Page 37 of Knot Your Baby

“I was thinking of Limerick Stone, Lime for short.”

“Now you stop it!” Harlow chuckles. But we’re both giggling now as we turn down the hallway toward room four one eight.

“If you give him a sister, you could call her Crystal Lee Stone.” Harlow laughs again. “Wait, scrap that idea. It actually sounds like a stripper’s name. You can save that for your second daughter. They are always the rebels.”

“Harlow!” I gasp, but can’t hold back my laughter. “All my children will be pillars of the community.”

She adjusts Stone in her arms as he fusses. I hold out my arms and take my son back, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Don’t listen to her, Sand.”

Harlow laughs out loud as we reach the doorway.

I bounce my son against my chest as Dr. Landers flips through my chart. His eyes scan the pages quickly, barely lingering on any details.

“His one-week checkup is over and everything looks perfect. Both mother and baby are thriving.” He closes the file with a snap. “Any concerns?”

“None.” I’m surprised he doesn’t ask about Stone’s alpha, about my pack status. But the questions I’ve been dreading never materialize.

“Excellent. See you in two weeks.” He’s heading for the door. His hand grips the handle, opening it wide. And I feel like we are being thrown out.

Harlow helps me gather our things, and we make our way to the parking lot. My steps falter when I spot Zane sitting in a black sports car. His platinum hair sticks out a mile and despite his face staring at the phone in his hand, I know it’s him.

“Don’t look now,” I whisper as I tilt my head in the car’s direction. “But Zane’s here.”

“Is he following you?” she gasps. Her eyes dart around, like she’s just taking in the scenery.

“I said don’t look. You’re making it look so obvious.”

“I’m looking at the birds in the trees.”

I sigh. “Harlow.”

She stares at me as I open my car door. “He could be waiting for anyone. Maybe another firefighter? Or a pack mate might have a hospital appointment.”

“Yeah.” I fumble with Stone’s car seat, clicking it into place. “Orhemight have an appointment.” I think of the scars on his body.

“Go talk to him.” Harlow nudges my shoulder. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

My stomach twists. “I can’t.”

“Can’t?” Harlow’s eyebrows shoot up. “Since when does Freya Rose say can’t? You’re the most can-do person I know.”

“This is different.” I smooth Stone’s blanket, avoiding her gaze. “What if...what if he was just being kind? During the birth, I mean. What if he saw me coming out of the hospital and is just pretending that he can’t see me and he’s not really on his phone?”

“Freya—”

“I’d rather not know.” I climb into the driver’s seat, my hands shaking slightly as I grip the wheel. “Can we just go to the park? Stone loves the fresh air and I need the exercise.”

Harlow sighs as she slides into the passenger seat. Her expression on her face is one of concern. “Of course.”

As we pull out of the parking lot, I force myself not to look in my rearview mirror, not to check if he’s watching us leave.

Then, before I can stop myself, I spin the wheel, circling back through the parking lot. My heart pounds against my ribs as I drive ahead.

“What are you doing?” Harlow asks.

“Being brave.” I pull up next to Zane’s sports car. My fingers tremble as I roll down the window. “Hey, are you okay?”

Zane’s head snaps up, phone dropping to his lap. “Yeah, just...waiting for my appointment time.” His voice is softer than I expected, almost hesitant.

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