Page 20 of Her Shifter Babe

She grinned and swung her legs off the table. “Yeah, I didn’t have siblings growing up, but I kind of get that ‘We don’t get along, but touch them and die’ type of loyalty vibe here.” She sounded almost sad about it.

I couldn’t help but wonder why and what her experiences growing up had been like, but now didn’t seem like the appropriate time to address that. Instead, I laughed. “You got that right. My brother and I often butt heads, but we’re a team through and through. It’s us against the world, and if anyone tried to hurt our older sister...” I whistled and shook my head with amusement at the thought. “Touch her and die would definitely apply!”

Stacey’s head swung up and stared at me, her eyes wide. “You have a sister?”

“Yeah. Her name’s Allie. She’s a few years older than us.”

Stacey hopped to her feet and smoothed down her top properly. “Is she married with kids?” she asked.

I shook my head and turned off the ultrasound machine. “No. Unfortunately, she never met the right guy. But she always wanted kids, so once she finds out about you? You’ll be smothered with love and kindness and have gained a new best friend. She’ll be the most doting auntie you could ever imagine. Just warning you!”

Tears swam in Stacey’s eyes as she gulped back unspoken emotions and nodded. “That would be... really nice.”

I reached out and pulled her into my arms, holding her close and enjoying the tiny sparks of recognition within my skin. This woman was definitely our mate, and although I was so happy and relieved to have found her, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t recognized her in the beginning.

I really was stinking drunk. Jesus.

“Do you want go back to our house and see our place?” I asked her, rubbing her back protectively. “You can take a rest if you want, then we can go out to the steakhouse for dinner?”

Stacey pulled back and looked up at me, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Bailey’s Steakhouse? Is that the restaurant David owns?”

I nodded. “Yes, and I’m sure the iron would do you good. Pregnancy takes a lot of energy, and I’m sure your little girl would love a steak.”

We started walking towards the door when she corrected me. “Our little girl, you mean, right? You’re not going to turn us away, are you?”

I stopped walking and gently turned her toward me, gripping her arms as softly as I could with such urgency pulsing through my veins. “Stacey, I’m never letting either of you go, ever again. If I’d known how important you were in the beginning, I probably wouldn’t have slept long enough for you to get away.”

Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean about me being important? Do you mean... because I’m carrying the baby?”

I shook my head, a sliver of fear slicing through me.

Shit. She hasn’t entirely put the pieces of the puzzle together yet.

“No... I mean, you and I are meant to be together. My family, as you know, the perfect pairs... we share our mates... our wives. And you already know that we have insane amounts of chemistry.”

She gulped, trembling ever so slightly under my touch. “Yeah, but you mean—”

“That reaction David had? Where he hit the deck after you touched him?”

She nodded, her lip quivering as she absorbed my words and drew her own conclusions.

I pushed on. Even though I knew it was too early in our relationship to tell her everything, it was too late in her pregnancy—in our life—to hold anything back now. We were committed, and this was happening. “Well, that means that you’re our mate. Our Fated soulmate, David’s and mine, if you believe in such things.”

She wrapped her arms around herself, looking defensive. “Well, I do in theory, but you can’t really feel something like that, can you?”

“We can,” I said, wanting to reveal to her that we were wolf shifters, but at the same time worried it would be too much all at once. “So, I want you. Forever. You and our baby will be my whole world now.”

“And David?” she whispered, her eyes growing big and wide, glistening like a doe’s.

“He wants you too,” I said with a grin. “He just won’t admit it yet. He’s a touch stubborn like that.”

“Even with the... you know, the zappy thing?” she asked.

I laughed at her description. It was definitely a zing or a zap. “The reason for the zappy thing is so that we don’t miss our soulmate when we meet them. I unfortunately didn’t feel it as much the night we met because I’d had so much to drink, and I think it dulled my senses. But I feel it now. There’s no denying it, not even if I wanted to.” I reached out and cupped her face gently.

She tilted her head up in invitation, her expression surprisingly serene and trusting.

Without reservation, I leaned forward, gently kissing her perfect lips. I didn’t linger long, not wanting to make this moment about sex or passion. The love and connection I wanted us to share with would run deep and last forever. There would be plenty of time for physical fun later. Right now, I just wanted to make sure she felt safe and wanted. Truly wanted. I broke our chaste kiss with a tender smile.

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