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“I just don’t want to overstep. But I’m excited. I’ve not really ever been around a baby before. Sure, there were people in our village that had babies, but my family consisted of me and Evan.”
“I’m sure they’ll let you hold the baby,” I told Beau again. I’d made it to the outskirts of town, and now we only had a few more minutes before we would be at the cabin. It was secluded enough that there shouldn’t be any issues getting inside without Beau being seen, but the last I’d heard, that had been addressed with Konrad, and the cabin currently had a security fence that was being installed around the perimeter. It would have a coded gate, much like our neighborhood had, and although it sounded like it would be a headache, the council was taking the safety of everyone seriously.
I felt the turmoil that Beau was experiencing through our bond. I glanced back at him, wishing more than ever that he could be up-front with me. “Why are you so conflicted? What’s going on? You’re excited to be meeting the family for longer than a few minutes, are you not?”
“Yes. I was talking to Philip earlier. He is excited to see me again. But I’m a bit nervous to see Ramsey and Phineas. I know Phineas had such a terrible pregnancy, and Ramsey is a bit intimidating.”
I grinned. “That is probably a good thing since he’s one of the council’s enforcers. But between you and me, he has been in trouble with Chief Daegal more than anyone else when it comes to gargoyle enforcers. He’s going to be protective because Phineas just gave birth, but he was the one that was the voice of reason when you and I first discovered each other.” I would never be able to thank my brother-in-law for that.
I pulled into the cabin’s driveway and, moments later, parked near the door. I glanced back at Beau but found him staring out the window. After I got out of the SUV, my tiger was on alert, but there was no threat to our mate or unborn child. There was nobody nearby, so I rounded the vehicle and opened the door for Beau. He spared me a glance but quickly slid from the SUV. We hurried inside, and it was there that I was finally able to pull him into my arms.
“Hey? What’s going on?”
Beau took a deep breath. “Nothing. I just want Phineas to like me. I’m your mate, and yeah, Philip and I get along well, but I’ve never been able to do more than chat with Phineas. And even then, I didn’t want to bother him too much because his pregnancy was so difficult.”
“He’s going to love you. Philip was always the much more serious twin, and Phineas was always more carefree. Trust me when I say that you and Phineas are going to get along just fine.” I only had Evan to worry about, and in all honesty, even if he didn’t like me, I wouldn’t have cared too much. Beau was my mate—my focus.
“I hope you’re right. I mean, you know the twins better than I do, obviously.”
I leaned down and kissed Beau, pulling away when the desire to linger presented. We had a very healthy sexual relationship, and although it had only seemed to increase as Beau’s pregnancy progressed, now was not the time to start anything.
“You have nothing to worry about. I understand that your pregnancy has made you a bit more emotional, in your own words, but you truly have no need to fret.” It was such a relief when I finally felt Beau relax through our bond. His shoulders lost the tenseness they’d held, and although it was a good thing he was finally relaxing, I had to wonder if perhaps it wasn’t something else that was bothering him.
I pushed the newly installed button on the wall, letting whoever was on transport duty know that we were here and would need a lift to the mountain. Seconds later, a familiar face came through the doorway that led to the back of the cabin.
“Timothy. I guess I should have called out to see if anyone was here. My tiger didn’t sense anyone though.”
“I wasn’t here. I’ve just found that sometimes I frighten people when I suddenly appear in front of them. I’ve taken to popping into the kitchen’s pantry and then coming through to see what everyone needs. To Treasure Ridge, I assume?”
“Yes, please. We’re going to my brother’s house to see his new baby.”
“Ah, yes. Ramsey’s baby?” Timothy asked. “Chief Daegal has shared the news of a new gargoyle baby around the mountaintop for over a week now.”
I chuckled. It was always exciting when any new baby was born, but I could understand the created gargoyle’s excitement. Gargoyle babies weren’t exactly common, and the council now had three gargoyle babies.
“Yes,” I told the older warlock. I pulled Beau a bit closer, and seconds later, that familiar swirl in my stomach happened. We went from the cabin to the transport building on the mountain, and with a wave from Timothy, Beau and I were on our way toward Ramsey and Phineas’s house. “I should have thought to ask to borrow Ramsey’s XUV so you wouldn’t have to walk.”
“It’s not a far walk, and the exercise is good for me. I spend a good deal of my day on my feet while I’m at work. And I walk from here to the bakery.”
“Yes, but we can actually see the bakery,” I told my mate as I pointed at the building. It was up and running smoothly, and it had been decided that on Sundays, the bakery would be closed, and Saturdays, it would only be open for a few hours. Lewis was more than willing to run it seven days a week, but the councilhad insisted that it be closed on Sundays and Saturdays be part days. It was better for those that worked there, just as the council itself only had a very few in on the weekends.
“Sure, but that short distance is nothing compared to standing all day. It hurts less when I’m walking.”
I looked down at my mate. “What do you mean, hurts less? Are you in pain?” I asked, suddenly worried.
“No more than any other pregnant omega. You try carrying an extra fifteen pounds in your stomach. Our little one loves to push against my bladder, kick my kidneys, and keep my diaphragm from being able to expand.” Beau sighed. “It’s all expected and nothing out of the ordinary. Especially with our baby being so large.” Beau looked down at his rounded pregnancy belly and rubbed it with his free hand. “It’s not like I’d ever complain. I’m not. I love being pregnant with our son. I do wish he wouldn’t decide to do tumbling when it’s bedtime though.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at that and agree. Many times, Beau had become restless when it was time for us to go to sleep. His reasoning had always been that he couldn’t get comfortable because the baby always became active then. More than once, I’d taken him to the bath, and after he and I had relaxed in the tub for a bit, I would end up carrying a sleepy Beau to our bed. Whatever worked at this point, I was all for it.
“Very well,” I told my mate. “But you won’t be upset if I ask to use it to get you back to the transport building, will you?”
“No. I’m sure by that time, I’ll be worn-out. I’ll probably not want to walk back, even if it’s only a ten-minute walk.”
I didn’t want to tell my adorable mate that it was only a ten-minute walk if he moved a bit faster. I had no experience with being pregnant or having to waddle when walking, but I had no doubt that there were all sorts of challenges pregnant omegas faced on a daily basis.
“Have you thought about names? We already have the nursery finished, but I was trying to come up with some names for the middle name the other day and kept coming back to Cooper. That’s a good middle name for a tiger shifter, don’t you think?” Beau made a noise, worrying me, but he looked up at me with imploring eyes. “What’s wrong? If you don’t like it, I won’t be upset. I just thought it would be a good middle name for our son.”
“No,” Beau said. I was going to agree with him without question until he stopped and grabbed for me. “I want that for his name,” Beau said. “It’s a perfect name, and actually, it’s on the list of names I was thinking about.” Beau suddenly narrowed his eyes. “Did you sneak into my thoughts and pick it because I liked that name so much?”
