Chapter 8

The first thing Cassandra did was declare Roman the Alpha of the preserve. Of course the other Alphas maintained their rule over their people and Cassandra and Dean had final say over everything on the property but they trusted Roman – and Seth – to run the place.

"Don't look at me like that, Ro," she pulled a face when he was stunned into silence. "I trust you, and it isn't like I won't be around when you need me. Is anyone else hot?" she complained while fanning herself with her top.

"That is all you, Princess," Phil winked at her.

"The special gift you got from Dean," Antonio added, elbowing her mate.

"Roman, I swear you'll do fine, and if you need me just call," Cassandra patted the big man on the shoulder.

"Just not for the next few days if you can help it, Ro," Dean winked at his brother, taking his mate by the waist and sucking on her claiming mark.

The Huntress and her mate were about to be busy doing something else of greater importance – starting their family – extending their pack – create a new species of Immortal Shifters. Cassandra was still in heat, and now that the fighting was over, she felt the need crawl along her skin, the burning in her blood that could only be satisfied by her mate's touch.

AJ and Naomi welcomed their husbands home with a hug and a kiss before abandoning them to drag Cassandra off to one of their cabins. The men chuckled among themselves when they heard the women squeal over Cass taking her first knot, and almost keeled over when the Immortal's legs threatened to give out.

"There isn't much to breeding but there are a few things that will drive your mate wild, girl," Naomi smiled brightly, flopping down on AJ's bed with Cass. "You might not even realize it but you already do things just to appease and comfort your Alpha."

"I heard Phil mention it too," AJ piped in, sprawling out on her stomach with her feet in the air. "You calmed your feral mate down by lowering your eyes and nuzzling his chest with your cheek. The male ego is strong in wolves, Cass. They live off of that 'I'm the big, bad ass man and you're my little woman' shit. It is easier on everyone if you let them believe they have that power," she giggled; the other two women joining her.

"You are a different story though. We all know you are the Alpha of this land despite giving that role to Roman and giving your self to Dean. The point is they know the power they have over you is only what you allow them to have, and if that doesn't dent their ego I don't know what does," Naomi grinned.

"Okay, so I know how to calm Dean when he's upset. What do I need to do to show him I want to breed?" she glanced between the two women with an arched brow.

"Besides breathing and getting naked? Not much. They pretty much take it from there," Naomi laughed with a hand on her heart. "At least that is the way it is with Jimmy and, if it runs in the family, Roman will be the same."

"Roman intends to find a mate in one of my children," Cassandra said stoically.

"Sorry," Naomi winced. "I'm sure the last thing you want to picture in your head is Rome banging away at your future daughter. Ouch!" she rubbed her leg when AJ gave her a pinch.

"It's okay. Dean was the same way. As soon as he got started I don't think he stopped until I was unconscious. He might not have even stopped then," Cass shrugged with a smile. "So tell me what I need to do to make my big wolf feel all manly."

"You need to make a nest and when he comes to you, you need to present yourself to him for breeding," AJ said with an innocence on her face that didn't match the words that came out of her mouth.

Outside of the main house, Dean was standing around talking with his and Xavier's packs while they waited on Erik and the other Bear to return. Roman had arranged for the dead Hunters to be carted off to the hunting ground for predators to feed on while pyres were built for the few they lost. In the midst of all this morbid talk, a smile broke out on Dean's face.

'You're so lucky I love you,' his mate growled into his head. His smile turned into a goofy grin, showing off his dimples when his woman added, 'my Alpha.'

Dean made his way home from a meeting with the other Alphas a few hours after the sun set. The Hunters had been disposed of, their own dead had been sent off in the flames of rebirth, and their wounded had been tended to. It was a long, stressful day for all of them but Roman was feeling it the most.

He went from Alpha of a pack of rogues, constantly searching for a home to live in safety to now holding the title of Alpha over a few thousand Shifters. He would be responsible for resolving disputes, allowing new families to settle on their land, and ultimately releasing the Huntress on anyone deserving of her particular brand of justice.

The poor man was a nervous wreck and only calmed once he held private counsel with Dean and Seth.

"She wouldn't have handed over the mantle to you if she didn't trust you, Rome," Dean rasped softly with an encouraging hand on his Alpha's shoulder.

