Her Stepbrothers Are Werewolves (3 page)

Chapter Three

Duke and Nolan had been sitting back, allowing their mate to have her time with her friends. But seeing that they were all getting ready to go up to the one’s house for the night, Duke stepped down to the beach with Nolan at his side.

He snorted, seeing Lucy trying to look pissed off, but she almost fell backwards because she was totally wasted, even with the glare and the hands on her hips.

“What are you doing here?” she hiccupped and frowned at him as he stepped up to her.

“Your mother was worried about you and she told us where to find you. I thought you might need a ride home, since it’s obvious you can’t drive in your condition.” He turned and nodded to her friends. “Thank you both for looking after Lucy, but I think it would be best for her to be in her own bed tonight.” He held out his hand for the second time this evening, wondering if she would take it.

“I’m 25 years old, my mother will always worry about me till the day I die,” she sighed, “But that is what mothers are supposed to do.” She looked down at her toes curling in the sand. “I can’t carry babies Duke, Nolan. There has to be a mistake, I can’t be your mate. I’m damaged goods. As your father said, I would cause you to too much pain if you took me back with you.” She smiled. “Even I know you need someone strong at your side and I’m afraid I’m not that person. But I will take you up on that ride since I have an appointment in the morning.” She turned, hugging her friends and they asked if she was sure. Lucy reassured them both.

“You know you never did tell us what this appointment is about,” her friend Scotty said, folding up the blanket and handing it to her. Nolan reached out and took it before she could.

“And I’m not going to. No one needs to know until I get the final word. I don’t want to jinx this. But if everything goes like I hope, you’ll know tomorrow. You’ll hear my shouting.” She gave Scotty a smile and started up towards her car. “I’ll talk to you both tomorrow, plan on cooking out Randy.” She yelled back at them.

“You have the keys to the car?” Nolan asked as they reached her RAV4.

“They’re still in it along with my bag,” she said, moving to the passenger side of the car.

“You left your purse and car keys in the car?” Nolan asked.

“This is a private road, beach.” Lucy got into her car, buckling her seatbelt and waiting for them.

Duke shook his head and crawled into the back seat. “That is still taking a risk.” He mumbled.

“Not really. If you look up to the left in the tree there you will see a camera, and to the right as well. As soon as you pull into the drive, a sensor goes off alerting Randy’s parents who are here. I take it Mom dropped you off?” she asked.

“Your mom and my dad, why?” he asked.

“Because Randy’s father would have come over if some stranger had pulled into the drive. He’s a bit paranoid after all the terrorist attacks. Randy calls her father, Rambo-daddy. But he is an amazing man.” She rested her head on the window. “You know how to get back to my house, right?” she asked Nolan and he pointed to her GPS.

Lucy reached over and pushed a few buttons. “It’s all set up. So where are you guys staying tonight?” she asked.

“We’re bunking down at your house, Lucy. We’ll be camping out in the basement. Your mom already has sleeping bags, blankets and pillows down there for us.” He frowned. “There was one room upstairs next to yours, but your mom said it was locked and she didn’t want to intrude.

“I’m glad she didn’t. No one goes into that room unless it’s me.” Lucy looked back over the seat at him. “Tomorrow, after my appointment, you can see it. I’ll show it to all of you, but not till afterwards.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t told your mother what you are doing?” his brother asked, giving her a quick look.

She shook her head. “No, this had to be done by me. I didn’t want any sympathy if it does not turn out. It was something I wanted to do all by myself.” She turned sideways in her seat looking from Nolan, then to Duke. “If this turns out like I want, you two might want to forget you ever saw me, but I won’t give this up. I’ve worked for two years for this and jumped a hundred hurdles for this moment, so there is no going back. I wouldn’t even if I could. I promised someone this would happen and I don’t break my promises.”

“Nothing is going to change with us.” Duke told her and wondered what was behind that doorway. He knew it was some kind of hall, because the house she was renting was old and large. One thing was for sure he didn’t like surprises, but it would seem they were going to get another one tomorrow.

