Page 27 of Arthur

Did I? Always. But if Patrick was with his plants, I didn’t want to interrupt. Since the very beginning, Patrick had always been drawn to plants. I did everything I could to make sure he had his own little spot that was just his.

“No. I’ll see you in a bit,”I told him.

I sat at my desk, going over the last few weeks in my mind. Something felt off. Patrick, like always, was loving and attentive. He was enjoying the new additions to the coven and was excited about the little ones that seemed to be following our members finding their Ones. We had always wanted a large family, and wewere grateful for each of our three children. Sadly, we’d only ever had those three. They had filled our lives full of joy though, and I didn’t have any complaints.

“Grandpa Arthur, can I talk to you?”

I smiled at Julius. He was Louis and Vincent’s second born. He’d found his One when Alistair had sent the wolf shifter Cameron to us to recover from the situation he’d been in.

“Of course,” I said, gesturing for him to come into my office and sit. “Let me guess. Cameron is pregnant again,” I said, guessing what he wanted to talk to me about. Julius and Cameron had disappeared for about a week a month ago, and it made sense since their precious little one was now a year old. So many babies lately.

“Yeah. I wanted to let you know that when I told my dads, they asked if we were going to be returning to the pride anytime soon.”

Julius looked as if he wanted to say more but didn’t. I had assumed this would eventually come to a head. “Julius, you know that your grandfather and I love you very much and that you will always be welcome here. But we also love your father, Louis, and his One, Vincent. If your alpha father wants you to return to the pride and you wish to go, don’t feel as if you must stay here at the coven.” I got up from behind the desk and walked around it to lean against the front.

“I like it here,” Julius told me. “Especially since there are so many other warlocks. But Cameron doesn’t have a pack, really, and he’s comfortable running with the lions in Dad’s pride, even if they aren’t wolf shifters like he is. I’m torn because I want to be here with you and Grandpa, but I also want to be in Seattle with my dads and the rest of the pride.”

“Julius, you have to do what makes you and your One happiest. We’ve loved having you here to visit as often as you do, and you will always have a suite here if and when you wantto visit. But there is nothing that says you can’t split your time between several places. Alistair does, and it works out for him and River quite well.”

Julius seemed to think about that for a moment before he nodded. “Thanks, Grandpa. I appreciate it. I’m going to go talk to Cameron and see what he wants most. Madison won’t be shifting for years yet, but I know Cameron would like her to grow up around other shifters so she gets that experience.”

“Then there is your answer. We only have just a few here, but I foresee more in the future.” I held up my hand to keep him from leaving just yet. “While you’re here, your brother Miles. Has he finished college yet? Do you know?” Constantine, although quite capable, had been taking on more and more by agreeing to help not only with the local clowder but also out in Montana when needed. I had the idea of it being beneficial if he had help.

“Just this last May, yes. He’s working at a hospital out in Seattle somewhere. Why?”

“No reason. Just thinking out loud, really. Give Madison kisses for me, would you?” I told him, not wanting to give anything away just yet. A hospital in Seattle though? Not for the pride? That was a bit surprising, really.

“I will. You and Grandpa Patrick need to come and see her this afternoon if you can,” Julius said as he stood and started for the door.

“We will,” I said, making a mental note to be sure to stop by their suite to love on the little one because it seemed that she was going to be heading off to Seattle soon. It would break Patrick’s heart to not be able to cuddle her anytime he wanted. He’d enjoyed having Julius here with us. I knew he would understand their reason for relocating to Seattle though.

It wasn’t far, not when you could be there in the blink of an eye. But our family had become so busy and had scattered.William and Stanley were in Europe with their own growing family. Alistair and River were in Montana with Father, Dad, Elliot, Arin, and Arik and their immensely growing families. Then Louis was all the way on the opposite coast in Seattle with his One, Vincent. Patrick’s and my children were scattered and doing their own thing, and I missed them.

“Love, what’s wrong?”

I smiled. He was so in tune with me, always.

“Nothing, my heart. Just thinking about the kids. Julius was here. Cameron is pregnant again.”

“Really?” Patrick asked, suddenly in the office with me. His face lit up with a beautiful smile that I still loved to see, even after all this time.

“Hello, my love. How are you?” I asked, pulling him into my arms. “And yes, really.”

“You just saw me an hour ago at breakfast. But I’m fine. My orchids are thriving, and I can’t wait until they bloom next year.”

I leaned in and went to kiss Patrick but froze when I picked up something I never thought I’d sense again. Not from my One. It had been so incredibly long.

“Patrick?” I whispered and pulled my head back to look at my heart. There were tears in his beautiful blue eyes and a smile on his face that couldn’t be compared to anything else.

“I’ve been waiting for you to sense him,” Patrick said. “My last fertile period. It’s finally happening again, Arthur. Please tell me you’re not upset. I’ve wanted more children with you for so long, but the fates just haven’t blessed us with one. But then…well, it seems as if they’ve decided to gift us with another baby.”

My eyes widened, and I looked down at Patrick’s stomach. That was what felt off. There was… “That long weekend we spent in our quarters—you were insatiable. You’re pregnant?”

I gently touched Patrick’s flat stomach, and when I did, I felt a pulse of energy that I knew was coming from our unbornson. I pulled Patrick tightly to my chest, buried my face in his neck, and cried. We’d wanted more children for so long and had thought that we would only ever be blessed with the three, but now fate had gifted us a fourth time.

“A baby?” I asked, looking at my Patrick. There were tears streaking down his face, and I reached out and gently wiped them away with my thumbs. We were going to have another baby. After all of this time. Now that we were grandparents many times over, and even great-grandparents, we were going to have another baby.

“Yes. You’re pleased?”