The Bearington Brothers & Their Fated Mate (My Love; My Mate; My Shifter - Chronicles - Book One)
Chapter Twenty-Three: It's a Twin Thing

The weeks went by faster than ever.

Laila, Riddle, and Riley spent hours during the day training their gifts and learning what they are capable of. The twins and Mark watched and joined in once in a while. At night Laila made love to her mates and slept for hours. When it got closer to her due date, Vectore slacked on her training and made her watch the others instead of working on her own.

“Laila,” Park said as he came up behind her. “How are you feeling?”

She smiled as she leaned back against him, and he placed his hands over her very large stomach. It has been six weeks since she had found her brother and discovered that Vectore is their father. The Dark Wizards haven’t tried to kill her or Riley again, and Vectore had placed a spell over her and Riddle to keep them from controlling either of them.

Them being the children of witches or rather a Shaman, (but shh, that’s hush-hush), makes them a bigger target for the Dark Wizards because their minds are more open.

“I feel good,” Laila said with a smile as she watched her brother and best friend train while she enjoyed the feel of Park holding her.

“How are the boys?” He asked as he rubbed her stomach.

She sighed, “restless.”

He chuckled, “I bet.”

“I’m just glad that shifters aren’t pregnant as long as humans,” she said as she laid her hands over his on her stomach.

“Just a couple more weeks,” he whispered into her ear.

She nodded, “yeah.”

“Hey, Shaman, can we talk with you?” Paxton called out as he walked out of the house and onto the back porch.

Laila looked at Paxton at the same time as her father.

“Sure, Son, what’s up?” Vectore asked, walking towards Paxton.

Laila smiled. He had started calling the twins son shortly after they’d discovered he was her father. Vectore seemed to take the boys more seriously now that they’re his sons-in-law.

It was so hard to place the young man as her father he didn’t look much older than her, but really, he’s hundreds of years old maybe even thousands he never said his true age. And the twins are a couple of hundred years old, and they don’t look their age either. But they never change while her father changes every hundred years she wondered if she and Riddle will change like their father...

Park led her into the house to meet up with Paxton and Vectore.

“What’s going on?” Laila asked as they gathered in the living room.

“We just have a few questions for Vectore,” Park assured her.

“Like what?” Laila asked.

“Like the fact that we haven’t discussed our children with him since we discovered that he’s your father,” Paxton said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Or you,” Park whispered into her ear.

“What about the twins and me?” She asked in a panic.

“Nothing to be worried about,” Park said.

“We hope,” Paxton said.

Laila frowned, and Park gave his brother a warning look. Paxton looked at Laila, then walked over to her and took her into his arms.

“I’m sorry, sweets, I didn’t mean to scare you. We’re just curious about you and the boys. It’s a big thing that you’re half Shaman,” Paxton said.

Park nodded, “because that means the boys are half bear shifters, quarter human and quarter Shaman.”

Laila looked from the twins to her father. “Is that a bad thing?”

Vectore grinned, “no, it’s a good thing. I believe it’s what makes them strong enough to be the kings we were promised.”

Paxton and Park nodded.

“That’s what we figured,” Park said. “So, it means the boys will have powers like you and Laila?”

Vectore nodded, “very possibly.”

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” Laila asked.

“Good,”all three men said at the same time.

“Also, we’ve been worried,” Park admitted. “What if there’s a difficulty in the birthing? What if they shift before they’re born?”

Laila stared at Park. “I thought shifters don’t shift until they’re a toddler or older?”

Park and Paxton looked at her.

“They have Shaman in them, sweets, there’s no telling what our boys are capable of.” Paxton said.

Vectore sighed, “I have thought of the same thing. We’ll figure it out when we get to that point.”

“As important as the boys are, we’re not losing Laila. We won’t trade,” Park said.

Vectore nodded, “I love my daughter, too, you know, even before I knew she was my daughter. So, I know how you boys feel. I promise we’ll figure it out.”

“What’s going on?”

The four of them turned to the entryway to the living room from the kitchen and found Riddle standing there his arms crossed over his ever-expanding chest.

Laila smiled at the sight of her brother. He had been strong and muscled when they’d first found him, but with the grueling training, their father has put him through, not only has his powers grown but so have his muscles. He’s almost as big as the twins now and almost as strong. What he can’t do with brute strength he can do with magic.

Though she can shift into any animal can hear animals speaking and can tap into animal sensory, she’s not near as strong with magic as her twin. He takes more after their father then she does.

But she’s okay with that she’s the Queen of all Animals.

“We were talking about your sister and the boys,” Vectore said, smiling at his son.

“What about them?” Riddle asked his eyes, moving to Laila’s stomach.

“Just curious about the powers in the boys,” Park said.

“With them being quarter Shaman, we’re worried they may shift in the womb, which would be dangerous for your sister,” Paxton said.

