Caleb was taller than Bran’s six feet four by two inches. Bran had reddish-brown hair and warm amber eyes. This man had black hair and his eyes were so dark brown they were almost black. Bran was muscular but lean. This man had thick ropes of muscles that were clearly defined, giving him an extremely cut look. She was able to look her fill because the man wasn’t wearing a shirt, just a pair of worn jeans and a dishtowel sporting spit-up draped over one bare shoulder. His hair was sticking up in every direction and his eyes were bloodshot. In his arms he held one crying infant, who looked to be about eight months old.
“Alphas, I’m sorry, but did I miss an appointment?” Caleb asked.
Kate was shocked at her body’s reaction to his deep voice. She felt ashamed for feeling these things for another man when her mate was standing right beside her. Before Bran could catch the scent of her arousal, she stepped forward and motioned for Caleb to hand her the baby.
Caleb eyed her cautiously before slowly handing over his son. Kate walked into the house, acting as though she knew what she was doing. Both men followed her. She rocked the little guy and to her own amazement, he quieted right down. Caleb slumped against the doorway.
“How did you do that? I’ve been up with them all night.” He ran his hands over his face. Just then a thin wail was heard behind them, coming from down the hall. Caleb looked up exhausted. Kate stepped forward.
“Bran, check in with Caleb. I’ll go check on the other one.”
She rocked the baby in her arms. Bran nodded, giving her a funny look. She walked to the back room, humming and running her hand up and down the baby’s back. He could have sworn she was aroused. He shook his head.
“Why are you looking at her that way?” Caleb asked.
“I’ve never seen her with a baby before,” Bran said. He felt his wolf straining to come to the surface. It wanted to create pups with his mate.
Caleb smiled. “One of the most beautiful sights in this world is a mother and child.” He motioned for Bran to come in and sit down.
“I agree.” Bran shook his head then turned to the larger man, who had collapsed into the leather recliner. It was the only piece of modern furniture in the room. Everything else looked as though it had come with the house.
“Caleb, are you doing okay out here? Mojo called last night to say you didn’t make it in. He was worried about you. You know that if you need help the pack will assist, especially since you have pups.”
Caleb winced. “That’s just it, Alpha. They aren’t pups.”
“Well, shit,” Bran stared back at the man. “Okay, lay it on me,” Bran said, sitting back.
“I didn’t lie when I petitioned to become a pack member. They are my sons. I just think they may be taking more after their mother than me,” Caleb said quietly.
“Caleb, where is your children’s mother?” Bran asked.
“She and her entire leap were murdered. They were hung by their ankles and purposefully drained of blood the way that hunters drain their kills. Thank God I had the boys with me at the time. I had taken them with me to get pictures taken for Renee. It was going to be a surprise.” Caleb rubbed his hands over his eyes.
“I’m sorry about your mate,” Bran said and Caleb looked up a surprised expression on his face.
“Renee Langford wasn’t my mate. She was my best friend. Renee was a snow leopard. They are as rare as shifters as they are in the wild. When it came time for her to reproduce for her leap, she wasn’t in any kind of relationship. So she asked me to donate the sperm. In every instance that a snow leopard has mated with someone outside their species, they produce snow leopard cubs. Renee believed it was because they are so rare, that it was nature’s way of keeping the balance. When Landon and Lucas were born, I moved in with Renee and her leap to help out with the boys until they were older and then I would become cool Uncle Caleb. That was the plan anyway.” He looked at Bran with pain in his eyes.
“Did they ever catch the ones who killed them?” Bran asked.
Caleb shook his head.
“We have heard of kills like that going on all over the country. Hyenas are working with vampires to provide them with shifter blood. A couple months ago, Rebecca was kidnapped. What a lot of people don’t know is that she was kidnapped to be used as a bargaining chip to get more blood from Arkadia for the hyenas,” Bran explained.
“I didn’t have any family or pack to turn to, so I came here to Arkadia, where, at the very least, I thought the boys would be safe. Now you’re telling me about hyenas and vampires. If the next Alpha Mother isn’t safe, what about my boys?” Caleb stood and went to the window.