Page 7 of Roman (Destined Paranormals #7)

Chapter 7

Roman

I ’d been through a lot in what I would consider a still-short life. But trying to force my tiger to leave our mate on Treasure Ridge was by far the most difficult. I learned a little about Beau but still wanted to know more. I had time, of course, but telling that to my tiger was impossible. Which was why I was currently in Ramsey and Phineas’s spare bedroom. My tiger absolutely refused to let me leave the mountain.

Was I closer to my mate? Somewhat. He was in the single enforcer housing somewhere with his brother. I was trying my best to at least relax because I knew that sleep was absolutely out of the question.

A quiet knock on the bedroom door pulled me from my thoughts. “It’s open,” I called out quietly. It could have been Ramsey or Phineas, and either would have been able to hear me. When I saw my brother’s form appear in shadow, I sat up. “Hey, Phineas. Is everything all right?” I asked, reaching for the light that was on the nightstand.

“Yes. I wanted to check on you. How are you doing?” Phineas asked as he came into the room and crawled onto the bed, getting himself situated at the foot of it.

“I’m doing about as well as can be expected. How about you? Everything going all right for you?”

Phineas sighed. “Yes. I…” Phineas stopped for a moment before continuing. “I’m going to be going into heat soon. Ramsey wasn’t exactly thrilled because of what happened with Raiden and Alexander. It was the same thing before, when I was pregnant with Hazel. But his brother came to talk to him earlier while you were out running.”

That was why I’d scented him around the area. “Are the two of you not planning on having more children? I had thought you wanted several.”

“I do, but my mate doesn’t. It’s a situation where we have to compromise. I mean, I understand his reasons for being cautious.”

“I thought that what happened to Alexander wasn’t all that common?” I should know more about gargoyle pregnancies, or the pregnancies of gargoyle mates since my brother was mated to one.

“Yes, but that doesn’t stop Ramsey from being worried. I do understand why, though, because there isn’t a gargoyle mate on this mountain that hasn’t had a difficult pregnancy. Even alpha mate Mael has had at least one challenging pregnancy.”

“Do you need me to take Hazel? I shouldn’t even be here if you’re going to go into heat,” I said as I moved to the edge of the bed to get up. I hadn’t even thought to ask them about what was going on earlier. It wasn’t really my place to butt into their relationship. I’d offer advice if asked, but I was doing my best to give them space. Perhaps too much space.

Phineas smiled at me while shaking his head. “No, Raiden and Alexander are going to take her. They offered, as did Knox and Philip, but with Raiden being right next door, it just makes more sense for them to watch her. Well, Alexander, since he spends so much time with her already.”

“Is he not working? I was under the impression that he’s running the clinic in Timber Valley.”

Phineas shrugged. “I think he works when needed, but he doesn’t go to work every day. If I remember correctly, he’s planning on going back full-time once Rowan is in school. He has a few more years though, and I’m not completely certain about that.”

It made sense in some ways. Many shifter couples had one parent stay home with the children while they were young. They couldn’t go to human schools or hospitals, and they often lived with their pride, pack, den, or similar, and that was just how things were. But I was honestly a bit surprised that it was Alexander that was staying home. He had spent so long going to medical school. But then again, he was quite a bit older than I was, so it was possible he was ready for a change.

“Well, if you need anything in the next couple of weeks, let me know. I understand that you are going to not really be able to reach out, but I’ll check in and make sure you are doing all right.”

“That’s why I wanted to talk to you,” Phineas said. “If I go into heat as quick as I think I will, I won’t be around to congratulate you. And then you and Beau are probably going to be doing the same things.” Phineas looked down at his lap, wringing his hands together. He was nervous about something, and I hated that I didn’t know my brother well enough any longer to know what about.

“I’m not sure Beau will be ready to be claimed in such a short amount of time.” I was willing to claim him tonight if that was what he wanted, but when he left with his brother, I knew it wasn’t time. Actually, I had picked up on the fact that he was going to take a while to come to terms with everything when we were enjoying our meal together.

“I have no doubt he will come around. I’m not sure if you saw us or not, but Ramsey brought me over to peek at the two of you, and the way he was looking at you…” Phineas sighed. “I’m sure it’s much like how I look at Ramsey. You could ask him tomorrow, and I’m sure he’d say yes.”

I chuckled. “I appreciate your encouragement, but we are going to take things at a slower pace. He’s just opened the bakery, and I’m going to do everything I can to support him in that. It was something that he brought up.” I wasn’t sure if it was because of what his brother had said or if it was also very much in the forefront of his thoughts. Either way, I was going to wait and take things at his pace.

