SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Eight: Guilt & Frustration
“This is all my fault.” Chelsea cried as she watched her mate pack.
Tate turned and looked at her. “No, sweetling It’s not.”
She nodded. “If I hadn’t gone into that club…”
He was in front of her and had her in his arms so fast she sucked in a startled breath.
Tate laughed as he lifted her off her feet and swung her around. “Chelsea, love. Don’t you know what you have done?”
“Ruined everyone’s lives.” She said with a cry.
He chuckled. “No. Because of you, we may have the chance to take out the Wolves who have been interfering with the Goddesses work.”
She blinked. “What do you mean? And what is cockblocking?”
He chuckled as he set her on her feet, then explained cockblocking to her. Her eyes widened and he kissed her.
“Chelsea, love. You are the best thing to happen to me. And the pack loves you. Did you see how angry Sharissa was when that man touched you?”
She smiled as she remembered the woman saving her.
He nodded. “Exactly.”
She frowned. “Stay out of my head.”
He chuckled. “I can’t help it. But I will try.” He said, then kissed her again.
“You’re not such a bad Vampire.” She said against his lips.
He grinned. “Don’t tell anyone.”
She giggled. “Are you really happy with me?”
He growled playfully as he nipped at her lip. “I am more than happy. Now, let me finish packing so we can meet up with the rest of the pack.”
****
“I brought some clothes for you.” Sharissa said as she placed her arm through Chelsea’s when she and Tate appeared in the living room of the Kraftman estate.
“You did?” Chelsea asked, shocked.
Shar grinned. “Yep. You’re a bit thinner than me, but we can work with it.” She said, then pulled her to the bedroom she and Tate will be sleeping in.
“Looks like your mate is fitting in.” Dustin said with a smile as he patted Tate on the back.
The Vampire grinned. “She is.”
“You seem different.” Dustin said as he looked the Vampire up and down.
Tate shrugged. “Maybe because I’m actually happy?”
Dustin snorted. “Who’d have guessed.”
Tate snorted. “Certainly not me.”
“Okay, while the women are settling in, we need to have a meeting.” Dustin said as he pointed to the den, where their father used to have his own pack meetings; before it had become just their family. And now, it has branched out, once again.
They followed him to the room, and Dustin closed the door behind the last man.
“I still think we need to leave the women here.” Daryl said as he paced the room.
“I agree.” Dustin said with a nod.
Tate nodded. “I don’t want Chelsea anywhere near her father and that horrible pack. Not just because she’s my mate…”
“We know.” Dustin said with a grin as he slapped his friend on the back. “We could smell that she was no longer in heat.”
Tate chuckled. “As my mate put it. Our pup is, quarter Wolf, quarter Fox, and half Vampire.”
The others laughed.
“That’s one heck of a Shifter pup.” Gerald said with a grin.
“Won’t matter whether he or she shifts into a Wolf or a Fox or doesn’t shift at all. It will be mine and Chelsea’s and a part of the biggest Shifter Squad ever created.”
The others laughed.
“Shifter Squad. I like that.” Daryl said with a smile.
“I think Joy will like that too.” Dustin said with a chuckle.
“The Misfit Shifter Squad.” Gerald said with a laugh.
“Misfit?” Drezden asked as he looked at the large man.
Gerald shrugged his shoulders. “Josiah told me that that was what he thought of us when he first saw us standing up in the aisle.”
“I like it.” Dustin said with a twinkle in his eyes.
“To think, someday, our cubs and pups are going to lead us all into the biggest war ever fought between Human’s and the Supernaturals.” Tate mumbled.
“I just hope the Goddesses protect those who do not wish to fight.” Alec grumbled.
“Okay, so what are we going to do about the Wolf pack?” Drezden asked as he folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve been waiting for some revenge for a long time now.”
“We all have.” Daryl said with a growl.
“So, this is where you men disappeared to.”
Everyone stared at Bridget as she stood in the middle of the room, her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her foot on the floor.
“Should have known they’d send you to find us.” Tate grumbled.
Bridget sneered at him. “What are you doing? Hiding from your mates?”
“Discussing what we’re going to do with Chelsea’s father’s pack.” Daryl said as he stood in front of her.
Bridget smirked at the Alpha. “Just because Vampussy over there got tangled up in this shit, don’t think for a second that I will. I am the twin’s guardian, and that is all. So, don’t try and pull your fucking Alpha macho on me…”
“Don’t test me, Vampire.” Daryl growled as he got into her face.
She watched his eyes turn gold and swallowed.
“Vampussy.” Dylan said with a snort.
“Bridget.” Tate warned.
Bridget took a deep breath. “I am sorry, Alpha.”
Daryl snorted, then turned from her.
“I like that word.” Dylan said, unable to get past Bridget’s insult.
“The women are looking for you.” Bridget grumbled, then disappeared.
“Damn bitch.” Tate mumbled.
“I think she’s jealous.” Dustin said as he watched his friend.
Tate looked up at him. “Jealous?”
Dustin nodded. “Yeah. You found your mate. She’s a bitten Vampire. She’ll never have anything like the rest of us have.”
Tate grumbled. “I would love to find whoever turned her and kill him.”
“Did you look?” Drezden asked.
Tate nodded. “Yeah. I found that he had died not long after turning her.”
The others nodded.
“Okay, let’s finish this shit up, so we can get to our women and tell them our plans.” Daryl said as he turned to the others and motioned for them to sit.
