Page 53 of In Plain Sight

Something called Kyle’s and Patrick’s attention away and they said goodbye as the screen went dark.

“Okay, that’s all for now. Nothing said here leaves this room,” Thomas told us, and I felt his Alpha powers wash over us to seal his command. “Cole, if there’s anything you need help with, just let me know. Bran, Lily would like to come by and see if she can help get Ruby out of the house. So far every time she’s tried, she’s been told to stay away.”

I looked confused. “I swear, I never told her that.”

“No, but Ruby did.”

I groaned. “I don’t know what to do, Thomas.”

It wasn’t in me to show weakness in this way, but I was truly worried about my mate.

“She won’t leave at all?”

“She asked to come with me tonight and is in there talking to her mom and Shelby, I think. This is the first time she’s left the house since she got sick.”

“That’s a start,” Thomas said. “Let me text Lily and give her time to get over here before we go.” His phone dinged back with a new message immediately. He smiled. “Shelby let her know and they’re in the kitchen baking cookies and talking.”

I wasn’t prepared for the relief that brought me. “Thank you,” I said.

We sat around talking like old friends about nothing in particular, just to give the girls some extra time together before adjourning and walking down to the kitchen.

Ruby was at the table eating freshly baked cookies and laughing. My heart lightened at the sound. I looked at Thomas and he smiled and nodded. He couldn’t possibly understand what I was going through, with the concern for my mate compacted by the guilt of the role I’d played in it all.

Ruby

Chapter 20

I didn’t want to admit it, but I was glad I’d come over to Mom’s. I had been wallowing and scared and I needed to snap out of it.

“That’s no way to live, Ruby. We’re proud wolves. We don’t live in fear,” Mom had told me.

But I had been living in fear and that wasn’t like me. I vowed not to let it consume me.

For the next few weeks I went back to work but allowed Clay to handle most of the day-to-day functions. I spoke with Thomas and got him the promotion and raise he deserved.

Bran continued to work at the ranch, rotating through jobs and making friends everywhere he went. It amazed me just how seamlessly he fit into my life. There hadn’t been any mention of trying to go back to his pack and I was secretly optimistic that we would stay in Collier forever. Plus, as we waited for confirmation of my pregnancy, he insisted on tending to my every whim. I gushed to my sisters how I had lucked out and landed the best mate in the world.

Finally, the day came where we would know for certain if we were expecting parents or something was very wrong with my wolf. I had continued to try to call her forth to no avail.

In my heart I already knew, but that didn’t stop my nerves. My hands were literally shaking as we walked into the clinic and sat to wait for our turn.

Bran took my hand and squeezed. I calmed a little as we waited. It wasn’t long before Doc’s nurse was calling us back. She ran through a quick questionnaire, explained the awkward day I was about to have, and handed me a gown with instructions to strip and change into it.

It seemed odd to me that there would even be such a thing. It wasn’t like nudity was any big deal amongst shifters, so why follow the archaic human practices? It made me giggle, a sort of nervous hysteria bubbling just under the surface.

“What?’ Bran asked. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

He must have told me that a million times over the last few weeks.

“I know,” I said honestly. “I was just wondering why I have to put this ridiculous gown on when it’s not like everyone in Collier hasn’t seen me naked before.”

A low growl rumbled through Bran as Doc walked in. He looked up and grinned.

“Sorry, Doc,” Bran mumbled.

“Not a problem, son. I’m used to it. That’s why we have the gowns. Not really necessary in a wolf pack, but I find, especially during pregnancies, that the males become more protective and it’s just safer for all of us to practice a little modesty,” he explained.

Bran and I shared a look that had me laughing again.

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