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Fiona bit her lip anxiously. "Even if the baby is human, though, Callum said he intends to stay with me regardless … "
"But, of course, he would. And we shall stand united behind his wise leadership. Do not fret, my dear. You really don’t ever need to worry about anything again, in case that wasn’t clear."
Letting out a tense breath, Fiona managed a shaky smile in return, praying her confidence was not misplaced should things veer from the ideal.
Callum had entrusted his dear friend and one of two house managers, Sabria, with making certain she lacked for nothing during the transition into their cloistered world. Whether providing insight into pack politics, overseeing nursery preparations, or simply being a listening ear, Sabria made herself available to address any of Fiona’s needs or questions.
"So … what exactly does it mean now that I'm Callum's mate? Am I expected to be some kind of an integral pack member?" Fiona asked uncertainly, setting down the heavy tome she had been attempting to decipher. "Does being human change anything?"
Sabria seated herself gracefully, considering how to explain. "You’ll become our Luna, the honored partner to our Alpha. His literal other half spiritually. Politically, mates hold enormous sway in pack governance and culture. Any offspring you produce will be treasured as heirs, destined to rule our future generations. And we wolves will protect you and any young with our very lives."
Fiona absorbed this somberly as Sabria continued. "In the old lore, all luna were also wolf shifters, able to run and hunt alongside the males. But things evolve. You'll learn our history and ways and will, in turn, teach them to your children. That is enough for most packs now. We are adaptable creatures, if anything at all." She smiled encouragingly.
"Thank you for explaining, Sabria," Fiona murmured as Sabria squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and then withdrew. Alone again among the books, she agonized over the new revelations. She had not considered before how pivotal the inheritance of Callum's shifter genetics might be for their child's acceptance, as well as her own position by Callum’s side.
Part of her recognized that if their baby was fully human, she could potentially return to her previous independent life and career again one day. Yet surprisingly, that notion did not appealanymore. Now that she knew the depths of Callum's love and support, it shattered her heart to picture the pack rejecting her and this child for not meeting shifter expectations.
Would he turn his back completely if that came to pass?Anxiety churned her gut at how much now rested on genetic happenstance …
Lost in increasingly despairing thoughts, she was startled when Callum appeared suddenly beside her. "What troubles you, my love?" he asked, tilting her chin to meet her worried eyes. “In the library again?”
"Oh, just pregnancy hormones making me overly emotional," she deflected with a watery chuckle. But under his tender yet unrelenting gaze, she cracked, confessing her conversation with Sabria and subsequent concerns for their child if it was born human.
Callum listened closely, then grasped both of her hands, radiating fierce sincerity. "You are my true mate. This baby is mine, two halves of the same whole in any form it takes. Its humanity changes nothing. I will remain by your side as its father and your devoted partner."
Swallowing hard as tears spilled over, Fiona spoke uncertainly. "But what if the pack refuses to accept a human child?"
Callum shook his head adamantly. "If any wolves reject my sacred oath to you, they revoke their place here. You and our son or daughter come first …no negotiations.This I vow to youabsolutely."
Fiona clung to his words like a life preserver, anchoring her swirling doubts. She knew intrinsically that he meant every syllable to his core. Still …
"I don't wish to cause unnecessary rifts by not fitting expectations," she fretted. "For our child to tear families apart … "
Callum silenced her anxieties with a tender kiss. "You leave all concerns regarding the pack to me," he murmured. "Focus only on nurturing yourself and our baby. All other burdens are mine to shoulder. Trust in your Alpha's strength. Believe it or not, I know what I’m doing. Just lay off the books if they’re upsetting you. Nothing in these dusty old records is going to change a single thing."
Fiona searched his gaze, finding only steadfast confidence and devotion shining back. If this remarkable man believed they could weather any storms ahead together, who was she to question?
For now, she allowed the security of his love to ease her worries.
SIXTEEN
CALLUM
As Fiona's belly swelled with new life, Callum devoted himself to showering her with all the romance and affection she could ever want. He realized they had forged an accidental emotional bond in a backward fashion, starting with raw, animalistic passion.
So now he committed fully to properly courting his fated mate. He was damn good at pretty much everything he set his mind to, and romancing her was no exception. Of course, Fiona was so damn loveable and perfect in his eyes that she made it easy. It did not feel like work in the slightest, though he poured himself into the task.
On today’s date, they watched a little pop-up play in the park, a rather racy rendition ofA Midsummer Night's Dream. Then they browsed those funky vintage shops that burned his nose, and almost immediately after finishing ice cream, she dragged him toward an artisanal pickle vendor.
"Oh wow, those pickles smell incredible!" she said, making a beeline for the source. “Do you smell that?”
“Oh, I smell that. And no. I think I would rather just stand over here.”
But it was too late to stop her, and soon enough, both she and the vendor with his little hip mustache were looking at him expectantly. He shrugged apologetically and paid a little extra for the trouble, his mate with a bit of pickle juice dribbling down her chin.
With a chuckle, he gently wiped it for her, feeling his heart swell at the captivating mess of his child’s mother. "Ugh, not sure how you can eat those straight." Callum grimaced, watching the gleam in her eyes.
Seeming to suddenly recall his presence, she grabbed his sleeve, tugging him insistently toward the tempting vat. "Here, you have to try one! Aren't they the best?" she exclaimed. Before he could object, she was thrusting a slimy specimen into his palm.