For the next ten minutes she said nothing as they got closer to her home. “Duke what exactly does being a mate entail? Does it just mean I’m supposed to give you children? Because if that is the case, you two are screwed. Well, unless you know someone that wants to carry my eggs, but then I would have to trust that person if I even allowed this thing to go on,” she asked.

Duke scooted forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. “It’s more than having children, Lucy. Already our wolves are pushing against us to claim you. We’re very attracted to you. Hell, even that is putting it mildly.” He reached up and tucked a piece of her hair back. “To us there will be no other woman, you’re it. Our wolf would even get aggressive if another female tried to even touch us. You are the only one that controls the animal inside us both,” he explained as they pulled into her drive.

* * *

Lucy stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom, 30 minutes before she had to get up and get ready for her meeting at the children’s home. Roman and Karla would either come home with her today or they would be put in the foster care system.

Even though their father, Henry, had been a psychopath from hell and had hurt her badly, Lucy had fallen in love with his two children, the ones he’d been physically abusing for years before she had every met them.

The one thing she never regretted was putting herself in front of the children so their father wouldn’t touch them again. She would do it again if she had to. Karla was eight and Roman six. Lucy had visited them both ever since she had gotten out of the hospital. No one had known she had sacrificed herself for those children and they wouldn’t, because she knew the little ones would blame themselves and Lucy couldn’t have that.

Lucy swung her legs off the bed and made her way into the master bath. “Today, little Roman, we’ll see if I can keep that promise,” she whispered to herself as Lucy stripped and climbed into the shower. Smiling, she remembered their little faces when she had taken them to the zoo for the first time.

With their mother dead a year after giving birth to Roman, the two little ones didn’t know what a normal parent relationship was. It was Lucy who had given them their first glimpse of what that should be like. It was one of the only reasons she had stayed at her job for the last three years, showing the courts she could take care of the two children.

Even though she had a trust fund in the bank, she refused to touch it until the children were in her custody, fully legally hers. Then, as a family, they would decide what they were going to do.

Twenty minutes later, coffee in hand, Lucy was on her way to the home. Either they would have the children ready for her, or today she would be saying goodbye to them. Which would totally destroy her. “They’ll be mine,” she growled into her cup, pulling into the children’s home.

Lucy turned off the car, staring at the large cement home. She had been lucky to slip out of the house before her mother had gotten up, but then again her mother had given her the riot act last night before she’d passed out. But as she walked down the sidewalk to her car, Lucy knew Nolan and Duke were watching her. As she glanced back at the house, she saw them standing in the door.

She shook her head and turned off the car, getting out. Those two men could make any woman’s panties wet just looking at them. Lucy stepped up to the front door and was buzzed right in.

Mrs. Moonstraw met her at the door smiling. “Are you ready for today?” she asked.

“My stomach is in knots. This is either going to crush me or make me the happiest person in the world,” she said, knowing the woman knew what she was talking about.

“Well, if it helps, right now I feel the same way you do. Those children deserve to go to you. You have given them something that no other adult has their whole life and I know you would be perfect for them. Let’s just hope the judge agrees.” She led Lucy through the halls to a small office/courtroom where another social worker, head of the house, and the judge waited for her.

“Ms. Ballard, thank you so much for meeting us earlier than planned. I have a brutal caseload ahead of me and I wanted to start the day off right. Please, have a seat,” Judge Gallen said, nodding to the chair.

Lucy took a deep breath and sat down at the table, staring at the papers lying in front of her frowning. She looked up and the judge smiled. “Yes, Ms. Ballard the children are going home with you. All ties to their father have been cut. They are now legally your son and daughter. How could I not give them to a woman with a heart as big as the size of Texas. The glowing recommendations from everyone we’ve talked to only backs what my social work found. Congratulations, you have a pile of papers there to sign. The ones on your right are your papers. Both children will now carry your name, their new birth certificates are in there also for you.”

