Page 25 of Pregnant By the Alpha Wolf

I shake my head, knowing I have to be careful and not wanting to cause any friction. “I really do just feel a bit tired,” I lie. “I’ll have a sit down with Rian first thing tomorrow to talk through the texts.”

Seemingly satisfied, Griffen nods and turns back to the lab. I feel his eyes on me until I cross the square. Walking toward the house, I look up and see Rowan watching my approach from his office. The fire is lit behind him, and I can feel the intensity of his gaze.

I fight the urge to touch my stomach; the knowledge that our baby is growing and the weight of information I know is contained in the file I’m holding suddenly feels immense. And love; I suddenly feel the immensity of love growing within me.

It’s everything I didn’t even know I wanted, but there’s also so much fear.

Chapter 14 - Rowan

We cut through the forest in silence, only our heavy tread in the fresh snow alerting anyone to our presence.

“This would be much more effective in our wolf form,” Griffen mutters as the terrain gets steeper.

I roll my eyes at his complaining. “But the alpha meeting will be best conducted as humans, and I don’t fancy sitting around in the snow naked.”

He continues to grumble but doesn’t deny my logic. We split off from the patrol group an hour ago, headed over the ridge and along our border to pick up the truck.

“At least you didn’t make us walk all the way there,” he says, climbing in and putting the heating on.

“You are getting old, my friend,” I chuckle. “How can you complain when we would have thought nothing of it centuries ago? And now you wanted heated seats.”

“I have evolved. You should try it,” he laughs.

With my hands on the heated steering wheel, it is hard to disagree. “I admit, I do prefer this horsepower. At least it’s not trying to throw me off.”

Griffen barks out a laugh next to me, and I know he remembers my less than stellar luck with horses over the centuries. “Well, shifters riding horses has always had its challenges. It takes a strong beast not to bolt. Aye, I remember all my favorites.”

So do I. Hundreds of years riding the infernal things, and only a handful ever made it easy for me. I can’t help the smile that forms on my lips as memories of trying and failing to tame obtuse horses wash over me. I really do prefer my truck.

“Well, at least laughing at my expense has cheered you up,” I remark.

“That’s rich coming from you,” Griffen replies. “You’ve been biting people’s heads off all week. Our patrol may understand a little better than most, but they need you to keep your cool.”

The truck falls silent as I steady my breathing and try not to tear into my friend when I know he’s right. I am pissed off. The patrols have picked up on the masked shifter’s scent again this week and more human activity at various points around our territory. Although we do get humans venturing into the mountains occasionally, they’re usually just passing through, not lingering and returning to the same points.

I have no doubt it’s the hunters. I just don’t know what they and the masked shifter are going to do next. And it’s driving me crazy.

“I know,” I say through gritted teeth. “I’m just…”

I trail off, and Griffen cuts in, “I know, you just have more to lose now.”

“Will you stop with that? There has always been much to lose: an entire pack. Those wolves depend on me.” I snap.

“Of course they do. You’re the alpha.” Griffen replies evenly. “But you’re allowed something for yourself, too, you know.”

I grip the wheel a little tighter. “And I have that. I made her my luna; she has the lab, and we are together in every sense.”

We go over a particularly large bump in the road, making the truck veer slightly, and Griffen mutters something indefinable that I suspect has nothing to do with the road. “You had the single most unromantic mate ceremony I’ve ever had themisfortune to attend. I’m not sure that and fucking her means you are together ineverysense.”

I see red. I slam the brakes on and turn to him, my vision clouded by my beasts. “Get out of the fucking truck,” I snarl.

He opens his door and steps out, hands held up defensively. “Okay, okay,” he says, taking a step back. “Let’s not do this.”

I get out of the truck, too, my heart pounding in my chest. “Stop telling me what to do,” I growl at him but don’t circle him like I want to. He deserves more than that.

“Rowan,” he says softly, his voice almost soothing, something I would never expect from him. “Remember who you are.”

We stand there face to face, and neither moves for a long moment. Then I punch him. Hard. It feels good to get it off my chest, but I know it’s not enough. He doesn’t move an inch from the blow.

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