Reckless Regrets
Chapter 42

Kade

“Why don’t you go take a nap before dinner, Sugar? We can finish up here,” I told a very sleepy looking Morgan.

Our “crash course” turned into an all-day event where none of us left the conference room while we tried to get the plan in place. Alaia and Taylor kept up with things pretty well, but I could see Morgan running out of steam. The baby was taking a lot out of her, even if she was just sitting down.

“I want to help. I know he’s Taylor’s husband, and it’s her job to worry about him, but Tyson is my favorite cousin, and I want to know everything I can about what he’ll be dealing with. He can take care of himself, but I want him safe, and I’ll feel better if I stay until the end,” she replied.

I understood completely. It was always evident how much Morgan loved Tyson; even when we had him beaten and chained in the basement, she did everything in her power to help him. It would stand to reason that now would be the same, and she’d battle fatigue and anything else if it made her feel like she was doing her part.

“Do you need anything? If you’re going to stay, I at least want you comfortable.”

“Could you massage my lower back for me? If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear someone was stabbing me right now.”

I pulled her to her feet and moved to the corner of the table, where she bent down slightly and placed her hands in front of her. I then moved behind her and began to work my magic on her back. Taylor and Alaia looked over and smiled at us, probably remembering the times when they had their guys do the same for them.

“I’m so happy to have you home, babe, and not just for the massage. I missed you so much that it hurt. Not physical hurt, but emotional hurt. And even with everyone around making me laugh and smile, the pain was still there. It’s gone now, and I know it’s because I’ve got the other half of my heart back.”

I leaned down and kissed the back of her neck while inhaling her scent. I really hated that all of this harmed her, but this moment let me know how right I was to come home when I did. We’d both needed to reconnect; no one was meant to go long periods without their mate; it was pure torture.

“You’ve got me back, and you’re never going to lose me. You and that little princess you’re baking up are stuck with me forever.”

“You think it’s a girl?” she asked.

“Yeah. First of all, you know the ladies love me. And second, I think that karma would absolutely give me a daughter. Payback for all the foul s**t I did as a horny teenager.”

“It didn’t stop in your teenage years, let’s be honest,” she joked.

“Fine! All the s**t I did every day until I met you. I won’t get a moment to rest, having a daughter as beautiful as you out in the world.”

“Flattery? Huh, I like it. Keep it and the massages coming,” she laughed.

We continued our conversation until I got a text message from Nathan asking if I could talk. I hadn’t spoken to him since I’d left Oregon, and I did promise that I’d give him any updates as soon as I got them. Hopefully, letting him know that we had a plan in place would give him some peace.

“I’ve got to step out for a minute and talk with Nathan; I need to let him know what’s going on with Marisol and make sure he and Cameron are doing alright.”

“We’re almost done here, I think, so it’s not a problem. If we need to, we can carve some time out tomorrow for fine-tuning,” Xander replied.

“Perfect. How about that nap, then Sugar?” I asked Morgan.

Kade

“Why don’t you go take a nap before dinner, Sugar? We can finish up here,” I told a very sleepy looking Morgan.

She yawned and nodded her head.

“As long as everyone else is leaving, I can go for 30 minutes or so.”

She gave me a quick k**s on the cheek then left the room, yawning and rubbing her back the entire way. I then turned to Taylor, a little bit concerned.

“You carried a hybrid baby. Is it normal for her to be so tired and sore? Do you think something could be wrong?”

“She’s perfectly fine, I was even worse than her, but then again, I was carrying twins. So don’t worry, your appointment with Dr. Bennett is tomorrow, and you’ll know for sure then.”

Somehow I’d forgotten all about the appointment. I’d used it as a ploy to talk Morgan out of the abortion, and since that was no longer a factor, the whole thing had slipped my mind.

“Cool. I just want her to have the best pregnancy possible, but I’ll take your word for it.”

After a quick peck to the top of her head, I left Taylor and went out to meet Nate at his cottage. When I walked up, I found Cameron riding his bike in the front yard, making “vroom-vroom” noises as he went along. As soon as he saw me, he skidded to a stop, jumped off, and ran over in my direction.

“Hey, Dad! What are you doing here? Nate said you and Mom were back at home with Grandpa and everyone else. Did you come to surprise me?”

“Hey, Little Man. I’m here to talk to Nate about some boring grown-up stuff, that’s all. Are you having a good time with my old pack?”

“Yeah! Everyone is so nice, especially my girlfriend, Ms. Morgan. I’m gonna marry her one day, watch!”

