Page 9 of Forbidden Pregnant Mate

“You know why I’m here,” she said.

I raised my eyebrows. “Is that so?” I wanted to move closer, to get near her and drown in her scent.

“Of course.” She sighed wistfully, placing a hand on her heart under the water. “It’s because I’m deeply, madly,overwhelmingly in love with you and I couldn’t stay away for another minute.”

For a moment, I simply gaped in disbelief. My wolf growled excitedly at the words. But the look in her eyes brought me back to my senses, and I realized exactly what she was doing.

This was a game. She was playing with me.

I wasn’t about to let her win.

“Oh, thank god you finally admitted it,” I said. “I was starting to wonder if you would remain oblivious for the rest of your life. I’ve known you were crazy about me the moment we met. I’m just glad you’re finally getting in touch with your true emotions.”

Elle giggled.

“You know we have to kiss now, right?” I said to Jenn. “I mean, that’s what happens. You declare you’re madly in love and then seal your proclamation with a kiss.”

I didn’t know what I was trying to achieve. All I was doing was annoying Jenn. But part of me legitimately wanted to know why she was here, why she had decided to stick around. Because even if I hadn’t seen her in years, I still knew her well enough to know that she wasn’t being honest. Something had brought her here, and something was keeping her here. I didn’t know if it was something to do with Malcolm or another shifter, or whatever else it could be. All I knew was that I needed to know. She had returned to my life so suddenly, and I could see her bowing out of it just as fast. I hadn’t seen her since before I joined the Silver Wolves. After that, every time I went home to visit Malcolm or my mom, I’d always hoped to see her, but she was never there. I’d almost given up hope on ever seeing her again. So whatever it was that had brought her here, I had to know. So I was tryingto find out the best way I knew how—by pestering her. Because there was no way she would actually kiss me.

Except she shrugged and swam over to me. Her face was inches from mine.

“Close your eyes,” she murmured, her voice so low and sultry that it sent my wolf into a frenzy.

Without even thinking twice, I closed my eyes.

Soft hands landed delicately on my shoulders. Then, before I could react to what was happening, those fingers dug into my skin and pushed downward.

One moment, I was floating in the water. The next, my head was submerged beneath it. I flailed briefly before the hands let go, and my head broke the surface.

I sputtered and gasped, coughing as I regained my breath. I glanced up at Jenn, who was still standing in front of me, giggling with a smug smile on her face.

Elle giggled again, and the other girls laughed, too. I stared at Jenn like an idiot.

Jenn patted me gently, then swam back toward the other women. Her eyes met mine, flashing victoriously. She didn’t say a word, but I knew exactly what she was communicating:I win.

That hadn’t gone quite how I’d expected.

Chapter 4 - Jenn

“Want some drinks before you head home?” Georgia asked us as we got out of the lake an hour later.

Mercifully, Klyte and Alek were long gone by now. After my little demonstration, Klyte had gone uncharacteristically quiet, and they’d left not soon after. It was one of the few times I’d ever made Klyte speechless, and I couldn’t help but feel some savage triumph over the accomplishment.

“Go ahead if you want,” Andi told me and Evelyn. “I’m off booze for another four months or so.” She patted her baby bump in emphasis.

“Are you really in love with Uncle Klyte?” Elle asked me suspiciously. She looked a lot like her mother already, save for the dark hair, which she had clearly inherited from Jameson.

Evelyn and Andi laughed loudly.

“No,” Georgia answered for me. “She was just trying to annoy Klyte, which I think she managed to accomplish.”

“I think you nearly gave Klyte a heart attack,” Andi remarked.

“Either that or the best day of his life,” Evelyn mused, her full lips curling into a smile as she wrapped her damp red hair in a bun.

We climbed the stairs from the lake up to the back patio.

“I like Uncle Klyte,” Elle said. “Why would you want to annoy him?”

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