Jason Dolley as Cal Yorke

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"Ancient One, is this going to be the norm? Fighting with the ruling council every time?" I whisper, not expecting an answer.

"What do you expect? The council screwed up a lot, resistant to change and are very stubborn," Esme whispers back.

"Shit! You scared me for a minute. I thought you were the Ancient One," I bump her hard.

I am not in a good or forgiving mood right now. With everything, they say I must monitor the burglar. This is not my decade. We all follow the guard down a familiar route from my previous lockdown here at the council residence. All I want to do is go home and snuggle with my mates.

I ask Jeffery to teleport Miranda Crowe, Allen Polley and Luka Smith to their respective abodes as soon as we left the chambers. I promised him we'll still be here when he returns. Man, he's stubborn.

"Mother!" Freddy runs into Georgiana's arms as we enter the suite. Everyone looks fine, thank the Sun god. I guess everyone needs a hug from their mother when they've gone through a harrowing experience. No one, not even the haughty Freddy wants to go head to head with the council. I hope this experience has taught her a lesson.

"Mother, I got exiled AND probation. If I steal even a pencil, I will be severely punished. Don't they know how hard that will be?" Georgiana hugs her back, slowly rocking both of them side to side.

Obviously not. "Not funny Freddy." I nudge her as I walk to my mates.

"Just joking, relax Cal. Summer will kick my butt if I step out of line."

"Not only Summer, so will the council and me."

"Thank the Sun god you're okay," Georgiana says. She holds Freddy's face in her hands and rain kisses all over. "Cal, Esme, thank you so much."

I reach my mates and fall into their open arms, drained. They circle me in their arms.

"Tired?" Rafe asks as he kisses me on the right side of my face.

"Just a smidge."

"Sleepy?" Darric asks and kisses me on the left side of my face.

"Just a smidge."

Alpha Salim walks up to us, while Summer goes over to her mate.

"Gentlemen, may I?" he nods towards me.

I look at him wondering, and the next thing I am in huge arms high above the floor hugged tight.

"Thank you so much, Cal. I thank the goddess the day that witch forced you into my pack," he says.

"You're welcome," shouts Esme.

I hug him back, smiling. I hear my mates hiss and growl.

"Relax mates, he's my Alpha remember?"

"I'm your Alpha," Darric says and pulls me away from Alpha Salim, back to his side.

"In the bedroom, yes you are my alpha but in the real world, I belong to Crimson River Pack, meaning under Alpha Salim's leadership."

"Honestly you, my dear mate, continue to be a conundrum," Darric says. "You rejected the Moon goddess and chose the Sun god, but you're still tied to both of them. You're one of Ancient One's new weapons, so to speak. You have unlimited powers as we're finding out day by day. And you still belong to a different pack than your mate's. Living with you is like peeling an onion, new surprises every day," Darric sighs.

"Are you fed up?" I ask, turning to him in our circle, a little scared of his reply.

"Fed up of you? Never. Life is just so interesting finding out what happens next. I really," first kiss, "really," second kiss, "enjoy peeling your onion, layer by layer, mate."

"Okay, fragile ears are leaving this threesome," Alpha Salim says and walks over to the others.

"Come here," Rafe says and pulls me away from Darric who groans in protest.

"I missed you mate, and scared for you, again. Please stop making my heart beat too fast," and Rafe lays one of his slow, simmering kisses on me and I'm moaning like a 'you know what' in heat. Time to get my mates back to the manor and get my freak on.

One more thing to do before I leave to get naked, so I mind link Original Drago and Esme.

"Original Drago sir, we were wondering if we can have three months to get Freddy packed and ready to go to Nebraska?"

"Three months, Omega? You are testing my patience."

"Two months your honor?"

"NO!!!!!!!!!" Original Drago yells back.

"One month, then, sir?"

"Fine, one month no longer."

"Thank you, sir. Damn! He's loud," I continue mind linking Esme.

"Even you know you were pushing it," Esme replies.