For 30 minutes Lucy filled out paper work, feeling like she was in a dream. She was now a mother, something Lucy had dreamed of being for years. They might not be hers by blood, but they were hers in her heart. Signing the last paper, Lucy stood, placing all the legal documents in her briefcase/purse, and looking up at Mrs. Moonstraw.

“Are you ready to tell them the good news? We have had them pack their belongings, but told them nothing. We thought you would like to tell them,” she said.

Lucy went up to the older lady and hugged her tight. “I can’t thank you enough for all of your help.” She stepped back, wiping the tears from her face. “Let’s get my babies.”

As soon as, she stepped into Karla’s room, Roman looked up from his drawing seeing her. He ran to her, jumping in her arms squeezing her tight. “Are we going with you?” he asked, Karla standing beside her, now hugging her hip.

She moved to the bed, sat on it, and brought both children into her arms. “Yep, you are now my son and daughter. No one will separate us again. Are you happy?” she asked.

Karla hugged her and her brother. “Momma, we have a momma,” she whispered, breaking her heart. “Okay, let’s get your things and say goodbye to your friends, because we have a beach party to go to,” she said.

“Beach? We’re going to the beach?” Roman squeaked. “Can I build sand castles?” he asked.

“You sure can, plus we’re going to stop and pick up KFC for us to eat for lunch. You’ll get to meet your grandmother and grandfather too, today.” Lucy stood and watched her children gather their things as she pulled out her phone, calling Randy.

“Hey lady, we still up for the beech?” she asked.

“Yep, but a little change. I thought we would have a beach party. I’m picking up KFC, could you bring out the kid toys you have and the grill? I’ll explain when I get there. Oh, I’ll be asking Mom, my stepdad and his sons to come too, so be prepared. Could you let Scotty know too? I have big news and I hope all of you are as happy as I am about it.” She hung up the phone before Randy could start asking questions.

“I’m ready,” Roman said, taking her hand as Karla took her other one.

“Well then, let’s go and celebrate, shall we?” she asked, taking the children out of the cement home they had been in for the past two years to her car. After putting the carseats from the trunk in the backseat and having one of the guys help her set them up, both kids were all loaded up in her car and ready for their first outing as a family. Now, she only hopped her
mates
would be accepting of her children or there wouldn’t be any hope. Because she wasn’t giving up her babies.

Lucy smiled at the kids as they watched the cars go by, as she called her mother on the carphone. There was no going back.

Chapter Four

Lucy was as nervous as she’d been at the hearing. She was glad she’d stopped and bought a wagon as she wheeled the food, bathing suits, drinks and life jackets for the children down to the beach, with little Roman in the middle of it. The important papers were now locked in the trunk. “Momma Lucy, whose house are we at?” Karla asked, holding onto her hand tight.

“This is one of my best friend’s home. She has a private beach we always use so it will be just family and friends today, nothing too big, okay?” she asked Karla, who nodded, but inched closer to her.

“Do you think they’ll like us?” Little Roman asked.

“They’re going to love the both of you, I promise, and I keep my promises, don’t I?” she asked.

Roman smiled and nodded. “You sure do.” He beamed as they made their way down the beach to the group of people who waited for them. Blankets, umbrella’s, lounge chairs were all set up as everyone turned to stare at them.

Her gaze went to Duke’s and she could see him frowning, looking at the children. But it was her mother who stepped forward. “So, who do we have here?” she asked.

Kneeling down, Roman got out of the wagon and came to her. Karla moved in her arms. “Mom, I’d like you to meet my children, Roman and Karla. Today is our celebration day. Mommy and kid’s day, right Roman, Karla?” They both nodded, but still held onto her.

“Can we call her Grandma?” Roman tried to whisper in her ear.

Her mom knelt in front of them, as tears ran down her face. “Really, you adopted them? It’s all legal?” she asked. “How? And yes, of course, you’ll call me Grandma. Now, I get to spoil me some grandkids.” Her mother clapped her hands together, smiling from ear to ear.

Lucy took a deep breath and reached over, grabbing her mom’s arm. “I knew them before,” she said, looking into her mom’s face. Then Lucy saw the moment when her mother figured out who the little ones were.