Rise

by Heather MacKinnon

   After that, she left me to get dressed as Abraham continued to study the pictures she’d printed out for him.

   “What do you think they’ll be?” Abraham muttered.

   “Huh?” I said as I yanked my jeans up my legs.

   He looked up and met my eye. “Boys? Girls? What do you think?”

   I shrugged. “Hopefully we get some of each, right?”

   He smiled wide and dipped his head to study the picture again. “Yeah, that would be perfect.”

   I stared at him as he studied the ultrasound picture. “You’re really okay with all of this?”

   He looked up with a frown. “With what?”

   I motioned around the room. “With me being pregnant. I’m sure you would have preferred to wait. I know I would have. But I guess we don’t always get to make those decisions.”

   He stood up and crossed the room until he could pull me into his arms. “El, the only time I’ve ever been happier in my life was the night you agreed to be my mate. I don’t care that we weren’t expecting it. I don’t care that we weren’t ready, because we’ll get ready now. We have eight months to prepare for our children and a whole pack to help. This is going to be the greatest thing to ever happen to us.”

   My eyes filled with tears again and I tried to sniff them back, but it was no use. They raced down my face and dripped off my chin before I could stop them.

   Abraham set down the ultrasound picture and cupped my face. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

   I shook my head. “I was just worried about how you’d react. I’m so happy you’re happy.”

   He shot me an incredulous look. “Why would you be worried? I get to have little replicas of my favorite person running around. You think I wouldn’t love that?” He pulled me closer and wiped at the trails of tears. “Baby, I didn’t think I could love anyone, or anything more than I love you, but I already love those babies so much I feel like I’m going to burst. You’ve made me a father. I couldn’t be happier.”

   He probably thought his sweet words would stem my tears, but they had the opposite effect. Sobs wracked my body as I gripped tight to him. He ran soothing hands down my back as I tried to get myself under control.

   “El, what’s going on? What’s the matter?”

   “I’m just so happy,” I wailed.

   He laughed softly and pulled me closer. “If you’re happy, then why are you crying?”

   I sniffed and pulled back to look at him. “I told you, it’s the hormones. I cry all the time now,” I explained through stuttering breaths.

   He chuckled again and wiped my face. “I still don’t like to see you cry.”

   I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m sorry.”

   He shook his head and kissed my lips. “No, baby. Don’t be sorry. This is the second greatest day of my life. Nothing can change that.”

   I smiled up at him, but soon than grin was broken by a big yawn. Abraham frowned at me.

   “You’re tired. I should get you home.”

   I shrugged. “I get tired easier these days.”

   He nodded. “That’s common in your first trimester.”

   I rolled my eyes, but the smile was spread across my face. “Yes, I was here for Doreen’s lecture too, you know.”

   He shot me a cheeky grin and led me out of the examination room. When we made it to the living room, we found both of the Monroes with huge smiles on their faces.

   “We’re so happy for the two of you,” Kyle said.

   We accepted hugs and kisses from him and his wife before we prepared to leave. When we made it to the door, Doreen called out to me.

   “Ellie, I think you should know that, even though you’re a werewolf, having triplets isn’t an easy pregnancy. I’m going to want to monitor you closely throughout, okay? Let’s have you back here in two weeks for another ultrasound. I want to make sure everyone is growing like they’re supposed to be.”

   I opened my mouth to answer, but Abraham beat me to it. “She’ll be here.”

   I rolled my eyes and elbowed him. “Yes, I’ll be here,” I told her.

   He shook his head as we turned to the door. “That’s what I said.”

   “Yes, but you should have let me say it.”

   He huffed with exasperation, but I didn’t think anything could have pried the smile off his face.

   We took our time walking back to the lodge, both of us enjoying the warm summer night. Even though I was tired, I didn’t want the moment to end. Nothing mattered but us and the family we were creating together.

   I didn’t care about the issues I’d had with our pack members, I didn’t care about the coming conflict with the Charlotte pack, I didn’t even care that there was someone out to hurt me again. I had this bone-deep intuition that everything would work out. That we were on the exact path we were supposed to be on. That no matter what happened, we’d find our way through it.

   “You know, you never answered my question,” Abraham said softly.

   I turned to look at him, having no trouble seeing his handsome face despite how dark it was. “What question?”

   His eyes were wary as he brought us to a stop. “I asked if you’d marry me now.”

   Oh, that question.

   Despite my reservations in the past, there was no more hesitation for me. Maybe it was finding out that there was a plausible reason for us being fated. Maybe it was because I was pregnant with his babies. I didn’t know what was clearing my mind of all doubts, but I didn’t question it. I just gave him the answer he wanted to hear.

   “Yeah. Let’s get married.”

   His eyes widened as his lips pulled into a huge grin. “Seriously? We don’t have to wait anymore?”

   I shrugged. “No more waiting. I’ve never been more sure where my path is supposed to lead and every road ends with you.”

   He laughed and wrapped his arms around me until my feet left the ground. He spun us in so many circles I began to get dizzy, but I couldn’t stop laughing.

   I was in love.