"I think Malakai's instant like of you went a long way with her decision," Seth's deep chocolate eyes zeroed in on his brother's gray. He had his arms crossed over his chest just observing his tense Alpha before he broke a smile. "The man himself said he didn't get along well with others, and we all know Cassandra doesn't," he chuckled with a roll of his eyes. "But they both took an instant liking to you, Ro. You impressed two of the oldest beings on this planet with your accomplishments, perseverance and kind heart. You deserve this, my brother, and you have all of us to help you so don't sweat it," he shrugged with a small laugh.

"You know something, Seth," Roman turned to his Beta after studying his relaxed stance for a moment. "I've never seen you so at peace until we came here. Trying to kill Cassandra moments after she saved our asses aside, you've really taken to this place and to her," he chuckled. "I know Dean lost his pack the same as you but he was too young to remember it – unlike you. It is all there in your memory and; as much as it hurts, if you didn't have it, Cassandra never would have made it through the loss of Malakai. I know a lot of shit happened right after that but you helped her through that and led her through the battle. Next to Dean, I think you've become the most important person in her life, and I am proud to call you brother."

"Me too," Dean slapped Seth on the back before putting him in a headlock. "Just stop staring at my mate like she's a juicy steak. Don't think I didn't catch that 'perfection of your breasts' comment just because I was fighting for my life, Spike," he rubbed his knuckles against Seth's scalp; the two of them play fighting while Roman cheered them on.

"Darlin, I'm home!" Dean shook his head with a sigh; stepping through the giant wolf-sized hole in the door of the house, making a mental note to have it repaired tomorrow. He stopped for a second and smiled at the domesticity of his thoughts before following his mate's scent upstairs. His plans consisted of having pups, taking care of his mate and fixing up the house to prepare for his family's future. 'My family,' he thought with a sigh of relief and a swell of happiness.

His lady managed to close off her mind while she was away with his female pack mates so he had no clue what prompted the comment she spoke into his head earlier until he opened their bedroom door.

Cassandra stood bent over their bed; running a hand along a mound of blankets cushioned on three sides by pillows. The mattress had been stripped off of the frame and the whole nest set up on the floor close to the stone fireplace. She was freshly bathed; her hair still hanging in wet waves draping her face, shoulders and back, and a short black silk robe clinging to her steam damp body. He took a deep breath; scenting just her natural scent that reminded him of fresh snow, cinnamon and home.

"They told me this is normal among your females but couldn't tell me exactly how to do it," she said nervously. "They said it would come to me; that making my nest would come naturally, and once I got started this felt right. I'm not affected by temperature but I like to feel like I'm floating when sleeping the few hours I get. This keeps us surrounded by warmth like our first night in the tent. It comforted me to think of it," she stood upright, turning to look at him with a worried expression. "Do you think I did this right?"

"Come here, baby," he held his arms out; watching her lower her head and move to nuzzle into his chest while he held her tight. "I think you did it perfect. Our first night was a sign of our destiny together, and I am often comforted when I remember how well you took care of me that night. Of course the 'other' thoughts I had about you that night come back to me and I need comfort in an entirely different way," he purred in her ear while grinding his hard-on against her stomach.

"Then let me comfort you that way, my Alpha," she said softly; her hands undoing the belt of her robe, letting the silk slip from her shoulders and pool by her feet.

Dean closed his eyes and allowed her scent to roll over him. 'Take. Mate. Knot. Breed.' His mate was gloriously naked before her nest, awaiting his pups to be placed in her womb, and Dean's higher brain functions left the building. His eyes snapped open when her hands clasped his, walking them backwards to their bed before she released him. He was breathing through his mouth; his tongue running along his lips when she knelt down and scooted backwards to the center. 'Take. Mate. Knot. Breed.' He shifted to his new form and growled low in his throat when she rolled over; her head and shoulders on the mattress with her ass in the air – her pussy presented to him for breeding. With a tug from his extended claws, his shorts tore from his body even as he surged forward to kneel behind his mate.

Cass held still and even managed not to tense up when she felt her mate's nose nuzzle at her dripping folds. The girls told her the males were easier to handle during breeding if their females were subservient and appreciative of their affections. She knew Dean would never hurt her, and both of them were equally dominant during their last mating but procreation was his goal now and he was driven to make it happen. The last thing she wanted was to upset him with a case of nerves.

