Page 107 of Taken By the Alpha Priest

I cock an eyebrow, folding my arms across my chest. “Everything you people say sounds weird.”

“You’re probably right,” he says with a short laugh, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “But—I should tell you…I don’t think you’re infertile.”

I freeze, staring at him in disbelief. “Excuse me?”

He scratches the back of his neck, clearly bracing himself for my reaction. “It’s a?—”

“—wolf thing, right, I figured,” I interrupt, trying to keep my voice steady. “But Reyes—how could you possibly know that?”

“Scent,” he says simply, his gaze locking with mine. “I can’t quite explain it, but it’s something about how our scents mingle…and I think the full moon may have done something to you.”

I bite my lip, trying to process the implications. My life has revolved around my sister for so long—raising her, protecting her. The idea of raising someone else, of bringing a child into this chaotic world…it’s almost too much to comprehend.

But then, so was falling in love with a lycan priest.

Before I can speak, Reyes steps closer, cupping my cheek with one warm hand. His thumb brushes over my skin, soothing me with his touch.

“No expectations,” he says softly, his voice steady and sure. “No questions, even. We’ll get in to see Suyin right away.”

“I’m not pregnant, right?” I ask, the words rushing out before I can stop them.

“No,” he says, his lips quirking up into a small smile. “But we’ll double-check. And if you are…we’ll do whatever you need to do. All I need is you, Tilda.”

I put my hand on his forearm, squeezing gently. “Thank you,” I whisper. “And thanks for telling me before we got there. But…can we just sit here for a minute? I don’t know if I’m ready to see everyone yet.”

Reyes lowers himself back to the grass, spreading his knees wide and holding out his arms. I join him there, leaning back against his broad chest, finding that I’m actually a little sore from last night. I look at the sunrise sky, wisps of clouds like cotton candy on the horizon.

“Didn’t mean to spring that on you, but I thought you should know,” he breathes into my hair.

I snuggle into his chest, my hands on his forearms, stroking the soft, dark hair there. “I mean it,” I say. “I’d rather know than be kept in the dark.”

“I would never keep that from you.”

“I know,” I say. “Because that’s who you are.”

We sit in silence for a moment, staring at the sky. Reyes’ hands fall to my shoulders, stroking down my arms and forcing them to lose the tension they’ve been building for…well, a lifetime. “So what are your plans?” he asks. “Do you want to hear mine?”

I nod, closing my eyes. “Yeah. I think I’d like that.”

He smiles against my hair, kissing the crown of my head. “I’m thinking about proposing to the woman I love.”

I laugh softly. “And who will officiate when the priest gets married?”

“I don’t know,” he murmurs. “I think your best friend did a pretty good job.”

My heart swells at the sense of belonging that fills me. Peaches has become a good friend—maybe the person I’m closest to in the world, after Enid. It makes my heart ache to think of my sister…but I’ll see her at the new moon.

Eventually, I’ll convince her to come to Austin–to live here with me.

I’m sure of it.

“And then what?” I ask.

“Then…I think we’ll need to build more housing around the den,” he says. “More and more folks come seeking shelter all the time. I want our community to thrive.”

I nod, looking up at the sky. It’s so big—endless. The potential here is endless too. “I think I’d like to expand the garden plot,” I say. “Get some livestock and a few horses. Start training them so we can ride.”

“It’s a good plan,” he says.

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