Page 131 of As The Shifter World Turns

“You’re cutting off his balls?” Neil exclaimed just as I was about to announce that I’d arrived with the pizzas.

If they were talking about Kellan, I was on board with that.

Daire must’ve had help moving the table, it now sat near where everyone was congregated and I headed straight there. I figured out they were talking about neutering Patches. Unlike Kellan, I felt bad for the dog.

“You can’t do that. Patches would be a good daddy.” Toby snuggled up to the dog, not even noticing the pizza. “And if he made puppies, maybe I could have one. I’d love Patch's puppy.”

“We are not getting a dog.” Martin’s voice held zero conviction. If I were to guess they’d have a dog by the end of the month.

“Or you could get a baby.” Martin started to choke at his son’s words.

“I’m not mated.” He ruffled his son’s hair. “How about I start the grill?”

“Ivor’s not married and he’s still having a baby. You don’t need to be mated.”

My jaw dropped. He had to be wrong. He meant Kellan. Kellan wasn’t mated and was having a baby.

“It’s not polite to talk about other people’s business,” Martin scolded him.

“But I heard you talking about it with…”

I didn’t hear the rest, everyone disappearing from my awareness exceptIvor. Ivor who had shadows under his eyes. Ivor whose face was burning red. Ivor who looked like he was about to vomit.

Ivor was pregnant. He was having a baby. My baby? Please let it be my baby.

“Are you?—?”

I was cut off by Micah’s phone going off at the same time Seb arrived on the roof.What the fuck is he doing here?Seb shouted, “Kellan has something to say to you all.”

Ivor buried his face, Micah said something about going to the university tomorrow that had Archer hugging him close and Kellan stepped out in front of Seb with a tight shirt on, highlighting his bump.

Somehow the night managed to get worse.

51

THE REVEAL

Ivor

Oh Gods, why?I adored Toby, but like a lot of kids, he repeated what he’d heard or seen without being aware of the consequences or what it meant. One of my classmates at elementary school had told the teacher how he discovered his mom and dad ‘fighting’ naked on the bed and how painful it must have been as they were both moaning.

My first thought when I arrived home from the office was that I was skipping Friday night on the roof. I’d make up some excuse about work. But Daire was aware I’d been ill and he’d pester me about seeing a doctor if I didn’t turn up.

Archer and Neil had come up with a scheme they called ‘Pass the plate’ where we’d exchange plates to make it appear that I’d been eating instead of merely nibbling on a hot dog bun. My beer could be tipped into Daire’s garden beds, hoping it didn’t kill his plants.

But all of that was for nothing when Toby blurted out about my baby.

Micah had been concentrating on his phone but he lifted his head and asked, “Baby?” when he glanced at Archer and my fellow wolf shifter hook his head.

“Ivor’s baby?” Daire asked. “Is that why you’ve been sick?”

But my gaze was fixed on Ryder who’d been at the opposite end of the roof near Martin. He pushed past everyone and our friends made way for him. “Is this true? You’re pregnant.”

“Ryder not now,” I hissed which was a stupid thing to say. The news was out but I’d wanted to tell him in my own time when we were alone. Not whenfucking Kellan and his small baby bump were here, and the guy was rubbernecking. “This isn’t the time and place.”

“No. You don’t get to do that because there are people here.” He jerked his head at Kellan who put a protective hand on his belly. “I need to hear it from you.”

Tears flowed over my cheeks and Martin handed me a paper napkin. This was my baby, and Kellan and his baby were here. Even though I’d tried convincing everyone at Sunshine Manor that Ryder hadn’t cheated, I imagined them wondering if Ryder had gotten us both pregnant.

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