her. While he understood she was scared, and felt like a prisoner here, he needed her to respect the pack hierarchy.
If he let her walk all over him, he would appear weak to the other men. While he felt confident none of the men at the ranch would challenge him, it was a risk he couldn’t take if they were going to be inviting in new members. It was already troubling enough, leaving the pack for a few days, even if Devon was going to be there. War was on the horizon, and he needed to be here to protect his pack. At the same time, their trip was important to keeping everyone safe. He just wished everyone would be cooperative. Standing up, he walked briskly to his office door.
He moved through the manor, nodding at his men as he made his way upstairs to the guest quarters. Knocking loudly on her door, he waited with bated breath for her to answer.
Tiny cries filtered out of the room as footsteps padded toward the door.
“You never came to see me,” Gene said as Natalia’s brown eyes peered up at him.
Natalia sighed, and opened the door further. “Adrian has been fussy all evening. I did not want to bother you with his cries.”
“Is he not well?” Gene asked, staring at the baby in her arms. His eyes were rimmed with red, and crocodile tears filled them as his lip puckered.
“Babies fuss. I am sure he is fine,” she said, though he could hear the emotion in her voice as she ran a hand over his dark hair, trying to soothe him.
“I could have Devon take a look at him,” Gene offered.
Natalia shifted on her feet, absently running a hand up and down the boy’s back as he started to cry again. Gene could see the indecision on her face before she tentatively nodded.
“I’ll call him. Come on, let’s head downstairs,” Gene said, motioning for her to follow him. “I’m sure he is fine. He hasn’t been out anywhere. It is still summer, and there aren’t many bugs going around.”
“Do you know much about children?” Natalia asked as he led them to the infirmary.
Gene stopped in front of the clinic, glancing at his phone as Devon texted him back. “No, but I’m sure he is fine. Devon’s on his way.”
A small smile crept across her lips as she brushed past him into the room. “Thank you.”
“It is my job to look after everyone in my pack, Talia. That includes the two of you,” Gene assured her.
“Fernando Juarez and Emmett McKinley are the only two alphas I have been around. I can see that things are different here, but I do not need you looking out for us,” Natalia said. Licking her lips, she took a moment to glance around the room.
“It must have been hard when Fernando took you prisoner, and then being sent to Emmett on top of that must have been horrible,” he prodded hoping for information, when she didn’t answer, he continued, “I will do whatever it takes to make you comfortable here. You are a member of my pack—or Dev’s if you wish it. This can be your home, if you choose.”
Gene watched as Natalia rocked on her feet, trying to soothe Adrian. Her back faced him, leaving him clueless to her expression. Hopefully, his words somehow comforted her. Something in him was drawn to her, and he didn’t want her to leave. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to protect her. He felt compelled to ease away her fears, and keep her and Adrian safe.
“As long as Adrian is well, I will help you in New York. My son will never be safe with Juarez alive,” Natalia whispered. She turned to him, opening her mouth to say more, but clamped it shut at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Hey,” Devon greeted as he entered the room, with Lark trailing behind him.
“Is he still fussy?” Lark asked, shutting the door.
Natalia nodded as she gently laid Adrian on the table. The baby fisted his hands, legs kicking out in protest as he began to cry. Natalia wrapped her arms around herself, her chestnut eyes glued on her son as he fussed, writhing around on the table.
“I’ll just take a
If he let her walk all over him, he would appear weak to the other men. While he felt confident none of the men at the ranch would challenge him, it was a risk he couldn’t take if they were going to be inviting in new members. It was already troubling enough, leaving the pack for a few days, even if Devon was going to be there. War was on the horizon, and he needed to be here to protect his pack. At the same time, their trip was important to keeping everyone safe. He just wished everyone would be cooperative. Standing up, he walked briskly to his office door.
He moved through the manor, nodding at his men as he made his way upstairs to the guest quarters. Knocking loudly on her door, he waited with bated breath for her to answer.
Tiny cries filtered out of the room as footsteps padded toward the door.
“You never came to see me,” Gene said as Natalia’s brown eyes peered up at him.
Natalia sighed, and opened the door further. “Adrian has been fussy all evening. I did not want to bother you with his cries.”
“Is he not well?” Gene asked, staring at the baby in her arms. His eyes were rimmed with red, and crocodile tears filled them as his lip puckered.
“Babies fuss. I am sure he is fine,” she said, though he could hear the emotion in her voice as she ran a hand over his dark hair, trying to soothe him.
“I could have Devon take a look at him,” Gene offered.
Natalia shifted on her feet, absently running a hand up and down the boy’s back as he started to cry again. Gene could see the indecision on her face before she tentatively nodded.
“I’ll call him. Come on, let’s head downstairs,” Gene said, motioning for her to follow him. “I’m sure he is fine. He hasn’t been out anywhere. It is still summer, and there aren’t many bugs going around.”
“Do you know much about children?” Natalia asked as he led them to the infirmary.
Gene stopped in front of the clinic, glancing at his phone as Devon texted him back. “No, but I’m sure he is fine. Devon’s on his way.”
A small smile crept across her lips as she brushed past him into the room. “Thank you.”
“It is my job to look after everyone in my pack, Talia. That includes the two of you,” Gene assured her.
“Fernando Juarez and Emmett McKinley are the only two alphas I have been around. I can see that things are different here, but I do not need you looking out for us,” Natalia said. Licking her lips, she took a moment to glance around the room.
“It must have been hard when Fernando took you prisoner, and then being sent to Emmett on top of that must have been horrible,” he prodded hoping for information, when she didn’t answer, he continued, “I will do whatever it takes to make you comfortable here. You are a member of my pack—or Dev’s if you wish it. This can be your home, if you choose.”
Gene watched as Natalia rocked on her feet, trying to soothe Adrian. Her back faced him, leaving him clueless to her expression. Hopefully, his words somehow comforted her. Something in him was drawn to her, and he didn’t want her to leave. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to protect her. He felt compelled to ease away her fears, and keep her and Adrian safe.
“As long as Adrian is well, I will help you in New York. My son will never be safe with Juarez alive,” Natalia whispered. She turned to him, opening her mouth to say more, but clamped it shut at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Hey,” Devon greeted as he entered the room, with Lark trailing behind him.
“Is he still fussy?” Lark asked, shutting the door.
Natalia nodded as she gently laid Adrian on the table. The baby fisted his hands, legs kicking out in protest as he began to cry. Natalia wrapped her arms around herself, her chestnut eyes glued on her son as he fussed, writhing around on the table.
“I’ll just take a
Similar Books