"You smell amazing," he rumbled against her flesh in a voice not quite his, "like home and mine," he ran the flat of his tongue from her clit to the wet sensitive skin of her pussy up to her ass. "I'm going to take you, Mate; fill you up with my cum and knot you until my pups are in your belly," he rasped in a gravelly tone, lining his cock up with her entrance and sinking into her heat in one slow stroke.

"Yes, my Alpha," she moaned; knowing it was Dean's feral side in charge right now.

The wolf grabbed his woman's hips with his clawed hands and drove into her tight body with long, sharp thrusts. His pace was relentless and steady with his growls, her hitched cries and the slapping of skin resounding off the walls. Dean rode Cass through two orgasms before he lifted her up to rest against his chest. "Do you feel that, Mate?" he asked; pushing his thickening cock up into her while he pulled her down by her hips. She nodded weakly when he ran his tongue over his claiming mark. "That is my knot. It's swelling up to lock my cum inside of you. I love you, Mate," he panted in her ear to calm her down before he continued to lap at his mark.

"I love you too, my Alpha," Cass gasped; crying out a moment later when Dean drove into her twice in fast, hard strokes before forcing his knot in on the third.

He sank his teeth into his mark while he released inside of her; unable to leave her body due to their tie but rutting into her in shorter strokes. "That's my good girl, Cass," Dean groaned, petting her hair back off of her sweaty brow. "You took me so well, darlin," he kissed his mark up to her jaw before easing them on to their sides; adding more tender kisses when she whimpered from the pull of the knot before they were settled.

"I'm so glad you got this hybrid form. I can't imagine being conscious if I had to take that from Hulk Dean," she snuggled back into his body and jolted when he moaned; his body shaking. "What was that?"

"I came again," he rasped while his hips began to rut again. "I'll be doing this for a while, darlin; keep cumming until my knot goes down and we can untie. I'm locked in right up near your womb to ensure the best chances of impregnation," he settled an almost reverent hand on her flat abdomen; fingers dancing lightly over her womb. "Feel this, baby," he took her hand and pressed it along her abdomen, thrusting his hips into her with another release of semen. "Feel my cock inside of you, putting my babies in here?" he rubbed her hand over her skin, feeling his cock push against her palm. She nodded with a whimper in response. "We didn't hurt you, did we? Are you okay?" he asked, palming her cheek to look into her heavy eyes.

"I'm fine, my Alpha, I just feel so full," she smiled silkily when he growled in contentment. "How long will we stay tied together?" she kissed his palm before nuzzling her cheek into it.

"Your first heat and my first knot – it'll probably take an hour for me to go down. I'm told as time goes by my knot should go down in twenty minutes or so," he shrugged with a flush to his cheeks even as his hips began to thrust again.

"Sooo your knot will take less time to go down when you're used to me and I get boring huh?" she arched a brow at him before her eyes fell shut and her mouth formed an O. "Dean!" she keened when a climax struck; her pussy clamping down on his cock.

"Oh fuck!" Dean gritted out when she milked another release from him, holding her hips flush to his groin. "You will never bore me, darlin," he chuckled, kissing the side of her head. "You better learn to bring a book or pick up knitting for all our hour long ties. Oh shit!" he clenched his eyes, jerking into her again. "Did you just…?" he drifted off when she grinned, mischief in her dual-colored eyes.

"Yep, I flexed my best muscles and squeezed you tight. I figured it's a better way to occupy my time when we're tied. I'm just trying to help, my Alpha," she batted her eyes with an innocent look before they broke down laughing.

"Stop! Fuck! Stop! Shit! Stop!" Dean repeated endlessly in between his bouts of laughter. His mate's laugh was making her pussy flutter along his length, causing his hips to clap against her ass almost against his will. When his mate finally granted him mercy, his face sobered up and stared lovingly into her eyes. "I can't ever grow tired of you, Mate," he caressed her cheek and took her mouth in a deep, searching kiss.

"When will you know if I took?" she whispered against his lips while they rested their foreheads together.

"I should be able to scent the change in you in a few days," he kissed her forehead while rubbing small circles on her stomach. "I know you caught though; I can feel it in my bones. You've got my babies in here."

"Babies? I know my body changed a lot but I don't think it changed enough to accommodate a litter, my Alpha," she blushed, nuzzling her head against his neck.

