Her Stepbrothers Are Werewolves (4 page)

“He won’t come for them?” Her mother’s face went white. Kirk moved behind her as if sensing her fear.

“Nope, he has no rights and knows nothing of their whereabouts. It was one of the conditions I asked for. I wanted to make sure they had a fresh break, that the three of us had a fresh break.” She looked at Karla. “Right, Karla sweetie.”

“He can’t find us, they promised. Judge said we wouldn’t be hurt no more,” Karla tried to crawl into Lucy’s lap and she fell back on her butt. “No, Karla he won’t hurt us anymore, but you know what? We have added protection,” she nodded to Duke and Nolan, who had come closer to them and knelt next to them, smiling. But she could see the questions in their eyes.

“Karla, Roman this is Duke and Nolan. Both of these men will make sure no one will hurt us again,” she said, hoping her words were true.

“They are big,” Roman said, and her friends behind them snorted.

“They’re big to me too. I’m your Aunt Scotty and this is your Aunt Randy. Come on, we have sand buckets all ready for you,” Scotty said, understanding the adults needed some time.

Both kids looked to Lucy and she nodded. “Go ahead, we have clean clothes for you to change into afterward.” She watched both kids take off towards Scotty as her gaze turned towards Duke and Nolan.

“Before you say anything, I worked for two years to get these two. If you can’t accept them, just go home. They were hurt just as badly as I was.”

* * *

Duke stood, reaching down and helping her up. This surprise was something else and brought new problems into their life, but he could see why his mate had done it. Both children were scared from abuse that made him sick. But what was weird was the fact that his wolf had claimed the two little ones as soon as he had seen them.

“I take it you’ve already accepted them?” his father asked. “Because my wolf sure has, and the thought of that…” Kirk growled, his eyes seemed to glow.

“I know it’s a problem for you, but I couldn’t let them go. I’ve been the only real parent they had. Their mother died about a year after she gave birth to Roman. I have a feeling her husband helped her death along. But authorities couldn’t pin it on him. Just get to know them today, please,” she asked, looking from Duke to Nolan.

He reached up and cupped her cheek. “They are ours as you are ours. Now, let the celebration begin. Plus, I want to get into the water. I’ve been dreaming of it.” Duke said, taking the wagon from her, but not before he placed a quick kiss on her lips. “Relax, but no more secrets, understood?” Duke ordered.

“Well, now that might be a problem. I sure can’t tell you your Christmas or birthday gifts, now can I?” she said, moving towards her mom, who laughed.

“My daughter has you there,” Karen hugged her daughter. “Go get your suit on, I’ll watch the kids,” her mother said.

“I will, but first I have to make sure they know where I’m going. They are still real nervous,” Lucy said and Duke knew right there and then, their Lucy was going to be a wonderful mom. Sure enough, both children followed her into the house with their new suits.

“So what are your thoughts?” his father asked, sitting down on a chair across from them.

“I think she has solved our problem. Once the pack sees what she has done, adopted these two innocent lives, they’ll know her heart is good. As for our own children, we’ll work that out when the time comes.”

“I was kind of thinking of that. Why not allow me to carry your children? After I’m turned, I think it would be a great time. She’s my daughter and with the change, I’ll be stronger to protect them.” Karen suggested.

“You would do this for us?” Nolan asked.

“As long as your father has no problems with it, I don’t see why not. They would be our grandchildren. Maybe he and I could have a child first, giving you three time to adjust.”

“Now we know where our mate gets her big heart. Thank you, you honor us. As soon as we speak with your daughter, we will definitely take you up on it. If I’m not mistaken, Doc Warren even has experience in that kind of stuff?” he asked his brother, who nodded.

“Remember when Brenda was hurt? That is how they had their triplets,” Nolan smiled. “Well, it seems we will be having that big family after all.” Nolan laughed.

“I forgot about the double births with this procedure, but I welcome it too.” He looked toward the house and watched Lucy come down the stairs in a two piece that made him stand up. Her hair was twisted up on her head. He watched as Lucy laughed at something Scotty had said. Her gaze lifted to his and Duke knew she was seeing the eyes of the wolf staring out at her, but there was no way to stop it. She was stunning.

