Page 172 of Game of Destiny
“No. It sounds nice, but it isn’t why I woke you up at three in the morning,” I agreed. Then there was silence. He looked at me, I looked at him.
“So?” he asked.
“Has anything changed?” I asked.
“Did you get a haircut and I didn’t notice it? In that case, I’m sorry,” he told me. I giggled.
“Idiot! I wouldn’t wake you in the middle of the night for something like that.”
“Then wha…” He fell silent mid sentence. His eyes grew bigger and he scented the air. As his eyes grew even bigger, so did my smile. He threw his head back and howled. I put my hand over his mouth as I laughed.
“Love, the pack is sleeping,” I reminded him
“What are they sleeping for when we are having a pup!” he exclaimed behind my hand. He pulled my hand away and kissed me. He pulled me closer and pushed me onto my back. He placed kisses down my body until he got to my stomach. He looked at it and then looked up at me. “A pup,” he said as if he couldn’t believe it. I put my hand on his cheek and smiled at him.
“A pup,” I agreed. He placed gentle kisses all over my stomach and then came back up and kissed my lips.
“You just keep making me happier,” he told me.
“I think this is on both of us.” He laughed.
“I guess so. Wow. This is big. We will be a family of three.” I smiled as I listened to him. “We will need to get a nursery set up. We need to pup proof the house. What if they walk around and fall down the stairs!” He looked so worried I thought for a moment he would get out of bed to fix the issue at once.
“Love, I’m not due for around seven months and even then, it will be at least another seven months before the pup starts walking. We have time,” I pointed out and raked my fingers through his hair.
“Right,” he said with a little chuckle. “We will make a list and we will prioritise it, so we start with the most pressing things.” I giggled and kissed him.
“It sounds like something we should do during the day.”
“Agreed. You should get back to sleep, I think you need more sleep when you are pregnant, and more food, I think.”
“Don’t get any ideas of me laying on the couch while you feed me all day long. Won’t happen. We both know Matilda will make sure I eat appropriately. And I’m too excited to go back to sleep.”
“Yes, my aunt will be my greatest ally for the next couple of months.”
“So, do you want to do what you thought I was waking you up to do?” I asked.
“What?” he thought for a moment and then grinned. “I think it’s a good way to work off some of the adrenaline,” he agreed.
As I was getting ready to head over to eat breakfast with the pack, Finlay hovered around me.
“I haven’t forgotten how to dress myself since yesterday,” I told him with a smile and kissed him.
“I know. Just making sure nothing goes wrong.” I giggled.
“Yes, the threat of exploding socks and strangulating bras needs to be taken more seriously,” I agreed, giggled some more, and kissed him again.
“When we walk into the dining room, you stay by my side,” he told me as we were leaving our house.
“Finn, honey, we are going to have breakfast with our pack, we aren’t walking into enemy territory,” I pointed out.
“I know. I just want to have you and the pup close.” It was going to be a very long seven months, I thought as we walked into the dining hall. The shift in the mood was sudden. From the usual buzz of chatter, the room fell completely silent and everyone turned to look at us.
“Another pup!” Medow called out and headed for me. I saw Finlay take a step to intercept her, but I manoeuvred around him. Medow engulfed me in a tight hug and I felt Finlay’s panic spike for a second.
“Congratulations!” Jake said and shook Finlay’s hand. Soon we were surrounded by the pack, those who hadn’t planned on eating breakfast joined us as word spread in the pack. Even Martin’s family and the other two families who had sought shelter from the Ocean Shore pack came. Finlay did his best to stay by my side, keeping a firm arm around me. The women of the pack smiled at him and the men teased him mercilessly. Except for Ramses, he was in the same situation with his pregnant mate and nodded approvingly.
“What is all this fuss about?” we heard Matilda ask. She had been out on an errand and no one had mindlinked her. The pack parted so she could see us. Her eyes grew big as she scented the air and I saw tears form in her eyes. I rushed over to her and hugged her. “A pup?” she whispered as she hugged me tightly.
