Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“Congratulations,” Delaney said, offering one of her rare work-shed smiles.
“I mean, I’m not sure—”
“We’re not fucking sure, man! Stay fucking calm!” Vemar shouted. He threw up his hands. “Overboard.” And walked out of the shed.
“I love when that dragon gets his scales ruffled.” Finley grinned, setting a bowl of elixir onto the floor. “Okay, we just need a pee sample.”
“What?” I sputtered. “You mean right here?” I grimaced.
Finley braced a hand on her hip. “Lady, we watched you fuck for, like, three hours. Pee in that motherfucking bowl. Time to find out if we’re going to have a very proud papa on our hands.”
“I agree with Vemar—I want to be there when she tells him.” Hannon turned his back so I’d have a little privacy to pee into the bowl. I could only hope I wouldn’t miss and get it all over the floor. “I want to feel his reactions.”
“We’re not going to invade their private moment.” Finley started cleaning up her supplies. “Though yes, I also wish I could be there.”
After I’d finished, we waited. Vemar peeked in every so often. I worked on my product to keep myself calm and tried not to think about it. I didn’t dare to hope lest I be wrong, but I was unable to stop the excitement all the same.
It felt like an eternity, but in reality, it wasn’t long before the color changed and everyone’s faces lit up.
“Congratulations!” They cheered and hugged me, and my world exploded in color. I let my excitement shine through, reaching through the bond to Weston for closeness. My wolf did the same to his. His confusion amplified as he wondered what had happened, and soon I felt him coming my way.
“Now listen to me.” Arleth sat me down with a stern expression. “Wolves aren’t as hardy with their young as dragons. You can still do most things, though what Weston will allow you to do is a totally different situation—”
“Very protective fathers can be suffocating,” Finley said. “Wonderful, but a lot.”
“You will need to listen to your body,” Arleth said. “You can’t keep these long hours. You’re going to need plenty of rest. You can shift until the final stages, and you can train, but you’ll need to be mindful when you fight. A dragon can march into battle, but not so much a wolf. Your human form is more fragile as well. As you get further along, you’ll need to let your wolf do any running or strenuous activity. You’ll need plenty of nutrition. No more refraining from eating to ensure everyone else has enough. I know you still do it. You’ll need to eat your fill on every occasion.”
“True mate alpha wolves and already a continuation of the bloodline.” Finley beamed at me. “Suck on that, fairies!”
Vemar walked back into the work shed with a big smile. He enveloped me in a hug. “Congratulations, Captive Lady. Hadriel is going to be so pissed that I knew first.”
I felt Weston coming as Arleth continued to lecture me. When he was near, I turned toward the door. I wanted to share my excitement, my dream come true. A miracle, if you’d asked me just a year ago.
He knocked softly on the frame, drawing Finley’s attention. He leaned in a bit to peer around at me but froze, his gaze on the bowl. Shock waves of emotions lit up the bond, and Hannon smiled.
“Congratulations, Daddy,” Finley told Weston. “You’re going to be a legend around these parts. A three-hour-and-fifteen-minute hold, and now a baby on the way within a few months.”
“He’s got a magical cock,” Vemar said, laughing, clapping him on the back.
Weston stepped in, looking at me, his smile bigger than the whole world. He opened his arms, and I rushed to fill them. He hugged me close, his embrace tight.
“I love you,” he said, rocking me. “I love you so much.”
He scooped me up into his arms and walked me out of the work shed.
I laughed, arms around his neck. “What are we doing?”
“We’re taking the day off.”
He walked me across the grass and into the castle. We met Nyfain in the hallway. The king’s step was graceful but determined. He slowed as he caught sight of us, his brows drawing together.
“What happened? Is she okay?” he asked Weston.
“She’s with child. We just found out.” Another explosion of emotion tumbled through the bond: love and devotion and excitement and anticipation.
Nyfain’s eyes sparkled, and a grin pulled at his lips. “Fucking wolves,” he muttered, winking at me.
Weston turned as the king passed by. “What was that about?”
“Finley said the same thing. They are jealous that we procreate so easily.”
“Ah.” Smug pride leaked through the bond. “As well they should be.”
He took me to his apartment and marched me straight into the bedroom. Leala and Niles looked at us in confusion as we entered, then straightened up as we passed.