Chapter 76

(**Sebastion**)  
*Four months later.*  

Over the last four months, every member of the pack that is over fifteen years old and able to fight, has been training vigilantly. Flint and Justin have been training the advanced level fighters with me. Many of Monroe’s pack offered to help train my pack warriors. So, I paired Wade with Giles to train the intermediate level fighters. Mick and his brother volunteered to train the beginners.  

Melissa, Jodi, and Frankie paired up with three extraordinarily talented female warriors from Monroe’s pack to train all the women who volunteered to train. More women came forward every day as they watched the training. I am proud of them all and watch their confidence and skill grow.  

As members of Monroe’s pack and mine intermingled over the last four months, none of us were surprised that mates were found. Five of my pack found mates within the rogue pack. Monroe and I extended the offer for either my members to join his pack or his members join mine. We left the decisions to them.  

While Treadstone still hasn’t attacked us yet, the threat is still there. I assume he is still recovering from his injuries from the raid on his compound in France. I prayed he would succumb to his wounds and the threat from him would be over. However, I will not let my guard down until I know we are safe.  

So, each day that passes, we train to get stronger, then go on living our lives. That is all I can ask of my pack until the day the threat against us is gone.   

There have been a lot of good things happen over the last four months. We had Irina’s Luna ceremony. My parents came back for it so that my mother could perform her part by giving up her power as Luna to the new one. The entire pack, along with some of Monroe’s rogues, gathered to watch Irina take her place as their Luna.   

I was absolutely amazed by how my entire pack kneeled for Irina when the surge of power transferred from my mother to her. Everyone felt her link to the pack. It is stronger than I thought it would be. I think it is because she is not only a Luna, but she also is Alpha born.  

The thought of my mate makes me stand up from my desk to go check on her. She has been on strict bed rest by the pack doctor. Three weeks ago, she was having early contractions with some spotting of blood. The baby’s heart rate was erratic, so Gregory ordered her to cease all physical activity.  

Our baby turned out to be more than one baby. We are having twins. Which shocked her, but didn’t surprise me at all. Twins are quite common in the Drakos family. During our last ultrasound, because of our highly active babies, we got a gender reveal for one of them.  

Baby A is a boy while baby B is keeping its gender hidden from us.   

 Irina is insistent that she deliver him at home in our room. Both Dr. Gregory and Dr. Murphy are on standby and will come to the mansion when the time comes. They have stored everything they will need or may need in the hall closet. It is better to be prepared than not have what they need if something goes wrong. That is what Dr. Murphy claims, and I must agree with her.  

When I walk into the bedroom, Irina is sitting up in bed with her back against a few pillows. Her face is flushed as she moves around like she can’t get comfortable. The frustration on her face makes me walk swiftly to the bed.   

“Here, lean forward a little.”  

She does as I ask. Instead of fluffing the pillows for her, I move them out from behind her so that I can slip between her and the headboard. My legs are now on either side of her hips, with her ass between my thighs. With my thumbs, I gently knead the knots out of her lower back and shoulders.  

The soft sighs of pleasure as I massage her back and shoulders let me know this was exactly what she needed. I continue to run my thumbs into her soft skin until she relaxes. When her shoulders slump, I adjust my body until I am more comfortable, then gently pull her back against me.  

“If these babies wait much longer to be born, I may go insane from boredom.”  

I wrap my arms around her from behind the place my palms over her bell. As if they know it is me, one baby, then the other kick where my palms are. They do this almost every time I touch her. Irina jokes it is because they are protecting their momma. I think it is just their way of saying hello.  

“Where are Jace and Zasha?” She asks. She lays her head back against my chest as she gets comfortable.  

“They are with my mother. She took them to the pack house with Callie for movie night. It was her way of getting all three of them out of the house so you and Arianna could rest.”  

“How are your sister and Danae doing?”  

Danae is the newest addition to our family. She was born three weeks ago during a thunderstorm so strong that it shook parts of the house. Now she keeps her parents up all night, just like the storm did on the night she was born.   

“When I check on them this afternoon, both were sleeping. Flynn was curled up, taking a nap in the living room. I think it is a good thing my parents have decided to stay in Redwood until after you deliver.”  

“From how you mother talks, she wants to stay for good. I love having her here with us. She has been so good with Zasha.”  

Since my parents came back from their council business in Europe, my mother and Zasha have gotten close. She used to ask Arianna when she would have another baby, now here she is, soon to be a grandmother of six.  

“Their seats on the council keep them from living here regularly, but it also allows them to travel more freely. My father has agreed to stay until they are called away on council business again. So, if luck holds, they will be here for some time.”  

Irina goes silent for so long that I tilt my head to the side to see if she has fallen asleep. She is awake but nibbling on her lower lip like she does when she is thinking about something that worries her. Leaning forward a bit, I place a kiss on the graceful curve of her jawline.  

“What are you thinking about so hard?”  

“Have you talked to your parents about the name you want to give our son?”  

After that day in the mausoleum four months ago, I asked Arianna if she would name her baby, if it was a boy, after Theo. I told her I was thinking about it as well if she had a girl and Irina had a boy. She gave me her blessing but suggested that I ask our parents if they would be ok with the idea.  

So far, I haven’t had the chance. Between training in the morning with Flint, keeping up with work in the afternoons, then spending the evenings with the kids and Irina, there just hasn’t been a chance or suitable time.  

“I will make the time to ask them tonight after I put the kids to bed. Until then, why don’t I go downstairs to find something to feed you and our babies?”  

