The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

As I heard Mariella mutter to number one, gazing at his face, "That is one ugly ass building, but at least it is big." I rolled my eyes to her superficiality.

They were talking about my Kentucky mansion. Sure, it was a dark grey, blocky thing with white trimmings in the windows, and its concrete walls weren't the rustic perfection of some of our other houses, but I could not help but think, "Do not evaluate a book by its cover, never." 

Winter's coldness had turned into a nice spring, and it was the start of April. There was not much snow anymore, and the yard was visible. As Damon took his keys and went to open the front door, I did not go inside, but it was time for me to do my thing. Sure, I had papers for this house too somewhere, but once you walked around the house, you got a whole new view of things.

Besides, I was not in the mood to listen to Mariella's whiny hormonal voice complaining about this and that to Damon. I had slept five days and eaten two; my goal was to get myself in top shape and keep my shape during the four-week pregnancy, as it would take a lot out of me.

Mariella, well, she would sustain herself by the bump of number one, meaning she was lustful as ever, and she had been very jealous as we had had a fun time in the cellar for weeks, and Damon had to try to appease her. Like I had told him, he was weak. 

I had to admit, I was a little surprised as I was not the only one walking here. Wulfe walked on my right side, taking my hand, and placing our scars, and Colin, Magnum, Murdock, and Dexter walked with me too, as well as Adam, Charles, and the boys. Well, we would get inside, but first I would make my tour.

Adam said to me, "Are you okay, honey? I mean, Damon is an idiot."

I nodded and said, "I told him, the actions and consequences, so he is warned. I am not responsible for what I do. I will react. I realized that it is useless for me to try to separate my alpha side, trying to be better than I am; there is nothing wrong with my alpha side." 

Colin grunted and asked, "Good for you, but why are we touring and not going in?"

As Wulfe kept his hand in mine, he said, "She is checking possible places for a nest, meaning hidden rooms. With her memory, all she has to do is see this once, and when she is inside, she can easily extrapolate if there are hidden places, and she has found a few."

I rolled my eyes, thinking in my mind, "Jeez, no need to tell them!"

Charles was walking near me, and Colin moved away.

Charles grabbed my shoulders, turned me to face him, and said, "You listen to me, and good. I and we are not gonna let you make some hidden nest and have your cubs just by yourself. Not in a million years, not one of us will go to Mariella, not at all. Do you want to know why?" 

His assertiveness was somewhat surprising, but now I wanted to hear what the brilliant plan they had to shield themselves from Mariella's pussy.

Charles said, "We are pack. Our loyalty is for alphas; we are caring for the alpha female, and no other females triumph over your needs. You need us; we know it. Wulfe will feed us your thoughts in real-time so we know all the time, and that is all that is needed. He knows what to give us, making it impossible for us to leave you."

I was surprised scared and joyful. There were countless emotions constantly swirling in my mind. It seemed that even Damon couldn't control any of the males for Mariella. They were protective of the alpha female.

Wulfe knew exactly how to exploit my insecurities and inner turmoil. If Damon wanted these males to care for Mariella, he should have stepped in and cared for me. Wulfe would undoubtedly continue his manipulation, and if Damon failed, they would immediately focus their attention on me.

During the breeding season, the alpha female is the most important, always coming first. It felt like someone had delved deep into my thoughts, but Colin also knew what he was doing. Of course, it wouldn't all be bliss for me, as I had my own way of doing things and a need to keep my cubs safe.

However, if they were able to succeed, I would feel secure when the time came to give birth and I would accept their help. At least, I hoped so. Did I really have a choice here?

I spoke aloud, "Despite your best efforts, I might be a handful, so brace yourself. I'm so strong that during breeding time, it may take Damon exerting his alpha power 24/7 to keep me under control. So, don't take it personally if I create my own nest. I'm just really good at what I do."

Adam chuckled, approached me, and released his alpha power, which was quite potent. I raised an eyebrow in response. At the same time, Charles unleashed his power as well. This was quite a force to reckon with, and I knew I had my work cut out for me.

But fine, let's play. I focused, channeling my own alpha power and adding a touch of rage and chaos. I pushed back, requiring some effort to push them away.

In the process, I inadvertently left an opening for Wulfe, who hit me with his power. I took a few steps back, taken aback by the strength of his alpha power, wondering why he even possessed one.