His gaze traveled down her body and he stopped, staring at the scars on her lower stomach, where the man had taken a knife to her body, carving her up like meat.

“Duke!” his father stepped in front of him. “Pull it together, you’re scaring the children,” his father snapped.

Then he heard the little girl. “What’s wrong with him? Is he going to hit us too?” she asked, stepping in back of Lucy as did the boy.

“Shit,” he grumbled and took a deep breath, slowly moving to where Lucy was. He knelt, trying to reassure the children.

“May I?” he asked and she frowned at him, but nodded.

He smiled at the two little ones. “I’m sorry I scared you. I was upset seeing the marks on Lucy’s belly. I don’t like to see anyone get hurt and it made me want to protect her more because of it.” He glanced over at the little girl, seeing marks from what appeared to be a belt. “Like it makes me mad to see the marks on your body. I want to hurt the person who did that to you, because no one has a right to hurt another like that.” He looked over at Lucy. “My brother and I are hoping that your momma here will agree to be our wife. We’d like you two to be our children, so we can protect you.”

“I haven’t agreed to anything yet, so don’t go pressuring them,” Lucy said.

“Would he be a good daddy?” the little boy asked Lucy, still holding onto her leg, afraid to move.

She reached down, and lifted the boy up into her arms. “Even though I haven’t said yes, I can promise you both these two men would never physically hurt you, that they would protect you just like Duke has said.” Lucy kissed the little boy, giving them a look, not too sure of her own words, but they would prove it to her the rest of their lives. “Plus, who keeps her promises?” she tickled the little guy and he laughed.

“You,” he squealed, laughing, but it was a small hand that touched his arm that drew his attention.

Karla had dark hair and big brown eyes. “You’d really protect us, like momma Lucy did,” she said.

“What?” Lucy looked down at Karla, frowning.

“I heard him. He was coming to me, but you stepped in front of him, didn’t you?” she asked.

“You are too smart, little girl, but you know what? I’d do it again in a second,” Lucy said.

Duke reached out and lifted the little girl up in his arms. She was stiff at first, but then relaxed a little. “Tell me, do you like wolves?” he asked, heading toward the shovels and pails they were playing with.

“They’re like doggies, we were never allowed to have any animals. Are we going to get a wolf?” she asked, her eyes getting all big.

Lucy laughed. “Sweetie, Duke and Nolan and your new grandfather are wolf shifters.”

“Really, like they said on the TV? So you would really protect us, wouldn’t you?” Karla asked, slowly sliding her little arms around his neck.

“Yes, baby girl, I’d protect you with my life, the both of you. We all would, but I ask you and Roman not to tell everyone okay. Some people can be nasty about people being different and I don’t want you two to be teased because you will have two daddies that are wolves.”

Karla looked over at her brother. “I’ve been teased before, it’s not fun.” Her little voice quivered.

“Who teased you? I’ll eat them,” he growled and her eyes got big and she started to laugh.

She shook her head. “No, you can’t eat Thomas; he also had a daddy who hurt him. He stopped teasing after he found out what happened to us.”

He sighed. “You are already like your momma Lucy, she too has too soft of a heart,” he grumbled, sitting down by the water. “So what shall we build? Nolan, bring over those cars. We can make roads for them.”

Lucy sat down next to them, placing Roman next to her. “I think we need a big two-story house with a four-car garage. What do you think, Roman?” The little boy nodded and started to pile sand into one of buckets as Nolan sat down next to them.

Scotty and Randy sat down next to Lucy and the five of them built the largest sand castle city he had ever seen. It was so big, Karen moved around taking pictures of all of them as they worked on it.

“I think I need to wash some sand off of me. You guys play. I’m going to swim a bit before we eat.” Lucy stood and brushed sand off her legs, heading to the water.

“So, you’re really going to take our best friend away from us?” her friend Scotty asked Duke, which had Lucy looking over her shoulder at him and smiling.

“Have fun with that,” she said and ran into the water, followed by Karla and Roman.

Chapter Five

He glanced at her two friends who sat there waiting, watching. His father had a huge smile on his face as he manned the grill, the prick. “I am the leader of my pack. There are about 500 of us. We share a town with all sorts of shifters, and a few vampires and demons. It’s home. You two could follow us up there? There are plenty of jobs and you’d be close to Lucy.”

