The Alpha's Feisty Mate

Magnus (7)

Magnus

Even as I listened to my beta talk to Ray on the speakerphone, my mind started to wander. I had to leave. I had to find that smell.

Six bloody years and still I couldn’t get it out of my head. It was like the smell had embedded itself into my nose…into my very blood. I closed my eyes and I can feel it…smell it coiling around my body. I open my eyes and it’s like that invincible mist you see in the cartoons of old…where it beckoned Tomas the cat to east from the pie that was sitting on the outside of a windowsill; pipping hot and tempting

Three years when I first smelt it at the abandoned mansion that Celine used and then I lost it, going crazy until I smelled it again three years later when Jason went after Anna and we were once again at the abandoned building. I searched and searched…every bloody corner and room; breaking down the locked doors to get to that smell….only to somehow lose it again!

“Pop’s”

I blinked a couple of times and Sophie’s face because clearer in front of me, her frown of concern making me smile as Simon walked up to stand beside her and look at me

“What’s wrong my pup?” I asked

“What’s wrong with you?” She asked back “We finished the call a few minutes ago and you haven’t moved since”

“A few minutes ago?” I asked with a surprised frown “We just started talking to Ray about the contact and meeting”

“That was almost fifteen minutes ago!” Sophie stated loudly

“Magnus” Simon started “Are you-”

“I’m fine” I cut in, unfolding my arms

“You’re clearly not dad” Sherry said as she walked closer to me

“My pup, why are you walking about when the doctor told you bed rest” I asked, my low growl a warning of my displeasure

“Because I am going bat s**t crazy staying in the room and being mollycoddled like a two year old… and because there is no way in hell that I am staying on bedrest for the rest of this pregnancy!” Sherry said, throwing up her hands in annoyance

I chuckled, pulling her in for a hug as I thought back to my own mate and how she had reacted the same way when she had been told to go on bed rest. Of course, the difference was; my mate had started using black magick with the help of her b***h of a sister, Celine - which was causing her to be a lot worse with sickness and then eventually losing our pup,

“Ddaaaaddd” Sherry moaned as she struggled to move away from me

I sighed and let her go gently, looking her up and down critically

“You were put on bedrest for a reason Sherry” I gently reminded her

“I know dad” She sighed “But I can’t just go from the bed to the bathroom any longer. I need more movement”

When I opened my mouth to protest that statements, she lifted her hand up in a ‘stop’ gesture and her watery eyes turned on me. My lungs almost stopped breathing when I saw those tears in my pup’s eyes

“I need this dad” Sherry whispered “I need movement…I don’t want…to rest so much that even going to the bathroom becomes too difficult that it…what happened…last time”

I braced my feet further apart as I made my body go stiff. I watched Sherry wrap her arms around herself before Sophie hugged her from the side. I willed myself not to shed a tear but I couldn’t help it. One slipped out anyway as I looked at my pup and the sorrow on her face.

“My pup…My two beautiful pup’s” I said

My feet moved of their own accord and I gently wrapped my arms around both my daughters as Sherry laid her head on one side of my shoulder while Sophie put her head on the other. I thought back to two years ago when Sherry had a miscarriage due to to the fetus growing wrong. She had been put onto bed rest and had done everything her pack healer had told her to do and still paid the price because it wasn’t meant to be. One day, just shy of being three months pregnant, she went to the bathroom and sat down on the toilet - moving slow and over cautiously - only to suddenly bleed and miscarry.

“Ok ok” Sherry sniffed, wiping her eyes “Don’t think this detracts from what just happened”

“What happened?” I asked jokingly

“Dad, are you still thinking about and looking for that smell?” Sherry asked me

“No!” Sophie said with a glare my way “You promised that you were going to take a break”

“I am” I said with a shrug

“Permanently!” Sophie scolded, hands on her hips

“Girls” I began

“No…no daddy” Sherry said, her voice resolute

Shit! When the word daddy was used, I was a goner

“I can’t leave it alone” I said with solid conviction

“But why? You know it could be a trap that Celine has that was made to make someone crazy” Sherry said

