Page 71 of The Wolf I Sworn To Hate

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her. Their lips met and the rest of the world disappeared around them. Heat, love, and passion exploded inside of him.

Sean pulled back and stood up. “Come with me.”

He grabbed her hand and led her out to the bar.

Sean grabbed the intercom. “Ladies and gentlemen, and the rest of you bums. Can I have your attention please?”

It took a few seconds for the bar to quiet down but eventually, everyone looked at him.

“I just wanted to introduce my soon-to-be mate, Xyla.”

Everyone jumped up clapping, laughing, and whistling.

“Thank you. There’s something else, too. I’m going to be a daddy.”

The crowd erupted with cheers. Someone yelled out, “Drinks are on the house.”

“No, I don’t think so, unless you are drinking water, but nice try,” Sean called back.

Laughter filled the bar.

Sawyer walked up behind him and put his hand on his shoulder. “Congrats, Brother.”

“Thank you. It looks like you’ve got your first patient.”

“Terrific. I should close on the deal next week and I’ll be official.”

“Congratulations to you as well,” Xyla said.

Sawyer hugged her. “I’m glad you finally came to your senses. My man here was about to drive me insane with all his moping and carrying on.”

Sean shot Sawyer a dirty look and then laughed.

“What’s a girl gotta do to get some food around here. There’s a couple of us who are hungry.”

28

Xyla

Xyla stared out of the bedroom window she shared with Sean. Abby was putting the finishing touches on her hair. She stood in front of the mirror, and it seemed as though a stranger was looking back at her.

“You look absolutely gorgeous, if I must say so myself. Maybe I should have been a hairstylist instead of a nurse.”

Everyone laughed.

Xyla’s insides were quivering. Everything had happened so fast. The last month had been a whirlwind of activity. Sean’s parents were over the moon excited to meet her and find out that she was pregnant. Sean had let Jade talk him into hiring a night manager, so she could be home with her mate and younglings and he could be home with her.

Sean’s mother, Willow, hugged her. “You are a beautiful bride.”

Taking a deep breath, Xyla tried to calm her nerves. There was a tiny fear in the back of her mind that Sean would decide that he didn’t love her and would reject her. Her rational mind told her that would never happen and that she just had the jitters.

She smiled when she thought about how much she had crushed on Sean before she found out he was a shifter. Xyla was ashamed that she had allowed her father’s hatred to color her feelings for him. Now, it didn’t seem real. She was about to go through the mating ceremony with the man she had fantasized about for years.

It was so hard to believe that she was going to be a shifter’s mate. She hated that she wouldn’t have her father in her life, but a future without Sean was darker than any hell she could imagine.

“Let’s get the tunic on,” Willow said, holding up a beautiful, royal blue tunic with gold embroidered designs on it.

It was the same tunic design that all females wore when they went through the mating ceremony. The garment had been custom-made to fit Xyla perfectly.

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