Page 13 of Daddy Wolf’s Secret Baby (Fated To The Wolf #10)

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Josiah

Z ac called Josiah into his office the next morning.

“Did Zahra tell you about Elias?”

“She did. Why, what’s up?”

“His men came to me and told me they were in the area on orders from Elias. They announced that they were going to take her back with them regardless of what I said because Elias wants her to be his Luna.”

“That’s what she told me. I suggested that she and Jace either stay with her parents or with me, but she refused.” Josiah ran his fingers through his hair and growled. “She’s so damned stubborn and it’s frustrating.”

“She is and it is. Unfortunately, it’s a family trait.” Zac sighed. “Did she tell you about what happened last night?”

Fear swept through Josiah. “No.”

“One of the men, whose name is Dwayne, I think, knocked on her door. Obviously, she didn’t open it and she called Callie. His message was that Elias would let Jace live if she went back to St. Theresa to be his Luna as long as Jace stayed here.”

Josiah growled.

“Callie gave him a message to take back to Elias. She steam-baked him. It wasn’t too bad because he was still alive, but he won’t be feeling great for a while.”

“At least they know that she’s protected. It might make them think twice.” Josiah didn’t really believe those words. “I just hope that her alarm system and having Callie don’t let her think that she can let her guard down.”

“I don’t think so. If it was just her, maybe. But she has Jace, and she’s fiercely protective of him.”

“I just wish she would listen to reason and move in with someone.”

Zac tilted his head to one side. “Honestly, I don’t know if that would protect them. It’s not like they would be under lock and key. Jace goes to school, and Zahra goes to work. There are a million and a one places where they could get to them.”

“Aren’t you just a bundle of joy and comfort,” Josiah said sarcastically.

Zac shrugged. “That’s me.” He changed the topic. “How did the weekend go?”

“Great. My parents adored Jace, of course, and set about their self-appointed task of spoiling him.”

“How pissed are they at Zahra?”

“Not as much as they were. Jace knew all about them, including what they looked like. They appreciated the fact that Zahra let Jace know they were important in his life even if he hadn’t met them.”

“She did. I know you and your folks don’t agree with her decisions, but she did what she knew how to do and she did what she thought was right.”

“I just wonder if she would have ever told me about Jace if Luna hadn’t been sick.”

“Yes. She was planning on moving back to Angel’s Creek, even before mom was diagnosed and Elias approached her. She missed home and she knew it was time for Jace to meet you.”

“That’s good to know.”

Josiah picked Jace up after school.

“Can we go for a run? Sitting in class all day makes me antsy.”

“Sure. I’m a little antsy myself.”

They went to the shifting tree and loped around the mountain for a while. Then, out of the blue, Josiah’s hackles were raised, and he was suddenly uneasy. He looked around and saw a couple of humans he hadn’t ever seen before wandering around.

Who are they?

I don’t know, Son. They could be hikers who got off the trail. They could also be rogue vampires or hunters. We don’t want to take any chances.

They headed back down to the shifting tree. Once they were safely back in Josiah’s truck, he called Zac and reported what he saw to Zac.

“I’ll send a couple of people up there to find out,” Zac said. “One of them will be a dragon shifter. Lucious was right in that the two ways to kill vampires are with a wooden stake to the heart or beheading. However, being burned to ashes by a dragon is hard to recover from, unless one is a phoenix.”

Later on, Zac said that the strangers were gone by the time the dragon shifter and wolf shifter made it to the area.

The rest of the week went by fairly quickly. There weren’t any additional vampire attacks, so they either moved on or were feeding outside of Angel’s Creek area. Elias and his men also took a break from harassing Zahra. He was pretty sure that they weren’t done, yet. Josiah picked Jace up from school Friday. Jace asked if they could go to the mountain.

Josiah was extremely wary, but there weren’t any strangers lurking about. He noticed that he was extra cautious when he had Jace with him.

I guess it’s those daddy genes going to work , he thought.

“Can I stay the night?” Jace asked when they got back to Josiah’s house.

“We’ll ask your mom.”

Zahra readily agreed and said she would bring over some clothes for him.

“He has some here. Mom and Dad took him shopping, but I would love for you to join us for dinner. I thought I would grill some steaks and baked potatoes.”

“Grandma and Grandpa bought me a Monopoly game. I’ll destroy the both of you,” Jace called out.

Zahra laughed and asked what time she should show up.

“How about six? Can I bring anything?”

“Chocolate-covered cherry cookies,” Jace yelled.

Zahra laughed. “I don’t have time to make those. I’ll figure out something yummy for dessert.”

Josiah and Jace went out back so they could get the grill fired up.

“Is Mom in trouble?”

The question took Josiah off guard and the vulnerability in Jace’s voice broke his heart.

