“Um, Emmett, have you been using protection?” Thomas asked.
“Huh?”
“When you have sex. Are you using protection?” Wyatt specified.
“No, why?”
“She couldn't shift,” he said. “That's how we found out Kate was pregnant.”
I looked at my mate in shock.
“What are they talking about?” Paige asked. “I cannot be pregnant, Emmett. You know how I feel about that.”
“Take a look around. Every single person here will be committed to ensuring our little girl has the most normal life possible. She's going to be loved beyond belief and we will never let her go through what you suffered through.”
“I will personally swear to that. The second she comes of age, I'm slapping an Alpha order on her. I don't care if I have to renew it every single month, but this will never happen again if I can help it.”
She shook her head. “I can't be pregnant.”
“Wait, how do we know it's a girl?” Clay asked.
“We aren't even certain she's pregnant,” Dad added.
“She couldn't shift, hon. She's pregnant.”
“Bet they've been going at it like rabbits since she arrived in Collier,” Esme said.
“Keep talking and I'll share details, brat-face.”
“Ew, gross!”
“This can't be happening.”
She looked terrified, and I understood why, but I still couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
“We'll love her no matter what. Look around, we have a whole village to protect her.”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
“I don't know if I can do this.”
“You can because you're the strongest, bravest woman I know.”
“We don't even know for sure she's pregnant, guys. Let's not freak out over nothing,” Austin said. “She hasn't even been here long enough to know if she's pregnant or not.”
“False. Kate knew very early on,” Wyatt confessed. “It's possible.”
“This is insane,” she said.
“I have a feeling life is always going to be an adventure with you. Just promise me that no matter what happens, stalkers, babies, overbearing mothers, whatever—”
“Hey, I'm right here you little shit,” Mom chimed in, making everyone laugh.
“Just promise me that no matter what happens we're in this together. And when you get scared and want to run, that you'll run to me and not away from me.”
Tears ran down her cheek. I couldn't wipe them, but I did kiss them away.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and nodded. “Okay. I promise. From now on I'll only run to you.”