Phineas snorted. “You say that now, but wait. He’s going to change his mind about taking things slow. Have no doubts. But I just wanted to tell you congratulations. I didn’t intend to keep you up.”

I shook my head. “You aren’t. I’m trying to convince my tiger it is not a good idea to go running around the mountaintop and searching for him.” I was actually just about to give up and do exactly that before Phineas knocked on the door.

“Well, maybe you should. That’s what I did when I went looking for Ramsey. I just followed my nose, and when I found the place that scented like him most, I curled up on his little back porch and waited. Probably not the best thing to do, but it was what my fox felt needed to be done at that time.” Phineas slid off the bed. “I hope things work out for you and Beau, Roman. And that you don’t have to wait too long for your mate. You, more than anyone, deserve someone to call your own and who can finally give you your own children.”

I slowly shook my head. “I don’t need to have children, Phineas. They aren’t a make-or-break thing for me.” Did I want them? Yes, but if they weren’t what Beau desired the most, that would be fine with me. We’d talked about families briefly, but we needed to have a more private setting to discuss everything that really needed to be said.

“You are an amazing father, Roman. It would be sad to not see you with children of your own. You were so wonderful to me and Philip. I know we didn’t necessarily believe so at the time, but we did know that you loved us, and you were doing what was needed to keep us all safe.”

There were so many mistakes along the way, and I didn’t have the heart to tell the twins that I had almost failed on more than one occasion. I had done my best, but even I had slipped up at times. Ramsey’s sudden appearance in the doorway kept me from saying anything more.

“There you are,” he said as he took a step into the room. “Is everything all right?”

“It is,” I answered before my brother. “He was offering an early congrats on my hopefully impending mating.” I shook my head. “Although I’m not sure I’ll be mated by the time I see the pair of you again.” I stood and held out my arms for Phineas. He closed the distance between us, and I wrapped him up in a hug. He was tiny in my arms, but he and Philip had always been. “I love you, Phineas. Nothing will ever change that,” I whispered to him. “Now, go back to your mate and enjoy your time with him.” I looked up at Ramsey as I let my brother go. “Thank you for everything. But I’m going to drop my clothing on your back deck and go for another run. I won’t be back this evening,” I told him.

“There is no need for you to stay away,” Ramsey told me.

I shook my head. “There is. My tiger will not settle, and I know it’s because Beau isn’t here with me. It’s too soon for that though, and I’m going to settle my other half by exploring the area a little. It’s been a while since I’ve been up here for a good run—earlier wasn’t nearly long enough. I’ll be sure to grab my clothing in the morning though.” I glanced between the two. “I wish you both the best in the upcoming weeks. I know that no matter what happens, the family will be here for the two of you.”

Of course I didn’t wish for anything to happen to my brother. Either of them, for that matter. Phineas was young though, and despite his small size, he was strong. If he were to end up experiencing a difficult pregnancy, I would do anything I could to help him. We all would.

“You don’t have leave,” Ramsey said.

“I don’t feel pressured to do so. But you must remember what it was like in the beginning before you claimed Phineas. I was horrible to the two of you and made you wait. I do not deserve the kindness the two of you are offering now but appreciate it. I must go though.” I tried to convey to Ramsey that my tiger wasn’t really giving me much of an option at this point. It had been easier before Phineas came to talk, but now I knew there would be no way to keep him from having his way. He wanted to at least scout out where our mate was and ensure he was safe. I had no doubt that was the case, but my tiger wasn’t exactly being rational at the moment.

“I can perhaps help some,” Ramsey said. “I do not know which exact house number, but I know that Evan and Beau live in the middle row that faces the council building.”

I smiled at my brother-in-law. “Thank you. That will certainly make things a bit easier. I have no plans to knock on the door, but the hope is that if I’m a bit closer to him, my tiger will settle enough to rest.”

I could curl up and sleep anywhere on the mountain. It wasn’t as if a white tiger would be mistaken for being an out-of-place native species to the area. Not only that, but many of the enforcers knew my scent from the days of me running the council’s store.

Ramsey pulled Phineas from the room, and after I heard their footsteps fade away into their own room down the hallway, I turned back to the bed. I wasn’t sure if Phineas would want me to strip and change it or not, so I pulled the covers up and made the bed.

Within minutes, I had let myself out of his back door and stripped off my clothing. Once it was folded and placed on one of the lounge chairs on the back deck, I knelt down and smiled as my tiger chuffed in my mind. It only took moments for him to come out, and when my enhanced human eyesight sharpened even more in the darkness, I scanned the immediate area before shaking out my coat.

