Page 33 of Rumble of the Crumble

We’d planned for Doc Picker to come to Butch’s house to give my shoulder its final check. The soil had helped heal the skin, but the muscle underneath hadn’t knitted as fast. He’d insisted I didn’t shift, so it had taken weeks to heal. I’d listened to him, and he’d monitored me closely. I had full movement back and another scar to add to the others. But this one I was proud of when it came with the knowledge the monster was dead and could no longer harm anyone else. That I’d fought my demon, and best of all, protected my mate.

I’d gotten the impression from Doc Picker he was doing some kind of research too, on the differences between my DNA and other shifters. I was cool with that when he was clearly fascinated by what he was finding. Today, it seemed we’d given him something else to add to the extensive file of information he had. This revelation was definitely making him smile as he ran his hand-held scanner over Butch’s ever so slightly swollen belly. “See there, you have a cub.”

“Holy fuck!”

Andddd there was my screechy mate.

“This is all your fault,”he accused, glaring at me. “If you hadn’t insisted Doc check me out…”

“You’d still be pregnant, my love.”

He scowled, his eyes going back to the screen. “I’m pregnant.” This time, I felt more than just panic.

I reached over and stroked his belly. “We’re gonna be daddies.” Saying it made it more real and my heart leaped with excitement.

Butch burst into tears, and I bit my lip. This was part of the reason I’d asked Doc to check him over. As well as the fact he’d been off his food, he’d also been acting all emotional and crying at the drop of a stalk, which was not like him at all.

Maximus had said I’d turned him into a marshmallow. I’d done more than that, it would seem.

“Being smug does not suit you!” He looked back at Doc Picker. “How can this be?” he asked again.

Doc Picker blushed and coughed. “How have you been having sex?”

He wasn’t the only one blushing then as Butch kept his gaze averted and left me to answer.

“I… erm… yes. Spikes… stab his stalk… cum and yes, it covers everything.” Yes, we’d done more touching in our shifted forms for sure. But I was becoming more relaxed, which made it easier with getting friskier when I wasn’t in lion form, especially when my thoughts battled over us both being alphas. He didn’t rush me, we both knew it would happen at some point—soon.

Because Butch didn’t push, I learned to stop worrying about it, because I felt how much he loved me and wanted to go at my pace. The rest didn’t matter, since it wasn’t a competition of who gave up their ass first. I had my money on him, he just didn’t know it.

“This explains it. Olowin, a wolf shifter, also an alpha, got pregnant when Russ, his mate, was in potato form.”

Butch was the color of his stalk. “And he was okay… with the… you know… icky bit?”

The giggles were out before I could stop them. He glared at me, then waited for Doc Picker to answer.

“He was fine. Your body will adapt, I’m positive. And I’ll be here for you.”

I became reassured by this, but my mate, not so much. “Maybe we could talk to this Olowin and see what he says?” I suggested.

“I’m sure he’d be willing to do that.” Doc Picker patted my hand and turned his attention to packing away his things after wiping off the goop from Butch’s belly.

A minute later, he rose.“I’ll leave you both to come to terms with the news.”

He scuttled out while I held Butch’s gaze. “We’re gonna be daddies. I’m not going to be odd lion out.” I hadn’t intended to say that, but it was what came out. Apollo, Drew, Randy, and Red were all pregnant. It was like it was catching and though I’d been happy for all of them, I’d worried secretly about how Butch would feel about losing out on the opportunity.

“I was never losing out. I have you, I won the lion lottery.”

He lifted me into his lap, and I sobbed into his chest. “We’re having a cub!”

“Yes, we are!”

I pulled back, feeling the slow excitement building in him, despite the apprehension. “Let’s go to Goliath’s and tell everyone.”

I didn’t give him time to answer and jumped off his lap so he could get off the couch, where he’d been lying for the scan.

“Come on.” I dragged at his arm, and he came with me, laughing.

“It’s a good job Maximus is building the creche on his land, we’re going to need it.”

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