Page 36 of Forbidden Pregnant Mate

“Then it’s a good thing Jameson already knows,” Klyte said. “I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important. I know how garbage you are at hiding things and that you hate doing it. So please know it’s important. It’s the easiest way to protect Jenn at the moment.”

Alek met his friend’s eyes and nodded. “You owe me big,” he said. “And I’m talking, I get to hold this over your head for years type of big.”

“We’ll negotiate the size of the favor I owe you after all this is over,” Klyte said. “But for now…thanks.”

“Of course,” Alek said.

“Now that we’ve covered that part,” I said, breathing a bit easier, “what’s up?”

“Huh? Oh, right,” Alek said as if only just now remembering why he had come here. “We need Klyte.”

I could feel Klyte stiffening beside me, and my wolf growled her disapproval. She didn’t like the idea of Klyte going anywhere. He washers, and she didn’t want him leaving.

I didn’t want him leaving, either. An overwhelming surge of need for him to stay swept over me. I didn’t think I could handle him leaving. I wanted him near me, close enough that I could smell him.

As if he could read my thoughts, which were growing increasingly frantic and agitated, Klyte clasped my shoulder and pulled me into him.

“Jameson and I talked about this,” Klyte replied stiffly. “He agreed that I could stay here.”

“He, uh, said that circumstances have changed and that’s no longer an option.” Alek glanced in my direction. “Now it makes sense why he told me you would argue.”

Klyte bristled, his grip on me tightening protectively. “What circumstances?” he demanded.

“It’s not just Isaac,” Alek explained. “Sam tracked a whole group of unfamiliar shifters. They’re lurking nearby. Sam says it’s a big group and that if we want to do anything about it, we’re going to need all hands on deck.”

Klyte swore. He looked at me, his eyes filled with worry. I could see how badly he didn’t want to leave me, but felt as though he had to in order to protect me.

“If he’s out there,” I said to him, “you need to go.”

“But—”

“It’s not just me and Freya you need to look out for anymore,” I said, looking pointedly at my stomach.

His eyes followed my gaze, and concern and worry filled them. His hand went to my stomach, resting there protectively as he wrestled with what to do. Electricity shot from where his fingertips and palms pressed against my skin, and for the first time, I felt our cub move inside me. He—or she—kicked gently, pushing against my stomach where Klyte’s hand was, as if the cub knew his father was there.

Klyte’s eyes widened in incredulity and what was unmistakably love. A bewildered smile crossed his features as he looked at where his hand rested against my stomach. And I realized then just how much he cared about this cub. There was no apprehension on his face, just pure love. No matter what else happened between us, he would be a great father, and he would love our cub as much as I did.

“Go,” I said. “Freya is strong enough that we can look after ourselves. And the sooner this is taken care of, the sooner we can worry about everything else.”

“I don’t like the idea of leaving you alone,” he said. “What if something happens?”

I rolled my eyes. “Like what? If Isaac is with his cronies in the woods, then there’s no way he’ll get past you and the others to come here. Just get this taken care of now.”

Klyte still didn’t move. He looked down at my stomach—the bump was only just beginning to show—and let out a soft growl.

“Nothing is going to happen here,” I said. “And if you go and help, the better chance we have of it getting solved in our favor.”

“I don’t like the idea of leaving you on your own,” he protested.

I laughed. “I’m the one who needs to be worried,” I said. “The father of my cub is going out to confront a group of shifters run by a psychopath. I think you’re the one in danger here.”

He cocked his head. “So, are you saying you aren’t worried about me?” he asked, the edges of his lips tilting up playfully. “You aren’t horrified by the idea that I might not come back? You’re not tearing up in panic and swooning?”

I grinned back. “Of course not. Because you know that if you don’t come back, I’ll find a way to resurrect you from the dead so I can kill you myself. And you’re not stupid enough to want that. So you’re going to be careful, and you’re going to come back to me. Or your ghost will have to answer to me. Do I make myself clear?”

He gave me one of his cocky, devastating grins that always seemed to rekindle that fire of longing inside me. “Crystal,” he said.

In that moment, I realized that I had fallen for Klyte completely. He was insufferable, infuriating, arrogant, and I was absolutely in love with him. I probably had been for years, since we were kids. But I’d tried to hide it, to keep it inside because I didn’t want to be hurt. I could make jokes, but the thought of him possibly dying or getting hurt really did terrify me. Even though I knew he had to go and had told him as much, part of mewanted him to stay here. The idea he might not come back was enough to make my wolf pace anxiously.

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