Page 397 of Hell Hath No Fury
I turned to sit down when a voice spoke to me.
“You’re a natural.”
I glanced over and saw a table of older women looking at me. The same women who had been staring and whispering since I’d walked in to join my friends.
“You’ll be a wonderful mother,” the same woman added, giving my stomach a glance. “We’re so happy for you and our Alpha. A new baby will be welcome in Blackwater.” The women around her all chirped their agreement.
I could feel Katy’s fury at my back, and ignored it as I addressed the woman. “Thank you, but there isn’t going to be a baby yet.”
Her knowing smile melted into a look of confusion. “Of course there is.” She looked at the women around her and then made a soft sound before getting up and approaching me with a lowered voice. “I know that your birth was… complicated—”
My brows shot up. Was she seriously going to tell me about my own legacy?
“—but when a shifter female goes into heat and she’s with her true mate, a pregnancy is practically a guarantee.” She winked at me, and it just felt creepy instead of like we were friends. “You’ll see. In a few weeks—”
No, time to shut this shit down now.
“Remy and I aren’t having a child because we made a decision to not have one,” I informed her, my tone cool.
She blinked at me like I’d started speaking another language. “What?”
I didn’t owe this woman an explanation, but maybe if I told her, she’d gossip about it to the rest of the town and we could shut down all the speculation.
“My mate and I made a choice to take preventative measures so I wouldnotbecome pregnant at this time.”
The cafe was silent as people watched us, using their shifter hearing to listen in on what we were saying.
Fine by me. I stood by my decision, and I knew Remy supported me in it.
“W-why would youdothat?” She pressed a hand to her chest, aghast as she stared at me. “A child would be a blessing.”
“Yes, it will be. When Remy and I are ready to welcome children into our family.” I kept my voice hard, firm. As the mate of the Alpha, I knew I was watched almost as much as he was, and while I loved our pack, some of them almost seemed to think that their opinions were an entitlement. That Remy and I would live our lives just for them.
And, yeah, to an extent we did. Being the Alpha couple meant we were always looking out for our pack’s best interests, but this? This had nothing to do with the pack or anyone except me and Remy.
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.” She wasstill staring at me.
Enough of this.
I met her gaze and leveled her with a glare of my own, inwardly smirking when she looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with me.
My wolf huffed, pleased with her submission.
“I don’t care if you’ve heard of it.” I barely raised my voice, but I knew I had everyone’s attention. “This is my body, my choice. My mate and I made this decision, and it has nothing to do with the pack. When we’re ready to have children, we will.” My gaze swept the table and then the room before landing back on the woman who’d started this all. “Any questions?”
She shook her head and quickly sat back down.
I turned back to my own seat and caught Zoe’s approving nod from behind the counter.
“That’s our girl!” Katy cheered, grinning.
Tate smiled at me. “Well said, girl.”
“Are you okay?” Larkin pressed, always concerned.
“Yeah.” I smiled, meaning it. “I feel great.”
I stood by my words and my choice because it wasmychoice.
It always would be.
