“You need to take care of yourself.” He gently guided me back down onto the bed. “You need rest.”
I was super tired, even if I’d just woken up. “Why did you put me in your bed?” I knew the answer already, but I wanted to hear him say it.
He stared at me so hard right then that a wave of heat rushed through my body. My face flushed.
“Because you’re mine.”
I knew it! I’d freaking gotten knocked up by an alpha werewolf. I might as well let him handcuff me to him. Alphas and their possessive need to smother what they thought was theirs. Textbook. “I see,” I replied. “And that means you want me in your bed?” I was going to make him squirm.
He growled again, only this time it was a possessive growl, not an angry one, and I wondered what the hell I’d gotten myself into.
“That’s exactly what that means.” His gaze blazed, and it was clear that this alpha had me right where he wanted me.
“I think I’ll stay in your bed. For right now,” I agreed, mostly because with the way he was looking at me I didn’t want to be anywhere else. “But only because I’m tired.”
“Then you should sleep.” His look was far too triumphant. He nudged a couple of the extra pillows out from under me, and pulled the blanket up to my chin, acting like a mother hen instead of the fierce alpha he was.
“When I wake up, I need to talk to Cass about our case, and break the big news that I’m knocked up. Then I need to think about moving back into Gran’s cabin, so I can have my own space to think.” My voice had become groggy.
At the words “space to think” his face contorted in confusion, as if he didn’t know what that was, or he didn’t understand why I’d need it.
“Shhh, you don’t need to do anything but take care of yourself. Just sleep.” His soft lips pressed against my neck, right above the spot where Nathan had gnawed it, and I lost the battle, drifting off to sleep.
“Ma petite renard…”
I wasn’t sure whether I was already dreaming or not, but I swore I heard him whisper before he slipped out the door. Thanks to Gran’s French roots, I registered that he’d called me his little fox. I just wasn’t certain whether he really said it, or if I was sappier than I’d ever admit to myself, deep inside.
Then dreamless sleep fully claimed me, and I was able to rest from the madness of my life. I’d figure everything out later.
11 Crotch Goblin
“You what!” Cass hissed, shuffling backward across Brock’s bed as if I were laden with a contagious disease, not a fetus.
We were alone in Brock’s room. I’d awoken to discover I’d received another blood transfusion, and now I felt like a million bucks—physically, that is. I still needed to have a much-needed breakdown.
“I’m pregnant with the alpha’s baby,” I confessed for the seventh time, feeling more ridiculous each time I said it.
Cass wiggled a stumpy finger in my face. “No, no, no. I don’t do babies. They poop and scream, and you can’t smoke in front of them, or cuss, or do anything fun. No, no. I got sterilized a century ago for a reason.”
I pointed right back at him. “Cassius, you’re going to become an uncle. You’d damn well better get excited about it and deal. If I can handle this shit-storm of a day, then you can too.”
He blew out a long-suffering sigh and plopped down onto the bed, his pot belly hanging over the purple glitter dance shorts he wore like a second skin. He forced a fake smile, the cigarette behind his ear begging to be smoked. “So we’re excited about this, then?”
Was I excited? Not yet. I was scared, freaked out, and overwhelmed… but ultimately hopeful. “We’re okay with it, yeah.”
He grimaced. “Great! A baby. I can’t wait.”
My lips stretched into a grin. “Uncle Cass is gonna be the best babysitter ever.”
He glared at me. His eyes went reddish as his demon nature rose to the surface. “The little crotch goblin will call me Cass, Duke, or some other cool name. Never uncle. And I will only babysit once he’s sixteen, and can drive me to bars to pick up fae.”
Laughter bubbled out of me. “Crotch goblin!” Tears leaked from my eyes, I was laughing so hard. “And Duke? Really? That’s the random name you chose? When he or she is sixteen they won’t need a babysitter.”
He put the cigarette in his mouth. “Good.”
Cass pretended to be a hardass, but it was an act. He’d once gone to mush over a tiny Pomeranian puppy we’d seen at the park. Still, he was legitimately scared of children, so we’d have to work on that. It was funny considering he shopped at the toddler rack in Target.
“Enough about me. What did you find out about our case?” I asked my imp partner.
I sat up, letting the covers fall to my waist. I had much more energy. This alpha blood was some good stuff; my little parasite baby liked it.
Cass’ face grew serious, then he looked back at the closed door, probably to make sure Brock wasn’t standing there. “Some deeper shit is going on here. Molly told me she saw Calista at the local seethe party.”
I burst into a standing position. “When?”
It took me a second to realize I wasn’t dizzy. Score. Prego Evie was back in the game!
Cass looked at my flat stomach, as if expecting a possessed baby to jump out and attack him.
“Like a half hour ago. I was on my way over there when you called, and said you were...” He shivered a little, unable to say the word “pregnant.”
