“Eh, Eran would like that too much,” Philip chuckled. “Do you want to handle the ultrasound or the phone calls?”
“The ultrasound. I told you the next time someone threatens me over the phone I’m going to hunt them down and drag them home to feed to my children. I’m done holding back my instincts,” Evie shrugged.
“Well, shit. Maybe that was my plan,” Philip laughed, scooping up the tossed machine and handing it to Evie. “If you feed them to your children they can’t be asshats anymore. They’re shitty anyway.”
When Philip left, Evie closed the door. Then she walked over to stand in front of Eran so close that their noses touched. Evie was definitely the bigger cat and in lion society lionesses ruled the roost, but Eran wasn’t afraid of her.
“No eating Philip,” she said and licked his chin.
“Ugh! I’ve been slimed,” he wiped his chin off as Evie motioned for me to move onto the sofa. With Philip’s irritated scent gone, I shifted back into human form and stretched out.Sure, a lot of the newer ultrasound machines didn’t need bare skin, but I wasn’t risking Evie wanting to shave my belly.
“His nipples are swollen,” Eran said and I shot him a ‘what the fuck?’ look.
“That’s rude,” Evie said. “I mean, I expect them to be, but why are you the one telling me? He has a mouth. I’ve heard the toller screams.”
I vibrated, shaking the whole sofa. She waited until the shaking stopped before asking me how I felt.
“A little shocked. I didn’t show any noticeable signs until today,” I said.
“He’s been really hungry too,” Eran said.
“He’s sort of right, but er… matingmoon and all,” I said, not wanting to give my sister-in-law any unwanted mental images.
“Sometimes it happens like that. I’ve had people call me because they’re sure they have food poisoning and then I’m delivering a baby,” she shrugged. “You okay to lift your shirt up?”
“Is he going to pounce you?” I asked, glancing at Eran.
“Not unless he wants me to shift and give him a bath. Dad-Mom used to have to put his little bed up where I couldn’t get to him easily because that was my favorite hobby for a while. Then he started jumping out of it and gave everyone a heart attack,” Evie said, as I lifted my shirt. “Eran, do you want to sit down. You’re waiting around like a madman is going to come through that door any second now and –”
The door swung open and another bear shifter walked in. This one was wearing a long red dress and had fake boobies popping out of it. Eran swung but the man caught his fist.
“Bitch, please,” he said, not losing his drag voice. “Is Philip in here?” he looked around.
“Sorry, Ruben,” Eran said. “I—”
“Kitten, you’ve got to chill out. No one on this block wants dog for dinner. Go sit down over there. Hold his hand. I promise, it gets easier. We have enough on our hands with Philip threatening to bash teeth out of people’s mouths. Don’t you start too. You were always a good kid. Never got into trouble,” Ruben said. “Now, I have to go find my mate before he makes good on his threats to find these fuckers. Feral is going to string them up for fucking with a show.”
“I would say things aren’t usually this hectic around here, but that would be a lie,” Evie said.
Eran walked over and sat down on the floor next to the sofa. He took my hand and entwined our fingers together.
“That’s better. I know the triple homicide has everyone on edge, but Pami’s been quiet. Apparently, she’s going to help us lock the other one up. I don’t know all the details but Xenos’s son is making all sorts of crazy demands. Like he doesn’t want anyone from the Cuddle Club around and he won’t tell us why. Canton asked a bunch of times and he says it’s for their own safety. So, I’m like who dares fuck with Jeran? Let me have a go at them and if it’s a ghost, they’ll learn how to be twice dead,” Evie said, turning on the machine. “Just lay low until the full moon and we’ll have this squared away. Apparently, I’m beinggrouped in with the Cuddle Club people though, because that picky wolf isn’t being very specific about who can be around.”
“If you might die, maybe you should stay home,” I said.
“Now you sound like Philip,” she rolled her eyes.
“We miss anything else besides the fact that people might get some free tooth extractions from Philip?” Eran asked and I couldn’t help but to chuckle.
“Nah. Nothing too important. Three colts born. Gooseberry has gotten even bigger. He’s staying right on Tarabell’s heels. Even going to preschool with her. Oh and the whole territory is going on lockdown on the full moon, but you probably saw that on the alerts.”
“I haven’t gone through all of them yet,” Eran admitted, his scent turning sheepish.
“Fair enough. I swear I wasn’t myself for three years after my true-mate response. I mean there was the war and all that and—” Evie stopped and cocked her head to the side. She shook her head like a fly was in her ear and then she smiled at me. “Enough about all that. Let’s get these puppies looked at. From what I remember, tollers often have larger litters and up north that still holds true. What are you hoping for?”
“Well, I only have eight nipples,” I sighed. “So less than that would be preferable.”
Evie laughed as she placed the wand against my bare belly. Her face retained that professional smile, and I wondered ever so quietly if she was okay or if the war had left more scars than she let on. We’d heard about the war against the hate group in London. Everyone had. A witch from the west coast had invitedus to join in the night where they blasted those fuckers into oblivion. Our strongest magic users did, of course.