   I was pregnant with his babies.

   And we were going to be together forever.

   Nothing else could compare to those truths.

  Chapter 47

   “… you’ll grow up in the mountains, but we’ll take you to the beach as often as you want. We’ll make sure you see cities and deserts and oceans and forests...”

   I was barely awake, but Abraham’s rumbling voice was pulling me out of the deep sleep I was in. I cracked an eye open and found him hunched over me, his mouth just inches from my exposed belly. Propping myself up on my elbows, I frowned down at him. “Baby, what are you doing?”

   He looked up at me with a smile. “Just talkin’ to the babies.”

   It’s too early to cry.

   It’s too early to cry.

   It’s too early to cry.

   Despite my sound logic, my eyes began to water. “What are you saying to them?” I asked softly.

   His smile widened as he looked back down at my stomach. “First, I told them how much we love them and that we’re so excited to meet them.”

   At that, a tear broke loose and ran down my face. “What else?” I whispered.

   “Just now I was telling them about all the fun stuff we’re gonna do together.” He sighed and met my eyes. “My parents always promised we’d get to go to the beach, but with a large pack to run, we never got around to it. They thought they’d have time for the fun stuff later on, but they never got the chance.”

   It was too damn early for a full-on hysterical cry, so I sniffed the tears back and reached out to run my fingers through his hair.

   “I’m so sorry.”

   He took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling with the motion before he met my eyes again. “It’s okay, baby. We’ll just have to do better with our family.”

   Our family.


   Until then, that had just included his sisters and grandmother, but now we were making one of our own. I’d been adopted into his, but now this one would belong to me. That thought brought so much warmth to my chest, it felt like it would burst.

   Smiling through the tears that still clouded my eyes, I asked, “Did you tell them anything else?”

   “Well, I was just about to tell them about all their aunts, but you woke up.”

   I sighed as I continued to thread my fingers through his thick hair. “I suppose we should tell them all today, huh?”

   He nodded. “Doreen said everyone will be able to tell really soon. In fact, I think you already smell a little different. They might not be able to tell yet, but they will soon. I think it would hurt their feelings if we didn’t break the news to them ourselves.”

   I sighed again. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s tell them after breakfast.”

   He nodded. “We’ll call a family meeting, so we can tell Nana and Clyde too.”

   Nana, I agreed with, but Clyde was a different story. I wasn’t sure he was going to care that I was pregnant, but he was Abraham’s family and I’d go along with it for his sake. Besides, it wasn’t like it could hurt. The worst-case scenario would be him showing no interest. That was about all we’d gotten out of him for months anyway, so that would be nothing new.

   We got dressed and began our day like always, walking hand in hand to breakfast. Today, though, seemed different. The sun seemed a little brighter and the lodge a little homier.

   It was like I was seeing everything in a new light.

   This would be the hallway my children would run down some day. This was the kitchen I’d feed them in. That was the backyard they’d play in for hours when they got old enough. Every sight and sound came with a brand new perspective.

   We found all of his sisters along with Nana at one end of a table and we joined them with our overflowing plates. They were already deep in conversation, so we tucked into our breakfasts, our hands interlocked beneath the table.

  When there was a lull in the conversation, Abraham spoke up. “Can you all meet us in the conference room after you’re done here? I have some things I need to go over with you.”

  Their quizzical expressions were so funny, I had to hide my smile behind a glass of tomato juice. They each asked their own variation of what Abraham needed to talk to them about, but he turned each one down with a tight-lipped smile. When he squeezed my hand under the table and shot me a wink, I almost spit out my juice.

  They all finished before us and Abraham asked them to wait in the conference room while we ate. They shot us a few more questioning looks but did as he asked. When they were gone, he blew out a deep breath and turned to me.

  “Holy crap, how did you keep this secret for a whole day? I felt like I was going to pop just now.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “I was terrified. That’s how.”

  His brows furrowed as he pulled my hand onto his lap. “I don’t know why you were so worried, baby. Don’t you know me better by now? How did you not know I’d be out of my mind excited about this?”

  I looked away and shrugged. “I guess since I was so scared, I thought you would be too.”

  He grasped my chin and turned my face toward him. “I am scared.”

  “You are?”

  He nodded. “This is a big deal. A huge responsibility. I’d be an idiot if I wasn’t a little scared.” He leaned close, so he could whisper in my ear. “But knowing I get to be a parent with the most incredible woman I’ve ever known makes it easy for the excitement to outweigh the fear.”

  I turned my head and pressed my lips to his. He was frozen in shock for the briefest moment before he gripped the back of my neck and deepened the kiss.

  “Would you two get a room? I’m eating here.”

  We broke apart and sent glares in Huxley’s direction.

  “Then don’t look,” I said.

  He scoffed. “I didn’t need to look. I could hear you two sucking face from over here.”

  My cheeks heated but Abraham just chuckled. “You’re just jealous you’ve only got your hand to keep you company at night.”

  Huxley shook his head, but his lips twitched with a smile. “At least my hand doesn’t snore.”

  “I don’t snore!”

