Chapter Thirty-One

Candy looked at her mate as she lay curled on her side, her face relaxed with sleep. Glad that she was finally getting some rest. She could tell by the time her mother had left that she had more questions than answers.

Her eyes moved over the dark bags beneath Annie’s eyes as she brushed her fingers through her hair. It was the softest hair she had ever felt beneath her fingertips, smooth and silky. Not quite straight, but not full of curls.

Her eyes traveled down along the scattering of freckles across her nose. To her mate’s lips and the delicate cupid’s bow of her thin top lip before tracing over her full bottom lip. She could spend hours tasting those lips.

The desire was still there, but not nearly as intense as it was before. Candy hoped that it would get so strong, now that they were mated. She didn’t like the loss of control, the struggle to keep herself in check.

Eyes moving lower, she rested her hand on Annie’s stomach. Hating herself for putting Annie and the babies in danger, her mother had pulled her out of the room and gotten onto her.

Also, to tell her that Annie wasn’t just human. Candy couldn’t help but wonder what her mate was? What the babies would be? It didn’t matter the more she thought about it, she would love them all the same.

Leaning forward, she placed a kiss to her sleeping mate’s forehead before closing her eyes. They had a date tomorrow with Stolas, she’d never thought about what it would be like if she had more than one mate.

She’d felt sorry for Eli when she had heard that he and Drake shared a mate. At that time, she didn’t know how she would cope with the jealousy.

Seeing them talking earlier had made her realize that with both of them, she didn’t feel jealous. In fact, she longed to watch them together. To be watched by him or Annie.

Fighting down a groan, she rolled over onto her back. She didn’t need to be thinking about this right now. She’d wear Annie out if she kept at it, relaxing her breathing. She let sleep pull her under, where she dreamed about being with both of her mates.

***

“I’m coming for you.”

“Please, no.” Annie begged as she looked over her shoulder. His words were so loud in her ear that she knew he must be behind her. Yet when she turned around, there was no one there.

Just the empty hallway that led to her bedroom at her parents’ house. Shaking her head, she moved to her bedroom, pushing open the white bedroom door that led to hers and Abby’s room.

There were plenty of rooms in the house, but they had always kept them together. Annie had never wanted to be far from Abby, so she hadn’t minded.

Abby, on the other hand, had wanted to be free for as long as she could remember. Now she was back. She didn’t know why, when Abby had left, she’d vowed never to come home. Annie could understand why, now that she had had a taste of the outside world. She didn’t want to go back, if she could help it.

As Annie walked into her room, she took in the sight of her sister sitting on her bed. A small bundle in her arms, a smile on her lips as she hummed to the baby. Rocking the other’s bassinet with her hand.

Beau stepped around her, picking up the third baby from its crib as he looked back at Annie with a smile.

She knew that smile. It was the one he used to hide his cruel behavior. The one that didn’t reach his eyes and would come with harsh hissed words.

“One big happy family.” He growled.

“No,” Annie whispered, stepping back. She didn’t know how she had gotten back here. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

She was supposed to be with Candy and Stolas.

Her eyes met Abby’s and her sister gave her a watery smile as she tried to fight back her tears.

“Run, Annie.”

Biting her lower lip, Annie looked from Abby to the babies. She couldn’t leave them, couldn’t let them grow up as she and Abby had.

There would be no escaping for the three of them and she knew that Abby couldn’t save them from Beau and the vampires alone.

“No.” The word was softly spoken as Beau moved closer to her. “She’ll be happy here with us. One big. Happy. Family.” Beau’s hands were tight around the baby and she couldn’t help the fear that gripped her as she moved closer to him.

Her arms outstretched to the small bundle in his arms. She’d do anything to protect them, even if it was from their own father.

“I’m sorry, Beau.”

“Annie, no.” Abby said with a grimace. Her hand moving to her stomach as her face twisted up in pain.

“Abby?”

“She’s fine.” Beau’s voice was low with an unspoken warning.

“She’s hurt.”

“It’s only your doing.” A grin spread across his face and Annie took a step back as Beau moved closer.

“Annie, Annie.” The soft voice called out, shaking her from her sleep. The voice was one she knew, one that made her feel safe and loved. “It’s just a dream.”

Opening her eyes Annie looked at Candy, taking a deep breath as she tried to calm her racing heart. She was overly warm again. She leaned her head against Candy’s chest.

Breathing in the soothing scent of her mate.

“Are you okay?” Candy asked as she wrapped her arms around Annie, her hand rubbing circles on her back as she kissed the top of her head.

“Yeah, just a nightmare.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Candy asked, her words muffled by Annie’s hair. She was having a time trying to control her beast. The wolf was on alert, ready to protect Annie from whatever threat she may have been facing.

Annie didn’t say anything as she shook her head, she didn’t understand what the dream meant or if it was just a crazy pregnancy dream. She’d read about those, it didn’t make things any easier. Or make it feel any less real.

“Did you sleep okay?” Annie asked, trying to take her mind off of the dream.

“Yes, but someone and I’m not naming any names. Is a cover stealer who snores.”

Pulling back, Annie looked up at Candy with a pout. “I am not.”

“Me neither.” Candy laughed as she leaned over, kissing Annie’s nose. As she pulled her tighter against her body. “Are you ready for breakfast?”