by Dannika Dark
“Did you figure out how that wolf got in my house?” Austin asked, slowly licking the juice off his finger. “Because if I find out that someone left the door open when we went to the party, that person’s on punishment. I don’t care who it was.” He was especially eyeballing the twins, who were busy squirting ketchup all over their shoestring fries.
Trevor looked feverish, with a pink tint coloring his neck and cheeks. Usually he wore nice button-up shirts, but those weren’t practical when you’re running around in the dark with a gun, so he’d put on a white T-shirt instead. Maybe that’s why his skin changing color was especially noticeable.
“Did everyone pay attention to Reno in there?” Austin continued. “This isn’t a game anymore. Every day is an opportunity to prepare for what’s coming. Tomorrow we’ll work on scouting for trees where we can build stands or something larger. I’ve got a few ideas. Reno’s guy is ordering camouflage gear for everyone, so when we get home, be sure to give him your measurements, and that’ll be one less thing to worry about.”
“Hell’s bells. I think my measurements shrank since this morning,” Izzy said, fanning herself with a paper plate.
I traced the tribal markings on Austin’s shoulder with my finger. “I know you’ve got a lot on your mind, but we have plenty of time to talk strategy when we get home,” I said quietly.
Denver stood up, his mouth still full. “Come on, Peanut. Let’s bowl.”
She glared up at him, holding a nacho chip in her hand. “What the heck? We’ve been shooting at each other for hours, and now you want to bowl? I’m not sure if I’m dating a Shifter or a rechargeable battery.”
“Sit down,” William said curtly.
Denver pointed his finger, and I seized his wrist, lowering his arm before the argument escalated.
William eyed everyone at the table. “As I was saying before, I don’t like living in a house with secrets. There’s one I’ve kept a long time, but it has nothing to do with the pack.”
Reno lined up the salt-and-pepper shakers, then focused on collecting the packets of ketchup and stacking them on a napkin. “And what secret is that?”
“It’s a delicate subject where matters of the heart are concerned. I’ve been in love with someone for years, and now that I’ve decided to mate with them, it affects the pack.”
Wheeler stroked the scruff on his chin. “Who’s the lucky lady? Don’t tell me it’s that bitch, Rebecca. Church may have thrown her out of his pack, but I noticed she invited herself to the peace party and was all over you.”
Denver snorted. “You dirty dog.”
“It’s not Rebecca,” William said with annoyance.
Trevor rested his elbows on the table and rubbed his eyes tiredly, only it wasn’t because he was sleepy. He was wiping away tears.
April, who was sitting next to him, took notice. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” William said gently. “Not anymore. I’m asking with the entire Weston pack as my witness if you, Trevor, will be my life mate.”
Eyes widened, jaws dropped, and the distant sound of bowling balls striking pins was the only sound.
Melody eyed the burger she held between both hands and smiled at Hendrix. “Told you.” She took a giant bite, and a swath of blue hair slipped in front of her eyes.
Trevor’s cheeks flamed, wet with tears. Although we’d always accepted him, perhaps old memories—bad memories—from his previous pack had resurfaced. He looked crippled with fear, unable to meet anyone’s gaze.
William stood proud, his hands resting on Trevor’s shoulders. “This isn’t the ideal location for a proposal, but the only thing that matters is how I feel. You’re an incredible man, Trevor, and I want to call you mine. I’m not leaving this spot without an answer. I’ll stand here until they close the place down.”
A slow-rolling laugh arose from the right end of the table. Maddox leaned back in his chair, covering his eyes. Then he dropped his arm and slammed his fist on the table. “Dammit, boy. Either you say yes or I will.”
Light chuckles circulated, and we watched them expectantly.
Trevor kept his eyes submissively low, remaining silent and waiting for Austin to speak. I’d never heard of a mated couple in a pack being gay, so Austin’s response wouldn’t just be a matter of opinion but would determine whether Trevor remained in the pack or not. He was seeking his Packmaster’s approval.
