by Alanea Alder
"I think it's a miracle humans have survived this long," Darian whispered.
They all nodded.
"Okay, how about this one?" Darian said pointing to another purple box, but this one didn't have the 'Cool Touch' feature.
"Looks good." Colton went to pick up a box and noticed that some of them had different sizes.
He turned to the men. "These things come in sizes!"
"How do we know which size Penny takes?" Aiden asked.
Colton shrugged and looked at the size chart. The weights were useless because he didn't know how much she weighed; to him she seemed as light as a feather.
"Colton this one says for three and up. It should be okay right?" Keelan asked.
Colton frowned. "What if it doesn't fit? What if it's too tight and it hurts her? This thing will be covering baby girl's important parts; we can't get this wrong gentlemen!"
The men paled and turned to study the boxes again. Suddenly, Colton had a brilliant idea. He took the box that Keelan found and opened it up. He held a pull-up out to Keelan. "Put it on."
Keelan blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You're the smallest here; we can use your frame as a point of reference. Now put it on," Colton ordered.
"Hell no!" Keelan began to back away and bumped into Darian, who shrugged before securing the witch's arms.
"Sorry Kee, but this is for Penny."
Keelan began to thrash around.
Colton knelt down and undid the sticky tabs. "Quit moving Keelan, you're making this difficult."
"Damn right I am!" Keelan said turning crimson.
Colton managed to get the diaper between Keelan's legs and fastened. The pull-up actually stretched quite far.
"Oh my goodness!" they heard a female's voice gasp. They turned to see one of the pretty female cashiers standing at the end of the aisle. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I don't judge lifestyles, I ... oh dear!" she rambled. Blushing, she hurried away. The men looked at each other and realized what the scene she witnessed might look like to someone else.
"Oh Gods! She thinks we're into fetish play and Keelan is our baby," Darian whispered, horrified.
Keelan collapsed to his knees. "That was my mate," he groaned.
Colton dropped to the floor beside Keelan. "I'm so sorry, I'll go explain."
Keelan shook his head. "I'll do it." He stood and looked down before removing the pull-up. "They're quite comfortable, I'd go with the one that has princesses on it for Penny." He dropped the pull-up and sprinted to the front of the store.
Colton wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole. He had just humiliated his fellow unit brother in front of his mate! Aiden, Colton and Darian glanced at each other. Colton was about to follow Keelan when he heard a wheezing sound. They all turned to find Gavriel on the floor, his arms wrapped around his stomach, his entire body was trembling and shaking.
"Has he been poisoned?" Aiden demanded. He dropped to his knees and turned his second in command over to his side. The vampire that they now knew to be the Dark Prince was laughing so hard he had tears running down his face. His eyes were bulging slightly and he couldn't seem to breathe. Aiden whacked him on the back a few times. Gavriel simply rolled onto his side and began to laugh out loud.
"Oh Gods! Never in all my years!" Gavriel laughed uproariously.
Aiden sat back on his heels and looked up at Colton. Colton looked at Darian. Then Darian's mouth twitched. That was all it took. Colton wiped his eyes. "Can you imagine what we must have looked like?" he asked. His question brought a round of fresh laughter.
Gavriel reached for Aiden and made cooing sounds. "Change me, daddy, I am wet," he joked.
"Perverts!"
The men froze and looked down the aisle. Ethel the judgmental, older woman they had encountered on their previous trip to the Duck In, scowled at them, before shuffling to the front of the store, calling for Bart. It was another couple of minutes before any of them could breathe again.
Colton looked up at the fluorescent lights grinning. Before Rheia and Penny, before any of the mates, they had never laughed like this. They heard the sounds of footsteps before Bart appeared over them frowning.
"Ok boys, get on up. I say this because, obviously, you have a baby in the house now. Drugs, like that wacky tobacco, don't do a body good. Ya'll need to stay away from it," he warned.
The men fought to hide their smiles as they stood and brushed each other off.
"I can assure you, we do not indulge in that disgusting vice," Aiden said, walking alongside Bart.