"I had to try. Though I could have moved her in two weeks."

"Omega?" Original Drago whispers.

"Cal, you didn't close his link? Esme asks."

"Oops!"

"Let's get moving guys before I start another battle," I tell my mates and Jeffery.

"Freddy, the council has given you a month to get everything settled before your move, okay?"

"No more, okay Freddy." Summer tells her mate as we all arrange ourselves to teleport out of that mausoleum.

"No more," she replies.

"I know you want to help. I get it, believe me, I do. But this time we do it legally and ask our families for help, okay?"

"Okay." And they kiss and kiss and kiss.

"Umm, Summer. It's time to go," Alpha Salim says impatiently.

"Salim, have you had the talk with Summer?" Georgiana asks as she leans on Raul, looking drained even for a vampire.

"What talk," asks Alpha Salim perplexed.

"The talk. You know about the birds and the bees."

"Birds and the bees? She's only eighteen!" He says.

"Don't worry, I taught Freddy about the 'birds and the bees', 'the birds and the birds' and 'the bees and the bees'. I covered all the combinations, just ask Rafe. Taught him everything he knows too, didn't I, Rafe? So, no worries. Summer is in good hands." she pats him on the back.

"Sun god help me," Rafe says.

"Summer, we're leaving NOW! Esme if you please take us back home?" Alpha Salim asks.

"Now I'm your own personal teleporting Uber? Fine, let's go."

There they go; Alpha Salim, Summer and Esme. I turn to my mates so we can get out of here, but Freddy stops me with a question.

"Cal, the council didn't say my mate cannot stay in Nebraska with me, right?"

"No, they didn't."

"Good. Because Summer and I are moving in together."

"At least with the 'birds and the birds', you don't need the condom talk, right sweetie," Georgiana laughs.

"No mother, just the nails talk," she winks at her mother.

"Mon amour, let me handle the 'talk' with Rick when he's old enough, please?" Raul asks.

"As long as I get to listen and correct any misconceptions," she sassed back.

"You don't cry 'misconception' when we ..."

"Ookay we're out," Rafe says and I find us back in our manor.

Quiet at last. But for how long. I'm not going to sweat it. One day at a time, I'm learning.

Dinner was blessedly quiet. Just me and my lovers. And Jeffery. Let's face it, the guy is family. A nice dinner, followed by quiet after-dinner drinks: cocoa for me, whiskey for Darric, and chilled blood for Rafe. This may be boring to some, but oh so good right now. Rafe sits with his legs crossed on one of the lone chairs, Darric sits legs apart on the two-person sofa and I curl up deep into the three-person sofa in the room. We all have our own preferred seats in the den. Cute.

"So, do you guys remember what we were talking about before Esme badged in?" I take a small sip of my cocoa.

"Yes, I do. Before we resume that conversation, what are we going to do about Esme just badging in here anytime?" Rafe asks.

"Sorry guys, but that is one thing I can't and won't forbid. Understand that just as she can badge in when she needs help so can I when I need her help. What would've happened to Freddy and Summer if she couldn't?"

"He has a point, Rafe. I shudder to think what would've happened to those two."

Besides, there's no appendage on us that Esme hasn't seen before and nothing on her I haven't seen before either," I tease them.

"And when did you see female parts, mate?" Darric puts his glass down, gets up and walks over to my seat slowly.

Rafe does the same, puts his empty wineglass on his table and walks over to me. "I was wondering the same thing, too. I think our mate needs a reminder course on which appendages he prefers, don't you?

Rafe takes my cup and Darric lifts me up and flings me on his shoulder. He turns and Rafe smacks my ass as we make our way to our bedroom.

"Goodnight Jeffery," I say.

Is that a smile I see on Jeffrey's face? Nah! I'm seeing things.

I smile and reply "goodnight my Lords."

It has started.

"Sun god, I pray that you be merciful unto them, and may they be fruitful. Halloweth Be."

My face moves and I smile again as I anticipate the arrival of my next charges.

And the cycle continues.

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