Austin swirled a french fry in ketchup, bit it in half, and then leaned back in his chair. A wonderful close-lipped smile stretched across his face before he spoke. “Don’t look at me. It’s your question to answer. Whatever you decide, I’ve got your back.”
Trevor’s shoulders sagged as if the weight of the world had been lifted from them.
April wept, staring between the two men and covering her mouth with a trembling hand. The smoky eyeliner around her eyes left a sticky trail down her cheeks.
Trevor forcefully scooted back, throwing William off-balance and causing him to stumble.
“I don’t like being boxed into a corner,” Trevor growled.
My heart sank. He wasn’t going to accept.
Trevor faced William, body tense, a pensive expression on his handsome face. Without warning, he swung his arms around William’s neck and held on tight. William grinned, embracing his mate and holding on as if it meant saving his life.
A slow round of applause erupted, with Wheeler clapping and Denver whistling with his fingers.
Trevor looked at the group, combing his hair down with his fingers, unable to wipe the contagious smile off his face.
He studied April for a minute and shook his head. “Hot damn, you’re a mess.”
“Why didn’t you tell me, Trev?” she said, sniffling. “I thought we were best friends.”
He used the hem of his white shirt to wipe the dark smudge off her cheek. “Because, Miss Romance, you would have given it a push years ago, and I wasn’t ready. Hell, I thought Will was romancing the ladies undercover; I didn’t have a clue. I hoped, but he was pretty good about hiding it. Don’t cry, babe. Your nose swells up and you look like Rudolph.”
“Trev, I love you so much. I’ve always wanted you to be as happy as I am.”
Tears welled in his eyes, and he knelt down in front of her. “April Showers, always showering me with love.”
They hugged it out, and I rested my head on Austin’s shoulder, drawing in his musky scent mixed with sweat. Maybe most women were repulsed by a man who didn’t douse himself in cologne, but I loved the smell of my alpha male. He wrapped his right arm around me and kissed the top of my head.
“Did you doubt me for a second?” he whispered above all the congratulatory comments from the pack as they rose from the table and descended on William and Trevor.
I lifted my chin and steadied my eyes on his. “Just when I think you’re going to start following pack tradition, you remind me that you’re a better man than that.”
“Can we go play games?” Lennon asked, jumping to his feet and pushing in his chair.
“Yeah, I’ve had enough mushy stuff,” Hendrix agreed.
Izzy playfully pinched his side, and he squirmed.
Austin cleared his throat. “Not today. We have work to do.”
“Austin, they’re just kids. Let them play for a little while,” I said.
He leaned in close, his voice low, just for me. “I get what you’re saying, but if something happens to them because I didn’t prepare them for what’s coming, I’ll never live with myself. I’m not just Uncle Austin to them; I’m their Packmaster.”
I smoothed my hand down his firm bicep. “When we go home, we’ll work on digging trenches and traps, but five minutes in the arcade while we eat isn’t going to hurt anything. Put them on the sniper game and call it training if you want.”
Austin waved a french fry in front of my mouth, and I took a bite. “I’d move the world for you, Ladybug.” He nodded at the boys, and they took off in a flash.
A feeling of
dread came over me when I thought about our future. Austin was right; I needed to stop looking at them as boys. Watching them take turns on the sniper game made me realize the world I grew up in no longer existed. We weren’t raising children but men and women who would fight alongside us. My baby would have an even greater expectation placed on him or her as the child of a Packmaster. As much as I’d always wanted a normal life, my life would never be normal again.
At least not by human standards.
“Whose room are y’all going to live in?” Wheeler asked, stripping all the vegetables from his hamburger.
My mom stood up, hands on her hips. “I’ll not have anyone in our house living in sin before they make it official.”
Maddox laughed and swatted her playfully on the butt, which caused my mother to blush so hard that Maizy giggled and quickly turned away.
“That may be a problem,” William said. “I don’t think the Council has ever done anything official with a gay couple.”