With ease, I padded down off the back deck and onto the soft grass. It felt damp beneath the pads of my feet, telling me that we’d hit dew point already. It wasn’t as if that was an issue for me. My tiger had no issues with any type of terrain that I’d ever encountered before.

Knowing the general direction I needed to go, I headed toward the council building. The mountaintop had changed quite a bit since my brothers and I had first moved here. There were not only more buildings around the council building itself, but there were many more houses. Some were in neighborhoods, some in single rows, some scattered in various places on the mountaintop.

The single enforcer housing had also been added to, despite many of the once-single enforcers now living in mated housing. I chuckled in my mind. It seemed as if the enforcers, and the council in general, were on the fates’ radar when it came to being matched with mates. I had always assumed I wasn’t going to be so fortunate since I wasn’t an enforcer. Apparently, I had been wrong.

It only took minutes for me to travel from Ramsey’s house to the council building. Once there, I ventured behind to where the single enforcers lived. What was my intention? Nothing too specific, except to maybe see if I could scent my mate around one of the units more than others. Sure, he and his brother had come through here hours ago, but so had many others. I might be able to locate him, but if not, my tiger was already calmer just being closer to where Beau was.

Was this going to be an issue for me? Possibly. Like any other alpha, until I’d claimed Beau, I was going to be a bit territorial about my mate. Actually, that wasn’t completely true. I was going to be possessive our entire lives. It was just how we were. I had been so harsh with Ramsey in the beginning, and it took a lot of self-reflecting to be able to step back and let him and Phineas have the mating they deserved. And now? He had been nothing but helpful when it came to me having any chance with Beau.

I made it to the center building, and immediately, a familiar scent that I hoped to have next to me for centuries to come jumped out at me. I froze and looked around, wondering if Beau had been by here recently. Why was his scent so prominent?

“You’re close, but he’s not there,” a voice said from a distance. I didn’t need them to speak loudly in order for me to hear them though.

I turned, looking toward the sound, and found a completely different fae standing against the building. This one, I had only seen from a distance earlier.

“I’m Lukan,” he told me. It wasn’t as if I could talk to him in my current form though. “Beau lives there with his brother.” He pointed at the building he was leaning against but over to his right. “Two doors over. But he’s not there. He and Evan were having an argument earlier, and Beau left.” Lukan pointed behind him. “He’s in my spare bedroom, sleeping.”

That absolutely wasn’t what I wanted to hear. The flash of anger was instant, and a bit unexpected at the level I was experiencing. I wanted nothing more than to rush into the house that Lukan had indicated and tear into Evan for making my mate upset. At the same time, I needed to comfort my mate.

“Don’t worry, big guy.”

I looked back at Lukan and realized I’d been growling while staring at the house Beau lived in.

“The other guys are having a sit-down with Evan. We all love Beau like he was our little brother, and the fact that he’s been gifted a mate is amazing. Evan is struggling with the fact that his brother won’t have only him in his life anymore.”

I sat down and stared. I was incredibly torn.

“We’ll take care of Beau. But if you want to talk to him, you might need to make sure you’re in your other form. I don’t know that he speaks tiger. You know?”

I harrumphed at Lukan. He wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t communicate with Beau until we’d claimed one another.

“I’m going to get back inside. If you want to talk to him, do come back as your other half. And although I wouldn’t complain about seeing you naked, I don’t think Beau would like it very much, so make sure you’re dressed too, all right?”

I made another noise at Lukan before he chuckled before he disappeared inside the house he’d been standing outside of. How was it that I’d just had a conversation with the fae without ever saying a word? I sat there for a moment longer before I managed to turn and leave. I could do nothing for my mate in my current form, and that meant I would have to go back to Ramsey’s and get dressed. But Lukan had said that Beau was sleeping. With that last thought in mind, I retraced my steps and went around to the back of the house. Once I found the correct back porch, I curled up and prepared for the rest of the night. It wasn’t as if it was cold out. Even if it was, my tiger form could handle it.

I heard several voices a bit later and had to assume it was the others as they left the house that Beau shared with his brother. I didn’t stir from my spot where I was curled up and watching over the back door of Lukan’s place. Not that there was any threat.

I somehow dozed off at some point, though, because I was awoken by a push on my head. When I looked up, I found familiar blue eyes staring at me.

“I figured I’d find ye here. Edison wants to talk to ye, so ye best be comin’ along with me.”

I absolutely would not argue with the created warlock’s mate at any time, so I stood and stretched. I heard chuckling off in the distance and realized that Wallace hadn’t waited for me. It wasn’t as if I would have an issue with catching up with the other tiger shifter. It was time to see what Master Edison needed.