Page 54 of Hunted

“You deserve it. Did Thumper have fun?”

She grins at me. “She kicked a couple of times and I thought my grandparents were going to fight each other over who got to keep their hand on my belly.”

I laugh. “Really?”

“They’re excited about being grandparents. Did you finish the surprise in the nursery?”

“I did.”

She gives me a searching look. “Adela wanted me to sneak in and take a picture of whatever it is. I refused. That’s why I came back on my own. I think she wants me to distract you, so when she comes to dinner with my grandparents, you won’t hear her sneak up the stairs and discover this secret. I bet she’s going to do it dressed as a ninja in tight black spandex.”

I laugh again. “Who would have thought?”

After Aerin left to have lunch with Adela and her grandparents, I went for a run, found nothing suspicious, and decided to call the pack over for dinner. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision that I now regret because I have Aerin in my arms and I wish we had the night to ourselves.

It’s going to be an hour before the rest of the pack comes over for an early dinner, so I back up, take a seat at the dining table and pull Aerin into my lap.

Long minutes later, I’m considering picking her up and taking her upstairs to bed when Bennett sighs.

I break our kiss to lean around Aerin.

Bennett and Helena, the first to arrive, are standing in the kitchen doorway.

I’d heard his car pull up outside but hoped he’d realize that Aerin and I wouldn’t want to be disturbed for a little while longer.

He looks resigned as he eyes the chair we’re sharing. “Intending to break more furniture?”

“You’re right.” Aerin stands up, blushing. “I’m?—”

“Light as a feather.” I tug her closer to my chest so I can glare at Bennett over her head.

He clears his throat, getting the message. “I was talking about Mack. He has a bulging gut.”

“Mack doesn’t have a bulging gut.” Aerin snorts and kisses my jaw. “You can stop forbidding everyone from saying certain words. It’s making some conversations not make much sense.”

She’s right. When she got to around her fourth month, she went from having a lean, athletic physique to embracing having a new body shape. The changes made her sensitive, and I didn’t want anyone to say anything that would upset her.

“Like?” I slide my palm around the nape of her neck to keep her in my lap for as long as I can.

“Like when we were talking about big servings and no one would say the word big. I’m not sure how many thesauri you’ve eaten, but it was very strange.”

“She’s not wrong,” Bennett mutters as he and Helena take a seat at the dining table.

“At least we’re learning to grow our vocabulary,” Helena says.

I’m leaning toward her to claim another kiss from Aerin when my cell phone vibrates across the table. I sigh mournfully. “Never alone. Endless responsibility and interruptions. What doyou say we leave everything behind and live in the forest like real wolves, Aerin?”

Laughing, she picks up my phone and hands it over. “Don’t be silly. I need a toilet and running water. Here.”

As soon as I see who’s calling, my amusement fades and I sit up taller as I stab the answer button. “Da? What is it?”

“You have Aerin close?” are his first words.

Automatically, I wrap my arm around Aerin as if to reassure myself she’s right there. Safe. “As close as she can be. Why?”

“Someone is hunting omegas,” my dad declares.

For several seconds, no one speaks. We just stare at each other, quietly processing four horrifying words.

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