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I gasp, covering my mouth in horror, as I stare her down. Pregnancy… bringing in new life… is not a tactic or a game.
I’d never, ever want to bring my new child into this world knowing that their creation was forced.
“What?” Alex’s voice is gruff, and Ben bursts out laughing. Topher’s disgust burns in my chest just as strongly as my own.
“This is the one that is easiest for them to counter if any of the parts are not set up,” Penelope warns. “But the court would never separate siblings. Especially not if the pups were potentially her alpha brothers.”
Penelope leans in close, lacing her fingers together. “It’s a strategy, though less ideal, involving pregnancy. It’s a complicated route, but the court wouldn’t separate siblings, especially in a pack as strong as yours. We’d play the Grey’s history against themselves, too.”
“But that depends on us being the leaders of the pack and impregnating our human mate,” Topher says. “None of these options are viable. We want to keep Phoebe, but we’d lose her if her mother died.”
Seb snarls.
Penelope shrugs. “A pregnancy would, at the very least, put the custody on hold until the baby—or babies—were born.”
“Can I…” I trail off, not sure how to ask my question.
“Can you what?” Alex asks gently.
“Not that I want to be pregnant, but can I be turned into a wolf whilst pregnant?”
“No.” Everyone says this at once, and I nod slowly.
“A human carrying a wolf is extremely risky, and we thank Artemis every single day that both you and Phoebe survived and had no complications. We would never do that again,” Alex says, reaching up to brush my hair off my neck.
It tickles, and I shiver, causing him to smile for a brief moment, before he sighs.
“But trying to turn you into a wolf during a pregnancy would be a death sentence for the babe,” Topher says. “You may survive, but the baby would not.”
“And we won’t risk that outcome, either,” Alex says firmly.
I nod slowly. “So, our best option is the first one, then, yes?”
“I can smell the bond between the two of you”—Penelope gestures to Topher and I—“is different to the bond between the rest of you. It’s not completed, but it’s there.”
“That’s none of your business.” Topher doesn’t even look at her as he snaps these words. His tone with me is far more gentle. “We’ll discuss it, but we’re not going to push you past your comfort levels.”
“How confident are you in winning without us doing any of those steps?” I ask, not breaking eye contact with Topher.
She shrugs. “No case is ever not winnable.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“And it’s a guarantee I can’t and won’t make,” Penelope says softly. “I’ll fight my hardest, no matter what, but I’d be a terrible lawyer if I didn’t give you the advice I had.”
“Can we have a few moments?” Topher asks, and she nods as both she and Lily clear the room. Seb locks the door behind them and comes to sit down at the table with me.
“We need to bond. At least on my side.” I look at each man, and I know deep in my soul that this is the right answer.
Ben reaches for my hand, his arm in front of Topher, and I clasp it. “Are you sure?”
I smile at him, hoping Topher doesn’t feel my hesitance. “You once told me that you’ve been waiting your entire life for me. You told me you were sick of it being a someday and wanted it to be today. Well, this is me listening and feeling the same way.
“Why risk losing my daughter and fracturing our bonds with my grief for the inevitable? I’m confident in my decision—and my decision is the four of you.”
Ben wipes a tear from his eye and beams at me.
“We’ll ask her if it’s enough,” Alex says, but he squeezes my thigh. “But I still want it—even if it’s not.”