Riddle walked over to Laila and placed his hand over her stomach. “They do have a lot of power between them, nothing like ours but enough,” Riddle said as he smiled at his sister.

Laila smiled up at him. He had mastered the ability to feel power in others within the first few days of training. Vectore had been so proud of how quickly he’d picked it and everything else up.

“They love you very much,” Riddle said, looking into his sister’s eyes, “they’d do anything to protect you.”

Laila felt a tear slide down her cheek.

“They also know that they are shifters and Shaman, holy hell,” Riddle said with a laugh. “You are correct to worry,” he said, then took a step back from his sister. “Every time Laila has shifted, the boys have felt it and have learned to do it themselves. I do believe you are actually carrying cubs at this moment.”

Laila stared at her brother then looked down at her stomach. “Silly Bears,” she whispered.

“How will she deliver them as cubs?” Park asked as he looked from Laila to Vectore.

“Are you sure about that, Son?” Vectore asked as he watched Riddle.

Riddle nodded, “feel for yourself.”

Vectore walked up to Laila. He has wanted to feel his grandsons for a while now but wasn’t brave enough to ask his daughter if he could.

“May I?” He asked, pointing to her stomach.

Laila nodded and sucked in a shocked breath when his hands touched her stomach.

Vectore closed his eyes and chuckled. “You should be able to hear them, Laila. Have you not?”

She stared at his hands on her stomach. “I-I thought I heard something a couple of times, but I thought it was an animal outside or something.”

A large cat walked into the room and jumped up onto the back of the couch then stretched out. Laila looked at the bobcat and smiled.

“Or one of my clinic animals,”she said.

“Wasn’t me.”

Laila laughed, “I know it wasn’t you, Babby.”

The female bobcat purred as she laid down on the back of the couch and closed her eyes.

“It was probably the boys they are sad that you haven’t heard them,” Vectore said as he looked at his daughter, his hands still on her stomach. “And they are definitely cubs. They like when you shift.”

Laila rubbed her stomach once Vectore’s hands moved.

“I’m sorry, boys. I have so many voices in my head; it’s hard to tell what’s what anymore.”

“It’s okay mommy, we still love you.”

Laila’s eyes opened wide as she looked up at her father and brother. “Did you two hear that?”

Vectore nodded, and Riddle shook his head.

“They’re in bear form so your brother can’t hear them, but I heard them loud and clear,” Vectore said with a grin. “They are definitely my grandsons.”

“They’re in sync,” Laila said as she looked back down at her stomach. “Though they are fraternal twins, they are just as linked as their daddies.”

“Like you and Riddle,” Vectore said.

Laila smiled, “three sets of twins in our family.”

Everyone chuckled.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Riley asked as she walked into the living room. “You all abandoned me to myself outside.”

“Sorry,” Laila said as she looked up at her best friend. “The twins were worried about me and the boys. And wanted to ask Vectore some questions about the birthing.”

Riley crossed her arms over her chest. “Okay, so what are they worried about? I’ll be there in case something happens..."

“She won’t be able to deliver the boys they’ve already shifted into their bear form,” Park said.

“And I don’t think they’ll switch back,” Laila said. “They like being bears too much. And they are much too smart for their own good,”she said with a chuckle.

“Then why don’t you transform when you go into labor?” Riley said.

Everyone stared at her, and she laughed.

“I can’t believe none of you thought of it. You’re all so smart and powerful. Bear shifters, Shaman, and the Queen of all Animals.”

“Shift?” Park asked.

Riley snorted, “I can’t believe you five. Come on, if I can think of it, surely the rest of you can.”

“Of course!” Park said as he raised his hand like he just turned a lamp on over his head then smacked his brother upside his head. “She’s one of us.”

“One of us? A shif..." Paxton looked at Laila with wide eyes. “Of course!”

“Right,” Vectore said with a laugh. “Why hadn’t we thought of that?”

“Because we were all too worried about Laila to remember that she’s a shifter herself,” Riddle said with a grin.

“Even though we kept talking about it, it never registered,” Paxton said with a shake of his head.

“Can someone fill me in?” Laila asked as she looked at them, confused.

Riley walked over to her best friend and placed her arm over her shoulders. “Laila, I think this pregnancy has messed with your brain. You’re smarter than this. How could you have not thought of this yourself?”

Laila blinked at her best friend then looked at her mates then over at her brother and father. Maybe this pregnancy has gotten to her brain. Because she has no clue what they are talking about...

“You can shift into a bear when it’s time to give birth,” Riley said as she squeezed her friend close.

“Of course,” Laila said, almost laughing. “Why hadn’t I thought of that?”

“Because you were thinking about the boys, not you,” Riley said with a smile.

Laila smiled. She was right, of course. Her mind had been on how to protect the boys, not herself. But she needs to start thinking of herself along with the boys because, without her, everything will go to shit, because the twins will lose themselves. She’s pretty sure her brother and father wouldn’t be too far behind them, not to mention her best friend, then who would the boys have?

