Page 47 of The Scent of Seduction

Roberta and Chris carried the twins into her and Jaryn’s bedroom. Nicole already missed the feel of Kaden in her arms. She sighed and leaned into her mate when his arm came around her waist.

“So Charlie, are you ready to be on call as a babysitter?” Cooper asked.

“Sure, how hard can it be?”

All the adults chuckled under their breath. Only a teenager could be so naïve. Shaun’s comm-unit beeped, and he looked down.

“I have to go. I want to visit each of the pack homes that have taken in one of the rescued children. There’s going to be a lot of paperwork ahead of us to get them identities. I’m working with the scientists to identify which child is what species, then the council is going to contact different packs, prides, dens and so forth to find willing adoptive parents.”

“What about Bryan?” Jaryn asked. “He’s nineteen, hardly at an age where he’ll be looking for parents to raise him.”

Nicole looked up at her mate. “Parents or not, he’ll need a support system. Why doesn’t the pack set him up with somewhere to live in town? Maybe a family who has a garage apartment or something? He can get a job in Stonepass and slowly learn how to integrate into society. Pardon the expression, but I don’t want him to be thrown to the wolves.”

Shaun and Cooper both nodded, and Jaryn tilted Nicole’s head up for a soft kiss. “Good idea, sweetheart.”

“What about school?” Charlie asked.

“He’s had private tutors his whole life. Dr. Johns said his IQ is off the charts. I guess once he gets an official identity, he could apply for college, but he’ll need a period of adjustment before that’s reasonable, I think.”

Shaun said his goodbyes and Nicole walked him to the door. She stretched up on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck to hug him. She heard Jaryn’s low growl from across the room, but ignored her jealous mate.

“Thank you for saving him. He doesn’t think I know, but I saw the images.” She stepped back and looked over at Jaryn. “What’s going to happen now? Do you have any idea where Adam disappeared to?”

Shaun shook his head. “We’ll find him, though. I promise.”

“I know.” She opened the door. “Now go on. I know you’re eager to check on your pack. You’re a good Beta, Shaun. Someday you’ll find a mate that will appreciate all your qualities.”

Shaun bowed his head. “Thank you.”

Nicole had just closed the front door when Jaryn’s and her bedroom door opened and Roberta and Chris carried Kaden and Gavin out.

Roberta brought Gavin over to Nicole. She held up her finger to her lips. “All right, everyone. We should leave, so the new family has time to bond. There will be plenty of opportunities to play the doting uncles and grandparents later,” she said softly.

Chris handed Kaden over to Jaryn then wrapped his arm around his mate. “You’re just saying that because you’re all full of yourself since you got Gavin to fall asleep before I got Kaden to.”

Roberta giggled, “Well, I have to take my credits where I can.”

Jaryn hugged his mom then his dad. “Thank you for your help.” He went over to Charlie and rubbed the back of his head. “See you soon, yeah?”

Charlie nodded and smiled. He came over to Nicole and lightly put his hand on Gavin. “Don’t worry, little buddy. I’ll teach you and your brother everything you need to know about how to get around the boring old adult rules.”

With that, he dashed out the front door.

Jaryn shook his head. “I swear that kid is nothing but trouble.”

Nicole walked over to her mate and leaned against him. “And you love him for it, don’t you?”

Jaryn smiled. “Yeah, wouldn’t have him any other way.”

Jaryn’s parents quietly left, and Nicole relaxed on the sofa with her mate. “I guess we should call my parents, huh?”

“Might be a good idea, unless you want to give them heart attacks when we send out our Christmas greeting next month.”

Jaryn had Kaden tucked in his left arm, so Nicole rested her head on her mate’s right shoulder. “You must be tired. Why don’t you give me Kaden and go lay down for a while?”

Jaryn rubbed his cheek against the top of Nicole’s head. “I have a better idea,” he whispered. “Why don’t we put the boys in their carriers? We’ll take them into the bedroom and all four of us will have a nap. I’d really like to hold you, and I’m sure you didn’t sleep much last night, either.”

Nicole stood and picked up one of the carriers sitting on the living room floor. She heard Jaryn behind her order the house to go into secure mode. Nicole put the carrier on the floor at the foot of the bed. She gently placed Gavin in the padded holder, ensuring he was settled before stepping away. She stripped off her jeans and climbed into bed. Jaryn came into the bedroom with Kaden already in the carrier. He stripped and glanced over at the bathroom.

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