her head. 

“Your hands are to stay on that branch until I tell you to let go,” I tell her.  

With one hand, I lower the yoga pants she is wearing down her hips, then peel them from her legs. I glide both hands up under her t-shirt, slowly dragging it up as I do, until I expose her breasts to the chilly night air. Instantly, her nipples harden like pink pebbles begging for my mouth to cover them. 

I lean down to capture one pink peak into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it slowly as my right hand massages her other breast. Her moans of pleasure urge me to continue. I roll her free nipple between my thumb and forefinger. Then, after a moment, I move my mouth to her other breast while my free hand slides behind her to cup her ass. 

“You are so goddamn beautiful, Irina,” I say. I fuse my mouth to hers in a searing kiss that fans the flames of my desire further. Reaching down, I wrap her legs around my waist, then I grind my erection against her core. 

I continue to pay homage to her beautiful breasts for a few more minutes. The low moans escaping her lips as I slowly lap at one nipple are music to my ears. The way she responds to my touch drives me crazy with need. I glide my hand slowly down her body until I reach the apex of her thighs, then back up to her breast. Slow, teasing strokes of my hand over her heated flesh causes her to shudder. 

“Oh, Sebastion, please!” 

Her voice is thick with need as she calls my name. 

“What do you want, my love? Tell me where you want me to touch you.” 

In response, she bucks her hips against my raging erection. Her eyes close as she creates the friction she needs. To tease her further, I glide my hand down to her core slowly but stop right before my fingers connect with her sensitive bud. 

“Use your words, Irina. Tell me what you want.” 

“I want you… to play with… my clit. Please. I want you to make… me orgasm.” She says. Her words come out in between shuddering breaths as I lean back down to take her nipple into my mouth. 

My hand dips lower to give her what she wants. She is so wet for me. I can smell her thick arousal fill the air around us as I spread her open. When I swirl my thumb over her clit, Irina shudders, then throws her head back in ecstasy as I slip two fingers into her. 

“Is this what you want?” I ask.  

I lick my way up to her neck to where my mate mark is. When I graze my teeth over it, she lets out a deep moan. I nibble on all the exposed flesh around my mark, but don’t bite her yet. I want to be buried deep in her core before I sink my teeth into her my mark. 

“Oh, Sebastion, I am close.” 

My teeth graze over my mark one more time and it sends spasms through her body. Her core clenches my finger as her orgasm peaks. I keep going with my thumb and fingers until the ripples of her orgasm fade. 

“You are so sexy when you climax for me. I could do this forever.” 

“I want you, Sebastion. Please.”  

“Where do you want me? Do you want me buried deep where my fingers just were.” 

Irina growls at me, but a small smile tugs at her lips. The game I am playing is arousing to her. I know she can take over at any point during this. She is stronger than she used to be. The fact that she hasn’t yet says she is clearly enjoying it. 

“I want you to pull your pants down and fuck me, Sebastion. Now.” 

The demand in her voice is so sexy that I do as she says. I lower my pants enough to have my throbbing erection spring free. When I slip inside her, we both moan in pleasure. I take a few deep breaths before I move within her. 

“Let go of the tree.” 

Irina does as I tell her. I slowly turn around, so my back is against the tree. With her arms now wrapped around my neck, I move her up and down over me in a slow, erotic rhythm. Each stroke of my body into hers sends pleasure spiraling through us both. 

Much later, after our passion for each other is spent, I lead her to a small stream further into the woods. We wash our bodies in the water, then make our way back to our sleeping children. Arianna gives me a knowing smirk but says nothing as we lay back down on the blankets. 

That wasn’t how I saw my night ending, but there will be no complaints from be. My mate is a vixen and I love every fucking minute of it. We were all over each other before we found out she was pregnant, but Goddess bless pregnancy hormones.  

Irina laughs, then snuggles under her blankets. I let sleep wash over me shortly after I hear her deep, even breathing. Tonight was a good night.