Dinner eaten, I wasted no time in swallowing the bitter potion.
I sat and waited with a glass of water for the pain to start.
Thirty long minutes went by without a single cramp or gurgle. An hour.
Oh shit.
Unable to stand the not knowing, I put in another order. This time for a slice of cherry pie with ice cream and a pregnancy test.
They arrived quicker than my curry. I took the test to the bathroom and peed on the stick, crossing my fingers this was just one big mistake. A faulty potion. One put in the wrong box or something.
I was wrong.
The test had one word on the screen: pregnant.
How was I going to convince my mate this wasn’t me trying to trap him into mating with him?
In less than a month, everyone would know I was pregnant. I had until then to change my mate’s mind and have him choose me for me or risk losing him forever.
Twelve
Imri
Drivinghomewasdifficult,considering how conflicted I felt.
Leaving Sully on the side of the road was the last thing I wanted to do. I felt inexplicably drawn to him. Okay, I knew the reason. He was right. Sully was my fated mate. Even though I’d denied it to his face, I knew it in my heart. He was mine as much as I was his.
Was I really going to deny our bond?
Yes, I was.
There were three reasons why I’d do so waiting for me at home. Our relationship was too new, too fragile, for a partner to come in. A young omega, a prey animal at that, who might want kids of his own. How likely was it a young omega would accept the kids? Especially ones with a complicated past like mine had.
He also came from Haenvale. As soon as they got wind of our relationship, if we were to haveone, they’d drag me over the coals to prove I was worthy of one of their precious prey shifters. I had to keep the town off my back.
It was no good. We were too different for it to work. Maybe if I’d met him before the kids… No, that was unfair to the kids. They weren’t disposable. Not a burden. They were mine.
As soon as it was a decent time of day, I was calling my moms for their help. I’d put it off, but this was too important. I had no clue what Sully would say to anyone in town. The last thing I needed was a bunch of people knocking on my door asking questions I couldn’t answer.
They could take Sandy and Berry from me. I couldn’t allow that to happen.
Forcing myself to pay attention to the road, I brushed all thoughts of Sully away. All I could control was the stuff with the kids. I’d get the necessary papers forged to make it official enough looking to pass scrutiny, because I’d have people looking over every inch of my life if they found out about us.
It was only a matter of time before Sully said something to the wrong person and the authorities were at my door. Time in our little bubble was running out. My first instinct was to flee, but the woods were all the kidshad ever known, and Rowan’s magic was too unpredictable to move for a bit. It wasn’t his fault, just the facts of the situation.
Rowan was waiting for me on the porch when I pulled up. He had a coffee in his hands, worry lined every part of his body. He was hunched against the early morning chill, cradling the cup like it held all the answers.
He waited for me to park the truck and join him on the porch before he spoke.
“Is he really your fated mate?” It was asked so quietly I almost missed the words.
He handed over the still warm coffee to me. I sipped it before I answered. “Doesn’t matter either way. He’s not for me.”
“Why? Is it because of us?” Rowan looked on the brink of tears.
I didn’t know how to approach this. The truth was, the kids were part of it. Not all of it. Honesty was the best policy and all that… ugh, I just hoped this wouldn’t make Rowan take the twins and leave.
“Part of it is, yeah. We don’t have what we need yet to ensure the town doesn’t take you three from me.” I held up a hand to stop his words of protest. “First thing this morning I’mcalling my moms. I’ll introduce you three to them, and they’ll fix it.”