Colton grabbed the opened box, then grabbed a second one for good measure. While Aiden convinced Bart they weren't drug addicts, Colton went to the register where Keelan stood with a pretty brunette. She blushed when he approached.
"I'm sorry for thinking y'all were up to no good." She smiled at him shyly.
"And I'm sorry for embarrassing you. We're normally not quite so exuberant. I was very lucky that Keelan was willing to help me. I've never shopped for my daughter before," Colton said, trying to place the blame for the entire episode on his shoulders.
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "He didn't exactly look willing," she chided.
Colton looked at her nametag. Anne. "No, he didn't, did he Anne? But he's an amazing sport and didn't get mad at me at all for humiliating him. I couldn't ask for a better friend." Colton nodded to Keelan who nodded back.
Anne rang up his boxes. "How old is your daughter?"
Colton smiled. "She's four. Her mother thinks that the recent excitement we had caused tonight's little accident, so we're getting these to be on the safe side."
Anne nodded and told him the total. "Backsliding happens a lot with toddlers, especially after a stressful event. My little cousin almost got hit by a car; he wet the bed for a solid month after that."
He handed Anne his money and turned to Keelan. They both knew his poor baby girl had had nothing but stress in the past twenty-four hours.
Keelan cleared his throat. "Anne is a nurse. She just graduated at the top of her class."
"Congratulations," Colton said.
She blushed again. "Thank you, here's your change." She handed him his change and his receipt.
"Maybe we'll see you around," Colton said.
"I'd like that," Keelan chimed in, making her blush again.
Keelan was still waving when they walked out of the store. When everyone had climbed into the SUV and the doors closed, the men sighed as one.
"Is it just me, or do these store runs seem to be getting more and more complicated?" Darian asked.
Aiden reached back and handed him a bag. "I couldn't agree more."
Colton eyed the bag. "What's this?"
Aiden started the car. "Penny's donuts. Bart seemed especially concerned when I told him I was getting them for your daughter because she had excelled in our training drills, he kept looking from my gun to your box of pull-ups. I wonder what he was thinking?"
Gavriel shook his head. "No telling, humans are odd creatures."
Darian nodded. "You can say that again."
Colton looked out the window. He couldn't wait to get back to his own, confusing human.
CHAPTER SIX
Colton walked into his bedroom to find Rheia reading Penny a bedtime story. They looked up and they both smiled at him. Colton knew his world had narrowed and now revolved around these two beautiful angels.
"Did you find them okay?" Rheia asked.
Colton smiled and shut the door behind him. "Yes, though I may have to end up paying for Keelan's therapy sessions. I accidentally embarrassed him in front of his newly found mate," he confessed.
"Poor Keelan." Rheia shook her head and looked down at Penny. "Did you need my help?"
Penny shook her head and got out of bed. She walked over to him and held her hand out. He stared down at her and realized she was waiting for a pull-up. He reached into the box he open and pulled one out. "I chose the ones with the princesses on them." Penny nodded.
Colton leaned in, "I decided against that 'cool' feature, it looked uncomfortable." Penny nodded emphatically. Colton felt like he conquered the world. He handed her the pull-up and she went to the bathroom.
"Thank you for going," Rheia said softly leaning against the headboard. He noticed she had changed into a tee-shirt and he could see the outline of her breasts against the soft material. He went to his dresser and stacked the boxes up beside it.
"It was no problem, that's what mates do, support each other." When he looked back, he noticed the blanket had slipped down even further. He shifted from foot to foot trying to alleviate the pain his jeans were causing him. She wasn't even trying and he was as hard as nails.
The sound of the bathroom door had him turning and he watched Penny race across the room, her tiny bare feet creating a rapid staccato as she ran. Without even stopping, she jumped on the bed and wiggled in close to Rheia.