“Doesn’t mean there’s a law against it,” Reno grumbled. “Just means they haven’t done it.”
“Indeed,” William replied. “Mustn’t worry about the details while we’re still celebrating.” He put his hands on Trevor’s shoulders, giving them a light rub as he stood behind him.
After I snapped out of a daydream, I leaned close to Austin. “I’m pregnant. I’m not digging a trench when we get home.”
He laughed, adding more spicy mustard to his burger. “You wanted me to treat you normally, and the Relic recommended exercise, didn’t he?”
“I mean it, Austin Cole. If I so much as see a shovel move in my direction, I’m going back to my old apartment, and you’ll have to start your courtship all over again.”
Austin grabbed the bottom of my chair and pulled it right next to his. Then his warm lips touched my neck, the smell of pickles strong in the air. “I just might like starting over,” he growled sexily. “Remember our first night in the house?”
Boy, did I.
Chapter 20
Three months had passed since the peace party, and I was eight months along. My arm had healed, and thanks to Edward’s amazing abilities, only a few white scars remained.
As for the Trevor and William situation, they remained in separate rooms out of respect for my mother, who still believed marriage (or mating) came first, even though she and Maddox weren’t married. When Trevor raised this point, she said an experienced woman with two grown children was too old to remarry. I think the real reason for her not marrying was that Mom didn’t see them growing old together since she would age faster, and he would move on. Then again, maybe he’d never asked her. Maddox not only loved my mom, but he genuinely adored her company and sense of humor. In Mom’s eyes, that was enough.
William was old-fashioned and wanted something official. The Council hadn’t responded to their request, but we weren’t sure if it’s because they disapproved of it or that they had postponed all mating ceremonies due to the preparations underway to prepare for a possible invasion.
I pushed the glider on the porch, my hands folded across my belly, feeling a cool breeze ruffle my hair.
“It won’t be much longer,” Ivy said, swatting a gnat away. “Lorenzo hasn’t shared the date, but his mood is altered.”
The summer sun was bronzing my legs, and I lifted the end of my white shorts, noticing the tan line. “Are you done preparing?”
“As much as we can be,” she said. “And you?”
“Reno worked with Lorenzo a few months ago on setting traps. Prince had a friend with experience lend his advice—some Russian guy, but I didn’t meet him. Austin printed a map of the property, and we memorized their locations and how to spot them.”
“Austin is sure he doesn’t want to move your pack in with ours?” she asked, playing with a beaded bracelet on her wrist that Hope had made. “The offer still stands.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “They’d kill each other, and you know it.”
Austin and Lorenzo had made a pact that if war came, they would support each other. His pack was larger, but Austin realized because of their old rift that they’d never be able to live under the same roof, even temporarily. Since we were neighboring allies, it made more sense to look out for each other. We helped train his men, and in return, he offered to lend assistance during the attack.
Ivy rested her hand on my stomach. “You’re so close. I can see someone in there’s getting stronger.”
I laughed and tapped my stomach. “I’ve got a kicker. The baby’s more active at night, and sometimes you can see my stomach moving. Austin’s fascinated by the whole thing.”
A smile crossed her face, making her eyes appear as crescent moons. “Mommy’s little warrior. Pregnancy suits you.”
I snorted. “So you think I should be the barefoot and pregnant kind?”
She tapped my nose and sat back. “On the contrary, I mean your wolf has been asleep a long time now, but you are more resilient as a leader of this pack than ever before. Have you not noticed the way your packmates follow your orders more readily? This child will make you a stronger woman—that’s what our children do, whether we realize it or not. We think that they soften us, but it’s just the opposite.”
The front door opened, and Austin stepped outside.
Shirtless and glistening—droplets of water from his shower still clinging to the ends of his dark brown hair. He shielded his eyes from the sun and looked toward the private road up ahead.
While he was distracted, I surreptitiously leaned over and zipped up his pants.
