Page 46 of Running with Direwolves
“You knew I was here. I told you I would be.”
“Yeah, we knew where you were.” Grady squeezed Tarl’s shoulder. “And I’m glad you’ve seen that side of us.”
She descended the stairs. “You’re rough.” She looked at Grady.
“He can take it, you, on the other hand, are more delicate.” Grady reached for a pair of pants and pulled them on. “But maybe you’ll let me fuck your ass one day, after…”
“After?”
Tarl looked at Grady, a flash of uncertainty crossed his eyes.
“What?” she asked. “After what?”
Tarl grabbed his sweats and stepped into them.
“We know something about you,” Grady said. He took both of her hands in his.
“What?” She looked from Grady to Tarl and back to Grady. Fear suddenly caught in her throat? “Is it the authorities, did you find something on your run?”
“No, no,” Tarl said quickly. “It was something Grady noticed before our run, when you were standing outside Madeline’s cabin.”
She frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I could smell a new life,” Grady said, “when I was in wolf form.”
“Well, of course, Hank and Madeline’s new baby wasclose by. And he’s so adorable, honestly, such a sweet baby.” She smiled.
“No,” Grady said. “It wasn’t their baby I could smell … it was ours.”
“I … I don’t understand.”
Tarl stepped close and curled his arm around her waist. “Grady smelled the subtle change in your aroma, Sienna, you’re pregnant with our child.”
“Pregnant? But…?”
“Human contraception is no match for direwolf sperm.” Grady tipped her chin so she was looking up at him. “And it doesn’t matter if it is mine or Tarl’s biological child, it’s ours, our baby shifter is growing in your belly.”
Automatically she set a hand over her lower abdomen. “But I don’t feel any different, I…” Was her period late? Yes, a little, but she’d just put tampons on her shopping list so it was due soon or … or maybe not.
“Trust me,” Grady said. “There is a baby in you, tiny, yes, but he or she is there.”
Suddenly she felt a little dizzy and she leaned into Tarl.
“It will be okay, we’re together, in love, that’s all we need,” Tarl said holding her against his body.
She closed her eyes. “I know, and seeing Madeline with her baby I realized it’s something I want in the future, but this … this is fast.” She looked from Tarl to Grady.
“We’ve been fucking like it’s going out of fashion,” Grady said with a chuckle. “Every day, a few times a day, into the night.”
“Before breakfast.” Tarl raised his eyebrows at her.
She nodded. It was true.
“You’re happy about it, right?” Grady asked. “The baby.”
“Yes.” The word came out fast and certain. “Nothing would make me happier than to be the mother of your child.”She reached for them both. “And I may have given up my career at the zoo, but isn’t this more meaningful, to be helping populate a near-extinct species? Right here, in my body I am helping and creating and…” Her eyes filled with tears. “This is the most amazing news, and I promise to look after my precious cargo.”
“The baby will be here in six months,” Tarl said. “It will be quicker than a normal pregnancy.”