Colton let out a relieved breath. The appearance of his baby girl had helped his growing jeans problem. He frowned as a thought struck him. What if he and his mate had to wait until Penny was grown to have sex? He quickly looked over to the bed; both Rheia and Penny were yawning and settling in for the night. He stood there frozen. If he got into bed as a man, what if he woke up with morning wood next to Penny. Colton brought a hand to his mouth feeling ill.
"Colton, are you alright? You don't look well." Rheia asked leaning up on one elbow.
"Yup!" he answered quickly his voice cracking. The look she gave him, clearly communicated that she didn't believe him.
"Really. I'm going to go change." He turned to the bathroom.
"Into a wolf again?" she asked.
Ab-so-fucking-lutely as a wolf!
"I think we'll all be more comfortable that way, more room." He gave her his most charming smile. She rolled her eyes not buying a bit of it. His mate was starting to read him already. Feeling buoyant, he went into the bathroom and shifted. Rheia reached over and turned off the lamp on the nightstand.
He jumped up and settled in next to Penny. Immediately she rolled over and practically put him in a stranglehold, but he didn't dare move. She looked so peaceful. He crossed his front paws and rested his head on them.
He felt a hand gently stroke his fur and opened one eye. Rheia was smiling at him as she lazily petted his fur.
"Thank you. Thank you for not pressuring me, for being amazing with Penny and putting her needs first." Her head disappeared as she got comfortable for the night.
He sighed. He was never going to be able to claim his mate.
*****
The next morning Rheia woke to an empty bed again, only this time there was no panic. She knew that Colton would take care of Penny. Smiling she stretched out and enjoyed the feeling of having the bed to herself. It was a wonderful feeling knowing Colton was watching Penny, letting her have some precious time alone. If he kept this up, she may actually come to love mornings.
Twenty minutes later, she got out of the bed, her bladder winning the war against being lazy. She grabbed her toiletries and headed to the bathroom. It wasn't luxurious, she'd stayed in hotels that had better bathrooms, but she could understand why. There weren't any decorations either, to Colton the bathroom was simply a place to get clean, just as the bedroom was simply a place to sleep. It was why he was an early riser; he was the type of person that couldn't wait to start a day, just to see what it would hold. He valued people and interactions more than material wealth.
She showered quickly, deliberately using his soap and shampoo. Whatever this mating thing was, it was really starting to get to her. She walked on edge, almost desperate for his touch. Only Penny's presence had kept her from throwing herself at Colton the previous night when she caught a glimpse of his erection straining at his jeans.
She reached for a towel and stopped. The material in her hands was decadent. Eagerly she wrapped her body in the towel and savored the way the fabric felt. He may not have spent a lot of money on decorations, but he didn't skimp on towels. She stopped. His sheets and linens were just as warm and cozy. She had slept wonderfully despite being in an strange bed both nights.
So he was willing to spend the money on the things that made him feel good. She towel dried her hair, applied her normal bare minimal make-up and lotion regimen and got dressed. She looked down at her blue scrubs and wished she had something more feminine to wear. Maybe she could ask Beth to take her shopping later. Feeling better about the day she pulled her hair back in her normal ponytail, grabbed her utilitarian 'mom' bag and headed downstairs.
When she walked into the dining room, the men stood. Surprised, she stared at them; they had done this the day before, but she didn't know what it was for.
"It's a guy thing, from way back to whenever, come sit down," Meryn explained.
Rheia sat down next to Penny and the men sat back down. She felt Colton's warm arm stretch across her back. She leaned back rubbing her head back and forth on his arm and smiled at him. His answering smile reminded her of a sunrise. She leaned over and kissed Penny on the forehead. Penny looked up, both cheeks puffed out as she continued to cram chocolate chip pancakes into her white powder-rimmed mouth. Looked like someone had already gotten into her donuts. Rheia shrugged, as long as she was eating she could care less what it was.
"I ordered your coffee for you," Colton said.
She smiled at him. "Thank you and thank you for letting me sleep in. I can't remember waking up feeling so rested. I almost feel human," she joked.
Keelan frowned. "What else would you be?"
Rheia blinked at him, then realized what she said.
