Ryleigh felt like c.r.a.p. She and the guys had been trying to get through all the data on Dr. Franklin's hard drive, but they weren't finding anything that would help them find Ca.s.sie Larson. She knew it was the information was there she just had to find it but time was running out. She had to be coming down with something because her body ached and she felt like she was going to puke all the time. Maybe she and Jacks should have stayed out of Lake Michigan, but it was just too beautiful to resist; she would have followed him anywhere. Ryleigh was home now, and that felt good.

Just thinking of the Lake brought back the last couple of weeks. She and Jacks had flown into Traverse City and rented a car. He said he wanted to show her one of his favorite spots. Jacks wanted to give her time to heal, so they holed up in a cabin by a beautiful lake so they both could recover from what had happened. Ryleigh was surprised she wasn't more affected by the kidnapping or the words both Eli and Julius had said to her. But she knew that Jacks would find her, and he did. The first night they just fell asleep in each other's arms; it was incredible. Ryleigh wanted to wake up that way for the rest of her life. If what Jacks had said was true, they would, and that made her an extremely happy woman.

That night Jacks showed Ryleigh what she had missed out on. He worshiped her body with his hands, tongue, and teeth. He also showed her the difference between f.u.c.king and making love. Ryleigh would never make that mistake again. Smiling, she relieved that lesson.

Ryleigh had been sleeping when something feathered its way across her stomach. When she tried to brush it away, she found that should couldn't move her arms. Panicked at first, she opened her eyes to find Jacks hovering over her naked body.

"Baby, you owe me, and I plan on collecting," he said. "I decided that I didn't want to take the chance that you would take before I was ready again, so I took the liberty of making sure you stayed right where I wanted you."

Looking up, Ryleigh noticed her hands had been bound to the headboard of the bed with what looked like strips from the t-shirt Jacks had been wearing. Looking back into Jacks' eyes, she also realized that she wasn't in the least bit scared. Jacks would never do anything to hurt her, and she knew he needed to be in control this time. She was more than willing to give him that control.

d.a.m.n, Jacks could see when Ryleigh made up her mind to let him take control, and he loved it. He loved her. She would learn that he needed this from time to time, but he didn't want to risk scaring her.

"Baby, I know you have read some books, but this isn't like that. If I do something to scare you or hurt you in any way, all you have to do is tell me and I will stop. But I have to say, you lying naked spread open for me and only me is a huge turn on. I love you, baby."

"I love you too, and I'm not scared, Jacks. I know you will never hurt me. Please touch me. I want to feel your hands on me. I want to feel everything. I know I can tell you if I get scared, but Jacks, I am so far from scared. Please, Jacks."

Ryleigh tried to squirm closer but realized pretty quickly that her hands weren't the only things that were bound. Jacks had also tied her legs to the bed.

Jacks wanted so badly just to slide into Ryleigh. He wanted to feel her hot c.u.n.t wrapped around his thick length again so badly. But more importantly, he wanted to give Ryleigh what she had cheated them both out of the first time. He was going to make love to her, and the thought was enough to unman him. He would make this good for both of them even if it killed him. And with the state his b.a.l.l.s were currently in, that was a possibility.

"Just lay back and relax Baby. I am going to make you feel so good" he a.s.sured her.

Jacks wasn't kidding. He kissed, sucked, and nipped every bit of Ryleigh's flesh. She was so aroused that she was on the verge of pain. When he finally took mercy on her, going to her core and giving her the friction she needed with his tongue, Ryleigh exploded. But that wasn't enough for her Jacks. He continued his attack, alternating between using his fingers and his mouth. By her fourth o.r.g.a.s.m, Ryleigh was crying out for him to stop.

"No Baby, we are not even close to being done yet," he said.

Jacks then climbed up the bed after untying her legs. She hadn't even noticed, but when he maneuvered her legs up around his waist, she realized she was no longer held down. Positioning himself, he slowly entered Ryleigh, inch by slow inch. He was going so slow, and Ryleigh would have screamed, but what she saw stopped her protests. Jacks was watching their flesh join together, and the look of awe and love was enough to keep any protests she might have had at bay.

"Baby, do you feel it? Do you feel how different this time is from the last?" he asked.

