Chapter 2 –

I stood dumbfounded, staring at Samuel as he stared back at me. One thing stuck out in my mind, though: Sam wanted kids in the worst way. And I had a seven year old son. I also happened to be his "mate" thanks to my wolf . . . She couldn't make things easy for me, could she?

I clamped down on the mate bond and quickly walked around Samuel. It was hard, but I quelled the urge to run back to him and ravish that wonderful mouth of his . . . No! Bad Siobhan! I shook my head violently. I had to fight my wolf every step of the way as she growled and fought trying to get back to Samuel. If I gave even an inch, the loneliness and longing that haunted his eyes would get to me and my resolve to try and run while I still could, would shatter.

I'd almost succeeded in getting back into my car when the unique smell I now associated with Samuel from the few minutes I'd been around him, filled my head. He slammed the car door shut and spun me, pinning me against the car. I met his now white gaze unwaveringly. His eyes scrutinized my face.

"You know what this means, yes?" I nodded in answer. He went on, "You have no idea how lo—"

"Centuries. I know. You were the Marrok's first son. I know all about you. I had just never even wanted to meet, you. If I got that kind of glimpse in on you and your past, Samuel, then . . ."

"Yes, Siobhan, I know about all of it," Samuel replied with a quick glance at Caleb who sat doe-eyed in the car. I glanced away, the kindness, the understanding and mutual loneliness in his eyes starting to break down my defenses and resolve to leave and never look back. Oh god, no, Siobhan, look away, I internally yelled at myself.

I honestly tried to do so, too. Especially when he murmured, "He is a beautiful boy . . . You're very lucky to have him." My eyes flew up from his shoes to his pale eyes. My wolf, who had obviously been secretly lonely, added to the sudden need to not be alone. Tears filled my eyes and spilled out onto my cheeks as I threw my arms around his middle and sobbed into his chest.

Instead of pushing me away with a sneer, which is what I had been secretly expecting me, he held me closer. I idly wondered if I was becoming bipolar, considering the fact that I had just been threatening this man five minutes ago, and now I was hugging him and sobbing like a little girl. I jerked at the sound of Caleb's scared cry of "Mommy?"

Quickly wiping my tears away, I jerked the car door open and unbuckled him from his car seat. I pulled him into my lap cooing sweet things to my little boy. Samuel's face softened as he watched me hold my son. With my focus only on making sure that Caleb was okay and comfortable, I unknowingly let up on the mate bond. Samuel's longing for what I had with my Caleb hit me full force. Just as I was about to clamp down on my end again, I thought better of it.

Samuel was hurting. Very badly, I might add. The last thing he needed was to see his last, small, chance at happiness shun him. Even though I didn't have memories and experiences with him of my own, I knew enough from the thoughts and memories that had drifted over the bond to gather that he was a good caring man. Hell, he was a doctor! He cared and worked for every patient that needed his care, and felt the loss of a person even if he didn't know them. That was good enough for me.

I scooted over in the car and looked up at him with a tentative smile, glancing down at the open space in invitation. Caleb let out a scared sound. I shushed him saying, "It's okay, Caleb. This is Dr. Cornick. He's not going to hurt you." The only thing that kept me from going ballistic was the fact that my wolf internally growled at me every time I even thought about keeping Caleb to myself. Maybe she wanted us to share the responsibility of raising him with someone?

"Caleb, huh," Samuel asked wryly. "That is a good name for a big strong boy like you, don't you think?"

Caleb looked at him, his eyes widening, after a moment. He hid his face in my hair and whispered, "Mama, he's like you! I'm scared."

I sighed and patted his back. I'd ingrained that fear deep into my little boy's mind. He must have looked at Sam's aura. I looked apologetically at the dark-haired man next to me. "I'm sorry. I . . . We've been running awhile. I taught him a long time ago that witches and werewolves were not to be trusted. Samuel, I apologize. I am pretty sure—" I hesitated. My thoughts turned suspicious and slightly horrified. Just because our wolves had chosen us to be mated did not mean that he wouldn't turn on me and tell his father that there was an exceptionally dominant renegade female running around with a witch child.

"I wouldn't do that to you." My gaze snapped up to Samuel's face. "And call me Sam." He seemed to internally debate something before continuing, "And I know a place you can stay away from crowds and Adam's wolves. You're more dominant than they are but . . . You never know."