He raised his palm, smirking, and said, "I am your soulmate, your guardian. Of course, I have my own alpha power too. And who knows, maybe someday I will purr as well. As you can see, unicorn, we are not weak like the Salvatores."

As Wulfe's hit caused me to lose my focus and step back, Charles and Adam wasted no time hitting me again. 

I couldn't move. My alpha side was highly impressed, but I wasn't as much, considering I was a sore loser. However, this was my safety, and they would protect me.

As we continued our tour, I was lost in my thoughts. It was new for me to experience resistance within the pack. Perhaps it was time for me to be under control, not just Damon, but my guys as well.

I was learning that having their support didn't mean they worshipped me or let me do as I pleased. They were there to ensure my well-being and the safety of the cubs.

Finally, we arrived at the backyard. There stood my big greenroom, filled with plants to be put in the ground, including flowers and a few edible ones like sugar snap peas and sweetpeas for their scent. I opened the green room, and we stepped inside.

Charles wrapped himself around me, scanning everyone before saying, "Now honey, remember it's not good for you to mess with the soil, even if it's in a bag. So no planting without gloves, and make sure they're sturdy."

Wulfe smirked and commented, "Good to know. She doesn't always fully disclose what's best for her."

A strong but not overly angry voice came from the door, "Yeah, that's true baby. Don't touch any mulch."

Damon and the others joined us, and Mariella was walking freely, chatting with Dresden and Constantine. Damon walked next to me, but Charles held onto me tightly, nuzzling my neck. Mr. Cornick seemed possessive today, causing a slight complication, but it was fine.

Damon said, "Sure, guys, it would've been good for you to inform me. But we could have done this as a pack. So, baby, next time, please let me know about your plans to visit the yard."

What surprised me was when Wulfe spoke up, "Oh no, this isn't just a yard. You see, she's checking for hidden places. As we walk, she mentally maps how big this house is, and once we're inside, it's not hard for her to figure out where the hidden parts are."

Wulfe said it out loud, and I was amazed, but I learned my lesson. They weren't going to let me have secret places without the pack leader, my alpha male, knowing. Now the ball was in Damon's court. He knew, and this was also a test for him.

Number two nodded and said, "Well, clever girl. We have official blueprints, but I doubt they show hidden passages. It'll be good to have something to do. Let's map those areas and see if there are any suitable nesting places."

Mariella responded, "I don't need any hidden spots. A normal cub room is just fine for me. I have no need to hide from my pack."

Murdock sneered sarcastically, conveying his message loud and clear, "Sure, princess. You don't have a will of your own. You're just Damon's little doll. Try embracing your instincts, and I guarantee you'll want some privacy for your cubs. You're denying a part of yourself by not letting your animal side loose."

Murdock was quite perceptive. Damon looked at him, and nodded, and Mariella remained silent. She was always reminding us that we are not humans, yet she was the last to embrace her animalistic side.

As I checked on my pea seedlings, held firmly by Charles, I couldn't help but anticipate how sweet they would be when I got to eat them again. Damon walked up to me, read the sign, plucked a shoot of peas, and ate it.

While chewing, he pondered and finally remarked, "These are good for you, but not all the time. Too much fiber could cause blockage. But come on, protectors, taste a shoot to see what your charges need. We'll know who gets them when it's time to harvest."

As they tasted my peas or ate shoots of them, I felt a slight irritation. They had always been my treats, meant solely for me, and now I had to share. Yes, I was being selfish in that regard.

As wizards and everyone else inspected every single plant and seedling I had, planning their placement, I realized that living in a pack was not as easy as before. Finally, we left the greenhouse and stepped into the backyard. I had a potato field there, with my people having planted the potatoes in the ground. However, they had barely started growing.

I also had strawberries, gooseberries, apples, peaches, and plenty of other fruits and berries. My raspberries, though, were hidden. Those were the ones I didn't want to share.

Damon walked beside me as Charles finally allowed me to walk on my own.

He asked, "Alright, where are they? Show me."

I tried to act surprised and pretend I had no idea what he was talking about.

But he grew more impatient and said in a firmer voice, "Your raspberries. I know you have them. Let's go."

As he grabbed my arm, I had no choice but to let him see my raspberries hidden behind a row of yews. He looked at my extensive field of raspberries, a low whistle erupting from his lips, calling others to see them too.