"We'll see, Mate."

Cassandra spent the rest of her heat in her nest; three days of Dean rutting; and occasionally making love, but always knotting her until they couldn't move a muscle before they started all over again. Cass was equally driven to have his knot in her to appease the need she felt in her veins, and whenever she woke up he was ready for her.

He pulled himself away from her long enough to hit the kitchen to make them food and fetch drinks to keep her strength up but wouldn't leave her for anything else. On one of his trips to bring his mate nourishment, he passed his brothers replacing the front door of the house, and forced the growl down in his throat knowing Alphas were so close to his heat-crazed mate. Deep down he knew he had nothing to worry about but biological imperative pushed his feral side to protect what's his.

'Dean! I need you, my Alpha!' Cass harshly panted her need into his mind and Dean groaned when he felt how badly she burned for him.

His brothers finished their work with smiles on their faces when Dean went upstairs without a word. Cassandra, on the other hand, began crying and whimpering minutes later when her Alpha felt the need to claim her again.

She woke up exhausted to see her smiling mate nuzzling her belly and mumbling against her flesh. "Your heat is over," he told her without looking up; knowing she was awake. "Now that the heat scent is gone, I can smell the change within you. My pups are in here," he glanced up at her with watery blue eyes and a broad smile. Worry shot through him when tears flooded her eyes and sob caught in her throat. "Hey, hey, hey, what's this?" he crawled up her body, holding her face between his palms.

"I never thought I'd have this," she burrowed into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I never imagined having a mate, love or children, and you gave it all to me. This naked, beautiful, blue-eyed pup shows up wounded on my land and ends over six thousand years of just existing. You not only gave me life," she rubbed her abdomen before resting that hand over her heart; "you gave me life. I love you," she kissed him with trembling lips before nuzzling into his neck.

"I will love you forever, Mate," he kissed the crown of her head while holding her tight to his chest.

"Mom, I don't think you should be up there. Dad will be mad and he'll blame you, Jon!" the young black-haired man shouted up the tree; hands on his hips and frustration on his face.

"Joseph, if you rat out your brother and I to your father I'll make you go stay with your Uncle Seth and your sister!" Cassandra frowned down at her son before smiling when his brother squealed. The wind picked up and swayed the branches they were clinging to and the teen was having the time of his life.

"You know Joelle will make your life hell if she has to share a house with you, bro! You should come up here! This is great!" Jon laughed as he jumped a few branches over before furrowing his brows at his mother. "Are you okay, Mom?"

"Oh hell, honey, I think it's time," Cass groaned before jumping from the tree to land weightlessly on the ground. "Joseph, call your father," she patted the teen's hand on her shoulder when she sank to her knees.

"I'm here, baby girl," Roman whispered in her ear before he swept her up in his strong arms.

"I need my nest, Ro," she whimpered against his chest when a contraction built.

"Daddy is coming, Mom."

"Thank you, Jonathan," she gasped, patting her blond-haired, blue-eyed son on his head.

"What in the world were you doing up in the trees in your condition, sweetheart?" Roman asked while he hurriedly carried his Huntress to her house.

"Playing with my son, Oh mighty Alpha! If you could talk your brother into not filling me full of pups every time I go into heat, I wouldn't have to risk pissing you all off just to teach my kids how to use their abilities. Oh fuck!" she gritted out when a wave of pain rushed through her.

"Mom said a bad word, Uncle Rome," Joseph smirked, laughing with his litter mate.

"I said a lot worse when I had to push you, your brother and sister out!" Cass keened, digging her nails into Roman's shoulders and chest.

"She's telling the truth," Roman nodded to the boys, gritting his teeth against the pain of her grip. "I think everyone on the preserve heard her tell your father that she was going to neuter him before she let him impregnate her again," he chuckled with his nephews.

"That obviously didn't happen since he's managed to get her to catch during each of her heats for the past eighteen years," Seth grinned, walking up hand-in-hand with his mate, Joelle; Joseph and Jonathan's sister.

The three teens were from her first pregnancy and the instant she went into labor, Seth could sense his future mate was about to be born into the world. Dean and Cass could barely keep him out of their bedroom during her labor. Only Cass turning almost completely feral while protecting her nest kept him at bay. Dean had a hard time lulling her into accepting his help for a while until the worst of the contractions hit and she cried out for his comforting arms.