Scotty sat back and frowned at him. “We would be allowed to move up there? Don’t you think your people might resent us being there?”

Nolan snorted. “It’s a town and there are humans there too. You make it sound like we’re prejudice, which is far from the truth.” His brother said watching as Lucy played in the water with their two children.

Duke turned and glanced at Scotty. “What do you do for a living? And not the bartender job” Duke asked.

She smiled. “Actually, I manage the diner and the hotel that is attached to it. Randy here is a school teacher looking for work.” Scotty got up and stretched. “I’ll have to think about this. Come on, Randy, lets go play in the water with our new niece and nephew.”

Randy stood, but glanced down at him. “You hurt her or them, I’ll make your life a miserable one, I promise you. Have fun with my father,” she said, looking up smiling, as she waved to someone behind them.

Duke stood slowly, as did Nolan, to face a man who was almost as tall as him, a demon. He should have scented him, but he had smelled nothing.

The man laughed and held out his hand. “I’m Trevor McCollister, Randy’s father, and my daughter is correct. If you hurt Lucy, I won’t hesitate to make your life hell, but…” The man titled his head to the side. “I have a feeling Lucy has finally met someone worthy of her. About that invite, are you trying to take my baby away from me?” he asked.

“Knock it off, Trevor,” a small human with blond hair came up next to him, wrapping her arm around him. “Please excuse my husband, he can be a bit over-protective of us. My name is Alex, I’m Randy’s mom,” she said, holding her hand out to him.

“I’m Duke Masters and this is my brother, Nolan. My father Kirk over there is manning what I believe is your grill. Believe me, Sir, I would never hurt Lucy or the children. They will always be placed first, as they should be. I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have suggested they move to our town. I just can see how close they are and I’d hate to break that up.” Duke glanced over his shoulder to see Lucy pick up Roman and swing him around.

Lucy’s mom came up to all of them. “Trevor, Alex, it’s great to see you, and thank you so much for allowing us to have this little party. I’d like you to meet my husband, Kirk,” Karen said with Duke’s father right next to her.

“Yes, and thank you for looking out for Lucy. We know you have done more than is usual,” his father held out his hand.

“I wish I would of have gotten hold of that bastard, but the cops beat me to him,” he growled, and Karen frowned looking up at Kirk.

His father laughed. “No sweetie, Kirk isn’t a wolf, he’s demon.”

“Oh, I’m sorry this is all so new to me. Alex are you?” Alex was already shaking her head no.

“From what I’ve been told for us to have children, I have to have them as a human and then when we are done, he can change me. Each of our children will have the DNA to change, but they’ll need another demon to do that, their mate. Then again, it will also be up to them if they want children. Only pure blood demon females can have children. That’s why you see many demons who are mated to humans and are very, very protective of us.” Alex patted her husband’s stomach.

Trevor snorted. “Please, let’s sit and enjoy this day. Then we can discuss this moving thing.”

Duke was the one that snorted, knowing full well that the man was still sizing them up, which was fine by him. Nothing mattered more than Lucy’s and the children’s’ happiness. “If you will excuse me, I’m going to join my mate and children. Plus, this sand is starting to itch in places I’d rather not talk about,” he grumbled and headed towards the water, but heard the laughter behind him.

“You are not kidding, my balls…” Nolan stopped as Roman came running out of the water to stand in front of them, looking up at them. “Are you going to play with us in the water too?” he asked.

“Of course, that’s what daddies do.” Nolan picked up the little guy, throwing up in the air and catching him. His laugh was contagious as he smiled, moving into the water. It was actually warm until he got a little further out.

The waves lapped at them as he stalked his prey. Lucy was totally unaware he was moving towards her as she dug down looking for shells for Karla.

“Here’s one!” she yelled just as he tackled, lifting her up in the air and throwing her out further into the air. But that is when he saw the shadow. “Everyone on shore now!” He yelled as Lucy came up out of water, glaring at him. Behind her, about 20 feet, a shark fin popped out of the water.

“Swim, Lucy now!” he growled, the wolf inside of him close to the surface as he swam to her to intercept the shark. Duke didn’t know how his beast would handle a shark, but he was about to find out. Talk about a fish out of water.