Filed to story: The Wolf Prince’s Fated Love
Pregnancy.
The baby.
Goddess, please don’t take them from me. I couldn’t bear it. And I didn’t even think about the baby when Shay came running in. I only thought about Leigh and that I couldn’t let anything happen to her. But if this was a pregnancy complication, something had already happened to her.
And it was my fault.
I was the one who got her into this. I’d knotted her, and I was responsible for this.
The weight in my chest turned crushing, and my hands began to shake.
“Gael do you need to step away?” Dirge asked. I hadn’t even noticed when he’d stepped up to my side.
“I’m not leaving her. I’ll be fine.”
“Your arms have fur, and your hands are shaking. I don’t want you to shift and hurt her by accident.”
“I’m fine,” I snarled, voice unrecognizable.
Then Kane’s alpha dominance hit me like a fucking elephant sat on me. “Hold your shift,” he commanded as I struggled to stay upright.
All the air rushed out of my lungs, but I didn’t let go of Leigh’s hand. As soon as the fur receded, some of the weight on my chest eased.
Dirge gripped the back of my neck, and at first, I wanted to shrug off the contact, but my wolf didn’t balk, and I realized what he was doing. Reed slid in next, gripping my shoulder just as hard. Kane’s dominance slowly pulled back as I was surrounded by my pack.
Supported by my pack. And all at once, the wolf receded, and I was back in the driver’s seat.
“I’m okay now, thank you,” I whispered.
Dirge and Reed both eased up, but didn’t stop touching me. Brielle swayed under the pressure of the magic, and then Leigh gasped as her eyes popped open, and it felt like I took my first full breath in minutes.
“Thank the Goddess!” Olivia cheered, hugging herself in relief.
Brielle slumped back against Kane, looking pale and clammy. “She’s going to be okay. The baby is fine, but we can do an ultrasound?-“
“Later,” Kane interrupted her. “You have to rest first. Unless Olivia can do it, we’re going to wait awhile.”
“I can do it, if you want to see the heartbeat for some reassurance?” She looked between me and Leigh.
“Yes,” we both said at the same time, and then locked eyes. Hers were brimming with worry, and while I trusted Brielle, I knew I would feel better seeing with my own eyes.
“If that’s settled, I’m going to take Brielle back to our room.”
“Wait,” Shay said, stepping forward. “Aunt Kari said I could be like a battery for Bri. I’ve been working on control, and I think I might be able to help, if you’re okay with me trying?”
“Of course, Shay. What do you need me to do?” Bri asked, sparing a soft smile for her bestie.
“Nothing. Just let me touch your hand.”
Kane was stiff, but stayed silent as Shay took Brielle’s hand between two of hers and closed her eyes. This time, there was no long-drawn-out wait. Brielle gasped, and her eyes began to glow with white light. Shay bowed her head, like she was pouring everything she had into the connection.
“That’s enough.” Bri gasped, grabbing Shay’s shoulder with her free hand. Shay let her go immediately, her own eyes glowing gold with her wolf when she opened them.
“It worked?” Shay asked excitedly.
“It worked. I feel… electric.” Bri looked at her hand as if she would see sparks dancing across her skin, though nothing was visible to the eye.
“Good,” Shay said, looking pleased with herself.
“We’ll have to postpone the tribunal prep until tomorrow.” Kane said. He scooped Brielle up off the floor like a rag doll, and she didn’t protest, despite her new power boost.
Reed shook his head. “We don’t need to delay. Dirge and I will handle everything with Lucien. You two take care of your mates. We’ve got this covered.”
“Thank you,” I said, finally breaking eye contact with Leigh to look up at my pack mates. “For everything.” Brielle was slumped against Kane’s chest, exhaustion evident in every line of her body, but she was still smiling, content.
“You’re welcome. That’s what pack’s for, right?”
“Right,” I murmured, drawn back to Leigh like a mosquito to a bug zapper.
I didn’t ask, though I probably should have. I scooped her up off that yoga mat, holding her close to soothe my wolf. She didn’t say a word, just looped her arms around my neck and rested her head on my shoulder. And something about that acceptance, that trust cut me off at the knees. I wasn’t at all sure that I’d earned it, but I was damn sure going to spend the rest of my life earning it.
She was mine, and I was hers, and I was never going to be the same again.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Leigh
Gael’s comforting warmth soothed something inside me I couldn’t name. Was it our mate bond, struggling into place? I didn’t know, but I knew that I wanted to be in his arms. I wanted to soak up his scent, his touch, his strength… I wanted him. Like I wanted air.
But as we walked toward the atrium door, realization struck. “Wait! Everybody-for just a second, please.”
They all turned to look, and I cast a nervous glance at Gael. I should have probably run this past him first, but…