Heart of the Moon

Two tiny monkeybutts had crawled up onto the foot of the bed. I roused from sleep.. feeling watched.. I peeped an eye open and spotted them. Sitting staring back and forth between Kieran and me.. thumbs in their mouths.

I rolled over and scooted.. patting the place I had made between us, and they both dove for the spot. I whispered “Are you not feeling well?” They shook their heads and as I touched them both, I realized their skin was hot to the touch. I said “Stay here with Daddy.. Mommy will run a warm bath.”

Kieran rolled on his side and pulled both boys close to his body.. still sleeping. I set towels out and turned on the bath water, when I hear Kieran say “Babe? Baby? The boys are burning up.” I came back in and started undressing them. I tell him “I know. I still can’t find anything wrong. I am going to draw their blood and run a few tests this morning. You need to get up and search through Valerie’s things.”

He shook his head “I have already tasked Cole and Axel with that! I’m not leaving you or our sons, until we figure something out. This is twice now.. in as many weeks, that this weird temperature elevation happened.” I giggle and smork at him “Fever, my love. It’s called a fever. And it may be something as simple as they’re cutting teeth.. their two year molars may be causing this.”

I carry Derek and he grabs Darius, as we set them down in the warm bath. They’re quiet and that’s not the norm.. definitely. I ask if they’re hungry, but they both shake their heads. I tell Kieran “Watch them, please. I’m going to brew some tea for fever.” He smiles and said “Always! But babe? Please put pants or something.. on? I am finding it a little hard to stay focused.” I laugh “Oh! You got puns! You a punny guy, Alpha!” I walk out to his laughter.

I grab my mixture of yarrow elderflower , lemon balm and peppermint. Rushing to the kitchen, I brew enough for two sippy cups and head back up to Kieran’s room.

As I walk through the door, I hear Kieran’s deep voice “The itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again” then both boys “Show us again, Daddy! Sing it again.” He chuckled and started over. Yep! My ovaries are weeping. Who knew he would be such a good Dad!?

I walked in and pulled the plug.. wrapping them both in towels. He carried them to his bed and handed them their cups, while I went to get clothes for them. He said “I want to keep them close today. I have a feeling I know what’s happening.” I asked “Really? You do? What’s the prognosis, doctor?” He stuck his tongue out at me.. causing the boys to erupt into giggles, especially when he says “Yeah, Smartypants! Onyx can feel their wolves!” I asked Lenore and she answered 🐺 Their wolves are sleeping.. but definitely there.. that would cause a spike in temperature.

I nod and say “Lenore said she agrees. The Goddess said their wolves would come early.. but I didn’t expect it so soon. I don’t want my babies to grow so fast!” Kieran pulls me into his arms and whispers “They will grow as they are supposed to, my love. Think how close their relationships will be with their wolves!”

Once their temperatures had dropped, we were all famished. They ate like they were going away to starve. Cole stared at them both, watching the amount of food they consumed. He asked “Wha?? Where are they putting that? That’s more than a grown man can eat!” Kieran laughed “Growing boys, Cole! But if you let Arlen forward, he can tell you why!”

I watch Cole’s eyes shift, and then widen. He smiles and tells Kieran “You’re gonna need a second job! These youngens are gonna eat us out of house and home!” We laughed.. but he’s probably right.

After breakfast, Aggie took the boys to the playroom and got them settled. I watched from a distance, and listened as they asked if they could call her Granny. She wrapped them both in her arms and whispered “I will be your granny as long as I breathe” and wiped tears from her eyes. I’m patting myself on the back for making such a quick decision, offering her the nanny position!

I walked into Kieran’s office and was saying “Aggie is going to work out just fine…. What!? What’s that look?” Kieran signaled me over and pushed play on his laptop. I heard the whole conversation about me being his mate.. and then another one about the Heart. I looked at him “This was the intel she was preparing to send?” At his nod, I said “Time for that cow to meet her maker, yeah?!”

He grinned and said “Not yet.. I want to put her and Cecil in a room together.. rattle the cage and see what falls out. For now, though.. I would like you to call your Uncle in Dunkirk. Ask him to fax Cecil’s pack file to us?” I nod and immediately dial the number.

As soon as he answered, I said “Uncle Seamus, it’s Callie. I apologize for calling around your dinner time, but I need a favor. I hope you can help me.” He immediately responded with his loud, boisterous laugh “Ye can call me, anytime, my wee lass! How are me boys?” I told him they are good.. then explained we have Cecil in out cells.. asking for the pack information he had on him. He agreed to send it right away..and as we hung up.. Cole shouted “Found it!”

I looked at Kieran and he shrugged “He usually shouts ‘Eureka’ or ‘By Jove’ so I just go with it.” I’m confused as hell.. until he says “Here! This is where Cecil crossed our borders.. See?” He turned his tablet around and showed us. Cecil walked right into the territory without so much as a howdy-do.. then he is caught in the backyard on camera.. sneaking up on the side of the house my bedroom is. The camera catches him throwing a rope with a grappling hook before he disappears from view.

Kieran says “Find that rope! Get the patrol roster and find out who was patrolling the eastern quadrant last night! I want answers! And I want them yesterday! Get more cameras on that area… your Luna’s room has to be protected, at all times! I want bars on all the windows.. every floor! This shit will never happen again!”

Axel came back with the roster and said “We have four wolves.. all patrolled the eastern quadrant.. one, in particular, caught my attention. Troy Landers.. Reason being, he’s been known to truck with Valerie once in awhile.”

Kieran says “Troy Landers? His name is familiar.. Wait! That bully from school? The one you beat up for tormenting the omega our senior year? He knows Valerie?” Axel nods, just as a knock is heard at the door. Cole takes my hand and leads me over to the sofa to sit with him. Taking his job seriously!

Troy sits in front of Kieran.. and he asks “How did someone breach our borders in your quadrant and enter the pack house.. around four this morning?” Troy replied “I have no idea what you’re talking about. No one got passed me!”

Axel asks “Why have you been visiting Valerie? And don’t deny it. We have you on video.” He sneers “I just stop by to say hi from time to time! I was never told it wasn’t allowed! She gets lonely!”

Kieran said “She’s a traitor! The only talking she should be doing is confessing!” Troy responded “Accused. Alleged. Where’s the proof?” Axel smirked “Proof? Boy, you aren’t ranked high enough to know any particulars about an ongoing investigation!”

Troy snarled “Holding someone under false pretenses is why we go rogue! She deserves a fair hearing!” Kieran snarls “She deserves to be put down, like the bitch she is!” Troy lunged for him and Kieran punched him in the face.. growling “Get him to the cells!” Axel dragged him out the door.

Cole said “What the fuck was that? You got nothing out of him!” Kieran laughed and said “That’s how Axel and I operate.. we play off each other to get results.”

I looked at Cole and said “Let’s go check Cecil’s file.. it seems the two of them have everything under control!” Kieran responds “It’s an effective interrogation tool!” I snapped “It would have helped Cole and I to have known the intent. It’s all good! You and Axel have it under control! Enjoy your playtime!”