Ryleigh could feel it, and Jacks had been right. She might have needed him back at the Franklins', but this was so much more. This was life changing. She could feel the love Jacks was giving her. She could also feel their bond strengthening. It was an amazing thing, and he was an amazing man. Jacks picked up speed and started to thrust deeper and deeper. When he hit that mythical place within her body, Ryleigh screamed out his name and the world exploded into a rainbow of colors behind her eyes. Soon after, Jacks movements became less schooled and more erratic. When he shouted her name in completion, Ryleigh's world was rocked with another smaller, but no less intense, o.r.g.a.s.m. The one thing she couldn't figure out was, why he decided to pinch her. It was kind of odd, but hey, what did she know? He was her first and only and that was all that mattered.

He asked, "Did you see the difference, Baby?"

"Yes, Jacks, and I am so sorry that I took something so special away from both of us."

When they finally left the cabin, Jacks took her to see that special place he had been talking about. It was an old Coast Guard Station on the Lake Michigan sh.o.r.eline. The park was aptly named Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakesh.o.r.e. She laughed, sleeping bear sounds about right.

Before they could walk down to the coast, Jacks handed Ryleigh a garment bag and asked her to go and change. She was a bit puzzled but more than willing to play along. Looking around for a bathroom, Jacks stopped her.

"Baby, just go inside the station. You can change in there. I will make sure that no one come in," he a.s.sured her.

Ryleigh wanted to protest, but he looked so excited. She decided that she would do anything he wanted, even if that meant possibly getting arrested for public indecency. Walking in, Ryleigh was in a state of shock because standing before her were 5 of her closest friend. All but one of The Holly Group's original members was there.

"What are you doing here, has something happened? Is Zoey okay?" Ryleigh asked.

Ryleigh's brain hadn't even processed the fact that they were all wearing dresses; all of them, even Caty.

Mia was the first to speak, "Ryleigh, I think if you open your bag you might be able to figure out what is going on. And Zoey is the same as she always is; maybe just a little more closed off, but that could be from all her recent human interaction.

Fumbling with the garment bag, Ryleigh finally got it open, and she must have still been in a state of shock because the beautiful white dress that lay inside did nothing to jog her frazzled mind. When her Dad walked into the room, she started crying and went right into his arms.

Ryleigh loved Declan Quinn with all of her heart. She remembered the times he tried to make her into a normal little girl by holding tea parties or trying to encourage her to play with dolls. None of it worked, but those attempts proved just what a loving and good man he was. He may have saved her life all those years ago, but Ryleigh liked to think that she also helped his life in some small way as well. He had been the only person Ryleigh had ever relied on and felt safe with, until a week ago, that was.

"Honey, you'd better hurry up and put that gown on," Declan said, "Cash had to put Jacks in a head lock to keep him out. So, unless you want to get married in your shorts, I suggest you get a move-on. You don't want to be late for you own wedding, do you?"

Yeah, she knew it was cliche. She was the master puzzle solver, and she hadn't figure out until that exact moment that she was getting married. All she could think was, Oh My G.o.d, I'm getting married. Jacks said they were getting married, but she didn't think that meant now.

Mia broke into her fuddled mind, "Hey, if you changed your mind and you don't want to go through with this, I can have you out of her in less than five minutes. The Shifters won't even see us."

"What, no," Ryleigh stammered. "Oh my G.o.d. I am getting married and you all are here. Are the guys here too?"

Declan spoke again, "Yes, baby girl. Your entire family is here, waiting to watch you take the next step in your life. Well, at least the Alpha part. Are you ready to take that step, honey, do you love him?"

'Oh, Dad, I love him so much," Ryleigh professed.

Finally coming out of her haze, Ryleigh said, "Jacks did all this, for me?"

"Yep and the men are not going to wait long," Declan added.

"Well, then I guess I'd better get ready."

"Love you, baby girl. I hate to say it, but I kind of want to keep you all to myself still. I'm a selfish man and I don't want to share you with that grumpy a.s.sed bear," Declan joked.

Laughing Ryleigh said, "You were the only man that I have ever loved until I met Jacks. You might have to share me, but you might get grandchildren someday too, and I will expect lots of weekends spent with Grampies."

"Grampies, huh. I kind of like the sound of that. I guess I can share a little bit."

The dress that Jacks had picked out was BoHo chic. It was the perfect dress for her, the flowers were pale pinks and off white; they were also beyond beautiful. She couldn't have picked out a more perfect dress or flowers herself. Their times together might have been short, but Jacks knew her so well.

The girls helped Ryleigh get into the dress and Ava and Tory did her hair. She felt beautiful, and all she wanted to do Jacks again. Walking down the boat launch to the sandy sh.o.r.e, Ryleigh finally got a good look at the man of her dreams.