I was already shaking my head no. "I can't. I have to work. I only have so much money in my bank account that I need to save for when I can't work and have to keep running. You have no idea how many cars I've gone through. If I don't work, we don't really eat much for the month."

Sam frowned at me. His eyes skidded down from my head to my toes. "By 'we' you mean, 'you,' don't you, Siobhan?" I averted my eyes, shamefaced. That had to be answer enough. "Give me your keys," he commanded, palm open.

I hesitated. Did I really want to give him my car keys? I pondered it, and then figured I was already going to hell, so who cared if I gave Sam my car keys. It was probably food related, anyway. I mean, it was not something too out of the ordinary. Take bleeding heart doctor, add new spontaneous mate that starves herself for her witch-child, and voila! A trip to some good eatery for food and lots of it. I handed him my keys and grabbed his wrist before he could get out. "Remember, you crash my car or do anything reckless with my car with myself and Caleb in it, mate bond or not, I'll tear you limb from limb, Sam."

He flashed a stunning, white smile. "Wouldn't dream of it, Bonnie," he retorted. Sam chuckled at my wide eyes. No one had ever used a nickname for me. I mouthed the name to myself, totally stupefied. He hopped out, opened the driver's door and folded himself into my seat. I saw him grimace in the mirror as his knee slammed into the center console on the way in. Sam hastily pulled the seat back to my immense amusement.

A few moments later, Caleb was held safe in my lap, while I was buckled up and Samuel drove out of the parking lot. The silence verged on uncomfortable. I toyed with Caleb's hair, my mouth pulling up at the edges. I kept thinking of how my new nickname sounded on—No! Stop! Just because you're mated does not mean you have to relax or stay together . . . does it? The same things kept running through my mind. The car came to a halt.

Sam opened the door and helped Caleb out while I unbuckled. As soon as I was out of the car, Caleb was behind me, his little arms tight around my stomach. This was going to be challenging. I wasn't sure how long Samuel would be around, but it wouldn't be easy with Caleb afraid and hanging off me. I froze when I caught sight of the building.

The tall ashy-brown haired man looked back at me. "Coming," he asked gently. I shook my head slowly. I couldn't afford this! This was place was so far out of my price range I wouldn't be worthy of waxing the floors . . . it used to be that I would have flounced around like I owned a place like this before my family had disowned me.

"I-I can't. I cannot afford someplace this expensive." I looked desperately at Samuel. "Couldn't you just take us to a diner? I mean, I'm grateful for a trip to a restaurant, but really—" Sam silenced my babbling with a finger to my lips.

"You are not allowed to pay a cent, understand? You won't go hungry; not while I have anything to say about it." His look stopped the protests that had bubbled to the forefront. "I have no need for your money, Siobhan. Let me get you food and a decent, safe place for you and Caleb to stay? You will never have to see me again."

I dipped my head reluctantly. "Only if I either get to pay you back, or you promise not to come calling to collect."

"Of course." He courteously led me to the door while Caleb hid behind me, trying to be invisible. For one of the first times in my life, I had no idea how to put Caleb at ease. Usually, we ran, I intimidated whatever was after us into submission, and I calmed him down in private.

I was so in over my head.

We sat down and I felt, yet again, inadequate. Just knowing that in another world in the past, I had been in restaurants like this on a regular basis; knowing that having come from that, I was now worrying about being able to cover even a meager quarter of the bill shamed me. I felt disgraced that I couldn't give my Caleb a more stable life. Damn fate and all its twists and turns!

I looked over the menu and settled on just having a side salad and a fruit salad. Sadly my stomach gave me away to Samuel just how hungry I was when a waiter walked past with a gorgeous steak. I cursed to myself when my (shudder) mate gave me a stern, concerned look over the top of his menu. He glanced at the passing waiter as I pressed my lips together, tighter and tighter every passing moment. Sam sniffed the air, nodded and set down his menu. I looked at the children's menu and quietly tried to ask Caleb what he wanted in Irish. My parents had taught me, I spoke it with my grandfather, and I'll be damned if I wasn't going to make my son speak it, too. He hesitated a few times, but seemed a little more comfortable knowing that we couldn't be understood. He decided on a simple cheeseburger with French fries.

"Maime?" My eyes went immediately to Caleb. His eyes still held that stunning fear I had instilled in him. His voice shook as he asked quietly, "An bhfuil tú scanraithe? B-beidh mé i seilbh do lámh." In other words, he had asked me if I was scared then told me he'd hold my hand. My little man was, even while scared out of his wits, trying to be brave. I grabbed onto his hand and pouted playfully. Still using Irish, I told him I was terribly scared and might even need a hug. He nodded eagerly and half hopped out of the chair to cling to me tightly.

