Page 153 of As The Shifter World Turns

“Just got something in my eye,” I fibbed. “Dust.”

I took a deep breath while telling myself to get a grip. This wasn’t about Trey or Ryder. It was me. My insecurities were going to endanger the relationship with my mate. And I couldn’t blame baby hormones. Okay, maybe I could—a little. But I had to omega up and deal with this. Being an adult was the pits sometimes.

“When is Trey coming to look at the place?” I asked in what I hoped was a casual tone. Yeah, I was so cool and mature, I could hold down a full time job, be pregnant and not bat an eyelid when my mate’s very handsome omega employee waltzed by while inspecting the apartment on the floor above. I could do this.

“Once he leaves the office today.”

So soon. I’d have to plaster a smile on my face when he arrived. Or I could hide in our apartment. Yeah,ourapartment. We were mated. Hiding worked, but if the guy rented the place, I’d see him every day.

As Ryder pulled up at the manor, an unfamiliar car drew up behind us. “That’s Trey now.”

“Great.” Rummaging in my messenger bag, I tried to control my emotions. The problem was me. Not anyone else. If I could get over this initial meeting, that was Step One. There’d be a lot more steps.

“Hi, Trey.” Ryder waved and I got out and greeted the omega.

But he wasn’t alone. He was with an alpha and they were holding hands. I’d dodged a bullet this time, but there’d be a next time and a next time if I didn’t get a handle on my jealousy. Maybe making an appointment with the therapist Neil saw a while ago would be a start, even though Neil thought he was developing feelings for the guy. I wouldn’t be falling for him, but I needed someone to talk to.

Micah

I pushed Elune in her stroller around the pond at the park while Archer walked at my side, pointing out the ducks to our daughter. She babbled and waved a fist at them while clutching her favorite toy bunny.

Run. Even though it’d been months since I’d first heard my beast, it was still a novelty. I’d stopped cupping my ear which Archer was thankful for. With the baby and work, we hadn’t been to the woods at Daire’s family's country house in a while, so my unicorn was pestering me to let him out.

Soon.

“Look at the birds, Elune,” Archer told our daughter.

Run. Run. Run.Huh? That wasn’t my unicorn. What was that? “Whoa!” I stopped in my tracks.

“Something wrong?” Archer leaned over Elune as I glanced over my shoulder. He stood up and followed my gaze. “What are you looking at?”

“I’m going crazy.”

“Need more details, love.” He slung an arm over my shoulder. “We’re both sleep deprived, but I can continue on here if you want to go home.”

“I’m hearing voices.”

“You definitely need sleep.”

We sat on a park bench and I pushed the stroller back and forth. “My unicorn told me he wanted to run.” I lowered my voice. “And then someone else repeated the word over and over as though they were mocking me and my beast.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Archer told me. The thing was whenever someone said that, it instantly meant the listener took it the wrong way. “But could it be that you’re not recognizing your beast? You’re still a newbie at this, love.”

“Nope. It was someone else or something else.” A shiver ran down my spine.

Run. Run. Run.

I leapt up and tugged at my hair. “There’s another unicorn talking to my unicorn.”

“What did you say?” Now Archer was on his feet.

The truth had just hit me as though I’d slammed into a wall. “There’s a beast talking to my beast.” Our eyes locked on one another and then with trembling hands, I turned the stroller around so we were both studying our daughter.

“Elune!” I got to my knees. “I heard your unicorn, sweetheart.” With a hand on my mouth to contain the sobs, I brushed my fingers over her head.

“Does this mean she’s going to shift?” Archer asked, his eyes open wide while he flapped his hands.

“Who knows. Our daughter is unique but I doubt it. She’s way too young. But the professor told us she was talking to her beast and now she has enough control, she’s communicating with mine.

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