The sun was shining and the wind was blowing his hair, and that s.e.xy smirk was right where it was meant to be. Cash stood next to him with the rest of the guys all dressed in khakis and white short sleeved b.u.t.ton ups shirts. She would have loved to have seen them in all their military finery, but this image was just as good.

When Jacks noticed Ryleigh for the first time, his smirk turned into the biggest grin she had ever had the pleasure of seeing on his face, and she wanted to brand that image into her memory.

Declan asked, "Ready honey?"

All Ryleigh could manage to get past the lump in her throat was a whispered, "Yes."

Her Dad took control, like he away did, and delivered Ryleigh to the love of her life and the future she knew thought she would have.

Their vows were simple, and everyone said that decorations were gorgeous. But Ryleigh only had eyes for one thing, and that was Jacks. After the minister, had p.r.o.nounced them husband and wife, Jacks asked if she was ready to make it official. Confused for a second, Ryleigh was a little startled when Jacks took her hand and headed straight for the water. After he had plunged them into the cold water, he warmed her with the best kiss yet and said the lake needed to christen their union too. Ryleigh knew it was just a bunch of bunk; he was probably hot or something. But it was still beautiful, especially when the entire wedding party including her dad, jumped right in after them. As everyone played in the water, in their wedding finery, she knew everything was going to be alright. They had come so far in such a short period of time. We will be happy healthy and stronger, together, Ryleigh thought.

Ryleigh wished that Kayden, Zoey, and the rest of the team leaders could have made it. Then the day would have been truly perfect, but this was a strong second. That night and the next were beyond her expectations. They may have only been together for such a short period, d.a.m.n a month, barely. They still had some things that they needed to work out, but she knew their love would stand the test of time. Jacks held her heart and soul in his hands, and she held his.

Suddenly, the man that was in them rather rudely interrupted Ryleigh from her daydream.

"Baby, you need to take a break. You look like s.h.i.t," Jacks declared. "When is the last time you ate something?"

"Thanks, Jacks. That is the best compliment I have gotten all day," Ryleigh countered.

The truth was that she did feel c.r.a.ppy, and it was getting worse. Cash said she looked like h.e.l.l, and Wyatt said that she should at least try and brush her hair. Or at the very least, change her clothes.

"We need to find something, Jacks," Ryleigh said. "We are getting some good Intel from this drive but not the Intel we need. We are running out of time. Kayden and Zoey didn't come up with anything at that facility, except more questions."

"Baby, I just talked with Milo. He has a strong lead, so they were heading that way. It seems Kayden and Zoey came to some kind of agreement and have decided to stick together until Ca.s.sie is found."

"That's good," she replied. "Dang it. I just hope Zoey and Milo can get along; he seems a little rough around the edges."

"Baby, is that your nice way of say Milo is an a.s.s? Believe it or not, he is a pretty good guy. He's saved my b.u.t.t and a few of the others more than a couple of times."

"Well then, I will give him the benefit of the doubt, for now," she said. "I like your b.u.t.t right where it is."

"Hilarious, Baby; really cute. I have to say I am quite fond of where my b.u.t.t is too."

"Dang it, we just need something, and I couldn't eat a thing right now. Bas was making breakfast this morning, and I had to leave the room before I threw up. Whatever he was making smelled horrible."

"Baby, he just made a regular breakfast; eggs, sausage toast and coffee, nothing terrible."

"But Jacks, just thinking about it makes me want to hurl. I'm sorry our honeymoon has taken a back seat. To this I promise I will make it up to you. I just need to get through some more of this data. I found and embedded file and sent it to Wyatt. He is going to break the encryption and send it back to me."

"Don't worry about the honeymoon. We have the rest of our lives to go on many, many honeymoons. Baby, when was your last cycle?" Jacks questioned.

"What?"

"You're period, Baby. When was the last one you had?"

"Ah, Jacks, I don't know. Why would you want to know? That it is just gross."

"No Baby, I don't want my red wings. Please, just think about it. When was your last cycle?"

"I don't know. Wait a minute. I always write it down," she said shuffling through her desk drawer for her journal. "What, are you afraid you're going to be cut off?"

"Oh my G.o.d, Jacks."

And with that Ryleigh ran to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time. Jacks sat behind her on the floor and rubbed her convulsing stomach while holding a cold washcloth to her neck.