I glanced up once, quickly and looked around the restaurant to make sure we weren't drawing any attention. My eyes fell on Samuel who was staring at me tenderly. An awkward stiffness claimed my spine. Involuntarily, my wolf started urging me to get Caleb to like Samuel. Now. As if Samuel was supposed to mean something to him . . . Oh . . . Right, mate thing? My wolf must be convinced that I'm going to listen to her! Ha. Yeah right. Uh huh. She would have to be off her rocker to every think that I would stick around Samuel. I mean, I knew absolutely squat about him. Okay, tiny lie, I knew a lot about him, but besides what the mate bond had shoved into my brain, I knew nothing. Who knew if I could trust him? He was the son of the Marrok! One wrong word and my whole world could come crashing down. Wasn't I a lucky ducky?

Our waiter came buy a moment later and asked if we knew what we'd like to order. He first looked to me but Samuel interrupted and said, "Oh, she'll have the filet mignon with the garlic mashed potatoes, greens, and a side salad. I'll have the same. Caleb?" My son looked up, his emerald eyes scared. He swallowed and ordered quietly, squeezing his arms around my torso. The waiter nodded and briskly walked away to put our orders in.

I scooted my chair back and Caleb up and put him in my lap, facing towards Samuel. Thoughts tumbled through my head like a mudslide. How was I going to deal with Caleb or help Samuel if my son, the thing most precious to me, was deathly afraid of my mate?

'Let me handle this,' Samuel's voice said in my head. I jumped at the internal sound. His foot tapped my under the table and he smiled kindly at me. 'Relax, Bonnie. Kids love me. Generally, anyway.'

Not sure how to do the same, I thought, 'Don't scare him. He's terrified, right now, Sam.' Sam nodded.

"Hey Caleb, did you know I had a son like you, once?" Samuel leaned forward slightly and smiled easily at my son. Caleb swallowed and shook his head. "No? Well, see one of his favorite things to do was play with me when I'm a wolf. Do you ever do that with your mama?"

"Y-yeah," my boy stuttered. He seemed to relax a degree.

"Really? What color is she? What do you normally do?" Samuel looked at Caleb, fascinated.

Swallowing, Caleb said, "She's a-all b-black. And s-she has really p-pretty blue eyes . . . U-usually we p-play catch, or s-she l-lets me ride on her b-back. She ch-chases me s-sometimes, t-too."

Samuel's grin widened and he asked, "Do you like playing with your mama like that?" Caleb nodded timidly. "Hmm. If you ever get tired of playing with your mama, or she needs a break, I'll play with you. How's that sound, Caleb?"

When Caleb didn't respond I nudged him and he looked down at him. I brushed his hair out of his eyes. "It's okay, sweets. Dr. Cornick is nice. He won't hurt you. He used to be a daddy. If you don't play with him, I will, Caleb." I turned my head primly, glad that Caleb was too young to understand the innuendo. Samuel covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing, though his eyes lightened a few shades and got a little lusty when I met his eyes. Caleb frowned, totally confused.

"Mama? You're gonna play with the we—" before he finished the sentence I interrupted him.

"With Dr. Cornick? Yes. I am. And we'll have so much fun, just the two of us. We'll leave you at home, but maybe we'll go out for a while to play in the park. What do you think, Sam?"

I could smell Sam's arousal at the prospect of our "playing." He replied in a considering tone, "I think that sounds like a great idea, if Caleb doesn't want to." He continued, (though his heated eyes, as they stared at me, belied his true intentions) "I really wanted to play with Caleb, because he's so cool, but if he doesn't want to, I guess I will play with you, instead, Bonnie."

I thought about how much of a hardship it would be for poor Sam to get stuck with me instead of Caleb. The waiter came and dropped our food off. We started eating, Caleb relaxed and asked if we could all play together to be, fair. Sam was absolutely ecstatic. That is until the front door opened and he cursed. I gave him a look, but instead of chastising, I asked quietly, "What is it?" Then the scent hit me and I stiffened. Anything smelling that strongly of wolf, and anyone emitting that kind of power was bound to be bad news. Worse yet, I had an idea of who it was already. That kind of near-tangible dominance could belong only to one other wolf in the city: Adam Hauptman.

My day just kept getting better and better.