Page 17 of Home: Posy 5

"Emme, there's no blame here," I told her gently. "We did our best to prepare for something we had no experience with. Now we know for next time, right?"

She nodded, then lifted her head off of my chest to stare up at me. Goddess, I loved those deep, dark black eyes with their thick eyelashes!

"Have I told you how much I love you today?" I murmured.

"Only a dozen times while I screamed at you." She grinned. "Now that I've processed everything, I realize that we're so young for a baby, but we have a strong support system. Grandma Stella will have to fight half your pack to babysit her own grandchild. Also, you have a great job, so we can afford this. We have a beautiful house and huge backyard, so it's a good place to raise a kid. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I'll have to finish senior year with a big, fat belly, but it is what it is now."

"Big, fat belly?" My eyebrows flew up. "There'll be a pup in there, notfat."

"Yeah, but it's going to take forever to lose all the weight I gain," she grumbled.

"It'll be worth it, and I'll help you. I'll always be here to help you every step of the way, from right this second until forever."

"I love you." She laid her cheek back on my chest and squeezed me again. "Even though I get mad as hell at you, I still love you, and I'm excited to go on this awesome journey with you."

"Thank you, baby girl. You are my whole world."

"I know," she said, and I heard the grin in her voice. "That's why I'm still here, bae."

I chuckled, remembering when I first started dating her. I hadn't even explained what I was or introduced her to Cedar yet, and she'd told me that if I ever treated her like a joke, she'd leave me like it was funny.

She also said, "I like my coffee how I like myself: Dark, bitter, and too hot for you,"Cedar reminded me, making my chuckle turn into a laugh.

"Laugh it up now, bae." She stood back and put her hands on her hips. "Wait until my moods are set on shuffle and see how you laugh then."

"What have I done?" I teased as I rolled my eyes.

"Boy, you better take care of your eyes because they about to be the only balls you have!"

And so it begins,Cedar giggled. By the moon, the next seven months are going to be fun!

Yeah, for you!I groaned.

My pretty little mate picked up the lone surviving wooden spoon, and I did what any intelligent mate of a feisty, irritated pregnant woman would do.

I ran like hell.

#

Beta Crew Myers

I didn't know why all the gammas and other betas were so mad at Rio.

I got that Emmeline wanted to finish school first, but it wasn't like he did it on purpose, and a pup was a joy, not a burden.

While the boys popped off at him for “being careless," my eyes went to my own mate and narrowed in speculation. We hadn't talked about pups yet, but I figured Sara would let me know when she was ready for that.

Most of the time, Bay and I were content to follow her lead. She was a strong, independent woman who knew her own mind, and my wolf and I were happy to float along in her wake.

Unless her safety came into play. Then we got downright aggressive.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said out of the side of her mouth.

"Like what, dewdrop?" I popped a chip in my mouth and chewed slowly, still staring at her.

"Like you want to put a baby in my belly right here and now."

"I'd be fine with that," I shrugged, "so long as you were."

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