“There is something I am hungry for.”  

The way Irina licks her lips and wiggles her ass makes me groan. She has been on bed rest for three weeks now and after the spotting happened; she was told to not have intercourse. Ever since then, she has been testing my resolve to follow the doctor’s orders.   

“No sex, but maybe if you behave and stop teasing me, I will do something you will like later tonight.”  

The throaty laugh she gives me doesn’t help my sexual frustration at all. So, I gently lean her forward, then slip out from behind her. After fluffing her pillows and giving her a light peck on her forehead, I leave the room.  

Pregnancy has her horny night and day. Until three weeks ago, we were sexually active. She was insatiable, and I couldn’t deny her. Now we are both pent up with sexual frustration. I can wait until after the babies are here and she is healed from the delivery.  

There will be plenty of time to fulfill our needs after.  

When I step into the kitchen, I turn right back around, then wait in the hallway. Monroe and Jasmine locked in a passionate kiss is not something I want to interrupt. They have been dancing around their attraction to each other for months now. All because she has a mate. One that doesn’t want her in his life.  

“You can come in now, Sebastion,” Monroe calls out.  

When I walk back into the kitchen, Jazmine is gone. I didn’t know they were even in the house. Now I feel horrible for walking in on them. The room is thick with the scent of their combine arousals. Just what I don’t need.   

“I am so sorry, man.”  

Monroe shakes his head. “Don’t be. You saved us from taking things too far.”  

“Are you still adamant about not crossing that line until she rejects him?”  

“Argyle is a good man, but he has hurt Jazmine deeply by his refusal to accept her or reject her. I am waiting for her to make the choice.”  

“You want her and care about her, both are obvious.”  

Monroe runs his fingers through his hair in frustration. He pulls a stool away from the counter he was leaning against then sits down. Talk about a complicated relationship.  

“I do. I care about her more than I think is wise. She is not mine to claim. I won’t cross that line until she is free.”  

That is a very respectable attitude to take. It is also a very frustrating situation to be in when you care for someone, and they care for you too, but circumstances and honor prevent you from what you really want to do. Monroe is an honorable man.  

“What will you do?”  

“She is leaving for France tonight. We were talking about me going there for a visit when everything here is safe for you. That is a bad idea so I will go back to California instead.”  

My mother came into the kitchen after Monroe says this. He takes that as his opportunity to leave. He gives her a smile as he walks out of the kitchen.  

“Hey, mom. Where are the kids?”  

“I left them with Sarah so I could come back here for a moment to talk to you.”  

“Well, that is convenient because I need to talk to you too.”  

She laughs, opens the refrigerator, then pulls out a container and hands it to me. “Go feed your mate, then come talk to me.”  

“How did you know that was why I came down here?”  

“Your stomach is growling, so if you are hungry I can only assume she is too.”  

With a shake of my head, I heat the contents of the container, which turned out to be chicken enchiladas, then I take it up to Irina after grabbing a fork. Then I walk back downstairs to have a conversation with my mother.  

She is now sitting quietly on the stool Monroe was on not too long ago. She gives me a smile when I walk back into the room. “What did you want to talk to me about, Sebastion?”  

“You first.”  

“Sit with me.”  

I pull out the stool next to her, then wait for her to tell me what she came back to the house to say. I get nervous as she tilts her head to look at me. It is like I am ten again and she is waiting for me to admit I did something wrong.  

“Relax, Bastion. You are not in trouble.”  

I let out the breath I was holding. I am an adult and our pack Alpha, but my mother still terrifies me. She has a way of making me feel like the little boy I used to be. 

“I spoke to your sister this morning. Then I spoke to your father after what she told me you asked of her. If you truly wish to name your son after your brother, Theo, then we give you our blessing.”  

Her words break something loose in my chest. I stand up, then pull her in for a hug. I know what I am asking from her, and I know what she is giving me by saying it is ok. Naming my son after my brother is a way to honor the sacrifice he made for me.  

“Are you sure?”  

She pulls back from the hug, then looks up at me. There are tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. “When your sister told me about how you saw a vison of Theo on the first family camp out in years, I was shocked. She told me that is why you want to name your and Irina’s son after Theo.”  

Tears slip down my cheeks. She reaches up to wipe them away, then pulls me back into a hug. I hold her close to me as she rubs my back. When I step away, she grabs an apple from the fruit bowl, then walks toward the door of the kitchen.  

“I will put the kids to sleep tonight. You go up to Irina and get some sleep. Your lives are about to get very busy soon.”  

With that, she smiles in a knowing way, then leaves me alone in the kitchen. I grab something to eat, then after cleaning up after myself, I go back upstairs. Irina has her eyes closed when I walk into our bedroom, but they pop open when I close the door.  

“What did your mom say?”  

“My parents gave us their blessing.”  

The smile that blooms on her face is radiant. I can’t help but walk to her, then kiss her softly. I will tell our son one day about his namesake. He will know the hero his uncle was.   

Later, after we have both brushed our teeth and changed for bed, we lay down to sleep. Irina is on her side, curled up with me tucked up firmly against her. My knees up against her ass. I stay awake until I hear her soft, even breathing, before I close my eyes. Only then do I let the sweet darkness of sleep take me away.  

Sometime later in the night, I wake to hear Irina’s sharp cry of pain, followed by a sudden wetness on my knees. Oh, holy fuck. Her water just broke.  

We are having our babies sooner than we thought.