****
Days went by without a word from the Elders. Kota stayed with the Fated Mates, as extra protection. But that was the only thing Kristoph had done so far.
“Why are we waiting?” Drezden asked as he paced the living room of his parent’s house.
“Because we can get into a lot of trouble for attacking a pack.” Pearl said as she handed her daughter the dress, she’d been holding that went to her doll.
“But they’ve been co…”
“Finish that, and I will shove this barbie down your throat.” Shar said as she held said barbie threateningly in the air towards her brother.
Dylan grinned at her.
“Mommy, don’t feed barbie to Uncle Dylan.” Joy said as she took the doll from her mother.
Shar smiled. “Don’t worry, your uncle is smart enough to avoid that.”
“Chelsea!?” Tate hollered as he walked into the living room. He stopped and looked at the others. “Have any of you seen Chelsea?”
“The last time I saw her, she was outside.” Tamara said as she looked up at the Vampire.
Tate cursed under his breath as he headed for the back door in the kitchen.
“I don’t like the feeling I’m getting off him.” Pearl said as she looked at the others.
“Me either.” Shar whispered.
The adults got to their feet and told the kids to stay inside, as they followed Tate out the back door.
“Where is she?” Tate asked as he turned to the others when they joined him.
“I saw her go outside.” Tamara said as she looked around.
“Fuck.” Pearl cursed, then ran to the far end of the back yard, the others close behind her.
“What is it?” Dylan asked as he caught up with his mate.
“Someone made a hole in my shield.” Pearl said as she examined a spot no one else could see.
“Fuck!” Tate hollered as he kicked a bush. “How the fuck did they do that, Witch?!” He yelled as he turned to Pearl.
Pearl looked up at Tate’s angry face. “I don’t know. But whoever did it, took Chelsea. I can feel her presence here.”
“I can’t believe this!” Tate hollered.
“Calm down my friend.” Dustin said as he placed a hand on Tate’s shoulder.
Tate shook his hand, off. “Calm?! You want me to be calm?! It’s not your mate out there, with God knows who!”
Dustin snarled as he lifted the Vampire up by his shirt. “Not so long ago, I was the one who lost my mate. To you, you fucking prick!”
Tate snarled. “Fine.” He said, then pushed Dustin off him and dropped to the ground, then disappeared.
“Shit.” Shar mumbled, then looked behind her. “Get back inside.” She told the cubs and pup.
“We want to help.” Ruby said as she took a step forward.
“You need to go inside.” Pearl said as she looked at her daughter.
“Mommy.” Joy whispered. “She’s one of us.”
“Who is?” Dustin asked as he looked at his daughter.
“Uncle Tate and Chelsea’s pup.” Joy said as she watched the adults.
The Fated Mate’s offspring were much too smart for their own good.
“Mommy.” Ruby said as she took another step towards them. “I want to help.”
Pearl sighed. “All right, baby girl. Come over here, let’s see what we can find.”
Ruby grinned as she ran across the yard to her mother.
Joy nodded, then turned and ushered the others back into the house.
“Our bundle of joy is one hell of a leader.” Dustin said as he wrapped his arm around his mate.
Shar grinned. “She is, isn’t she.”
****
“They took her.” Pearl said as she and Ruby rejoined the rest of them in the house.
“Who did?” Dylan asked as he looked at his mate.
“The bad guys.” Ruby said with a sad face.
“Her father’s pack.” Pearl informed them.
“Fu…” Daryl caught himself and looked around the room at all the little faces looking up at him, “dge.” He finished.
The adults laughed.
“Daddy, do we have fudge?” Joy asked as she looked at her father.
“Not yet, we don’t.” Amirah said as she entered the living room. “Come along kids. Let’s make some fudge.” She said, then gave her eldest a dirty look.
Daryl smiled at his mother, then turned back to the others.
“You too.” Pearl said as she turned her cub towards the kitchen.
“Okay, Mommy.” Ruby said, then ran to catch up with the others.
“What did you find?” Daryl asked as he turned to Pearl.
“They used a powerful Witch. Though not as powerful as me. They had just enough powers to make a hole big enough to drag her out.” Pearl said with a scowl. She should have asked her father to strengthen her shields.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
Everyone turned to Tate’s voice.
“Tate.” Shar whispered.
Tate smiled at her. “Hey, little mama.”
“But…” Pearl started then stopped when Tate put up his hand.
“Your shield has been up for a while, has it not?”
Pearl nodded.
“It’s vulnerable. But still very powerful. It killed the Witch who broke through. That is why the hole is still there.”
Everyone stared at the Vampire.
“I went to see the Elders.” He said with a growl. “They gave us permission to rescue my mate, at any cost.”
Daryl nodded. “We go, now.”
Tate nodded. “We will need the women.”
“No.” Dustin said sternly.
Tate looked at him. “They can get to Chelsea, while we’re fighting.”
Dustin looked at Shar, who was smiling up at him.
“We will be fine.” She said softly.
“Why have they finally given us permission to attack that pack?” Daryl asked.
“Because they have kidnapped a Fated Mate.” Tate said.
“So, kidnapping a claimed Fated Mate, gets their attention, but cockblocking doesn’t?” Shar asked, anger on her face.
“They were going to contact us tomorrow, to give us the go-ahead.” Tate said as he smiled at Shar. “They needed more info on the pack. And I guess they got what they were looking for.”
Shar nodded. “Let’s get your mate.”
Tate smirked. “Way ahead of you, little mama.”