Wyvern Protection Unit - Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Carolina jumped at the sounds of Christmas carols blasting through the intercom inside Jasper’s bedroom.
“Jas,” she moaned, and shook her mate.
It was a strange thought to have, but there it was. Man. Wyvern. He was both things and he was hers.
Jasper Wessex was her fated mate, and she loved him desperately. She welcomed both sides of him and trusted that he would always be there for her. She simply knew it somehow, and wasn’t that great?
“Merry Christmas! Pardon the intrusion, but, Jasper, you have a visitor,” an older man’s voice came through the intercom. “Maybe you would like to come out of your room and greet him with your mate?”
“Dad?” he grunted and rolled over.
“You live with your father,” Carolina growled and smacked her mate in the chest.
He looked confused for a second, then grinned wickedly and held up a finger. Oh, she would give him a second alright. Then she would whack him again.
Caro had been a little bit boisterous—okay, she was very fucking loud—throughout their several bouts of lovemaking during the night. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. How embarrassing!
“Yeah, Dad. We’ll be right there.”
“Well?” she demanded when he clicked off.
“Love, this is my family home. It’s huge, and the walls are reinforced with soundproofing insulation, I just never moved out.”
She squinted at him, but stopped when she noticed a subtle change. Something was wrong. Something he was not telling her, she waited a beat and felt him try to get his bearings.
“I am, or was, often on the job for the WPU, so it seemed a waste of resources, but we can live anywhere you want,” he assured her. “Only, well, you see, my father is sick. I am not sure how much time he has.”
“Oh, Jas, I am so sorry,” she replied and immediately felt awful for being even slightly angry with him.
Of course, he would want to be near his father. Anyone would. She gave him a hug but pinched his arm when a certain part of him started begging for attention, too.
“Ow! I can’t help it, mate. Whenever I am near you, especially deliciously naked you, that’s bound to happen.” Jasper shrugged and grinned unapologetically.
“Well, let’s get dressed, then go meet him and your mysterious guest. But just so you know, I am pretty territorial, and it better not be a she.”
“You got nothing to worry about there, baby. But I like it when you get all possessive.”
“You do?”
“Yep. I am too.”
She giggled as they ran down the hallway twenty minutes later. Both freshly showered and dressed. She wore a pair of his ridiculously long sweats and a shirt, but at least she was clean.
Not holiday festive, but it was all she had. Still, Caro could not wait to meet his family. Imagine her surprise when she entered a large living room to see Medjed standing there.
The Demon looked modern in black jeans that were noticeably tight around his junk, but still nice, paired with an ugly Christmas sweater.
He grinned wickedly at her before nodding at her mate. Jasper growled and walked in front of her protectively.
“Easy there, lizard breath, I have come to give you both a gift,” he said and bowed his head.
“You know, from what I know of Demons, Medjed, they don’t give gifts. Maybe you aren’t one, after all,” Caro mused.
“Ah, this is because your western idea of Demon is warped with religious themes. We ancient Egyptians do not share that view. When we say Demon, we mean minor God or Deity.”
“Oh, yes, I recall from my studies,” she said, eyebrows raised. “Wait a sec, you mean I could’ve had a god for a mate?”
Jasper snarled and snapped his jaws. Oops, she forgot her mate was the jealous type. Carolina giggled and opened her arms.
“Not funny,” he snapped.
“Sheesh, I was only kidding,” she said, and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love you, only you, now stop rumbling and be a good mate.”
“You should not tease him, lovely lady. He is still new to being mated. He will want to rip off the head of everyone who looks at you for some time yet,” Medjed explained.
“Hopefully not his father,” Arthur Wessex said and entered the room with three men who looked suspiciously like Jasper.
His brothers, she assumed, and smiled widely at their welcoming faces. She watched Jasper nod at his brothers before looking at his adoptive father. It hurt her to see fear and sadness in his gaze. Apparently, Arthur Wessex was worse off than she thought. If only there was something she could do to help.
“Merry Christmas to you both,” Arthur said.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Hey Dad, have you been eating?” he whispered his question.
“Stop fussing, son. It’s Christmas! Now, Ms. Dylluan tells me Carolina here is your mate?”
He ignored his son’s question and extended a hand towards Carolina.
“Yes, sir. This is Carolina Moore. I see my brothers are all here, Heliodore, Larimar, Zircon, meet my mate,” he said and smiled with pride.
“Now, really. How are you feeling today, Dad?” Jasper asked his father while she shook his hand and kissed his cheek.
“Who is this stranger? Will you join us for our holiday meal?” Arthur asked, continuing to ignore his son’s questions.
