Page 50 of The Wolves At My Sides

“I can do that,” I said, leaning back against the wall as some of the tension fled my shoulders. “I’m sorry, guys. I didn’t mean to scare you or the baby. Usually, I can keep it quiet.”

“Some pain deserves to be spoken aloud,” Marcus said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

Chapter Forty

Marcus

I wanted nothing more than to cancel the rest of my appointments that day and stay at home with my mates and baby. Only I had Cord that afternoon and he was close to a lot of breakthroughs. Cord was one client I did my best not to cancel on. We missed two sessions while I was away, but that couldn’t be helped.

Still, I kept one ear on the mating link as I went about my afternoon. Fen stayed home with Irwin and Faran and I was more grateful than ever for an extra set of loving hands around. I’d wrapped up the last client for the day and was about to lock up and head across the yard to go into the house when my phone vibrated. I figured it was Fara, sending another photo of her baby, but it was Cade. I groaned when his name popped up across my phone screen. Today was not the day for Cade to have a panic attack because his children did something that children their age did.

CADE: Just checking on you.

Under normal circumstances, a therapist shouldn’t reply to a client who texted like that. Only nothing about my job in Heartville fell under normal circumstances. Just like back home at the Sanctuary, everyone knew everyone, and it was hard not to also become friends with clients. They were the people I see day in and day out, when I wasn’t working.

ME: Just about to head home. I think he’s okay.

CADE: Do you think he’s pregnant?

I was about to text back that it was inappropriate to ask me that when another text came through.

CADE: Not as a client. Sometimes hormones show up before morning sickness. We all know that. Sometimes it’s just easier to spot from the outside of a mating situation.

In a small village like Heartville, everyone knew we were trying for babies. Even if we didn’t let them know, they could guess, with how new our mateship with Fen was.

ME: Don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind, because it has. I don’t think I should bring it up tonight, though. I don’t know if your sire ever told you this, but I’m going to give you some free advice my sire gave me. Never ask if someone is in heat, pregnant, or anything like that because they’re upset, sad, or mad. Even if you’re right, you’re still wrong. It’s a stereotype and it invalidates their emotions. I know that’s not your intention and there are plenty of guys I wouldn’t bother explaining that to, but you live in a house full of omegas including Nicky and I don’t want you exploded.

CADE: I’d never ask Irwin that question. That’s why I’m talking to you. Also, I’m not bloody asking just because he was emotional. It was the way he cradled Faran so close. I know, you guys are big on holding him all the time, but it was just different. It’s one of those things I can’t explain. Look, I’ve seen lots of people cry in my lifetime. It’s just part of being Clarence Moonscale’s son, but it’s different when they’re expecting. That’s all I’m saying. I’m sorry if I crossed a line.

ME: I know you wouldn’t ask him that. Your carrier would come wring off your ears. Just in general – never ask them that. You didn’t cross a line. I’m glad to live in a place where we all look out for each other. I don’t think I’m going to bring it up to him tonight, though. If he’s pregnant, he’ll be just as pregnant tomorrow or the next day. I think he’s handled enough emotions for one day.

CADE: Seeing him like that makes me glad Eston’s an agricultural engineer and not a writer. I don’t know how you do it, because I would’ve found someone to rip apart. I probably wouldn’t even have thought about it until I was done doing it.

ME: Well, it helps that I don’t have wings or weigh as much as a couple herds of elephants when I shift.

CADE: Touche.

Chapter Forty-One

Fen

All Irwin’s big emotions left my stomach tossing and turning all day. We spent the rest of the afternoon, cuddled up on the sofa, with the baby, but it was as if something inside me couldn’t calm down now that I’d heard him sound like that. I knew writing the stories of those who couldn’t tell their own stories was his calling, but I caught myself wanting to tell him again and again he didn’t have to put himself through that for me. I wanted to tell him I wasn’t worth it, but it wasn’t just about me anymore. It was about my parents and the others Bram had brutalized. It was about Irwin’s ability to bring them back to life even if just with dead trees and ink. Still, I was on the edge of throwing up all afternoon.

When the smell of fried potatoes turned my stomach even more, I made a mental note to see Dara tomorrow if I didn’t feel better. If I were sick, I needed to keep some distance between me and Baby Faran. I almost considered sleeping in the guestroom like I did before we worked things out, but I didn’t have time to make the suggestion to anyone else. I whipped my head away from the stove as my stomach flipflopped. I prayed getting away from the smell would be enough to stop myself from retching, but it wasn’t. I sprinted through the house past where Marcus and Irwin cuddled with Baby Faran on the sofa.

“You go, Alpha,” Irwin whispered as I closed the bathroom door behind me.

My stomach flipflopped again and I willed it to sit its ass down. Inside his inner sanctum, my wolf whined. This was serious business if he felt it too. Then I was sick. I didn’t have time to wonder if I should’ve locked the door or not. I couldn’t move from my spot on the floor.

I squeezed my eyes shut as they watered and didn’t even hear the door open before Marcus was next to me, rubbing small circles on my back.

“It’s alright. Get it all out,” he cooed to me.

I wanted to tell him to cut the sweet talk, because it wasn’t cute right now. Except, I also wanted to hang onto his words and beg him to keep talking. Maybe he could sweet talk my stomach into sitting down. I wasn’t sure if it was time or his words, but eventually I felt okay enough to sit down with my back against the tub.

Marcus closed and flushed the toilet as Irwin stepped into the room carrying a glass of water and a bottle of what looked like gummy bears.

“These will help your stomach,” he said and flashed me a smile.

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