Page 20 of His Treasured Mate

He splayed his hand across my belly and lovingly rubbed it before bending down so he was face to face with it.

I ran my hands through his messy wet hair.

“You let Mommy get some sleep tonight and stay put in there. I mean it. Behave little one.” Then he kissed my stomach before standing to full height and kissing me again.

“I need to do a walk through.”

I cringed. “You may want a shower first. You're likely to terrify everyone looking like that.”

He chuckled. “I can always count on you to keep me in my place.”

“You know it. I'm not good at sugarcoating things.”

“Unless you really want something,” he teased.

“That's flattery. It's entirely different.”

Thomas went to take a quick shower. A part of me felt guilty about it. While there were toilets and sinks with running water in the main room, the only shower in the shelter was in our suite. Likewise, clean clothes were stashed down here for our little family where everyone else only had the clothes on their backs and whatever they managed to carry in with them.

It was a perk of being the Alpha. I was grateful for it all and having grown up as an Alpha's daughter, I really didn't know much else, not really. But I could see the differences clearly in times of crisis. No matter what happened, my family would be protected and safe. The Pack would literally starve before we went without. It was humbling to say the least.

I had a king-sized bed, same brand and comfort as the bed in our bedroom, while they slept on cots or on the hard floor.

There was nothing fair about Pack life. Our status determined our station in life. And while Thomas and I would gladly give our lives to protect any one of the numerous wolves, we also know there's an entire Pack ready to protect us at all costs.

When I calmed down and really thought about it, I couldn't blame him for going out on the hunt for one of our wolves, even Hewitt. It was part of his job. But the thought of anything happening to my mate made me crazy.

“Mama, is everything okay?” Cammie whispered.

Thomas had already taken off to shower and I was just standing there thinking through everything and trying to calm my inner wolf down.

I put a smile on my face as I turned to my eldest daughter.

“Everything's great. Everyone's accounted for. Dad had to see to it, and I got a little worried, but we're all just fine. Go back to sleep.”

“Are you coming?”

I hesitated but nodded.

It didn't take long after climbing into my king-sized bed for all four of my daughters to join me. I missed having Thomas next to me, but otherwise, all felt right in my world.

*****

Unfamiliar sounds woke me from my sleep. It took me a moment to get my bearings straight as I looked out remembering we were in the shelter.

The storm!

I shot up quickly, causing too much pressure on my bladder, which had me running for the bathroom.

“Where's your mom?” I heard Thomas ask the girls.

“Bathroom,” Audrey informed him.

Thomas knocked on the door. “Lil, you okay?”

I finished my business and opened the door.

“For crying out loud, I just had to pee. It happens. I have the equivalent of a bowling ball sitting on my bladder.”