Chapter Ten – Leon
Leon stepped between his two quarreling children, picking little Finnegan up by the scruff of his neck while Storm nipped at his heels. A quick growl stopped the pup's antics. He began trotting back through the woods towards camp, making sure that Storm could keep up. After a little while, he put Finnegan down and carried his other son instead, although Fin whined for the rest of the way.
When they got closer to the camp, the unpleasant smell of vampires hit Leon's nose. He tensed, but a few more sniffs brought in a recognizable scent with it. He relaxed. Yuliana's parents. He hadn't been expecting them so early, but they always came to visit their daughter and grandchildren on Saturdays. They were lucky that relations between vampires and Wolves had improved enough for these weekly visits.
Storm apparently caught the scent of his grandparents as well, because he began wriggling so much Leon could hardly hold him long enough to set him down. He took off through the ferns on his stubby legs. With a yip of encouragement to Fin, Leon started after him. It wasn't long until Fin shifted to his human form and grabbed a few handfuls of Leon's fur, pulling himself onto his father's back.
The Alpha shook his head, but his Wolfish lips curled into a smile. The older of the two twins, Fin was definitely more like Yuliana. Shy, soft-spoken, and with more vampiric qualities. Storm did not have fangs in his human form unless he wanted them, but Fin always had his. He also required more blood. Storm needed blood, too, but raw steaks satisfied him just fine.
"Grandma!" Fin shouted when they exited the forest. "Grandpa!"
Storm pounced on his grandfather, Shifting only when Leon gave him a stern bark. Yuliana's parents both sat in the lean-to and shared an amused glance with each other as the two boys swamped them with hugs and kisses.
"Where are your shorts?" Yuliana asked. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head at the boys. "How many times do I have to tell you that when you shift you need to wear your shorts?"
Leon grabbed a boy under each arm and pulled them back from their grandparents. They scowled, and Fin actually stuck his tongue out at his mother. "Don't like those! They feel weird."
"Go dress," Leon said. "And mind your mother."
The boys continued to scowl as they rooted about the lean-to for clothing. It was a struggle all shifter parents went through, getting their little ones to understand that while it was perfectly natural to want to run around completely nude, there was a time and place for it. And the camp was not the place to be naked.
He sat cross-legged beside Yuliana. "I heard your King Zak was marrying."
Yuliana's mother nodded. "He asked us to send his regards. I think it's absolutely wonderful, how you managed to work out this peace agreement with him. And it worked. In only six years, too. It's like we're living in a whole new world."
"Well, it certainly wouldn't be possible without the cooperation from everybody involved," Leon modestly amended. "After all, if the king and the rest of you vampires had wanted blood… More than you already do, I mean."
Yuliana playfully smacked his arm. "It's as much political as anything, though. Which reminds me. King Zak has invited us to bring the twins to the palace for a celebration on their fifth birthday."
"Will we have cake?" Fin pulled a pair of underwear over his head. "And ice-cream?"
"Don't want to party," Storm grunted. "I want to run through the woods and catch a boogeyman!"
"Your mother and I will have to discuss it," Leon interrupted. "Now why don't—"
"Mom, Dad, why don't you let the boys show you around the forest and tell you about all the berries and trees they're learning about," Yuliana interrupted. Her hand slid into Leon's. "So that my mate and I can discuss this birthday party idea? It shouldn’t be more than two hours."
Her mother's eyes narrowed and her father shook his head, but the boys grabbed them and began babbling. They had no choice but to agree. Yuliana pulled Leon to his feet and pulled him into the forest, giggling as she ran from the camp. Leon grinned and shifted, crouching to let her climb onto his back before they were off again.
As soon as he thought they were far enough away from the camp, Leon shifted again. He turned to catch Yuliana. As he did so, his jaw dropped. While they were running through the forest, she had stripped off her shirt and bra, which were both wadded in her hand. The sight of her lush breasts made his insides warm.
"I never get tired of that look on your face," she told him with a grin, dropping her clothing. She kicked off her shoes and pulled down her pants. "I think we should go to this party. It will give us a whole room to ourselves overnight… no asking people to watch the twins while we go out into the bushes and get twigs all up in our hair."
Leon's gaze trailed down her beautiful, curvaceous body. He nodded absently, although his reasons for going to the party had been a much different place. Yuliana put her hands on her hips and smirked at him. It took him a moment for him to realize what she was waiting for, then remembered he was still wearing his spandex shorts.
"That's better," his mate purred when he took them off and stepped closer to him.
His whole body seemed to tighten as he looked at her, and the forest grew twice as warm when she put her small hands on his chest. She pressed herself to her toes, but he still had to bend to catch her mouth with his.
Her full, deep lips pulled him in; he couldn’t stand the space between their bodies and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her up towards him. He held her as tightly as he could, wishing that he could seep out of his skin and join in spirit with her. The Wolf inside him howled with delight as she moaned in pleasure. When she moved to kiss his neck, it was his turn to moan.
"So we have two hours?" he asked, grinding himself against her, his hands gripping her thighs and rump so he could control her movements as well.
"We should probably get back sooner," Yuliana admitted. "I've just been going crazy all day with the need for you…"
Leon sighed in disappointment, but that was quickly forgotten when Yuliana trailed a hand between their bodies. His hands tightened. Eyes sliding shut, he let his head fall backward. When it came to his mate, he didn't care about who was in control. This was what being mates was all about, this connection, the readiness that came so easily…
The Alpha walked her over to a tree and turned her around, so her back was against his chest. "Hold that branch."
Yuliana shot him a puzzled look but did as he said. With her partially supporting herself, he could hold her in the air with just his hands. Pressing a kiss to her neck, he entered quickly. Yuliana's whole body shuddered and she let out a cry of pleasure. Leon closed his eyes again, savoring the feeling of being inside the woman he loved.
After a moment, Yuliana began to wiggle impatiently. Leon started a fast pace, careful to make sure that she wasn't going to fall. Pleasure built quickly–perhaps a bit quicker than Leon would have wanted, but then when it came to Yuliana, there was never enough time for them to be together. Leon nipped at her neck, inhaling deeply.
And froze.
"What is it?" Yuliana asked, panting.
"Your scent…" Leon inhaled again. "I think you're pregnant."
Yuliana twisted, eyes wide. "What?"
He set her down, making her groan in protest, but quickly rectified the situation by laying her on the forest floor. He grinned at her as he entered again, sniffing at her neck. "Yes. You're definitely pregnant. Well, that explains a few things. You have been very hungry of late."
"Pregnant." Yuliana beamed. "I was just about to ask you to start trying for another baby. The boys need a little sister."
Leon started his movements again. "How do you know it will be a sister?"
Yuliana didn't reply. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, pulling him deeper. Happiness burst all through Leon's body as it tightened with pleasure building at every thrust. His mouth was on Yuliana's, her movement matching his rhythm, the two of them in complete unison as lovers and mates.
Soon Yuliana threw back her heads and howled; Leon quickly joined her, not breaking his pace, letting the tension inside him build with every passing moment. His mate's fingers dug into his back, bursts of exquisite taste rolled over his tongue as he dove into her neck.
When they were finished, they lay together, panting and sharing soft kisses. Neither spoke. There were no words needed for this moment. Not in this perfect, harmonious, happy moment.
*****
THE END