Filed To Story: Their Bullied and Broken Mate by Teri Petry
“Thank you, I promise you will never regret this decision. I plan on making you happy for the rest of your life,” he whispered back.
I heard my mom squeal from the other room, and should have known the eaves dropping would have continued. My mom is a master listener and has the sharpest hearing I have ever heard of.
Maddix asked if we would like some privacy, and Gunner shook his head. “This is a family weekend, bro. Let’s have some family time,” he laughed.
We went into the dining hall for lunch, and for once I was famished. My appetite had been so hit-and-miss since I had been back here, but for some reason, I actually wanted to eat.
My biggest craving was salty things. The more salt, the better. However, because of the complications, I had promised to limit my salt intake.
I grabbed a plate, and moved my way through the buffet. I loaded my plate with every kind of potato we had, some fresh greens that had been cooked with a chunk of salt pork, a couple of pieces of fried chicken, corn on the cob and 2 large dinner rolls.
As I sat to eat, I noticed Gunner had barely put anything on his plate. “Not hungry?” I asked. He looked uncomfortable, so I leaned in close to talk to him. “Sweetheart, eat as much as you want. I think it’s sexy when a man has a healthy appetite,” I explained. He seemed to be more at ease with that knowledge, and went back to the buffet. When he came back, he had 2 heaping plates of food.
“That’s more like it,” I winked. We didn’t talk much while we ate, but afterward, while everyone ate dessert and had their coffees, we spoke more. He was quite funny, and when he relaxed a little, it was comforting.
The bond he has with Maddix makes me feel better about everything. If Maddix lets you into his circle, you must be something special.
We spent the rest of the day just enjoying each other’s company. We talked about everything under the sun. We were sitting on the porch swing, and I had a couple burning questions I needed to ask, but fear had me stalling.
“Just ask,” he said out of the blue. “What?” I replied. “Come on, I can tell something is bothering you,” he said.
He was right, there was. I put on my brave pants, and just went for it.
“Will it bother you that I hold a higher rank? I mean, I agree with Maddix, I would rather you be my co-alpha than anything, but I would still be considered top dog so to speak. Will that bother you?” I asked.
He pulled my feet into his lap and started to rub them. “I wouldn’t care if my only title was your mate and husband, and father of our babies. My mother was Alpha of our pack, and my dad never took a title. He was content being in the shadows. He helped her with all the duties of the pack, and he contributed any way he could. As long as you are happy, that’s all that matters to me. We are a team, no matter what,” he replied.
I nodded my head, and let him know I appreciated his honesty. I asked the final question that had me worried, and it was the biggest of all.
“With the complications with my pregnancy, I’m on bedrest. Well, supposed to be. I am due really soon. What I’m getting at is, until the babies are born, I can’t engage in sex. I can’t even be marked if there is a threat of raising my heartbeat. Is this going to be an issue?”
He shook his head and told me we were on my timeline. When it was the right time, it would happen. I honestly feel extremely lucky right now. That is until we stood up to go back inside.
“Addie, quit trying to find reasons to doubt me. I am in this for the long haul.
*Adelina POV*
I started to follow Gunner when the most agonizing pain exploded through my stomach. “Gunner, Maddix, someone, please help!” I cried. In seconds, my mate, brother and my dads were by my side. “What’s going on? Addie?” Gunner asked. His face was full of concern, and worry was pouring off of him.
“The babies, it’s…the babies, I think I’m in labor.” I struggled to say. “Oh goddess, this pain is worse than the break of the mate bond, Maddix” I cried. He knew the pain Asteria and I went through when Miles and Maddix died, and I wasn’t lying when I told him this was worse.
Maddix and Gunner helped me to the sofa, but I wouldn’t sit. “I’m soaked, I’m not ruining my new couch,” I griped. Maddix shook his head and replied, “You are seriously worried about a couch right now? Damn, Addie, I’ll buy you 4 to replace this one,” he laughed. I shot him a glare, and he knew I wasn’t in a joking mood.