Meryn took the liberty of answering for her. "Human women have the capability to go for days without food or sleep before we have to rest. But in order to do so we need coffee. If we don't get it, we can get evil. Like, set you on fire evil."
Keelan gulped. "Is that a physical condition, like stretch marks?" he asked.
Meryn looked at Rheia nervously and nodded at Keelan.
Rheia looked between the two. "What about stretch marks?"
Keelan turned to her, eyes as wide as saucers. "Meryn said that when human women grow from child to woman, that their skin can sometimes rip causing tiny scar lines. She said things like that, make human women stronger than human men."
Rheia stared at Keelan and then swung her gaze to Meryn who fidgeted in her chair. Ryuu walked in and handed Rheia her coffee before he started to pick up empty platters. She took a sip and sighed happily. She turned to Keelan and nodded. "She's absolutely right. When I was at the hospital I would treat five to ten stretch mark cases a week; ghastly process." She took another sip of coffee before setting her cup down. She looked across the table at Meryn who was smiling wide at her. There was no telling what the nutty woman had told the men, but she knew one thing, she wouldn't be the one to tell them otherwise.
Colton turned to her looking a bit pale. "Does your womb turn inside out monthly as well?"
Inside out?
Rheia nodded without looking at Meryn. She put on a tragic expression before looking up at Colton. "It's a miracle we live through such pain." She had to quickly look away to keep from laughing when Colton swallowed hard.
"Don't worry, Rheia, Aiden and the guys bought practically every tampon the local store had for me last month, I can share," Meryn offered.
"Thanks, I'll probably have to take you up on that." Rheia looked at the assortment of pancakes Ryuu had made. She speared two blueberry ones and looked around for the syrup. Colton handed her a small bottle and she drenched her stack with the sweet amber liquid. She cut off a piece and took a bite. They were perfect. As she continued to eat, she listened as the men made plans for the day.
Colton turned to Keelan. "Did you make arrangements to see your mate again?
Keelan nodded. "She's staying with her aunt and uncle in Madison while she interviews for a job. I asked her out, we're going to go see the Hobbit marathon on Saturday. The small theatre downtown is running all three movies ba
ck to back to back. I've been dying to see the third one again."
Beth scrunched up her face. "They didn't have anything romantic playing?
"There's romance!" Keelan protested, then thought about it. "Well, up until the end when..."
"La la la la la! No spoilers!" Meryn put her hands over her ears.
"Okay, okay. Why haven't you seen it yet? It's been out for a while?" Keelan asked.
Meryn just gave him a look and then pointed to Aiden. "Overprotective, paranoid mate."
Keelan winced. "Sorry."
Colton looked over to Aiden. "Okay, today is Tuesday, so we have drills with Epsilon today. Did you want to continue with blind drills?" Colton asked.
Rheia was about to take another bite when a thought struck her. She turned to Aiden. "Do you always have drills with Epsilon on Tuesday?" Aiden nodded. Rheia sat back as a knot began to form in her stomach. "What about Wednesdays?"
"Wednesdays we train with Beta," Darian answered.
"Do you keep a schedule posted somewhere?" she asked.
The men shook their heads. Colton turned to her. "We maintain the same routines to cut back on confusion."
Rheia looked around and gave the men an acerbic expression. "So you've been using the same routine for quite some time?"
They all nodded.
"So if the ferals have been paying attention at all, they know exactly who will be where at any given point throughout the week?"
The men all nodded and then stopped mid-nod. Their expressions changed from smiling, to horror stricken, to ill.
"Dear Gods, she's right," Gavriel whispered.
Aiden sank back in his chair. "Thank Fate for you women. You see things differently than we do, question things we don't even think about anymore." He looked over to Colton. "Call all the units, tell them we have a mandatory meeting, including the trainees, first thing this morning," he said, before standing and kissing Meryn on the forehead.
Colton turned to Meryn and Beth. "We had planned on watching Penny again, but I don't think today is a good day for it. Is there any chance you two can watch her?"