Wulfe said to me, "Nicely hidden, my unicorn, but it's no use. You better learn to share." I just rolled my eyes.

Wulfe turned to me and Damon. "I made that scar, your link, so you, Damon, have a way to get in her mind, deeper than ever. It's up to you whether to use it or not, but know this: every time you use it, you tell Mimi or let her soul feel your soul too. So, if there are feelings for her, the tattoo will grow."

Damon nodded and said, "It's good to have. I don't want to abuse that connection."

Wulfe gripped my hand and placed our scars so he was in my mind. He nodded to Damon, who revealed his forearm and entwined it with mine, linking our scars. He was in my mind too. But then it happened.

Wulfe's voice echoed in our minds, "This is a connection you can't abuse. This is a connection of souls. The only abuse you can do is not to use it, not to feel her, and not to feel them."

I don't know what he did, but I felt the cubs that I was carrying. Our cubs, their love, and Damon felt it too.

His grip on my palm was almost painful, his voice thick. "Oh, Daddy loves you too."

He sent his love to them, and they responded. It was different from babies, but the connection enabled us to feel them. Wulfe felt them too.

His voice was gentle as he said, "You can share this with the pack via the hive or keep it as your own. But remember, this is what it's all about. These guys."

Damon nodded. He said, "I'm not going to share, not yet, but maybe at some point."

He kept his grip on my hand, and I felt a familiar burn in my wrist, telling me that my tattoo was growing.

The corner of Damon's mouth turned up as he quipped, "Stings, right? When the tattoo is growing, yeah, I feel it too. It's all good. Oh, baby, you can be sure that you're not alone."

My voice was a little sarcastic. "You know me, I could use some me time."

He smiled smugly.

Wulfe had let go of his grip at some point and moved on to linking others with their guardians.

I asked Damon, "Are you irritated that Mariella has cubs with others, not just with you?"

He pondered for a moment and replied, "Nope, can't say I am. I mean, she has mine in there too, but somehow, you know baby, it's a wonderfully dirty thought to think about just how many have bred her, filled her."

Now his voice was pretty damn seductive.

He maintained his grip on me as we continued to explore the area outside the house. With each step, the blades of grass crunched beneath my feet, and an idea sparked in my mind.

I needed to determine if this could be a solution to at least one of my work-related problems. However, I wanted to assess things myself first before involving him. Damon seemed confused, unable to comprehend my plans, and I wasn't in the mood to explain.

I simply conveyed to him mentally, "It's work stuff, nothing for you to ponder."

Damon remained calm as he responded, "We're married, we share everything, and as a part of upper management, it's my business too."

In my mind, I thought back to him, "Oh, my boy, you're not truly part of upper management. You have no idea about the magnitude of the situation, so there's no need for you to concern yourself with this."

Damon shifted his tone and said firmly, "Now, baby, let's go inside, eat, and then find a suitable office where you can educate us. It's still early days, and we'll ensure the cubs aren't stressed, but this needs to happen."

Magnum approached us, his brows furrowed due to Damon's heated voice, and he asked me, "What's this work problem?"

I replied, "As you know, Old Anders retired. I might have a partial replacement, but I need to assess our current resources first. I was considering Leo. He's skilled with numbers and could possibly handle accounts and donations."

Magnum looked at me with a pensive expression on his handsome face. "I'm not so sure. While he's good with numbers, he can be unpredictable. It doesn't take much for him to lose balance."

We reached the front door again, and Damon said to me, "As I said, let's go in, have a meal, and you can tell us who the hell Leo is, why he's unstable, and just how many assets Fleas has that require someone to take care of them."

Numbers two, four, nine, and ten were also nearby.

Number four chimed in, "We'll fix up the medbay soon enough, and you'll have weekly blood tests. We know you have problems, but we'll help. Non-negotiable."

I rolled my eyes, but we proceeded inside to have that damn meal and learn a little more about my organization. I wasn't particularly keen on sharing, but I had no choice. Wulfe was eager to teach and provide guidance, but I wasn't so inclined.

It would be pointless for me to try to pass off number one to Mariella, considering the horde of curious Salvatores, as well as Adam, Charles, the boys, and my five, all demanding my attention. So, it was time for me to suck it up.