115

Chapter 115

Lamberton Dormitory, Tri-Market Warehouse, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, Year 2036, Planet: Grimoire

It hadn't taken long to escort the gaggle of kids with Marlayne. Grifton noticed nine in total, and he shook his head in amazement. "So, all of you had at least three children simultaneously?" He sighed when Marlayne nodded.

"Calico had three girls, the two with indigo-blue-black hair, green and black eyes, and platinum blonde hair with ruby eyes," Marlayne informed him.

"Cleopatra, Nefertiti, and Lilith?" Grifton identified them immediately. "Cleo, Nefi, Lil," he added when the trio looked at them in confusion and wariness, which faded when he listed their nicknames, and they rolled their eyes in comprehension.

"Yes." Marlayne nodded. "The two maroon-haired and gray-eyed boys and chocolate brown-haired girls with gray eyes are mine."

Grifton had to think a bit more at that time since he'd never heard their proper names before. At last, he came up with their nicknames. "Pepper, Pumpkin, and Cocoa?" He guessed.

The children giggled, hearing him.

Marlayne laughed. "Yes, Pepper is his name, Pumpernickel is Pumpkin's complete name, and Carmelita is Cocoa's actual name." She was amused. "So, this is your first time hearing their complete first name?"

"Yes," Grifton admitted. "So should I guess the last three, or will you give me their actual names, not the nicknames..." He sighed when Marlayne shook her head. "Mean, but I suppose it makes sense."

Grifton wasn't sure what to say. "Charles, Lulu, and Gadriel." He remembered after a moment studying the faces of the two blond-haired boys with aquamarine-grey eyes. Lulu had strawberry blond hair and walnut-brown eyes. They all had tanned complexions that must've come from their Alpha sire.

When the children nodded, Marlayne said, "I'm impressed. You were almost correct. Their names are Charleston, Lulu Maybelline, and Amagadriel." Marlayne eyed Grifton with surprise. "So, what are their nicknames?" Now, she was curious about them.

Grifton shrugged. "Charles, Bella, Adriel," he said with a faint smile.

The last three nodded with sighs. "Not that we use the formal names or nicknames much," Charles stated. "We don't like sharing our real names with complete strangers unless it's for protocol purposes." He glanced at Grifton. "At first, he was a total stranger when we first saw him. Now we know he's family."

Grifton shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm glad you've acknowledged me as a family despite the rough start." He was relieved that these three at least viewed him as such. The other six would have to be given more time to trust him.

Grifton chatted with them while heading to the cafeteria. He nodded politely to the guards. "Good evening, Steve, Preston, Devon, Layla, Ordinal." He kept his greeting of them brief.

Grifton only did so with their first name or surname, whichever they preferred.

Marlayne watched his actions with bemusement. "I take it that you've known a few of them for quite some time?"

Grifton shook his head. "Not until a couple of months ago." He shrugged, unwilling to let her think he was close to any of them. "I was running small errands such as delivering food packages and water flasks to guards and workers all over the estate. the dormitories are part of the grounds."

"Evening, young sirs and madams," The guards returned the greetings with smiles and nods.

None of them stopped Grifton and Marlayne from their little journey. They reached the cafeteria without delay and chose a few items for the adults that wouldn't flatten their wallets. The children were allowed to pick some items they wanted. Then, to wrap up the trip to the cafeteria, the other children who didn't come with them were also consulted via communication devices linked to Calico's rooms.

"Well, this has been enjoyable." Marlayne watched the children roam around the cafeteria under their watchful eyes.

Grifton smiled. "It is quiet right now, but during the daytime, it can get pretty rowdy, with kids of all ages running amok." He shook his head with a grin. "Then you'd have to put leashes on them." He gestured to some odd-looking items hanging on walls in various lengths.

Marlayne was shocked. "Goodness, well, I suppose there's a good reason for that."

While waiting for the food to be prepared, Grifton regaled her with hair-raising tales that soon had Marlayne giggling with disbelief. Once the items were handed over in convenient packaging, he began loading the cart tray he'd brought. When it was stuffed full, Marlayne produced another one. It, too, was filled, but there were no extra items that the children would have to carry except for their individual bags.

"Now it is time to return," Marlayne decreed.

None of the children protested. They were too focused on not dropping their bags and drinks, which had been ordered and carefully prepared and packaged for easy transportation.

~*~

Now reassured about the Tinroy siblings who were herding the kids to a secure location, Lamberton turned his attention to more immediate concerns. "What to do about this problem?" He looked at various small red dots blinking in critical areas of concern.

There were signs of something happening too close to his estate. "Huh, I wonder if this is part of the real activity the truce decoy was set up to direct attention elsewhere?" It wouldn't surprise Lamberton in the least.