“Why do you ask that?”

“I know about Elias. I heard Mom and Uncle Zac talking. I also know that Elias wants to make Mom go back to St. Theresa to be his Luna and that he doesn’t want me. I think he wants to hurt me. I don’t like him. Elias’ dad, Gentry, was nice, but Elias isn’t.”

“Your mother is a very smart, strong woman. She’ll protect the both of you. Plus, you have Uncle Zac, Uncle Conner, as well as me and the rest of the wolf shifter pack to watch over you. We’re not going to let anything happen to you guys.”

Jace nodded, but he didn’t look convinced. Josiah hated not being able to make Jace feel better. More than anything, he wanted to take away his fear.

I guess that’s the not-so-fun part about being a dad.

Zahra showed up right at six with some ice cream, waffle cones, and the chocolate syrup that gets hard when it’s poured on top of the ice cream.

“Yummy,” Jace said, rubbing his tummy exaggeratingly.

She laughed. “After supper, Buddy.”

The steaks turned out perfect and Jace proved himself to be a real estate shark when playing Monopoly . He decimated both of his parents. As his prize, Jace got two scoops of ice cream.

Josiah raised his eyebrows as the boy happily licked his cone. “Is he going to be up all night?”

Zahra shook her head. “Nah. We’ll watch a movie and the sugar rush will wane, and he’ll be ready for bed at his usual time on Friday nights.”

Sure enough, after they enjoyed their treat and watched Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Jace started yawning.

“Can all three of us read tonight?”

“Of course.”

As usual, Jace tried to con extra chapters out of them but good-naturedly closed his eyes when Zahra told him no.

Josiah and Zahra walked quietly back into the living room.

“You are doing a great job with him. He worships the ground you walk on.”

“Thank you. I guess it’s what people call baptism by fire.”

They sat on the couch and Josiah reached for her hand. “Jace is worried.”

“Let me guess. He’s worried about Elias.”

“Yes, he asked me if you were in trouble.”

She sighed heavily. “I should have known. I’ll talk to him about the situation. I’m just really glad that he felt comfortable enough to talk to you about his feelings. He doesn’t open up to too many people.”

The statement made Josiah feel great. He smiled widely and puffed out his chest.

Zahra scooted closer to him and he looked into her eyes. A million different emotions whirled around in the blue orbs. Josiah touched her face and leaned down to kiss her. Lightning instantly exploded around them the second their lips touched.

He was instantly hard and wanted nothing more than to rip off her clothes and take her right there on the couch.

As though she could read his mind, she asked, “Should we take this into the bedroom?”

Without a word, he grabbed her hand and led him to the large master bedroom. She looked around the room curiously. The white walls were adorned with pictures of wolves and the moon. A dark green comforter covered his bed, and a large recliner was in the corner, positioned perfectly toward the big screen television mounted on the wall. Below that was a cabinet with a video game system and several games.

“This is a man cave with a bed in it,” she commented looking around.

“Yep. I live alone, so there’s no one to tell me I can’t hang out in here and play games all night long.”

She laughed.

He grinned at her and tugged at her shirt. “Do you need that?”

“Not right this minute.”

“Take it off. As a matter of fact, take it all off.”

Zahra blushed but slowly undressed. She stood naked in front of him, and he let out a low whistle.

“I’ve seen some pretty fine-looking naked ladies over the years, but none are as sexy as you are.”

“Thank you. You are overdressed.”

“Why don’t you help a man out with that?”

She undressed him. Zahra’s hands ran all over his body, exploring him with her fingertips and mouth.

He pulled back the comforter and pushed her gently onto the bed. She fell on her back and scooted up so she was laying in the middle. Josiah nibbled on the side of her neck and then pushed his fingers inside of her, stretching her a little.

“Josiah, I need you. Please,” she begged.

“Your wish is my command.”

He put his thick, hard shaft at the entrance of her hot, wet core and drove it all the way inside hard and fast. Their bodies rocked together in a rhythm as his cock stroked her pussy walls. Josiah pulled almost all the way out. She lifted her hips, ready for him to thrust back, burying himself completely.

It didn’t take long for both of them to reach their peak.

When they finally caught their breaths, she said, “I guess I need to get home.”

He wanted to protest and ask her to stay, but he couldn’t find his voice. Instead, he clamored out of bed and got her a washcloth.

She quickly washed and dressed. He walked her to the door.

“Be very careful tonight. Make sure you lock the doors behind you and set your alarm. Text me when you’re home safe.”

“I promise.”

He brushed a kiss across her lips and watched her walk to her car. Normally, he would have walked her to her car, but he was naked and didn’t want to shock any neighbors.

Josiah changed the sheets and lay in bed, which felt strangely empty.