Claiming Treasure

Colletta’s POV

Approaching Yakima Airport

The small executive jet Carson was using had eight seats, all filled up with tired werewolves. The guards were in the back, while Frank, Carson, and Coral took the larger seats surrounding a small conference table in the front. Frank poured two tumblers of Two Gingers Irish Whiskey, which Coral and I declined in favor of rest. I slept on Franks’s shoulder as soon as we reached altitude; when the Captain announced we would be landing in ten minutes, it woke us all up. It had been that kind of day.

Carson looked worried. “What’s going on, baby? Worried about your reception?”

He nodded. “I don’t know if I can handle another rejection, Mom.”

I could understand loss, and he hadn’t recovered from what she did to him all those decades ago. I wished now that I had done more to break through to his true feelings. He hid his pain so well, and we had all assumed he was better. “It won’t be the same with Heather, and you know that. It can’t be, she doesn’t have a wolf for yours to bond with.”

“How did you know? What made you so sure he was yours?”

That was the real question. “I didn’t know right away. I was attracted to Frank when we first met; he was good-looking, kind, and offered me some of his Cinnabon.” I hadn’t told any of my boys the details on how we met, just that we met on the plane to Duluth. “He looked strong and healthy, and I was sure he’d be good in the sack if I decided to get some,” I said.

I almost laughed as I saw his face, imagining me having sex with his father was bad enough. “MOM!”

“I’m widowed, not dead, and you have no idea what it has been like for me. Charles showed an interest, he would have been a good companion, and then he was gone. Lower ranked wolves are intimidated by my power, and my wolf wasn’t interested in them as companions. I had given up my Pack, so no single Alpha or Beta rank males sought to entertain a widow at the end of her childbearing years. I figured a human would be more fun than yet another night with my Hitachi and Pornhub.”

“OH MY LUNA MOM, JUST STOP!” He shook his head. “That’s another image I’ll never get out of my head.”

“Don’t be a baby. It’s a natural thing.” I waited until he opened his eyes again and looked out at the ground as we approached the airstrip. “My wolf wasn’t interested, but she wasn’t against it either. Frank was everything I had hoped.”

“But he was a human. When did your wolf come forward?”

“During the attack on our home. She was forward, and she liked how strong and decisive he was. He respected us and worked with us instead of treating us like we were helpless. He was everything a male should be, just without a wolf. My wolf decided that part didn’t matter, and started to bond to him as a human.”

“Was it like your bond with Dad?”

I shook my head, no. “It was just a tug, where that had been a shove. It wasn’t until he almost died that my wolf committed to him fully. She bit him to save him, and I couldn’t be happier now.”

He sat back in the seat as we landed, the plane rapidly slowing before turning towards the hangars and the waiting SUVs from his Pack. “Is Heather going to meet us,” Coral asked him.

“No. We can’t risk Heather leaving Pack grounds for any reason. If someone killed her in open territory, we couldn’t do a thing against them,” Carson replied.

That was one of the problems with the asylum process; it only worked on your territory. “Heather is safe, and we have shown Mongo and Three Tequila that we will be able to keep her that way,” Carson said. “My Pack has decided we need to have a party, and I agree. I’m glad you all are here for it.”

“Is Keith there yet?” Coral was antsy, eager to see her mate and daughter again.

“Sorry, they haven’t made it to Pack lands yet.”

The plane stopped, and a few minutes later, the pilots lowered the stairs. “Let Coral go first,” Carson said. I stepped back, letting her go out first, and followed her with Frank behind me.

Coral reached the bottom of the steps just as the doors of the second SUV opened, and a man stepped out of the back. “KEITH,” she squealed as she ran over and jumped into his arms. He swung her around and kissed her deeply.

“Momma!” Her nanny came out with Hope from the other side, handing her over to her mother. We gave them a moment before joining them; I gave Keith his hug before getting a sloppy kiss from my granddaughter.

Our luggage was loaded, and I pulled Carson towards the first SUV. “Come on. You have questions, Frank and I can help. Let’s sit together for the drive.” As we made the hour-plus journey to his Pack lands, we talked about our dating and mating in detail from both perspectives. “It is not an easy task you have ahead of you,” I told him.

“I was interested in Colletta and single, suddenly without a job or any other distractions,” Frank said. “Heather has been through hell, and her ideas of love and commitment lie shattered. You have to convince her you that you love her, and that is the easy part.”

“What is the hard part?”

