Page 9 of The Wolf's Plus-Size Nanny

“Shouldn’t be more than an hour,” I explain, trying to sound casual even though my nerves are jangling like live wires. “Just gotta sort out some pack stuff. Reiner and Alpha Evan need to know what’s going on.”

“You’re going to tell Reiner about Fiona?”

“Yeah,” I say, shrugging like it’s no big deal, though the thought of explaining this whole mess makes my stomach twist. “He’s family. And he’ll probably have some ideas about… you know, how to make this work. Besides, he’ll find out soon enough once your cousin tells him you’re my new nanny, right?”

She nods, but I can see the skepticism in her eyes. “He’s going to be shocked as hell.”

“No doubt,” I agree, giving her a quick, appreciative smile. “Thanks again, Sonya. Seriously.”

She rolls her eyes, but there’s a flicker of a smile on her lips. “Go on, then. We’ll be fine. I’ll find the diapers.”

I leave the house, feeling the weight of the situation settle back on my shoulders. Reiner’s going to give me hell for this, no doubt. He’s been on my case about growing up for years, and the news about a surprise baby is like handing him a golden ticket to say, “I told you so.” But it has to be done. I can’t just wing this on my own.

When I reach Reiner’s place, I don’t bother knocking. He’s sprawled on the couch, flipping through some old hunting magazine like it’s the most riveting thing in the world. His head snaps up when he sees me, his brows furrowing in that disapproving way he’s perfected over the years.

“Jack,” he says, setting the magazine aside. “You look like hell. What’s going on?”

I run a hand through my hair, debating the best way to drop this bomb. “I need your help. With something… big.”

Reiner eyes me, suspicion clouding his face. “What kind of ‘big,’ Jack? Last time you said that, it involved a totaled truck and a weekend in county jail.”

“Not that kind of big,” I say quickly, though it’s hard to argue that this isn’t just as messy. “It’s… it’s a kid, Reiner. My kid.”

Reiner’s eyes widen, and he lets out a low whistle. “You’ve got to be kidding me. A kid? Since when?”

“Since yesterday morning,” I reply, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Remember Casey? Well, she dropped the baby off at my place and bailed. Her name’s Fiona, and I’ve got no idea what the hell I’m doing.”

Reiner stands up, crossing the room in two quick strides. “Casey? That fling from last year? You didn’t even know about the baby?”

“Not a clue,” I confirm, shaking my head. “I just… opened my door, and there she was. And now I’m stuck trying to figure this out.”

Reiner stares at me, his expression somewhere between shock and exasperation. “Jack, this isn’t just a ‘figure it out’ situation. This is your kid. You can’t treat this like another one of your screw-ups.”

“I know that,” I snap, feeling the familiar sting of Reiner’s disapproval. “That’s why I’m here. I need to talk to Alpha Evan. I can’t be running missions with a baby at home.”

Reiner rubs his jaw, considering this for a moment. “You sure about that? Because Evan’s not going to go easy on you, Jack. You can’t just back out of pack duties because you’ve suddenly got responsibilities.”

“It’s not about backing out. It’s about doing what’s right for Fiona. She didn’t ask for this, and I can’t just leave her hanging.”

“All right,” Reiner concedes. “Let’s go see Evan.”

We head over to the alpha’s house, and the familiar path that usually feels routine now seems heavy with the weight of what’s to come. Alpha Evan’s already in the yard when we arrive, tossing a ball with his son, who’s all energy and laughter. The sight tugs at something inside me. It’s a reminder of what a real family looks like. Stable. Strong.

Everything I’m not.

Evan catches sight of us and waves, his easy smile faltering when he sees the look on my face. “Jack. Reiner. What’s up?”

“Need a minute of your time, Alpha,” I begin. “It’s… important.”

Evan nods, handing the ball to his boy with a quick pat on the shoulder. “Go on inside, bud. I’ll be in soon.”

The young shifter bounds off, and Evan turns his full attention to us. “All right, what’s going on?”

I take a breath, bracing myself. “I’ve got a kid, Evan. A daughter. Her name’s Fiona, and I didn’t know about her until yesterday. Her mom took off, left her on my doorstep.”

Evan’s eyes widen, and for a moment, he just stares at me like he’s trying to figure out if I’m serious. Then his expression shifts to something that looks like sympathy.

“That’s… that’s a lot, Jack.”

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