I tried to remember the breathing and all of that jazz, but when the pains came, there was no concentrating on anything but getting these little ones out of me.
I began to sob, and Riley was trying to comfort me the best she knew how, and I admitted that I was sad that my oath ceremony would have to wait now.
“No, No it won’t,” Elder Declan said from the door. “We can still do it, if you are up to it. It just won’t be in front of the pack for now. If that is alright with you. We have plenty of witnesses, but we also have the issue of your new mate, Addie,” he explained.
I can’t believe I was even thinking of doing this now, but my biggest wish was to completely be Alpha before they arrived. “He isn’t an issue, Declan. He is my equal in every way, and I want him as my co-alpha. Today, and always. My partner in everything we go through in life,” I said while looking at Gunner.
“Well, Beta Gunner, are you ready to now be Alpha?” Declan joked. Gunner tried to joke along, but he wasn’t in the right frame of mind.
“I’m ready to do whatever my mate wants me to do. She is right, we are partners in everything from today forward,” he said.
My mom came running from the nursery, and put a halt on everything. “How about we get her into a hospital bed before you crazy people worry about oaths and vows. She is about to have 5 little babies cut from her, and you are all worried about duty. I can tell you all what to do with your duties,” she yelled. Mom was so high-strung all the time, and it was sometimes a little too over the top.
“I apologize, Luna. I meant no disrespect. I just know it’s a concern of Adelina’s, but yes, let’s get her to the hospital,” Declan agreed.
Gunner picked me up and carried me into a guest room on the main floor. Riley quickly came in after, and helped me put on a dry dress and underwear. I will be forever thankful for that. I didn’t want to be a wet mess going to the hospital.
The pains were coming quicker, and Gunner didn’t hesitate to carry me out of the pack house and to the hospital. He said there wasn’t time to worry about who was going in what car, so we bypassed the whole situation. He was learning fast about how my family operated.
I was missing two people today, two very important people to me. Three if you count Luke, but I mostly missed my sisters. Alette and Damian were on their way, and would be here soon, but Asteria, she wasn’t coming. It broke my heart, but I understood. She still wasn’t ready.
“Mom, can you call Lette and Asteria and let them know about the change of plans?” I asked. She said she would do it right that moment, and she stopped in the lobby to do just that.
Gunner wouldn’t let the nurse push me in a wheelchair, and carried me to the room they had set up for me. I could tell the nurse was intimidated, but I assured her he was harmless. Just protective.
Once I was settled, I told Declan and the others they could come in until the nurses came with the epidural. The monitors were alive with the sounds of my little one’s heartbeats, and everyone who entered the room was entranced by them. Especially, Gunner.
He watched the monitors like a hawk. Fascinated by everything they did. Every time that the babies kick the monitors and cause them to thump, he would jump out of his skin. I knew he said he was in this for the long haul and wanted to be their father, but things had happened so rapidly that I didn’t want him to get freaked out and change his mind.
“Gunner?” I called to him. His eyes never left the monitor, and he reached for his hand. “Yes, my love?” he replied.
“Can you look at me please?” I asked. He turned to look at me, and gently rubbed my hand. “Are you positive you are ready to be a father? Everything is happening so fast with us, and I’m scared it’s going to be too much for you,” I explained.
Hurt filled his face, and he furrowed his brows. “Adelina, I have told you numerous times today that I want you. I want this, and I want the babies to be mine. When does life ever play out how we expect? I, for one, think this is better than anything I could’ve ever expected in my life. So, no more worries, alright?” he stated. He gently kissed my hand, and went back to look at the monitors.
The head nurse came in, and said that they would be taking me back to the surgery in about 10 minutes. My heart began to race, and I called for Declan.
“Declan, we need to do the oath ceremony now. Please. I was serious when I said I wanted the ceremony before my babies arrived. Gunner? Are you sure?” I asked. He nodded his head and said that he was ready to do it, and Declan began the ritual.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.