The look on his face was one of sheer determination; Cameron was dead serious, and inside, I had to chuckle. Over my dead body, kid, over my dead body.

“Ms. Morgan is very nice and very pretty. You’ve got good taste,” I told him as I gave a big high-five.

“Thanks, Dad. I’ve got to go now, I’ve got a race to win,” he said before he ran back to his bike and continued making laps around the house.

I chuckled as I walked to the front door. I swear this kid was older than four; he was way too smart. Nate met me at the door before I even had the chance to knock. I knew he was probably nervous about the news I had to give; any man would be. So I figured that I get right to it.

“We’re going in to get Marisol, Nate. We don’t have any way to get her and Gabby out through the normal channels, so we’re breaking them out.”

“How is she? Can I help?” he asked.

“I’m not sure; you’ve just got to trust in her ability to be strong. There’s nothing that you can do right now; we’re working out every detail to make sure we get them out safely, so try not to worry.”

“When are you going in?”

“Tyson leaves tomorrow night.”

***

Morgan

After my nap, I joined Taylor and Alaia in the kid’s playroom. This has become our unofficial hang spot, and we’d usually meet here before dinner each night. As expected, the two of them were sitting on the floor while the kids did their thing.

Xayden and Alex were typical three-year-olds, Angelica was one and a half, Genesis had just made two, and Jaylon and Julian were a few months old. They were such a big and active group, but I loved watching them all interact with one another.

One day, it would be these crying, drooling, irrational creatures who would be tasked with running the pack. I was more than a little curious to see how they would get along and make it happen, especially with Xayden and Alex always fighting for Genesis’ attention.

“How are you feeling, Momma Bear?” Alaia asked when I walked in.

“The nap was a big help, but my back is still killing me. I’m going to take a nice warm bath after dinner to see if it helps,” I answered.

“Well, if you need my help, just let me know. How are things with you and Kade?”

“They’re good. We’ve pretty much picked up where we left off. Besides the fact that he sprung the news of me being Canyon Woods Luna on me last night, not much has changed.”

“Wow. I never even though of that, how does it feel?” Taylor asked.

“I don’t feel anything, honestly. Alaia is the Luna, not me. She was born for that role, and she’s incredible at it. Once Xander completes the merge, I’ll be a distant memory, and I really don’t mind.”

“Either one of you could be a Luna. It’s not about how you were raised; it’s about who you are. You’re both caring and compassionate, and that’s the foundation. Don’t sell yourself short, babe; you were born for this as well,” Alaia stated.

“Even so, I’ve got maybe what, a week until that pack is dissolved into ours? There’s no need for me to latch on to the title or the allure that goes with it when it will be gone soon. Besides, Kade and I like being support. We’ll let you two stand in the spotlight and take all the heat if s**t goes south,” I joked.

“That’s so kind of you, thanks, Morgan,” Alaia laughed.

I came into this pack as a Beta, then lost that position and became a Gamma, then, at the same time, became a Luna. Thinking about it, I really didn’t care what my title or rank I was. As long as I was Kade’s woman, nothing else mattered.

“Are you alright with the plan to send Tyson to The Badlands? Well, not ‘alright,’ that’s impossible, but will you be okay?” I asked Taylor.

“I’m not okay or alright; I’m terrified, but I can’t tell him that. I don’t want him to worry about me when he’s in there; he needs to focus and not be wondering if I’m having a nervous breakdown. But deep down, I’ve never been more scared. I know Tyson can take care of himself better than anyone I know. But the worst of the worst are there, and what if someone had a grudge against him from back when he was Hades? He can’t fight off dark magic, and that makes him vulnerable whether he likes it or not.”

“Dark magic. He can’t fight off dark magic…but I can,” Alaia thought aloud.

“What are you talking about? There’s no way in hell Xander or anyone would agree to let you take Tyson’s place on the inside. That’s insane,” I told her.

“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m not trying to go in, I’m tough as hell, but I know and accept my limits.”

“Then please explain what you’re saying because I’m so confused,” Taylor chimed in.

“When I had my first shift, the Elders said that my powers would continue to grow and evolve and that it was possible to transfer them to someone else. That, someone, was always thought to be Aaron since he’s part of the pair, but what if I could transfer them to Tyson?

No one here needs my powers on a daily basis, but if I could loan them to him for those three days, he could make sure any injuries the girls may have would be taken care of while also keeping the witches and warlocks from casting any spells.”

“Can you do that?!” Taylor excitedly asked.

“I have no f*****g clue, but I’m going to find out. I promised that I’d use my powers to protect this pack, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”