Once Scorched Always Safe

Father and Son

Sebastion was being released for the hospital in the morning. He has surpassed all the expectations that Gregory had. After all the test results were in and they found no lasting damage, Gergory signed off on his release for the next morning. Arianna worried about face but had hopes that he would respond to Schastion in the morning, Jace’s spirit seemed to have heen crushed by the things Gia did to him. Hopefully, one day he would tell them what he experiences. Nothing he said could make Arianna hate a dead woman more than she already did.

Arianna left Sebastion so he could rest. Now that she knew he was going to be just fine, it was time for a shower, and to relax with her family, Callista had been handling the situation fairly well. She had spent most of her time just being near Jace. Callie’s presence seemed to calm him when he would have panic attacks. Flynn had moved Jace into Callie’s room so he was would have her close at night. Callie finally got the bunk bed she had been wanting for the last year.

Arianna was sad with how they ended up getting it for her, but to have both of them happy right now was all that mattered. After her shower, she checked in on the kids. They huddled together while they watched a movie on the small tv on Callie’s dresser. Arianna told them it was bedtime, Callie complained for a few minutes, but then gave a sly sinile. Arianna knew her daughter was going to barter for something. This was their nightly ritual.

She agreed to two stories. Arianna tucked them both into the bottom bunk, sat beside the bed, and read them fairy tales. Halfway through the second book, both children were fast asleep. Arianna quietly closed the book and tiptoed out of the room. Now for food and a good long cuddle with Flynn as she decompressed the events of the last few days.

Arianna found her mate cooking in the kitchen. Flynn loved to cook anything that popped in his head. He wanted to be a professional chef one day, but when he met Arianna, he knew that if he would spend the rest of his life feeding his mate. That made him happier than being a chef for people he would never even know. When they had Callista, he spoiled her with cookies, cakes, and pastries of all kinds. Arianna had to tell him to tone the pastries down and make their daughter healthy food. Flynn spent the next few years creating recipes to fit a growing child’s appetite.

are you creating in here this late, my love?” Arianna asked as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

“Nothing fancy, just a simple risotto for my tired mate,” Flynn turned off the heat on the stove, then turned to give her a warm kiss.

“Mmm, can I just have you instead?” Arianna asked as she kissed him back.

“Yes, but eat first,” His brown eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter.

“Fine, but be ready mister,” Arianna moved to sit at the kitchen island on the other side of the stove.

“Oh, I am always ready for you, my love,” Flynn slides her a plate with risotto and a small piece of grilled chicken.

“I think it is time we think about giving Collie a sibling,” Arianna said as she picked up her fork.

“What brings that on?” Flynn asked in surprise.

“She has been so good with face, I think she is ready for a sibling.”

“Well, finish your dinner and we can get started on our next baby,” Flynn gave her that wicked grin that always melted her insides,

Arianna laughed as she ate. Then they spent the rest of the night making love. It was time for her entire family to move into the future. Having another child with the man she loved was something she had been thinking about for the last year. Now was a good time. Her family could use some good news.

Sebastion

The next ring

Sebastion gave Gregory a

a firm handshake before he left the hospital, thanked all the nurses for helping to save his life. From what he was told, they had all worked hard to save his life. He would keep that in mind later. Not just because he had saved their life, but for their effort as a team. Sebastion would check on the progress of the new medical buildings later today.

His priority now was Jace. His son had been through a nightmare. Sebastion wanted to know what Gia had done to him, but Arianna told him to let lace set the pace with that. Not to pressure him into talking, just to reassure him that Sebastion was alive. Reaffirm that he was safe and no one would hunt him again.

Father and Son

Sebastion would get with Flint, Jason, and the border scouts to go over the new patrol paths. He admitted that Gia could get in so easily because the knew the patrol routes. She had used them many times in the past to sneak her lovers in and out of the territory. Her death didn’t change the need to change things up.

As he walked into Jace’s room he frowned, the room a mess, and his son was nowhere in sight. Sebastion then recalled that Arianna had told him lace was spending most of his time with Callista. Turning on his heels, he headed down the hall to the opposite end of the mansion’s top floor. Arianna and her family had one side of the top floor while he held the other.

When be reached the open door of Callie’s bedroom, the sight before him broke his heart. His once vibrant son sat staring out the window overlooking the back gardens. Jace held his stuffed wolf like it was his lifeline. His stare was unmoving, Sebastion swore in his mind. The selfish actions of Jace’s mother had broken his poor little spirit. Sebastion admitted to himself that he was just as responsible for Gia’s actions.

He would spend the rest of his life making it up to his son. With quiet steps, Sebastion walked next to where Jace sat on the window seat, then sat down slowly, lace moved his head slowly to look at Sebastion. His eyes looked hollow, but a small light returned when the boy saw his father. Tears sprang to Jace’s eyes as he threw himself at Sebastion. Wrapping his arms around his son, Sebastion held on tight while Jace cried.

“I am here now Jace, everything will be fine,” Sebastion whispered when Jace’s cried subsided.

“what about that mean woman?

“She is gone, I made sure she could never hurt you again.”

“She said mean things to me, called me bad words,” face buried

“You

d his li

little face into Sebastion’s chest

can tell me all about it when you were ready, but right now how about we go outside,” Sebastion scooped him up, but Jace let a shriek so loud it was almost deafening.

“No! I don’t want to!! She can get me out there,” Jace was shaking, tears streaking down his reddened cheeks.

“I will be with you every step of the way. I promise you she can not hurt you again.”

“How do you know? She could hide behind the house,” Jace’s face scrunched up as his eye

darted around the room

room.

Sebastian’s heart screamed for what Gia had put his child through because of him. How could he tell his almost five–year–old son that the woman he was so afraid of was dead? Did Sebastion tell Jace that he had killed her or just assure him that Gia couldn’t hurt him because she was dead? Would a child that young understand what death was? He would have to talk to Arianna, parenting was so new to him.

“Ok, shhh, calm down, buddy. We can stay inside. How about we go down to the theater? Popcorn and a movie?” Sebastion sat back down as he calmed Jace back down.

“Can we do that in your room?“)

“Yes, anywhere you want.”

“Ok”

Sebastion carried his son back across the mansion to his rooms. He spent the rest of the night watching cartoons, animated films, binging on popcom and candy. Later, when Jace finally crashed out, Sebastion sat with his laptop making notes for the next pack meeting. There were so many things he wanted to put in place to ensure the safety of his pack.

It made Sebastion livid, knowing that Jace was scared to death of leaving the house. What had he done to his child? The next question he asked himself was how was he going to show lace that he was safe? Was there even a way to ensure that he would be? Sebastion knew that life was full of things beyond his control.

Tomorrow morning, he would speak to Arianna about what they could do for face. Sebastion didn’t want to press face into wanting to go outside, but he wanted to put that light back in his child’s eyes. Sebastion was so out of his element and did not understand how to help, so he would seek Ariana’s advice.

Sebastion looked over at his sleeping son, sighed once, then closed his laptop. He laid down next to face, pulled a light blanket over them both, then tried to get some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day as he implemented the changes he had in mind. With luck, face would sleep through the night without the nightmares that Arianna told him about. Sebastion leaned down to brush a light kiss on the top of Jace’s head.

“Goodnight, my sweet boy,” Sebastion whispered into the darkness.

Her Returned Mate (The Gathering Shadows Series, Book