Page 103 of Of Flame and Fury

Should I take him aside? Do I make a formal announcement? How exactly do weird girls like me do this thing?

He frowns, knowing there’s something I need to say. I point to the map spread out along the table. “What’s up?”

Gemini wraps his arm around me. I fall into his embrace. This is love, peeps. This is real. And damn it all, it’s fucking amazing.

He leads me closer to the table as Aric points to sections of the map where marks are made in red. “Nytes, or something like them, were spotted here, here, and here.”

There’s a cluster of red dots near New Mexico. It makes sense. It’s not that far away. There are some in Colorado, the home state of the wolves.

What’s strange is there’s a single red dot in Pennsylvania, where a large Amish population resides. I know, because it’s near where our father grew up.

“Koda, I’m entrusting you and Shayna to strategize with the Dens throughout Montana and Colorado.

Koda lifts a piece of bacon from the plate Shayna offers. “On it,” he replies.

“Gemini and Taran, I want you to take the New Mexico territory. My gut tells me this is where we’ll find the answers to what’s happening.”

Gemini squeezes my hip and nods. “We’ll be there.”

“Actually,” I say, stumbling over the word. “We won’t.”

Gemini stiffens. “Why won’t we?” he asks slowly.

Deafening quiet overtakes the room. The coffee Emme made finishes brewing, and the oven timer goes off. Still, no one moves, and I can’t speak.

“Are you pregnant?” Gemini asks. My silence is answer enough. A smile, so full of devotion, spreads along my husband’s wonderfully handsome features. His hand cups my belly. “Are you?”

“Yes.”

The sting of happy and frightened tears casts along my eyes. I sort of laugh, sort of cry, and probably screw up a perfectly lovely moment.

Gemini lifts me, kissing me hard. “I love you,” he murmurs against my cheek. “God, I love you so much.”

My body gives into his, absorbing the strength I’ll need for what’s to come. I want babies, lots of them with this amazing man I was blessed to find.

Shayna’s jaw is down to her toes, and Emme is covering her mouth as if her lips may fall off.

“You’re up, girls,” I tell them. My voice is a mix of all the emotions I carry. Instead of fighting beside my sisters, it’s their time to shine alone.

Celia leaves Aric’s lap, the shock on her face reflecting everyone in the room. She stops just in front of me, torn between hugging me and crying. “Taran, you’re going to have a baby.”

I start to cry with her. Destiny stops me in my tracks. “No…she’s not,” Destiny says.

Her brows draw tight as she walks to my side, her deep knowing gaze fixed on my stomach. More plumage drifts from the peak of her bun before she speaks again, ignoring the tension surging throughout the room.

Everyone expects doom and destruction. Chaos. Anarchy. Crazy shit. It’s what we’re used to.

Destiny doesn’t disappoint. She glances up, beaming. “She’s having two. Congratulations, Taran. You’re expecting twins.”

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