The Witch's Mate

Babysitting Noah's Kids

My little mate had her period for another two days in which she spent most of her time in bed. But the day after her menstrual cycle ended, I woke up in a panic when I didn't see her beside me.

I need to work on that. I told myself. I can't be waking up in a panic every time my soul mate isn't beside me.

I smelt food and knew exactly what she was doing. I walked over to the kitchen but she wasn't there. However, a large stack of pancakes was waiting for me. I quickly ate then got dressed into something warm. My instincts were telling me that the weather was only going to get colder from here on out.

When I went to the bathroom, I noticed scruff for the first time growing on my face. Well, I've had scruff before but never this long. Same with my hair which was already tickling my ears and nape of my neck.

My dad always had me trim my face and hair. He said an Alpha should always look clean. I decided that I would leave it up to Nora on if I should shave it off or not.

Making my way to outside, my over sensitive ears caught the sound of dirt being shoveled. Nora was on the side of the house digging a small ditch.

"Whatcha doin', darlin'?" I asked. Nora stopped and posed as she looked up at me with a sexy smirk.

"Digging a trench." I folded my arms and came closer to her.

"Why?"

"Because the water isn't seeping down the hill correctly. Water's getting under the house. I noticed it this morning. So I'm pick-axing at a trench so that I can place a drain pipe in it then direct the water to flow downhill."

"Oh," I took the shovel from her.

"Hey,"

"Let me do this. Just tell me what you need done and I'll do it."

"I'm not gonna question your willingness to help because I'm enjoying it." I laughed. Nora pointed out diameters and I shoveled as well as pick-axed for her. "Man," she later said, "you're going about this a lot faster than I was."

"Well, I am also a man and a werewolf." Nora smirked. She stepped into the shallow creek we made and placed her arms around my neck.

"Yeah, my wolfy and buddy." I chuckled.

I set the shovel down and grabbed her by her waist. I leaned down and met her half-way with a kiss. "My little Nory." I leaned my forehead against hers. She scrunched up her face. "Do you prefer 'baby' more?" She smiled and nodded. "Alright, my babygirl." Her face turned red. I kissed her again. Her fingers tugged on the ends of my dirty-blond hair. "Thank you for breakfast this morning."

"Thank you for helping me dig." I kissed her once more.

"Nice to see the two of you getting along." We both turned and found Noah standing near by, looking down at us in the pit.

"Hey, Noah!" Nora cried. I helped her out then she went and hugged him. I didn't approve in the slightest but remembered Nora saying she hated jealousy as a characteristic in a man.

"Hi-a." He said in return. I got out myself and shook his hand. "I was wondering if you two could babysit the kids for a few hours. Jane's water broke." I blushed.

Nora squealed and jumped up and down. "Oh my gosh! This is so exciting!"

"Yeah, she's at home waiting for me to take her to the hospital."

"Let's go!" Nora grabbed my arm and yanked me to the truck. We followed Noah, who had driven his own truck to see us, all the way to his cabin. I remembered seeing the young girl teen when I first visited and wondered why Noah and Jane, his wife, needed babysitters. Wouldn't that girl be old enough to watch over her younger siblings?

We got to the cabin in no time and Jane was outside with the rest of the family, a bag in her hand. My mouth hung open at the sight of how many kids they had.

"Are these all your kids?" I gasped once out of the driver's door. Noah and Jane laughed as he guided her to the other side of the vehicle.

"Yep! My wife and I don't believe in birth control." He joked. Nora and Jane laughed. I counted the heads of each of the kids and included the one on the way. Twelve. They were crazy. I'd never seen such a large family in my life.

"That's amazing!" I gaped. Some of the kids were laughing. "How do you guys keep them in order?"

"No time to talk." Noah said as he opened his driver's door. "We'll see you all tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" I questioned, but everyone ignored me as they waved goodbye to their parents. I turned to Nora once the truck was many feet away. "Twelve kids, Babe."

"Good thing we're only taking care of eleven of them for now." I shook my head and looked at the bunch of children in front of me. The oldest it looked like was the girl who had answered the door.

"How many kids do they want?" Nora shrugged. We all scrambled back inside the house and I watched as some of them ran to their rooms and entertained themselves. "How do they all fit in here?" I asked. The cabin was two floored and slightly bigger than Nora's and my place.

"It's a miracle, right?" She joked. The oldest daughter placed the youngest baby in Nora's arms and I watched as she sat down with him and rocked him to sleep in a rocking chair. I admired the scene in front of me picturing my own pup in her arms before my hand was tugged on and I was dragged out of my daydream.

"Come play with us!" A few youngsters cried. I played with five of the kids. They all looked alike with crazy hair and that wild, wolf look in their eyes. This family could easily create their own pack.

I didn't know how to play with the kids, truly because I was never a kid myself. I didn't hang out with those younger than me at my original pack. My father always had something for me to do and would smack me upside the head if I was ever distracted with watching others play.

We stacked Lincoln logs and played around with play-mobile. I felt bad that the kids didn't have any phones or TVs. They had a radio, with a state song CD in it which helped children memorize the states of the USA. I had totally forgotten that there were fifty states and some of the names I didn't even recognize. I wondered why Noah and Jane were raising their children in the  middle of nowhere with nothing.

Nora fixed up some lunch and then dinner. She read to the children in front of the fireplace and I watched as a few of them mulled off to sleep throughout the story. I helped her carry the young ones who were asleep and watched as she folded them into their beds and tucked them in.

I was truly amazed at her motherly care for them. She looked like a natural. Her kind smile was so gentle and warming. As she tucked more kids into bed, I pictured them as ours.

Once she was out of the last room, I grabbed her by the waist and spun her around to where her back pressed against my body. I folded my arms around her figure and rested my head in the hook of her shoulder and jaw. My hands caressed her tummy and hummed. Her hands then rested on mine.

"I keep imagining this as our family. Do you think Noah and Jane would mind if we stole their kids for a while?"

Nora giggled. "They might actually let us do it. Give them a break from all this crazy." I hummed. Nora lifted up her arm and ran a hand down my chin. "Your hair's grown much longer than when we first met." I nodded. "Would you like me to help you cut it?"

"I thought," I began, "that I would leave that decision, of whether I should cut my hair and shave my face, up to you." My beautiful mate smiled.

"Really?" She asked. I nodded. "Alright. Let's wait till we get home to carry on this topic." I nodded once more in agreement.

We soon got all of the older kids to bed and then cuddled on the couch together. I fell asleep with my soul mate in my arms, her on top of my hard chest, her squishy body pressed against me. I was in heaven.