Alder, Alanea - Fated to Be Family [Kindred of Arkadia 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Alanea Alder Read Free Book Online Page A

get on his good side. One day I was in the kitchen with the boys when I offered Landon some orange juice. I was the only one in the house that drank it, so it was like my own personal stash. The old man was just coming into the kitchen and knocked the glass away from my hand, spilling a little on Landon. I remember just staring at him in shock when an odd smell started to come from the spilled orange juice. He just stood there, clutching his chest and breathing hard. He had poisoned the juice and I had almost given it to my son. It would have made me violently ill. It wouldn’t have been deadly given my age, weight, and height. But Landon was so young and tiny.” Caleb stopped and threw the washcloth into the box, taking deep breaths as his old anger returned.
    “It took Renee and four other leopards to get my hands from around his throat. When Renee learned what had happened, she threatened to pack up the boys and leave. The old man just broke down right there in the kitchen. I think it shocked her and a lot of the leap members. He was one of the Elders in charge of the leopards and to see him come so completely undone…” Caleb shook his head and took a deep breath.
    “After that we settled into an easy truce. He loved the boys with every cell in his body. He would stay up with them and feed them. He spared no expense when they set up their nursery. I think seeing what his hate could have done really turned things around for him. When I got home the day of the attack I found his body in the hallway in front of the boys’ room. I still don’t know if he knew the room was empty when he died since I had snuck the boys out for the photos.”
    Caleb looked over at Kate to see tears spilling over her cheeks. She opened her arms and he eagerly wrapped his arms around her, needing to feel the warmth of another person after reliving the worst day of his life.
    “It’s awful what he was going to do to you, but you could see how much he loved them. It’s in the way you painted his eyes.” Kate   turned in his arms so that they both faced the mural.
    “It’s why I don’t want the boys to forget him. He loved them both so much.” Caleb rested his chin on the top of her head. He loved the fact that she was tall for a woman. He didn’t have to reach down to kiss her. He didn’t know how Aleks Arkadion did it. His mate was tiny.
    “Who are they?” she said and giggled. He looked to where she was pointing and smiled.
    “That is Rafe and Rashin. Personality wise they were like your Rian and Damian. Fun-loving and goofy, but loyal. They were Renee’s littermates. They used to tease Renee about all the things they were going to teach the boys to do. They were my best friends besides Renee. I never found their bodies, only a lot of blood and fur in their rooms. I knew they put up one hell of a fight.” Caleb continued to hold Kate, letting go of the feelings of grief he had been holding in. He didn’t realize how much he had needed to talk about his leopard family until now.
    “You should do a picture book. Draw all the people and leopards and tell stories about when the boys were babies so they can see the kind home they were born into and the family that loved them.”
    Kate turned to face him. She was worried at the blank expression on his face. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything about painting. Some artists were picky about suggestions. Suddenly his face broke out into a huge smile. He picked her up and swung her around.
    “That’s an amazing idea! I never thought about doing book illustrations before. I like how it would have stories to go along with the pictures. But… I’m not a writer.” Caleb stopped, not realizing that Kate was dangling about a foot above the ground. She loved his strength.
    “We’ll find someone then. Maybe you could do different volumes as they grow up. We could give it to them every year at Christmas. It could be our first family tradition.” She looked up at him excitedly. He