He hissed, body growing rigid when my hand brushed against him. He captured my wrist and pulled it away, giving me a sexy wink.
A rivulet of water trailed down his tatted arm until it dissipated around his elbow. Austin had acquired a nice tan over the summer, and for whatever reason, my sexual attraction to him increased with each passing month. But he had denied my advances since the day I started showing, saying it was too risky for the baby. All I knew was that when he swaggered in front of me like that, leaning over the porch railing, water running down his strong back, I just wanted to mount and ride him like he was a wild stallion.
Ivy snapped her fingers in front of my face, a delicate grin hovering on her lips. “I think it’s time for me to go soon. It’ll be dark in a few hours.”
“Give the girls another hour. They like spending time together.”
Austin glanced over his shoulder. “If you want to stay longer, don’t sweat it. I’ll have Reno follow behind and make sure you two get home safely.”
“No need, but I appreciate your generosity,” she replied. “Lakota is with us.”
“Lakota isn’t a man.”
Ivy lifted her chin and straightened her back. “What constitutes a man—testicles? I can assure you he has those. Lakota has gone through the change earlier than most, and he is an intelligent wolf who is ready to fight for his family.”
“Uh-huh. But how much fighting experience does he have?”
She tilted her head to the side. “As much as any Packmaster is willing to give to him.”
Austin frowned. “Point made.”
I couldn’t help but notice Austin was acting a little off. “What’s wrong?”
He turned around and ran his fingers through his damp hair. “I don’t know. My wolf’s pacing like someone’s about to come over.” He wiped his wet hands across his jeans, leaving a few damp streaks. “Did you invite anyone else?”
I patted my belly. “Maybe your wolf senses a new arrival coming soon to a pack near you.”
He arched a brow and swung a leg forward until he reached me. When he knelt down, he cradled my belly in his hands and planted a reverent kiss on it. “That’ll be the best visitor we’ve ever had.”
Austin continued rubbing my belly with his hands, something he liked to do late at night when he thought I was asleep. How could I sleep with a somersault champion in my belly all night? Sometimes Austin would scoot down and whisper
so quietly that I couldn’t hear what he was saying. The breath of his words skated across my skin, but in the silence of the room, whatever secrets he told were between him and our child.
I never thought it was possible to fall deeper in love with a person over time until I met Austin Cole. The first time the baby kicked was when I was five months along. Austin had walked in on me lying shirtless on our bed, my hands on my stomach, smiling at the ceiling.
He crawled next to me and lifted his icy blues. “Do you feel anything yet?”
“A little.”
“What’s it feel like?”
I smiled and cupped his face in my hands. “Like the first time I told you I loved you. Butterflies.”
Those secret moments were mine to keep forever, and I couldn’t wait to tell our child about them.
Austin peered over his shoulder toward the road again, so I pinched his earlobe.
“Why don’t you go check it out?” I asked. “Have Reno go with you.”
“Yeah, I need to put on my shoes first. Denver didn’t mow the yard this week. Denver!” he shouted, rising to his feet.
Denver usually spent the afternoon with Maizy before heading to Howlers, and she would stay up at night writing articles for the online Breed news.
Lennon came outside, dragging his feet across the porch before taking a seat on the step.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him.
The sunlight made his hair seem like copper, when it was normally a dull russet. “Uncle Denver’s playing ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ on repeat again.”
Ivy gave me a fixed stare. “What’s that mean?”
I leaned over, speaking quietly. “When Denver and Maizy want time alone—you know what I mean—he plays that song, and we all know to clear off the second floor.”
She released a short laugh and ran her fingers along her braid. “Some things never change.”
The glider began rocking again, and the wind teased us with a short gust.
Butterflies tickled my stomach, and it wasn’t the baby. I rubbed my belly, suddenly feeling the same anxious feeling Austin was talking about.
Austin reached over and put his hand on Lennon’s head, rumpling his hair. “Go back inside. Make sure all the doors and windows are locked.”
