Page 67 of Breeding Clinic

“Oh. My. God,” Matthew says, rubbing his hands over the smooth, marble countertops. “This kitchen is huge. And the island has a range? With outlets! Wait, is that a pantry?”

He moves about the kitchen, checking out the enormous fridge and double ovens. I stand at the farmhouse style double kitchen sink. You can see the side yard where a prime patch of level grass calls to me. The perfect spot for a vegetable and herb garden. I imagine washing dishes while the children play with the family dog. My heart clenches tight in my chest with yearning and bridled excitement.

“I’d like to see the oil tank and furnace,” Liam says,keeping us on track with the important things like utilities and safety.

The agent opens the door to the basement and flicks on the light. It’s not a bad basement. A bit too damp to finish without waterproofing. And the beams need a sweeping to get rid of spiderwebs. But the basement will be good enough for storage and a workout machine and Liam’s brewing equipment.

“Your laundry machines go here,” she says.

“What’s that?” Gabriel asks, pointing at the silver thing sticking out of the ceiling.

“A chute,” she answers. “A pipe that runs from the second floor to the basement. Your laundry collects in the basket you place underneath.”

That’s going to come in handy with four kids and all the dirty clothes they make.

“Want to see the upstairs?” she asks.

We follow her up the two flights of stairs to the second landing. It’s slightly less grand, the rooms smaller and the ceilings lower. The family quarters weren’t for visitors to see, so less money was put into the trim.

The bedroom with the octagonal turret will be an amazing princess room. Perfect for our baby girl. All of the children’s bedrooms share one bathroom, but the tub makes up for that. It’s deep with claw feet. A shower curtain on a ring is suspended from the ceiling.

“The attic stairs are here,” she says, pointing out a door I didn’t notice. They’re fixed stairs rather than a pull-down ladder. “The servants lived here,” she says. “The doctor who built this house kept a cook and a maid. The ceilings are tall enough that this space could be finished but it would need to be connected to your heating system first.”

I don’t know how they withstood the heat in the summer. It’s boiling hot. But the view of the woods from the large frontwindow is stunning. It’s hard to believe that the edge of town is only a twenty-minute drive away. Out here, this house feels like we’re in our own little world. “This view is spectacular.”

“You should see the back,” the agent says. “Let me show you the porch and backyard.”

When we step outside, Liam wraps his arms around me from behind and squeezes me. We hang back while Matthew and Gabriel pepper the real estate agent with questions. Gabriel wants to know how far back the property line goes and how much fences cost while Matthew asks about the school system.

“Do you like the house?” I ask Liam, my heart catching in my throat.

“No.”

My stomach sinks. What’s wrong with it? Is it too far away? Too remote? Too old?

“I love the house.”

I let out my held breath and his hand drops lower, rubbing over my belly. I’m not far enough along yet for him to sense the baby moving but that doesn’t stop him from trying. I cup his hand with mine. “I love it too.”

“Are you sure about this? This is the first house we’ve looked at.”

It’s not the first house I’ve looked at. I’ve looked at twenty-seven houses. But it is the first one I’ve shown them. And that’s because I fell in love with this house the minute I saw it. This house and the life it represents is my dream come true. It makes me feel like a fairy tale princess. Like all the hardships I went through were necessary because they brought me here. To this moment right now. To this pack. And I want it all so badly it hurts.

“It’s your money so it’s your choice,” he says. “We’d be happy anywhere that we’re together.”

“Really?” I ask him, needing to be sure. Are we really goingto make an offer today? This is a big choice. An enormous commitment. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t consider buying a house and moving in with someone after only a few months of knowing them. I knew Josh nearly my entire life before we decided to court. But nothing about my courtship with Liam and his pack has been normal. We’ve done everything backward.

Liam’s large callused hand rubs over my belly. “Pack isn’t a place or a home or a nest. It’s the people you love.” His voice is deep and rumbly in my ear. He kisses me on the temple. “Buy the house if you want to, Kat. We’ll follow you anywhere. You’re worth chasing after.”

My eyes mist with unshed tears, and I try to stop it but I can’t. Damn pregnancy hormones. The smallest things make me cry. I can’t watch a sad movie or an animal rescue commercial without bawling. I sniff, trying to pull back the tears, but it’s too late. I can’t stop them. They roll down my cheeks.

“Hey, shh, come here.” Liam turns me, tucking my head into his chest. He rubs his hands up and down my arms. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m… I’m so happy,” I choke out. Crying like this is frustrating. I hate the lack of control over my emotions.

“Aww, kitten.” Liam smiles, then bends down and kisses my tear-tracked cheeks. “Don’t cry. Want to go get ice cream after this?”

I’m pregnant and it’s ninety degrees outside. Of course I want ice cream. I’m growing a human. I’ve earned it. Besides, Gabriel’s gonna make me sweat it off tomorrow in the mommy-baby yoga class anyway. My thoughts are distracted long enough for the worst of the crying impulse to fade. I sniff and rub my sensitive eyes. “Yes.”

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