Chapter 27

Landon wasted no time, he grabbed her jacket and wrapped it around his waist concealing some of his nakedness then spotted Jocelyn’s purse. He reached inside pulled out her phone. As he held Jocelyn with one arm, he dialed the demon compound.

Jenna answered on the first ring. “Joce?”

“It’s Landon,” he blurted, then briefly explained their situation, before he was done Cain appeared. Jenna and Lucas appeared moments later. He snapped the phone shut just as Cain reached for Jocelyn and dematerialized.

“Wait! Where did he take her?” Landon asked.

“Home,” Lucas said. “Jacob and Benjamin should be here any second.” As he spoke, the demons appeared.

“Wait, but—” Landon said, frazzled.

“Benjamin, take him home. Matthew is on his way. We will clean up here,” Lucas instructed.

Landon glanced in Benjamin’s direction.

“Must you always be naked?” Benjamin chided.

Not in the mood for Benjamin’s jests, Landon scowled.

They materialized on the second floor of his estate. Landon rushed up the staircase toward his room. When he entered, he spotted Jocelyn on the bed. Matthew lingered over her checking for injuries. Landon barely noticed Cain and Olivia at the far end of the room speaking in hushed tones.

“Her back—”

Matthew turned to face him, “Her back has already healed, Landon. She is fine.”

Landon drew his hands through his hair in frustration. “But her back, she couldn’t move before—”

“She is an immortal,” Matthew reminded him.

“I know that!” Landon nearly screamed as he stepped toward him. “But last time—”

“Last time, she was poisoned, and the poison prevented her from healing as quickly. Besides, you must also take into consideration that you have mated. Mating always makes immortals stronger,” Matthew attempted to reason.

“But we were already mated when that happened,” Landon countered.

Matthew shook his head and took a deep breath. “Technically, but the mating was recent. That could have had something to do with it.” He paused waiting for Landon to raise any other concerns. “Let her rest. Once she awakes, I need to speak to the both of you in private.”

“What? What do you mean? Why do you need to speak to both of us in private? Then, there is something wrong!” Landon yelped.

“No, there is not,” Matthew replied sternly his patience wearing thin.

Olivia stomped her way toward Landon. “Landon! That’s enough! You are acting like an overprotective idiot!”

Landon faced his sister, unnerved by the intensity in her gaze. Her irises swarmed with yellow.

My baby sister is losing her temper with me? Not again!

She took a deep breath and slowly the yellow receded. “Do you really think that all this fussing around her is helping her rest? You will stop, or I will lock you out of this room! And please put on some clothes!”

She turned and walked away from him toward Cain who whispered, “A little harsh, no?”

Landon grabbed a pair of shorts and pulled them on hastily as he strode toward Jocelyn. He sat beside her taking her hand in his as the events from the last hour replayed in his mind. Liv is right about one thing. I am an idiot, an absolute idiot!

He closed his eyes, and her pained expression appeared, fear radiating from her eyes. Fear for him instead of for herself and the precarious situation she was in.

He swallowed, fighting back the memory.

I’m worthless. I couldn’t save her. She saved me.

Her eyes blinked open a second later meeting his and she whispered, “You are not. You are brave and you’ve risked yourself for me many times,” she whispered as a soft smile spread across her lips.

He leaned toward her and pressed a kiss on her forehead then whispered, “Sleep.”

“I won’t until you say I’m right.”

Torment flashed across his face. In his heart, he knew she wasn’t because he hadn’t been able to save her, but he could and would lie so she’d rest.

“You are right, baby,” he said even as the lie stung the pit of his stomach. “Now rest, please.”

Jocelyn’s eyes drifted closed again, and he sighed in relief.

****

Two hours later, Jocelyn stirred in her sleep. As her eyes slowly drifted open, she spotted Landon sitting at her bedside as he was hours ago. It seemed to her he hadn’t moved at all.

“Baby, how do you feel?”

“Fine,” she replied as she yawned.

He leaned into her to place a kiss on her lips and she turned away. He pulled back a bewildered expression on his face.

“You lied,” she said sadly.

“I just wanted you to—”

She pulled her finger up silencing him. “No excuses, Landon. You lied.”

He nodded then admitted, “I did.”

“You are so frustrating sometimes! I mean really! I’ve never lied to you.”

“I did it so you could rest.”

“I don’t care why you did it, Landon!” she screamed as she sat up pulling her legs around him to stand.

“You can’t stand! You need to rest.” She stood disregarding him completely. “Baby, please—” he said as he followed her toward the bathroom.

She turned quickly facing him. “Don’t baby me! I don’t care! You lied!” she retorted.

“I—”

“You were the one who got me out of the Malum compound all those months ago! You were the one who saved me, Cain, and Liv at the pub! You were struck by a silver arrow aimed at me! You pulled me into safety when another arrow was headed toward me!”

“But you were still hit,” he reasoned.

“It could have been worse!” she yelled exasperated. Her face paled as lightheadedness consumed her. She placed her hand over her mouth.

