Page 9 of An Uncertain Claim

“She’s been through a series of attacks, one of which almost killed her,” Nathan explained. He gave her a short version of what had happened to me. All the while I scowled at him. I’d never been one to share any more information than necessary. For someone so tight-lipped with me, he seemed awfully chatty today. Even if I were a more open person, I still wouldn’t want to rehash my time with that insane killer. I was a tough-as-shit woman and I’d done a good job so far of not letting him scar me too deeply—occasional nightmares notwithstanding. But if I dwelled on everything that had happened to me recently, I risked falling apart. Which wouldn’t help anyone, least of all my cub. They needed me to take care of myself, mentally and physically.

“Oh, my,” Myka said, her tone soft and caring. “Well, let’s see what’s going on in that tummy of yours.”

I appreciated that she hadn’t lingered on the subject and gave her a grateful smile.

“Where would you like me?” I asked, looking around for a suitable surface. “The couch or do you want to go to the bedroom so I can lie on the bed?”

Nathan stood right behind my left shoulder, and I heard his almost imperceptible snort before he whispered in my ear, “How do I get you to make me an offer like that?” I turned to glare at him, but he just smirked and squeezed an ass cheek, then gave it a pat.

“The couch is good.” Myka had walked a few feet away to unpack a small machine, oblivious to the thick tension that filled the room. I lectured my body for its response to Nathan, irritated with my beaded nipples and the throbbing between my legs. Nathan lifted a single dark blond brow and his lips curved into a real smile.

“I agree,” he murmured as he led me over to the sofa with a hand on the small of my back—low enough that a few of his fingers dipped into the waistband of my pants. The glide of their rough pads over my skin sent a shiver through me.

I glanced up into his heated silver pools and the raw hunger there practically disintegrated my panties.

Stop that right now! You’re mad at him, Peyton. Royally pissed.

My tongue darted out to wet my lips and Nathan’s eyes followed every moment, then he inhaled deeply and his pupils changed shape. His wolf stared at me with as much need and desire as Nathan, if not more, and it made my panther even more excited and aroused.

Angry. Angry…shit. Why is it becoming harder to resist Nathan? Shouldn’t it be fading by now?My cat hissed at me, not happy with the thought.

“Okay, Peyton. Go ahead and lie down,” Myka instructed cheerfully.

As I dropped onto the couch, I wondered if she was as impervious to the almost palpable, crackling chemistry between me and Nathan as she seemed, or just really good at pretending. As an OB, I imagined she had experienced plenty of instances that had had the potential to beextremelyawkward.

“I’m going to take some blood first. Squeeze your fist for me, okay?”

I obeyed her directive, and the room went silent while she completed the task.

“Lift your shirt, please,” she requested once she finished.

Again, I silently obeyed, pulling the hem of my sweatshirt to just under my breasts. Myka perched next to me and put her hands on my belly, pushing softly here and there. “Does any of this hurt?” she asked. I shook my head as I dropped my eyes to watch what she was doing.

“Holy shit,” I breathed when I saw the slight roundness of my stomach. “When did that happen?”

Myka laughed. “It often seems as though it happens overnight. You’re around seven weeks?”

I nodded. For a human, that question might have been ambiguous, left up to the doctor to figure out. However, since our breed of shifter could only get knocked up during a full moon, I knew exactly when Nathan and I had conceived this baby. We didn’t have typical menstrual cycles either, so the way we counted the weeks of the pregnancy also differed from human’s.

Myka thought for a second as she turned to pick up the small machine she’d taken out of her bag. “You’re actually a little bigger than I would have expected for a pregnant feline at seven weeks.”

I frowned, worried that she was trying to break bad news to me.

“Is there something wrong with the pup?” Nathan asked before I could form the question I was too terrified to ask.

“No, no,” Myka assured us. “It’s just unusual for—” She broke off suddenly and leaned in closer, inhaling deeply before looking at Nathan with a startled expression. “Pup?”

“He meant cub,” I said, tossing a frown his way.

“I meant pup,” he corrected, his steady gaze locked on my face, making it hard for me to look away.

“My child can’t be a wolf,” I argued stubbornly, even though I knew the chances were higher considering I was half wolf. But the thought of my child being a wolf worried me because it was more probable that they would have Nathan’s traits instead of mine. I would adore my baby no matter what, but I could be honest enough to admit I worried that if the child turned out to be a wolf, they might not enjoy my nomadic lifestyle and might possibly resent me for not always being around.

“It’s as likely as her being feline considering I’m her father.”

My jaw went slack. He’d just freaking announced it as if it were no big deal.Is he just telling anyone now?

Nathan answered as if I’d asked the question out loud. “First of all, I think your doctor should know all the details. And while I trust Myka to be discreet, everyone who knows me will know it’s mine the second they get a whiff of you, baby.”

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