Looking around the room for my boots, I found them against the far wall. “Can you get us into that party? We can take her down tonight. End this whole thing now.”
Cass rubbed the back of his head, unlit cigarette still dangling from his mouth. “You know, sirens are strong. Bringing them down the first time wasn’t easy.”
I glared at my bestie. “Not you too,” I growled, shoving my foot into a boot.
He blanched, which was hard for a pink-furred creature. “What? You said you wanted this baby, so now I’m trying to keep you safe.”
After getting my boots on, I searched the room for my gun and badge. Hunter law dictated my badge needed to be in full view for the perp when we brought her down, but I couldn’t find it.
“I’m fine,” I answered distractedly, while I searched. “I’m better than fine. I’m juiced up on alpha blood, and I feel amazing. Baby shit costs money. I need this gig, so we’re going. I’m pregnant, not handicapped.”
Hell, even if I were handicapped it wouldn’t keep me from hunting. Carl down at the academy had only one leg and he’d brought down more perps than I could count.
Cass looked like he wanted to argue. Considering my pants were nearly hanging off my usually round ass, I knew why, but I needed this. And not just for the money. I needed to prove I wasn’t some frail knocked-up chick.
Cass finally stood, rubbing his belly with his free hand. “Alright, but if you don’t feel well, we leave. And I’ll be the one to take her down, you only cuff her.”
“Deal.” I still had Gran’s potions. I could take this bitch down, no problem, but if Cass wanted her, I’d allow it.
I stood with renewed strength. I wasn’t going to be a minivan mom. I was going to be a badass bounty hunting mom.
Swinging the door wide, ready to take on this siren, I came face to face with Brock.
“Going somewhere?” His arms were crossed, as he barred the door like a security guard.
I swallowed hard. He looked hot as fuck like that, his bicep muscles bulging.
“Yeah, we got a tip,” I answered, in the cheeriest voice I could manage. “I’m feeling better, so we’re going to follow up on it.”
His eyebrows hit his hairline. “A tip? You’re going out to work? Now?” He checked his watch as if I had a curfew.
Okay, clearly this was going to take some finessing.
Cass squeezed against my leg and slipped out into the hallway. “Going to smoke. Meet you at the Jeep.”
“You can’t smoke around her!” Brock called after him.
Cass’ middle finger shot up into the air, and I grinned. “I know that, Alpha!” he barked.
I chuckled, I couldn’t help it.
I knew from my studies at the academy, and past relationships, that werewolves needed to be dealt with delicately, so I laid a tender hand on the wolf’s bicep. “Brock, I feel amazing. The blood thing is working. The baby is a healthy little ball of cells. My life is going to go on as normal until I’m too fat to run. Then I’m going to kick up my shoes, watch Netflix all day, and make you bring me food until I push us out a baby…”
He grinned.
“But until that day, I need normal, or I’m going to lose my shit. Understood?”
Reaching up, he grabbed the scruff around his jaw and gave it a rub. Damn, he was sexy. I was going to have to figure out that whole situation soon. This guy was about to be in my life for the next… forever. I didn’t want to complicate it.
“Can I come with you? Make sure you’re safe?” he asked.
Hah! I tried not to laugh. “A giant alpha werewolf, come with me to a vampire seethe? Are you drunk?”
He didn’t like that. A low growl loosed from his throat as he puffed out his chest. “Fine. Then I’m sending two of my guys to tail you.”
“Fine.” I crossed my arms. “And I’ll need my badge and my gun.”
His jaw twitched. “Maybe we should double check with Sab—”
“Brock.” My voice was firm. This was our showdown. He was going to give me my badge and gun, and let me go back to work or hell would rain down on his life.
He sighed. “Are you staying at Belinda’s tonight or…?”
Or live here with him? Weird. No. “Yes. I’m staying at my house, three minutes away from you.”
I could tell he didn’t like it by the way his whole body stiffened. The wolf in him probably wanted to grab me by the neck scruff, and drag me back into his bed.
Sighing, I stepped closer to him, and tried to ignore how the close proximity made my body tingle. “Look, I know I seem like five feet of a whole lot of nothing, but I really can take care of myself, I promise. I’ll protect our baby. Don’t worry.”
His body relaxed a little and he nodded. Then he brushed past me, walked to a picture on the wall, and pulled it back to reveal a wall safe. After punching in a few numbers, it popped open.
I was dying to comment on the fact that he’d locked my shit away to keep it from me, but I kept my mouth shut. As he handed me the items, our fingers brushed, and a searing heat traveled a downward expressway to my lady bits. I’d never been more attracted to a man in my life. God help me.
What a clusterfuck.
“Later, baby daddy.” I winked.
His normally stoic expression morphed into a panty-dropping grin. “I’ll be up late if you change your mind and want to sleep here.”