  He shot me an unimpressed look. “Sure you don’t.”

  I opened my mouth to fire back another insult when Abraham leaned close. “Come on, baby. The girls are waiting for us.”

  I shot Huxley a narrow-eyed look that he just smirked at. As soon as the babies were out, I was challenging that over-bearing pain in my ass to a sparring session. We’d see how smug he was when I had my teeth wrapped around his throat.

  Abraham leaned close again. “El, you’re cutting off the circulation to my fingers.”

  I looked down to see my hand almost completely white with how hard I was gripping Abraham’s. I let go and gave him a sheepish smile that he just laughed at. “Don’t let Huxley get to you. It’s exactly what he wants.”

  I shook my head. “Don’t worry. He’ll get what’s coming for him,” I said loud enough for the enforcer in question to hear.

  Huxley rolled his eyes at me as he shoved a whole sausage in his mouth. There was so much food in there he couldn’t even close his lips. I shot him a disgusted look and stood up with my plate.

  “Neanderthal,” I muttered under my breath.

  He laughed loudly, the chewed food in his mouth almost falling out of the gaping hole. I shot him another nasty look and left him to his breakfast. He had eight more months to talk all the shit he wanted until I got my revenge. I could barely wait.

  We handed out plates to a typically silent Aubrey before Abraham grabbed my hand and led me to the conference room. When we got there, five sets of eyes were trained on us, each with a varying degree of confusion.

  Abraham walked me over to a chair before reaching in his pocket for his phone. I heard the other line ring until Clyde’s voicemail picked up and Abraham ended the call with a sigh.

  “We’ll have to fill him in later,” he muttered to me.

  “Fill who in on what?” Evey called from the other end of the table.

  Abraham sat down and shot me a wide smile before turning back to his sisters and grandmother. He watched them for a minute before looking back at me. “How do you want to do this?”

  “Do what?! Would y’all just spit it out!” Evey hollered.

  I rolled my eyes and turned to my fiancé. “Maybe we should have come up with a game plan.”

  “Now you’re startin’ to irritate me, too. Would you just tell us what’s goin’ on?” Del said from next to me.

  Finally, an idea struck me.

  I sat up straighter in my chair and turned to the youngest McCoy sibling. “Hey, Evey. Do you still have those wedding binders and stuff?”

  She nodded slowly. “Yes,” she said, dragging out the word.

  I looked at Abraham and then back at her. “Well, I guess we’re going to need them pretty soon.”

  Evey’s face lit up, but it was Bea who spoke next.

  “So, you two brought us in here to tell us you’re having a mating ceremony? Didn’t we already know that?”

  I shrugged. “Sure, but you didn’t know that we’re going to have it in a month.”

  “A month?!” Evey cried.

  I shrugged. “I’d rather not be showing in my wedding pictures.”

  “Showin’ what?” Del asked, the irritation clear in her voice.

  I shrugged again and cupped my belly as every set of eyes widened and fixed on my hand.

  “What?” Callie whispered.

  “Don’t you dare play with my emotions,” Evey said.

  But as always, it was blunt Delilah who cut to the chase. “Abey, you knocked her up already?”

  He narrowed his eyes at his sister, but a smile tugged at his lips. Abraham shrugged. “I guess so.”

  The room
erupted in sound as every woman jumped up and hustled over to me. I was pulled into embrace after embrace as everyone kissed me and rubbed my belly. Tears were filling my eyes again, but I held them back.

  “That’s why you were so sick,” Callie said softly from next to me. “I should have known.”

  Del scoffed. “You don’t know everything, Callista.”

  “But I know most things, Delilah.”

  Del opened her mouth to retort when Nana yelled, “Girls!” and they both pressed their lips together.

  Abraham’s grandmother was the last one to pull me into her arms and I went willingly. When she backed away, she pinched both my cheeks. “I knew you were glowin’.”

  I gave her a smile. “You almost spilled the beans that day.”

  Nana laughed as Evey weaseled her way between me and Abraham. “Do you know how many you’re havin’ yet?”

  “It’s triplets,” Abraham answered with the proudest smile I’d ever seen on him.

  Evey’s head turned to her brother before whipping back to me. “Triplets?” she whispered. I nodded, and she pulled me into another hug. “Oh my God. I get three nieces and nephews! This is the greatest day of my life.”

  I laughed at my dramatic future sister-in-law but couldn’t remember ever feeling happier or more loved. This was what it meant to be a part of a family. This was what I’d been missing my whole life.

  I pulled away from Evey. “So, can you do it? Can you plan the ceremony in a month?”

  She raised an eyebrow at me and placed a hand on her narrow hip. “Well, I’d like a little more time, but I think I can make it work. I have half the thing planned already.”

  Of course she did.

  I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and squeezed. “Thanks, Evey. You’re the best!”

  She hugged me back. “Yeah, yeah. Just take care of my nieces and nephews and we’ll call it even.”

  When I pulled away, Abraham wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I plan to make sure of that,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He shot his eldest sister a look. “Bea, that means no more training with El. She’s not allowed to shift except on the full moon.”