“Are you okay?” he asked his eyes wide with concern. “What’s wrong?” She pushed him away, and he grasped her arm pulling her toward him. “Tell me what’s wrong! What do you feel?”

She flung him off of her then turned toward the toilet just in time as she puked. Landon hurried toward her. Her head was still near the toilet.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again.

She didn’t respond instead she barfed some more of her breakfast.

“Matthew!” he screamed as he ran into his bedroom then opened the door to their room. “Matthew!” he yelled as he heard her puke again.

Matthew appeared moments later. “There is something wrong! You said she was fine!” he yelled.

Matthew ignored him and strode into the bathroom where he spotted Jocelyn sitting on the floor leaning against the wall. He faced Landon.

“I told you I needed to speak to you both when she was awake.”

“Then there is something wrong!”

Jocelyn attempted to stand, and Landon rushed to her side lifting her in one quick swoop. He walked out of the bathroom and placed her on the bed. Matthew followed closely behind.

Landon turned to face him; worry marred his face as his mind wondered what could be wrong with Jocelyn. Images of her sick, feeble, weary...

Oh God! I’ll die! I’ll die if anything happens to her. I swear I’ll die.

“Ugh! Landon stop,” she said frustrated. “You are annoying the crap out of me. Nothing is wrong.”

He ignored her plea. “Tell me! Now!”

Matthew glanced at both of them, smiled then said, “Congratulations, you’re pregnant.”

Landon’s jaw dropped.

“Great,” Jocelyn said sarcastically then leaned her head on her hands. Landon faced her. Pain sliced through him as the possibility that his female didn’t want their child entered his mind. His chest began to ache.

Matthew cleared his throat. “I’ll give you a minute alone. If you have any questions, let me know.”

“You don’t want him?” he asked solemnly as he sat next to her.

Her head jolted up and her eyes met his. “Landon, you are stubborn, dense, arrogant, and a chauvinist!”

“A chauvinist?” he repeated.

“Yes, you are. So I saved you today which, by the way, wasn’t even what happened. If you hadn’t come in when you did, they would have taken me, again! We saved each other.”

“You’re changing the subject. Do you want my child or not?” he asked.

“One ridiculous thought at a time, please,” she said, her tone firm.

“Fine!” he barked, infuriated with her.

“You think you need to always take care of me. You think you always have to be the one to save me. I can take care of myself!”

“That’s not why I was upset!”

“Then why?” she shouted.

“Because! Because I was right outside doing nothing, and you were in there fighting for your life! I should’ve been more careful. I should’ve checked. I should’ve—”

“They had created an illusion, Landon. When I walked in, I saw people around me. Then there was no one. You can’t do this to yourself every time I’m in danger. You can’t.”

“You may be right, Joce, but that doesn’t change the way I feel.” He sighed.

“Get over it. I’m fine. We’re fine,” she assured.

He nodded solemnly. “And our child?”

“What about it?”

“Do you not want it?” he asked as his throat constricted, scared to hear her answer but unwilling to wait to hear her response any longer.

“Dense! Dense! Dense!” He looked at her bewildered. “Why would I not want our child?” she asked, incredulously.

“You seemed upset. You said ‘great’ sardonically.”

“I didn’t want you to know,” she admitted reluctantly.

His eyes swarmed in hues of yellow as his temperature spiked, and he clenched his jaw. “You knew and that’s not lying? Why wouldn’t you want me to know? I was going to find out eventually. Who else knows?”

She lifted her finger silencing him again. “I knew. I didn’t want you to know because you are already over-protective of me. Today complicated everything tenfold. All I want is to graduate even if I’ll never use my degree. It meant something to me for a long time and still means something to me now. And no one else knows except Matthew, now.”

He took a deep breath, then exhaled steadying his anger.

“I’m graduating in two weeks,” she said and he nodded. “I was scared to tell you, too,” she admitted her voice saddened, and her eyes welled with tears. “I want this baby more than anything. I love you so much, and I know this wasn’t planned and that it’s a bad time because of the situation with the Malums, and the possibility of him or her being an alpha is slim because I’m not a wolf but—” She trailed off as she dabbed her tears away. “I’m keeping him.”

He pulled her toward him holding her close. “And you think I’m dense. I want this baby, too.” He placed both of his hands on her cheeks and stared deep into her eyes. “I don’t care about alphas. I care about you and me and our baby.”

She smiled and released a breath. He smiled feeling her comfort in his words. A knock at the door distracted them.

“Come in,” Landon said without tearing his eyes from Jocelyn.

Matthew poked his head inside. “I forgot to tell you. It’s twins.”

Landon and Jocelyn both turned to face him and laughed, their fight forgotten. He stood and helped Jocelyn to her feet.

“You okay?” he asked and she nodded. “You ready to tell everyone?”

“Yep,” she smiled. I love you, baby, her mind whispered.

“I love you more, baby,” he replied. “One more thing,” he said as he crushed his mouth to hers. “Marry me,” he whispered.

“Yes,” she said.

Then he nuzzled her neck as they strode out their bedroom door.