“Convincing her that her heart is safe loving you back,” I said. We continued to talk as we drove higher into the mountains. When we crossed the Pack borders, well after dark, we could see the eyes of wolves in the trees waiting for us.

“It’s good to be back here,” I said. “I’ve missed this in my travels.”

“Who wants to take the shortcut over the ridge,” Carson asked. “Coral says she wants to run home with Keith; Hope is sleeping, and the nanny will take her.”

“I could use a run,” I said. I hadn’t been in wolf form since we went to bring Heather back, and carrying someone over the mountains wasn’t as much fun as running with a Pack.

“We’re pulling over,” Carson said.

He and Frank quickly stripped and tossed their clothes in, shifting into their big wolves while I took the time to fold mine and set them neatly on the seat. “HEY,” I yelled as a cold nose poked into my exposed sex. “I’ll be ready in a minute,” I said as I smacked Frank across his muzzle with my sock.

“Mom?”

“Just a minute, Coral,” I said as I turned and jumped forward, calling my wolf to take over.

She didn’t, and I ended up landing face-first in a snowbank while laughter and snorts erupted around me. “What is wrong,” I asked my wolf.

“Pup,” she told me.

It couldn’t be. I sat up, my hand on my stomach as a naked and crying Coral ran over. Keith was bouncing up and down, his tail rapidly wagging side to side as he tried to sniff more at her crotch. “Mom, my wolf won’t let me shift. I’m pregnant,” she said as she fell into my arms.

“I am too,” I said softly.

We cried happy tears as we were congratulated and licked by the wolves surrounding me. Frank let out a howl, quickly joined by the others, as we walked back to our cars to get dressed again.

Carson took off with his Pack members, while Keith and Frank changed back to ride with us. I couldn’t believe it, and neither could he. “I’m going to be a father again?”

“You are,” I said as tears continued to flow.

“I thought you told me you couldn’t get pregnant?”

Oh yeah. “At my age, I never expected to be able to. Chase and Coral were a shock.” I could see the emotions in his face, and felt them over the link. “You are happy?”

“Of course I am, Colletta. I’m just in shock, wondering how it happened.”

I giggled at him. “I’m pretty sure you were there,” I said. “Which time it was, we’ll never know.”

“You should let the rest of the family know,” he told me as he handed me my phone. “Just don’t say anything about Coral, let her have her fun on her own.” I quickly dialed Sawyer, catching him just after he got back to his office. He was shocked and happy for us, of course, and congratulated us on our blessing.

Chase and Rori were just as happy, but a little less shocked. “You shouldn’t be so surprised, Mom,” Rori told me. “Just being around me is enough to get people pregnant!”

“Well, more than just that, but it didn’t hurt.” A thought came to me. “You can’t let people outside our Packs know about my pregnancy just yet. Frank’s existence is still a secret, and I don’t want people to think I got knocked up outside of the mating bond.”

“I don’t know, it might be fun starting a few rumors,” she said. “Everyone knows you are with Frank, and humans can get us pregnant. If we leave out the part about him becoming one of us, would it be all right to report that you’re with child?”

It would be difficult to hide my pregnancy or his presence in my life. “You’re right. I bet the Council will flip out when they hear I got pregnant by a human.”

“Oh well. Congratulations, Mom. We’re going to have quite the child-care problem soon.”

“It’s a good one to have.” I hung up, and a few seconds later, my phone rang again. “Hello, Sawyer,” I said with a laugh.

“CORAL TOO?”

“Yep. We’re a fertile bunch, aren’t we?”

“Oh my Luna, what great news. Ashley and I are thrilled! I just wanted to check with you before I tell the Pack about this.”

“Go ahead, son, they can use the good news. Nothing about Frank being one of us, though. I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, Mom. I want a little sister, by the way.” I didn’t get a call back from Chase, mainly because Coral was talking to her twin the whole ride to the Pack House.

Carson and the Pack were waiting for us as we arrived; Heather was behind him, looking nervous as we pulled in front of the Pack House. We joined him at the top of the stairs. “Cascade Pack, the blessings of Luna are truly upon us this night,” he said. “Our guest Heather is safe with us, the charges against me led to nothing, and the hunt was successful.” He asked for permission mentally, and I gave it to him along with Coral. “As you heard at the trial, the blessings of Luna show through in the babies that she grants to us. Tonight, Luna Colletta and Alpha Coral found out they are pregnant. LET US FEAST IN THANKS TO THE GODDESS!”

The Pack erupted in cheers and howls, and the party went well into the night.