She could see the man was not one to complain, and yet there was pain in his eyes. Jasper had told her about his diagnosis. Apparently, the older man refused treatment and his sons could not understand why.
Her heart ached for them all. Cancer was a rat bastard. No one was safe from it. It did not discriminate. But she couldn’t imagine what would make the strong, powerful man in front of her stop fighting.
“I am Medjed, General Wessex, I am told you are a great warrior. Allow me, sir.”
Medjed took the man’s hand, he whispered something in his native tongue, and the air around him shimmered with power. Arthur grunted and tried to pull away, but Medjed held strong.
Jasper went to move him, but Carolina knew better. She tightened her hold on her mate, trusting him not to toss her aside as he so easily could.
“Caro,” he begged.
“No, wait,” she replied.
“My father,” he growled.
“Do you trust me?” she asked, his golden eyes met hers, and he nodded immediately, staying his brothers with a snarl when they would have interfered.
“Do not move,” he said. “I trust my mate.”
“But Dad⁠—”
“Please, just a moment,” Carolina told the brother who spoke. She would need a little while to remember their names.
Medjed’s almond eyes were glued to Arthur’s. He was chanting louder, whether in ancient Egyptian or Demonspeak she did not know, but she did know he would not hurt the man.
“It will take a little time, General. But the dark cloud inside you will die on its own, and you will see your grandchildren born. I believe one is already on its way,” Medjed stated calmly and nodded to where Jasper stood.
“What?”
“I’m pregnant!” Carolina gasped, and her eyes went from Medjed to Jasper. Was it too soon? Would he be angry? But no. One look at the man, her mate, and she knew he was delighted with the news.
Her mate had ceased his struggling and was looking from the Demon to his father. Then once more at Carolina with more love than she had ever seen.
She felt his confusion and his anxiety, but overwhelming all of that was his love—constant and ever growing.
“Are you happy?”
“I think so. Are you?” she asked, her smile splitting her face.
“Yes, love. You have given me more than I could ever hope for.”
“Best gift ever,” she repeated her earlier statement, hugging him tight.
“How did you know he would not hurt him?” Jasper asked, his arms wrapped around her.
“Because he could’ve hurt us at any time, and he didn’t. Thank you, Medjed,” she said, and felt the truth in her words.
She smiled at the Egyptian deity, her arms still clinging to Jasper. Christ, she loved him so much. Just one weekend and she went from being unloved and divorced to having a family, friends, a mate, and a baby on the way!
“My pleasure, ibib,” he smiled at her. “Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Wessex, but I am being sent on assignment. And I am sorry for you, Carolina, that you must remain shackled to lizard breath without my sterling company.”
“Where are you going?” she asked, laughing brightly.
“I am being sent on assignment, it would seem. The wise Owl will be my handler as well.”
“Thank you, Medjed, for everything. Oh, and watch out for Jenn, she has a wicked left-hook,” Jasper told him.
“Thank you,” echoed the other three Wyverns, as they shook hands with the Demon before he took his leave.
Carolina snuggled into Jasper’s side. Together, they watched Medjed exit the Wessex home, then they all walked to Arthur, who was huffing deep gulps of air in and out of his lungs. He appeared to be okay, and his color was returning.
“How do you feel, Dad?”
“Still catching my breath, but I feel good, son. Better now that I am going to be a grandfather. Come, let’s have Christmas breakfast together,” he said.
The older man laughed happily, and patted Jasper on the arm before turning to his other sons, who were filled with questions.
“Can I get you anything, Father?” asked Dor.
“Should I call the doctor?” interrupted Conny.
They walked off towards the dining room and Carolina’s hand went to her belly. Could it be? She looked up at her new mate and saw love shining in his eyes.
. He’d stayed by her side instead of rushing to be with his father, and he was smiling widely.
“Whatever the future brings, Caro, I love you. I vow to protect you, to cherish you, to love and honor you,” he promised and covered her hand with one of his. “And that goes for whatever children we are blessed with, for all my days.”
“I know you will, Jasper. I trust in you, my love, always,” she said and leaned into his embrace, kissing him full on the mouth, ignoring the wolf whistles and catcalls of his brothers.
She did, however, appreciate the resounding smack of the General’s hand across one of their heads. Oh, yes, she was going to love her new father-in-law.
But that didn’t matter a whole lot right then. The dawning realization that her love and trust was well-placed filled her with a satisfying warmth. She’d meant every single word.
The universe had given her a protector—gift wrapped and just for her—and she promised to love him with all of her, heart, mind, body, and soul for as long as she drew breath.
Carolina had finally found the love she’d always wanted and had searched her whole life for.
“I’ll protect you too, Jasper, and our children,” she vowed.
“Always.”
The end.