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“He looked disgusted,” Amelia said. “As though he was ashamed to share blood with her.”
“Curious, too,” Ryan said. “He could have a reason to use her, as Vira warned.”
“He doesn’t want us to have her,” Nathan said. “So is this about Margo or the pack? We keep hearing we’re supposed to be enemies, but we aren’t even sure why. We don’t know their strengths or weakness, and there’s only so much Amelia can do to protect this place. We don’t know what effect, if any, her magic will have on them. Besides that, Amelia isn’t supposed to use her magic for harm, so where does that leave us?”
“I’m working on something,” his sister said in a reluctant tone. “I don’t know if it’ll pan out, but I’ll need Margo for it. If only Vira had stuck around. We have so many unanswered questions, and Margo needs—"
The door opened. I heard the words, “Hi, Dad,” before it registered with me that the tall, close-shaven man standing there was Jeremy Evans, Byron’s son and Nathan’s cousin.
He took a step into the room and drew a heavily pregnant blonde to his side.
“Jeremy?” Byron jumped to his feet, his smile warm and welcoming. “I didn’t know you were arriving today. What happened? And you brought Zara? You both must be exhausted.”
He looked around the room with an apologetic smile. “I must end the meeting here. We can continue later. I need to catch up with my son first.”
Ryan nodded, leaving first, the others trailing after him, looking uncomfortable. Jeremy’s presence always affected the pack. I moved closer to Nathan and Amelia, unsure of what to do.
Beaming, Byron hurried across the room to look his son over. He aimed for a hug, but Jeremy stepped neatly out of the way.
“We got an early flight because I thought things might get heavy here,” Jeremy explained gruffly. “And I couldn’t leave Zara behind in case the baby came earlier than expected. Besides, it would be better to be born here.”
“I’m so happy to see you.” Byron patted Zara’s cheek. “You look well. How are you?”
She smiled shyly at him. I doubted I had ever heard her speak, though we had met a couple of times now.
Nathan gestured for us to leave, but Byron noticed. “Don’t go,” he said. “We should have a family dinner. Let’s head into the kitchen, get some food going, and let Zara rest.”
I reluctantly traipsed after the others. Jeremy wasn’t exactly my favourite person.
His mate’s curly hair almost reached her backside, and she waddled so much when she walked that I was afraid she would topple over. Her pregnancy had left her belly far larger than Perdita's. She must have been going through hell.
In the kitchen, Byron brought her a comfortable chair and made her put her feet up while he fetched her a drink and some snacks. Nathan and Amelia started on dinner, with me keeping out of Jeremy’s way as much as possible. Jeremy hadn’t even said hello to the rest of us, so the atmosphere was a little odd.
“Stop fussing over her,” Jeremy said impatiently. “She’s not a child.”
“She needs a little fuss,” Byron said. “She looks exhausted. You shouldn’t have brought her. It was too hard a journey at this stage in her pregnancy. I don’t know how the airline even let her fly.”
“We could have been attacked at home, and then what?” Jeremy snapped. “She’s here now. That’s all that matters. I’m thinking we’ll stay until the baby is born, and then head back. Is that all right?”
“Of course,” Byron said. “I would love that. Thank you.”
I felt a bit sorry for Byron. He was so desperate to mend his relationship with Jeremy, but his son was having none of it.
Zara’s eyes were already half-closed. She rubbed her belly, reminding me of Perdita, and that made me pity her. Jeremy shouldn’t have made her travel. I couldn’t imagine Nathan doing that.
“We should get Stephen to check on Zara while she’s here,” Amelia said, sitting at the table and leaving Nathan to finish cooking. I filled in for her, but I wasn’t much use because I couldn’t turn my back to Jeremy, for some reason.
Jeremy frowned. “Who?”
“Perdita’s father?” Amelia stared at him. “The doctor?”
“Oh, him.” He stood, stretching languidly. “No need. Everything’s going well. I have good news.” He moved to his mate’s side, a proud hand on her shoulder. Practically beaming, he announced, “We’re having a boy. My son. Zara’s carrying an alpha in there. He’s big, strong, just… perfect.”
Emotion made his voice waver, and an odd feeling turned around in my stomach. I hadn’t ever thought of Jeremy as somebody who had feelings, and the fact he was genuinely happy and excited to have a child set me off balance.
“Congratulations,” Nathan said warmly. “You must be delighted.”
“I can’t believe it,” Byron said, his eyes shining. “I’m going to have a grandson.”