"Are you on birth control, Rye?"

"No, oh my G.o.d, Jacks. Do you think? Oh Jacks, I swear I didn't do it on purpose. I just never even thought about it; some genius I am. Oh my G.o.d, our baby could be right here Jacks, our baby," she said, rubbing her stomach.

"Yeah, Baby, I know. I noticed the changes in your scent this morning. Looks like in a couple of months we could be holding our baby. How do you feel about that, Ryleigh? How do you feel about having my baby? This all is happening really quickly for you; barely a month in and already married and pregnant."

"Oh, Jacks. I didn't even think. Jacks, we are having a baby."

Ryleigh was crying right there on the bathroom floor with the man she loved more than life, cradling her stomach.

"A baby, I don't regret it Jacks. I didn't plan him, but I don't regret him either."

"Neither do I, Baby, neither do I."

Chapter 45.

Jacks knew he was there the moment he stepped onto his territory. What he couldn't figure out was why the b.a.s.t.a.r.d didn't come through the front door. Not wanting to wake Ryleigh, Jacks carefully extracted his arm from behind her head and inched out of bed. Giving his mate one last look, he left the room to find out what was going on.

The lodge was eerily quiet. None of the guys were roaming around like he expected to find. If he didn't know any better, he would have a.s.sumed that he and Ryleigh were alone, but his Shifter senses told him otherwise. Each of the team seemed to be in their rooms. Walking towards his office, Jacks got a feeling of foreboding. Something wasn't right.

Opening the door, he glared at the cause of his discomfort. The reason he wasn't snuggled in his bed with his mate and the only person that could ever get him to do something he didn't want to. Declan "Senior" Quinn sat behind Jacks desk, tumbler in hand with what Jacks a.s.sumed was his 50-year-old scotch; the stuff he had hidden for those times when he needed something a little stronger.

"Hey, make yourself at home," Jacks quipped.

"Oh, hey a.s.shole," Senior replied. "I figured that since you made yourself at home with my daughter that this is the least I could do to pay you back."

f.u.c.k Jacks knew this was coming. Senior gave his blessing, but they had yet to talk about everything that had happened. Jacks was kind of hoping they never would.

"Yeah, sorry, but I'm not going to apologize for that. Ryleigh is my mate; fated and claimed, blessed by the G.o.ds. Sorry, old man, but as much as I might want to agree that I deserve some type of punishment from you, I'm not one bit sorry about what all happened."

"Yeah, figured as much. It doesn't mean I have to like it," Senior chimed in.

"Seems like if what I am scenting is correct, you're going to be getting a taste of your own medicine soon, Ryleigh is with child," he continued.

Jacks shouldn't have been surprised that Senior knew about Ryleigh's pregnancy. He was Alpha, but Senior was the Alpha of Alphas. He had lived longer and seen more than any of them put together.

Jacks didn't say anything. He needed to wait out his own Alpha. The man wouldn't have come in all cloak and dagger is if wasn't important.

"Here is the deal, Jacks, you know I have been training you to take over for a while now. With that comes great responsibility. You have to know when to show your cards and when to keep them close to the vest. Do you think you can do that? Do you think that if it is for the great good that you could keep your team in the dark? What about Ryleigh?"

"No disrespect, sir, but I don't see where keeping my most trusted men or my mate in the dark would ever be for the greater good. We are better and stronger together than we would ever be apart," Jacks declared.

"Really? What about Eli?" Declan countered. "Up until a couple of weeks ago, you considered him part of that team; your brother, one of your most trusted men. Hasn't what happened opened your eyes even a little bit? What would you do to keep my daughter safe and healthy?"

f.u.c.k, Jacks didn't want to admit his failure to his men or Ryleigh. He had no idea Eli was a traitor. To him, the man had been his brother a friend, not the enemy until he showed his true colors. That was Jacks shame to bare. But there was one thing that really bothered him.

"Really, Sir, it is nice to point fingers, but answer this for me," Jacks added, "how is a man as connected as you not have any idea we had a traitor in our mix? What about Abernathy or the a.s.sociation? How about Franklin, Pandora, or Davis Defense? It seems kind of funny to me that you would have left so many unanswered questions and dangers at our door."

"Ah, there is the Jacks I know and love," Senior replied. "Always questioning, always expecting more than people are willing or able to give. Don't forget who you are talking to, son. I have tried to keep everyone safe and sometimes that means not divulging everything I know."