“Brilliant,” Park said as he pulled Laila into his arms.

“You’re pretty smart there, healer,” Paxton said as he gave Riley a hug.

Riley laughed as she hugged him back. “You’re just now figuring that out?”

Paxton chuckled as he let her go, then turned to his mate and stole her from his brother so he could hold her.

“Ok, now that we have that figured out, is there anything else?” Vectore asked the twins.

Paxton and Park looked at each other, then at the Shaman.

“How powerful are the boys going to be?” They asked at the same time.

Vectore sighed, “I’m not even sure of that. They do have powers now in the womb, which is why they were able to shift and can talk to their mother and me, but other than that, I won’t know until they’re born.”

The twins nodded.

“At least we know they love Laila,” Park said.

“Of course, they love her,” Riddle said with a smile as he looked at his sister. “Who couldn’t love her?”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Riley said with a wide grin.

“What did Laila’s adopted mother mean by us raising them to not be like us?” Paxton asked.

“I do believe she meant that our sons need to grow up to be their own persons. Unlike you two who were destined to be inseparable and share everything, including your mate, our boys will be different though they are twins. They’re two different people; after all, they have two different fathers,” Laila said with a smile.

Park and Paxton nodded.

“I think she was giving us a warning on how to raise them, so they don’t turn into the beasts she saw in one of her premonitions. And let them just be them. Even though they have a deep connection, they will want to live their own lives.” She continued as she watched her mates. “And we shouldn’t let their titles get to them raise them to be independent of each other and their positions. Let them come into it on their own and raise them to love all. And know right from wrong.”

Both brothers grinned then pulled Laila into their arms.

“See you are smart,” Riley said with a grin. “Can we get back to training now?”

Paxton looked at Riley then at his mate and brother. “You three go on, we have other plans,” he said, then lifted Laila into his arms and walked down the hall a grinning Park behind him.

Laila waved to the others over Paxton’s shoulder as they disappeared out of sight.

“Well, I guess she won’t be joining us again today,” Riley said with a laugh.

“I wish they didn’t make it so obvious of what they plan to do with my sister,” Riddle said with a grunt as they headed outside.

Vectore snorted. “How do you think it makes me feel? That’s my daughter.”

Riddle laughed, “yes, but she’s my sister, and I can uh..." He stopped as his cheeks turned a beat red.

“No,” Vectore said, staring at his son.

Riddle turned from his father and cleared his throat. Vectore tried to cover his laugh but failed.

“Okay, what am I missing?” Riley asked.

“Their Shaman blood connected with their twin bond and enhanced it tenfold,” Vectore said.

“So?” Laila asked as she looked between the two men.

“Let’s forget this,” Riddle said with a grunt. He groaned then adjusted his pants.

Riley looked down at his hardon with wide eyes. “Your sister having sex turns you on?”

“What?! Fuck, no!” Riddle said as he took his stance in the backyard.

“I can see your bulge Riddle,” Riley said as she pointed to his crotch.

“Just ignore it,” Vectore said with a chuckle as he joined his son in the yard.

“Kind of hard to!” Riley said as she joined them on the lawn.

“Oh God, I can’t do this while she’s in there with the twins,” Riddle said as he headed for the house.

“No, no, no. You’re not getting away with this!” Riley said as she took hold of his arm to stop him.

Riddle glared at her, then they heard Laila scream, and Riddle’s pants became soaked.

“What the fuck!?” Riley yelped as she jumped away from him.

Riddle groaned and headed inside then went straight to his room for some privacy.

“I think next time I’m taking Riddle to the cabin when they head to their room,” Vectore said with a chuckle.

Riley stared at Vectore. “You find this funny? Your son is a perv, but I guess he gets that from you.”

Vectore laughed, “he’s not doing it, dear. It’s the bond.”

She blinked. “That bond?”

Vectore nodded, “I wish he’d told me sooner. I’d seen him training with a bulge in his pants a few times thought it might be because he likes training so much,” he said with a laugh.

She stared at him. “What the fuck, Shaman?”

Vectore laughed, “Riddle can feel when his sister is turned on, and when she has an orgasm. He -well- you saw what happens to him.”

“Ohmigod,” she whispered.

“Yeah. I think I’ll have a talk with Laila..."

“Don’t you dare!” Riley yelled. “You will devastate her. Just let it be we’ll take breaks when this happens and try and get Riddle far enough away from his sister..."

Vectore nodded, “you’re probably right. Well, I guess we can continue with your training until the others are finished.”

She nodded, “probably a good idea. Keep our minds off what’s going on in that house with two sets of twins.”

He chuckled, “let’s start with the border protection spell.”

She nodded. “Do you think it would help Riddle if we put one around him when Laila and the twins go at it?”

Vectore laughed, “I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot.”

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