Page 75 of Connected

“Were you really gonna do it and without talkin’ to me first?”

“I didn’t know what else to do. I got the impression you wanted this pup. That it didn’t bother you. That you weren’t gonna listen.” She sighs, repositioning herself, legs dangling over the edge of the bed. “Is Riley okay?”

“He will be. Might be a lil’ sore for a while. I let Zak think he stopped me from killin’ him. But I realized it wasn’t his fault. I still couldn’t help hittin’ him, that was wrong, but… at least I didn’t kill him and… I let off a little steam. It’s not like I can fight with you right now.”

“I’m so sorry. I never wanted this to happen. But you’ve got to understand, I tried for so long to get my position as a medic on a spec-ops team, and I just screwed it all up. Digby, I’m a womananda wolf—and I made it onto a special operations team. Do you know how many fuckin’ hurdles I had to jump to get this far? And then I blow it all up in one stupid drunken fucked-up moment—because I didn’t think with my head—I let her overrule my reasoning again.”

“I know but… well, maybe it’s not all your fault. We got carried away and I should have put somethin’ on—took some precautions. I don’t know maybe I should have been responsible too. So, you really don’t want this pup?”

“I want my place on this team—I need it. Digby, I don’t want you gettin’ spun up without me.”

“Okay-Okay, well then, then maybe I have an idea.” He sits himself on the end of the bed, his back to her. “I came up with a plan. So please… just hear me out, cos it might sound kinda crazy but… Rosie lost her pup—”

“Oh my God, Ryan… I’m so sorry. But as sad as that is, it won’t affect my decision about this situation.”

“I know, but maybe it could?”

“It won’t.”

“And I said to hear me out. I talked to Ezra—Rosie came to see me earlier today cos she wanted me to give her another pup. I told her I couldn’t because I’m with you now. But later I spoke with Ezra. I have to say that man has some messed-up ideas.” he smiles. “Did you know, he sent her boyfriend away. All because she didn’t shift, which he thinks made her lose the pup. Yeah, I told ya—it’s messed up, right? Well, we talked it through, and I told him why I couldn’t give Rosie what they wanted. Anyway, he came up with a solution. Somethin’ that could give us all what we want.”

“What kind of solution?”

“Right now you do need to hear me out, cos trust me it might sound crazy but it can work. They won’t tell anyone she’s not pregnant, and if they get asked, they’ll say I gave her another pup. The month before you’re due, you’ll go stay with them, then when the pup comes, they’ll pass our pup off as hers. No one will know any different. Rosie keeps her standin’ in the community, Ezra gets the alpha he wants for the pack—I get to keep our boy. And most important… you get to go back on the team. We can put Edwards off; Darius will think of somethin’ to tell him when I explain it to him.”

“Digby, this is crazy. How the hell is that even going to work? I can’t do that. I can’t take a month out.”

“Yeah, you can. Cos its better than either of the alternatives, right? Anyway, it’s done and agreed now. Me and Ezra, we made a blood-pact—a pack-bond. None of us will tell anyone about what we did. This pup, as far as anyone knows, will be Rosie’s. You won’t have anythin’ to do with it. All you have to do is carry it to term—then it’s Rosie’s and you go back to your life. We move on from it.”

“You did what? You made a blood pact? And you offered yourlifefor this? Digby no, no you can’t.”

“I had to give him somethin’ Kat. Ezra wanted an assurance that you wouldn’t change your mind. Elspeth—his wife—it took a lot to persuade her. She just couldn’t understand how you wouldn’t want your pup—if I’m honest, me either. This seemed like such a good solution. I mean, you’ve made it clear you don’t want this pup, so there really is no worry about us backing out.”

“Digby… I’m sorry, I really wish I did. I wish I could give you what you want, but…” she sighs. “So, what we just hand it over? Just like that?”

“Pretty much. Like I said, so that no one gets suspicious, you’ll go stay there—as a friend of Rosie’s—then when you give birth, she takes the pup. Kat, this is gonna be the best thing for everyone. You get what you want, and so do I. Rosie keeps her father happy, and they even said I could still be a part of his life. And… it good for the pack,” he smiles.

“Well, do we get some time to think about it?”

“No. No, it’s done now—the pact is sealed.”

“Whoa… well then I guess that’s it. But…” she takes a deep breath, “You know, I wish we’d had a little time to think it through, but yeah okay I guess it could work. I mean, people adopt babies all the time, right? So this would be no different.” She smooths her hands over his shoulders and kisses his neck. He flinches, and rather than his usual response to her touch—he shrugs her off and pulls away.

“You should get some sleep. I’m gonna go for drinks with Zak. I’ll be back late so don’t wait up.”

“Wait… Digby, please don’t go. Stay with me. I want to be with you. Digby please…” her hand slides between his thighs touching him but there’s no response and she watches as he stands up and moves to the door.

“Kat, I’m sorry, but I can’t be with you right now. Oh… I was gonna say earlier—before all this. You and Darius—I don’t mind if you wanna be with him. The only thing I ask is you don’t do it here—in this house. Is that all right?”

“What? Wait, so you’re giving consent for me to be with him, that you don’t mind? Digby, are you sure? I mean—”

“Yeah, I suppose I am. And… well, you’re probably gonna be more of a woman than wolf now anyway—or at least ‘til you have the pup. Kat, I don’t wanna stop you from being happy. I’ve never wanted that.”

“But Digby, I want you. I need you—to be with you. We’re bonded and you can’t change that. Please, stay with me.”

“You’re right, we are bonded and that won’t ever change. All I’m sayin’ is you can have what you want now—the both of us. Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t break my promise. I won’t tell him, about this. I’ll leave it until you’re ready—let you decide when that is. Look, I’ll see you later. And don’t wait up, we’ll go on to the club after the bar and I won’t be back until late.”

“Digby… Wait. I could come with you if you wanted?” She smiles and tilts her head as she tries to tempt him back to bed.

---