Joelle was allowed to move on to the pack's territory at the age of twelve. She could feel her bond with Seth at a very young age and her parents thought it wise to allow their daughter to get to know her future mate. Under Seth's instruction and tutelage, their child also learned how to use her gifts and what to expect when they finally were allowed to mate. At sixteen, she was allowed to move into his cabin and on the morning of her seventeenth birthday, Seth took his mate. They just had their first litter a month ago – two girls – and much to Seth's utter horror; and everyone else' complete delight, both girls were claimed by Brad and Randy.

Joseph and Jonathan resided with Xavier's pack when the boys found their mates among his people. Joseph and Angelina were expecting their first litter, and Jonathan and Mara had two litters already; a total of five children.

Cassandra seemed to be cursed with triplets. Every heat, Dean managed to place three pups into her womb that she'd carry for nine weeks before coming to term. They currently had one hundred and five children running around with three on the way. All of them bore their mother's dual-colored eyes; one to mark her obsidian and one to mark their father's blue. "This being the mother of a new species is sucking ass, Ro. I need some time off the knot," she groaned, curling up tight in his arms.

"You love that knot, baby girl, and talking Dean out of breeding will be a war that no one could win," he mumbled against her head before taking a deep breath and growled softly in his chest.

"She's finally here, isn't she?" Cass glanced up into his dazed eyes with a soft smile on her lips.

Roman nodded with a relieved sigh before smiling brightly.

"Darlin!" Dean shouted, rushing up from the direction of Erik's territory; the Grizzly, Xavier and Malakai's son; Braeden, on his heels. "I'm here, baby," he held his arms out to take his mate but Roman kept his hurried stride towards the house. "Ro, what the hell?" he furrowed his brow at his Alpha brother.

"Good luck, Dean. The big man just scented his mate and; if Antonio's nose in the air and swift steps are any indication, he just caught the scent of his girl too. You're going to have a full hallway, brother," Seth chuckled when their pack mate did indeed rush up, took a deep breath and fell into step beside Roman. "And there's Isaac," he pointed at the wolf waiting on the porch before smiling at Cass. "Looks like three girls this time, Princess. Ow! Shit!" he shouted when Cass' hand whipped out and gripped his forearm when another contraction hit.

"Uncle Seth!"

"Oh hush, Joe! She's killing me here!"

"You're an Immortal now, Seth. Quit being a pussy," Dean took his whimpering mate into his arms on the patio, holding her tight while Isaac opened the door to allow them entry. "Yeah, I know, man. Stick close to Ro and Antonio out in the hall cuz she'll hand you your balls if you try to enter the room while she's giving birth," he told Isaac as he bounded up the stairs with the group of them on his tail. "Kids, come and help me!"

Their expanded family paced the hallway for what seemed like an eternity while Dean coached his mate through several grueling hours of labor. As was their practice since Seth wandered up when he sensed Joelle's impending arrival, Dean carried his daughter outside of their room and handed her over to her future mate, allowing him to name her. Antonio's head perked up when the door opened; a fond smile beaming on his face when he laid eyes on the girl.

"She feels like an Alyssa to me," he sniffled, kissing the infant's light dusting of dark hair.

"Hold on to her for a moment, Tonio. Cass is having a difficult time of it and I don't want Alyssa alone or getting underfoot while we're helping her mom," Dean gave a tight smile to his pack mate, casting a worried glance at Seth before he disappeared into the bedroom. Less than an hour went by before he returned with another little bundle in his arms; this time it was Isaac that stepped forward with wide eyes.

"Caroline," he smiled; staring down into those dual-colored eyes.

Dean nodded his head curtly and slammed the door in their faces when his mate cried out in pain.

Another hour went by before the pacing Roman halted in his tracks when a weak voice popped into his head. 'Ro, I need you.' His heart raced in his chest when he placed his hand on the door knob, and he took a deep steadying breath before walking inside. Panic and pain tore through him when his eyes settled on Cassandra curled up on her side; Dean rubbing her lower back while their three eldest stood helplessly beside their mother's nest.

Roman swallowed the lump in his throat and made his way to the foot of the mattress; hesitantly crawling up to sit beside her bent legs. "I'm here, baby girl," he choked out when he saw the distress in his brother's eyes. "What can I do?" he asked; placing a trembling hand on her knee.