"This doesn't look promising at all." Not to mention that of the three dormitory buildings. All of which were located in the southwestern warehouse district. This was a district within walking distance of the Tri-Marketplace. All warehouses associated with the vendors are with Tri-Market, Golden Market Place.

"Oh right, we're going to have to provide more supplies to the fifteen military units located at the border markers that are currently engaged in the conflict." Lamberton frowned when he recalled that the Collegiate cluster enclaves also had vendors storing goods there.

"Should more guards be posted in that general area?" He ruminated on the problem before realizing he should call on his secretaries. That was what he had on hand afterward, after all.

Where were they, anyway? Lamberton frowned slightly when he realized there was an uncomfortable silence in the adjoining offices to his left and right. "Talmaine, George. Can I get your opinion on something?" He called for the two secretaries who assisted with his work.

Talmaine didn't come immediately, but George poked his head inside the door. "What's up?"

Lamberton frowned slightly. Lately, Talmaine had yet to pull his weight. Something was going on with him, but he'd have to deal with that problem later. "Can I get your opinion on this?" He tapped the monitor of what he was studying.

George came in all the way to look over Lamberton's shoulders. "Hrmm, there shouldn't be a problem. As far as I know, Amos, Trilby, and Shiloh were pulling shifts in those three warehouses."

They were slightly startled when Talmaine added curtly. "Noah, Jem, Cara, Rhea, and Anise are also assigned to them." He was holding his stomach with a pained grimace. "Sorry, boss, it turns out that I'm going to need to ask for paternity leave."

Since when had Talmaine become impregnated? I thought that betas didn't have that equipment. Now, though, he was seeing something entirely different. How in the hell did this happen? Lamberton looked at Talmaine in shock. "Err, did you disguise as a Beta this entire time, or are my eyes tricking me?" He felt bound to ask the obvious.

"Oh, very funny, sir," Talmaine scowled at him. "No, I'm a beta," he confirmed. "Your eyes aren't tricking you." Talmaine frowned when George coughed and tried hiding a smile at his predicament. "I'm holding you responsible for this, George. You abandoned me to those miscreants."

The other man looked downright affronted and aggravated at his accusation. "Say what? When did I do that?" George's smile vanished when Talmaine described what had caused his current predicament. "Oh dear, yes, I can provide information on all those rogues who showed up that night." He confirmed hastily at Talmaine's icy glare.

Now, this was becoming a definite issue. Lamberton frowned at George's attitude. "Please continue, Talmaine." He needed to know the particulars of what happened in this case.

Talmaine was scowling even worse than before. "This was because of a jackass combo of Omega and Alpha deciding to spike my drink seven months ago." He grunted and shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I'm still a beta, but evidently had recessive Omega genes somewhere in my latent lineage." Talmaine was clearly cursing that late discovery.

"Ugh, this isn't the first pregnancy sprung on me lately." Lamberton couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Here, I thought that someone just spiked the water in general." Talmaine was the latest beta to fall victim to some insidious-minded individuals.

"I'm beginning to wonder if the water was spiked," Talmaine growled. "You're right, I'm not the only one who fell victim to opportunistic Omegas and Alphas around here. It is becoming a serious problem."

Lamberton grunted. "Paternity leave is granted as of now." He gave Talmaine a long stare. "Do you want to remain where you're located or move to a more secure location?" Lamberton knew that the dormitory for employees would soon have at least three vacancies.

At first, Talmaine turned ashen at his question and swallowed hard when he admitted. "I can't stay where I am any longer. My lease was terminated the moment my pregnancy began showing." Then he sighed with relief when Lamberton nodded in understanding. "I've been residing in one of the cheaper hostels with my belongings in storage for the past five months."

Promptly, Talmaine became a normal-complexioned individual as Lamberton extended a welcome invitation. "I will happily accept your invitation to move into the dormitory." He hesitated. "So, when can I do so?"

Hmm, good question. "I would say tomorrow afternoon, the earliest." Lamberton informed Talmaine. "I must notify the receptionist and housekeeper to prepare a temporary single-room suite for you."

Talmaine bowed. "Thank you. Please send the details to my private inbox." He glanced warily at George. "I don't want the information to get out to the general population, if possible."

Lamberton sighed because he knew that George definitely liked to gossip. "Do I need to put a gag order in effect?" His eyebrows lifted at George.

George shook his head. "Word got out already, but it wasn't me. I think Daphne, Elma, and Ronald spread it this time." He made a sour face. "In fact, I think they were the ones who did the deed."

Talmaine's eyes widened in horrified comprehension.

Lamberton frowned. He simply shook his head. "Well, keep the change in address off the official records for now." It would be an excellent way to catch any more Omega and Alpha troublemakers' attempts should they try staking out Talmaine's latest hostel habitation.