“Then why am I the only one who can smell it?” I asked, folding my arms once again

“I don’t know dad” Sherry growled “Maybe it was meant to target only one person and make them crazy and waste their life away”

“I think I am smarter than that, my pup” I growled at her

“Pop’s” Sophie began “Maybe it’s a trick like Sherry has said, but maybe it’s not….but in the last six years, you have missed a lot of important times. We miss you”

I sigh, closing my eyes as I mentally force my body to unlock and relax. I knew I couldn’t just leave it completely but what they said was true. Hell, I hadn’t even been here when Sherry had miscarried. I came three weeks later when my beta was able to track me down since I had shut off my mind-linking ability and went silent

“I can’t stop looking” I said, opening my eyes

The girls faces fall and I immediately walked over and pulled each of their hands and lead them to the sofa behind me

“But, you are right. I AM away too much” I say “So, for a few months, I will stop looking…ok?”

“Really?” Sherry say’s, perking up

“Really” I repeat, rubbing my nose against her’s

I see an Omega come into the room, pushing a trolly of food towards the girls and I step back as the Omega sets about arranging the plates and can’s on the side tables near the girls. As they dig into it, I turn and look at the silent Simon who is watching me closely

“I’m surprised you didn’t say anything” I say

“I knew the girls got you by the balls when they said you hadn’t been here enough. Figured that was enough” Simon said with a shrug

Little s**t!

“So What’s Ray saying” I asked, folding my arms and letting him know I wasn’t pleased with that comment

“That he wants this meeting asap so he’s flying out tonight and will be here by seven pm” Simon said “He booked his flight as we were speaking. You’re beta is on his way too”

I raised my eyebrows at that and looked at my watch. I nodded.

“Well it’s almost twelve thirty and lunch time here. We have time to get a plan together” I say

I look over at the girls and see them watching me. Walking over to them I look down and smile, my heart softening at their faces

“I don’t want either of you to be involved with this or rushing about worrying about room allocations and entertainment” I said sternly

“Pop’s” Sophie started

“But dad-” Sherry said

I held my hand up and watched them quieten

“No…not this time. If I am trying to make changes. You have to too. No more rushing in to help every time you are pregnant Sophie and you have Kai to consider. And Sherry, you have to stop this insistent need to help and take on extra beta duties. You want to work…help? Fine” I said, my eyes going between the two “Do office work. Not the complex diaries and worrisome menus for the meetings but the day-to-day easy stuff. It means you get to be at a desk and interact but not too much. Deal?”

The girls looked at each other quietly, both biting their lips as they both thought about what I said. I saw Sophie nod slightly to Sherry who rolled her eyes before puffing out a breath and folding her own arms

“Fineee” Sherry said in a huff

“Ok pop’s” Sophie nodded

I could almost see Simon’s grin even though I had my back to him. I knew I was right when Sophie threw daggers at him. I nodded my head and turned around to look at Simon

“Rashid is someone I have known for a long time and I know he is reliable. My concern is about these cloaked traitors among pack members” I said to Simon “Do what you need to for Ray but you might want to free up some of the cabins…I’m going to call in the pack and keep half of them here and take the other half with us”

“I think that’s needed” Simon agreed “Something is definitely up. I don’t understand why the contact from Glasgow won’t tell us more.

The fact that they are careful with their words worries me”

“I have a couple of ideas about this situation. We need to be prepared for anything and I have a feeling that everything is about to blow up and hit the fan” I said, nodding to him

“I do too” Simon nodded back

“Then-” Sophie started

“No” I said sternly, looking her way. When she opened her mouth to protest again, I simply raised an eyebrow and watched her mutter under her breath about overbearing, overprotective fathers who forgot that she was a supreme too

I chuckled and her face bloomed with a guilty flush. Simon walked over to her and kissed her lightly on the lips before turning to Sherry and telling her where her mate was.

