Page 93 of Can't Be Love

“They’re so certain I was going to be a wolf. I just, I don’t want to disappoint them.”

“Oscar Westin, you look at me right this second.” I waited until he looked up. “You are not a disappointment. You never will be. Your mom isn’t going to care that you shift to a tiger instead of a wolf. She’s going to be proud of you no matter what . . . though I’d probably leave out the ‘I’ve known for two years’ part for a while.”

“But Aunt Lily, I’m a cat in a pack of dogs. How can they not be disappointed?”

“Aunt Jenna is a cat in a pack of dogs. Do you love her less than me because of it? Wait, don’t answer that, of course you love me more, cause I’m your favorite aunt. So, do you love her less than Aunt E?”

Oscar laughed. “No. I love you all equally.”

“But me just a tiny bit more, right?”

He hugged me. “I love you, Aunt Lily.”

“Love you too, tiger.”

He groaned. “I don’t want to ruin the weekend, but I promise I’ll tell them soon.”

“I’m going to hold you to that, you know.”

He rolled his eyes. I never realized just how annoying that could be till I had little ankle biters mimicking me with it. I hated an eye roll now.

“Hi, Oscar,” a voice called, and I looked up to see a pretty blonde girl wave our way. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, and was obviously happy to see my nephew.

“Who’s that?” I asked. “She certainly doesn’t seem to mind that you’re a . . .”

“I get it. I’ll tell them. Mind if I bail and go hang out with Bailey?” he asked.

“Bailey, huh? She’s cute.”

He grinned, looking back at the girl and waving. “Yes, she is.”

“Go on. I’ll cover for you.”

He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “That’s why you’re my favorite,” he said as he ran off to catch up with the girl. I smiled after them.I always knew I was his favorite.

“Where is your mother?” I heard Thomas ask one of the girls.

The poor guy had been surrounded by six sisters growing up, only to father four daughters. Lucky number five was on the way. I rubbed my protruding belly. I loved being pregnant, but I was done after this one. Girl or boy it didn’t matter to me, but I knew Thomas was secretly hoping it was a son, even though he swore he was destined to only be surrounded by beautiful ladies.

“Lily?” he called.

Where the hell did she go this time?I clearly heard him say, but I was staring right at him and his lips never moved.

Thomas?I thought, and he turned my way.

“Oh, there you are. Kelsey needs you to help Peyton set up for dinner. Something about Zander daring little Jason to climb a tree and now he’s stuck.”

We walked back over to where the group was congregated. I laughed as Kelsey passed by.

“You know how many times I’ve told him wolves don’t climb trees? He looks up to Z so much, but all Z wants to do is terrorize his little brother. Be thankful you have girls,” she murmured.

“It really doesn’t help that the twins take after their mother and taunt him from above,” Chase added proudly. He and Jenna had a son, followed almost immediately by an adorable set of identical twin girls.

Thomas?I thought in my head as he turned around to face me.

“Yeah? What is it, slugger?” he asked, still using the nickname he’d granted me since our initial mating. All these years and he still wouldn’t tell me why he called me that.

“Why do you call me that?” I asked him aloud.

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