Page 30 of Rogue If You Want To
“Don’t see a mating mark either,” he stated flatly.
“No, I suppose you don’t.” Because there wasn’t one. “But that doesn’t make him any less my mate. You know the laws and the choices I’m forced to make.”
And he gave us all a nod. “We heard there was a challenge and your brother lost.” I’d been afraid he’d come here to seek revenge, but he didn’t even lead with my brother’s death. I took that as a good sign.
“Not a challenge for his position.” I needed to make that clear from the get-go. “But yes, my brother lost the fight.”
“Has the body been taken care of?”
I nodded.
“Which one of you is Creven?”
He looked between the pack Alpha and Auden, and Creven stepped forward. “I am.”
“I got the information you sent ahead of us.”
I hadn’t known he’d done that. Not that it should’ve surprised me.
“It looks like our Alpha was in the wrong. No otter will be surprised by that.”
My brother hadn’t been in power long before he made enemies, apparently.
“You can come back with us. We’ll reinstate you.” James looked me dead in the eyes.
That was so not going to happen.
“No, James. You go back, and you take over. Do better by us than my father and my brother did.”
His brother and his cousin each cuffed one of his shoulders, and when he looked to each one of them, they nodded.
“We’ll be going now.” He bared his neck to the Alpha. “Thanks again. He’ll make it possible for us to have a fresh start.”
He added, “For what it’s worth, I’d always been rooting for you to be the next Alpha.”
All I could muster was, “I’m much better off here.”
He left with them, and the second he did, my stomach revolted, and I bolted toward where we’d been staying. I half heard Torin apologize to the Alpha before running after me.
He caught up with me as I was in the bathroom puking.
He grabbed a washcloth and wet it down with some cool water, putting it on the back of my neck and rubbing soft circles on my small lower back.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize the stress was going to get to you like that. I would have had you stay with Larkin.”
“It’s not stress.” I sat upright, and he backed up so I could get up and rinse my mouth, which I desperately needed.
“Do you think it’s food poisoning?”
“Nah. It’s way better than that.” I put my hand on my lower abdomen, and his eyes went wide. “I half suspected this morning, but this seals it.”
“We’re gonna have a baby?”
“Yes, alpha. We’re gonna have a baby. And we don’t need to look over our shoulder anymore.”
I pulled him in for a hug, and tears of relief and joy mushed together began to flow.
We were going to be dads.
