Page 45 of Crescent Warrior

“If anyone can help, it’s mamá. She has so much experience delivering pups. You were a hard delivery too. Did they check the sex?”

Ambrosia nodded, happily, her eyes sparkling.

“A girl! Just like we hoped for!”

The grin that spread across Hippolyta’s face made Cole wonder how she would react to hearing that she was carrying their daughter. One day, he hoped that could happen, but he definitely didn’t want pups for a while yet.

He wanted to enjoy his time alone with her. When they were finally fully mated, he wanted them to spend every second together, undistracted.

“Another female to add to the pack.” Hippolyta laughed. “And directly from the alpha’s line. Damen must be overjoyed. I know he wants daughters.”

“Definitely.” Ambrosia chuckled, shaking her head. “But we’ll see when the time comes.”

Hippolyta drove in silence after that, glancing at him in the rearview mirror. He wondered what she was thinking. Did she ever wonder if he would be a good father? If she didn’t trust him with her heart, there was no way that she would ever trust him to be the father of her children.

He knew he had no experience with a father, losing his when he was young, but he observed others, watching Castor with Nyx, Dru with his sons, and then Kosmos with Hippolyta herself. He figured he had a pretty good grasp on what fatherhood was all about.

Your children come first… after your mate.

He was willing to live by that rule. The ache in his heart at the thought that Hippolyta might never trust him enough to even give him a chance made him rub at his chest. He met his mate’s emerald gaze in the mirror and gave her a tentative smile, struggling to hide his pain.

The only problem was that when you knew someone for as many years as they did, you could always tell if the other person was hiding something. She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly able to see that something was wrong before turning her gaze back to the road.

They were almost there, the plane visible from where they were. She passed security with a wave and pulled up onto the tarmac, turning off the engine and tossing the keys to Ambrosia.

Hugs were passed around before Hippolyta made her way to the back to grab her bag. He by-passed her, taking them all himself and giving her a stern look that brooked no argument. Her blonde eyebrow was quirked and she shrugged before turning toward the plane, greeting everyone else.

“I see you haven’t made much progress,” Ambrosia muttered to him.

“I wouldn’t say that,” he smirked, remembering how she snuggled into his body, clearly at ease with him, at least, physically.

“Ew.” Ambrosia smacked him hard across the back and hurried forward to give Dru a tight hug.

Cole nodded at Pearce, who would also be staying, and received a hug and kisses to the cheek in return.

At least Xander hasn’t told everyone that I’m a terrible asshole who abandoned his mate.

The fact that he hadn’t, that he kept Hippolyta’s secret, galled him. Cole used to have that place. Her secrets used to all belonged to him, treasured and kept hidden until she was willing to tell them. Now? Not so much.

He watched her talk to Pearce for a few minutes before the male gave her a tight squeeze, shaking her from side to side.

“You know, you’re really only my cousin by name. If Xan wouldn’t have killed me for it, I could have helped you through that heat.”

“Someone hasn’t been laid in a while,” Hippolyta snorted, easy camaraderie between them.

This was clearly something they joked about often. Unable to help himself, a low, threatening sound left his throat. They both gave him a startled look before Pearce’s eyes narrowed on him and then Hippolyta, his nostrils flaring.

“Hey—”

“Don’t,” Hippolyta interrupted him, swallowing hard. She glanced around at the others.

“Is he your—?”

Xander made his way over, shoving his brother aside and throwing his arm over Hippolyta’s shoulder while pressing a kiss to her hair. Cole saw red.

“I don’t see a mating mark on his neck.” Xander shrugged, adjusting the scarf around Hippolyta’s, answering Pearce’s unfinished question. “So, I’m guessing the answer is no. They would have to claim each other for it to be real. A random asshole can’t just bite someone and think it means something.”

Cole had never wanted to hit someone so badly in his life. He was just about to drop the bags and lunge at him when Hippolyta slipped from under Xander’s arm, giving him a stern look.

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