“Hey uncle Mag” Kelsie said walking in

“Hi sweetheart” I said, smiling at her

She walked up to me and I held my arms out; my mouth lifting up in a smile as she handed me the wrapped bundle. I looked down at he sleeping face before hugging the boy to me; taking in his smell as Kelsie sat down by Sherry and started eating with gusto

“I was wondering where you were” I said as I lifted my face

“Feeding him” Kelsie said, her eyes both sleepy and alert “Honestly, that boy can eat”

I chuckled, kissing his soft baby cheeks as I walked to the opposite sofa and gently lowered myself so as not to disturb him. Kelsie had given birth to Andrew almost four months ago and again, I hadn’t been present at the time. I was about to ask her a question when Scott came rushing in, his eyes wild; his hair sticking on ends. He opened his mouth to speak, only to come to halt before me and looked at his mate

“Why’d you take him without waking me?” Scott asked, his chest heaving

“I tried to wake you. He was starting to fuss and I came in from practice and thought i’d feed him and return him. But then when a Omega delivered some snacks and I realised uncle Magnus was here, I came down” Kelsie said with a mouthful of turkey sandwich

“You don’t practise with Andy beside you?” I asked Kelsie

“No” Kelsie shook her head “I don’t want him to be around that energy until he’s a little older. So I usually practise in one of the studies on our level. But I was in the spare room in the apartment writing out my spells when i heard him start to fuss and Scott out like a light”

“Not like a light” Scott said with offence

“Trust me boy” I said in amusement “When we can’t hear our pup’s sound or smell our mate’s scent - we are either dead…or a father….who is out like a light!”

Simon let out a booming laugh at which Scott growled at before walking towards me and held his arms out. I kept hold of Andy as Scott shuffled, his discomfort with my silence obvious

“Stop teasing him dad” Sherry said with amusement

“He’s my grandpup. I only just got him” I said lightly

“Mine” Scott growled softly

My inner wolf growled in my head and I forced it down, reminding him how possessive we had felt when we had had our own pup. My feelings were on the surface because of that smell and that could be dangerous. People got hurt when I let go. With great force, I reminded my wolf why it was a bad idea to attack Scott and take all my girls with me and my grandchildren and hide them all somewhere….even away from their mates. I held out my arm and watched Scott bravely take Andy from me, his eyes downcast even as a low growl emitted from him until Andy was safely in his arms. Once there, he heaved a sigh of relief before bending down and nuzzling his son’s neck; a look of contentment and happiness clear on his face

A pang hurt my heart as I looked at him. I only got to do that for a short while before my pup grew up and even then; I missed a massive part of her life because of what Celine did and Sherry being taken away. These father’s got to be with their pup from the start and spent time with them….how I missed those days. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and stood up.

“Right then” I said forcefully “Let’s get this show on the road”

“Will you join us for lunch?” Kelsie asked

“That’s not lunch?” I asked her, grinning at the empty plates

“Pppfft” Sherry scoffed “That was barely a snack”

“Snack, hell” Kelsie chimed in “that was an equivalent of having a lollipop when you are starving”

The boys and I laughed out loud, their shaking heads attesting to their mates hunger and eating habits.

“I’ll meet you all there in twenty minutes” I said, nodding

I almost left the room, my eyes watching as Simon helped Sophie up and sat on the sofa before helping her to sit on his lap, her hands spearing into his hair. Scott sat on the bigger sofa and Kelsie joined him - sitting on his lap while he arranged his son so both of them held him, their heads whispering to one another. I was just thinking about Sherry and how her mate should be here when I saw him walk into the room from the side door away from where I was and make a beeline to her. He gently lifted her into his arms before sitting her down onto his lap and gently taking her chin forward to his and kissing her

I left the room and the private moment, feeling like a perving intruder. I was glad my girls had that…that loving, intimate connection that made their bond stranger everyday. I missed the companion of a mate and ever since I met Sophie six years ago and the family has gotten bigger and have involved me into it - I have started becoming less and less like a rogue and times like these then make my heart remember what it had been like to be touched in love. I shook my head and growled at myself; my legs working faster as I made myself turn towards the gym. This sappy feeling was going to get me killed. I needed my head screwed on and focused because I had a feeling that what was about to come our was….was going to change all of our lives.