"Your mate is being quite stubborn. She doesn't want to come out," she sniffled, rubbing her stomach before grabbing his wrist. "She can't stay in there long, Ro, or I'm going to have Xavier cut her out of me. I won't risk her!" she raised her voice over Dean's objection. "I'll survive; she won't unless we get her out of me. Talk to your mate, Ro. Tell her you're waiting for her," she rolled to her back, bending her legs at the knee on either side of Roman and placed his hand on her belly.

Dean moved behind his mate, propping her back against his chest and tugged her light dress up to her leave exposed from her swollen belly down. Roman replaced his hand on skin; closing his eyes to talk to his intended. "I'm here for you, darlin, and Ro will deliver her when he talks her stubborn ass out of there," he wiped the sweat from her forehead, brushing her hair back and placed a kiss on her brow. "Not that I blame her; I'd stay in you forever if I could," he whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms below her breasts.

"You need to keep that knot to yourself, Pup. I need time and the army we have needs to grow, find mates before we repopulate the Earth. We are Immortal, my Alpha," she glanced up at him with teary eyes. "We have forever to breed. Ro?" she turned her attention instantly to him when his hand ran down to settle low on her belly. "What are you doing?"

"Showing her the way out," he smiled with a small chuckle.

"If that hand moves any lower, I will kick you in your handsome face," Cass snapped at him.

"Handsome?" Dean quirked a brow at his mate before he scowled at his brother.

"I'm nowhere close to a virgin anymore, my love, and I can admit he's pretty fucking hot," she shrugged; cocking her head at Roman when he massaged his hands along the sides of her belly towards her opened legs.

"She was going to come out first but Alyssa was insistent," Roman didn't bother to hide his tears when he relayed what his mind deciphered from his mate's thoughts.

"Alyssa?" Cass asked Dean since Roman was still in his own little world.

"Antonio's mate," he told her; enveloping her within his frame when he felt her body begin to tremble. "Isaac named his girl Caroline. Here she comes, baby, I can feel it. Rome?" he glanced up at his silent Alpha, taking in his nod.

"Push for me, baby girl!" Roman placed his hands on her spread knees, waiting for that little life that was meant to be his to appear. "Come on, D'allasandra! Don't keep us waiting any longer, sweetheart. Come on!" he shouted over Cassandra's cries. "There she is, baby girl! I have her head! Just give me one big push, Mama!" he gave a teary smile to Cass when she bore down and grit her teeth, giving him everything she had until he had his destined mate cradled in his big hands. "You did so good, Cass," he sniffled with a big smile, wrapping the little infant up in a small blanket that Joseph handed to him. "Thank you, baby girl," he whispered to the exhausted mother before cuddling the little bundle to his chest.

"D'allasandra?" Dean asked softly while he rocked his tired mate in his arms.

"I kind of mixed yours and Cass' names. I thought it was pretty and fitting to honor the two most important people in my life. I've waited my whole life for this and eighteen years of you two breeding like horny mutts finally brought me my ever after," he chuckled, staring down into the dual-colored eyes.

"Did you ever think we'd end up with everything we wanted after you and Seth pissed me off enough to run off into the wild?" Dean asked while he situated his slumbering mate, lifted her dress off and motioned Roman over.

"I didn't think we'd find you alive," he whispered while he held the infant to take her mother's breast; beaming brightly when she latched on to nurse. "As it turns out, you stumbled on to the one being that brought us to life. Thank you, Dean," he stared at his brother with tears rolling freely down his cheeks.

"Thank you for saving my life, Ro. You, Seth and I all made this possible," he kissed his mate's head, glancing up at the door when it slowly opened.

"Did I hear my name? Is the coast clear?" Seth asked, walking in when he saw Cass out like a light. "Congrats, Rome," he cocked his head, watching the newborn feed from her mother while the others streamed in behind him. "I had Antonio and Isaac bring in their little ones to feed from Mama when Rome's is done," he jerked his head towards the two men lightly rocking the infant girls in their arms.

"Pervert! I heard that perfect breasts comment again!" Dean snapped at his brother.

"There is too much dick in this room," Cass mumbled while shifting her head against Dean's chest.

"Mom!"

"Shut it, Joseph," she sighed and drifted back to sleep.

~End~