Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“For getting mated? Thanks. You already sent me flowers, remember?”
“No.” Emily met her gaze with a small smile. “For the baby.”
Luna froze, her face going pale. “What?”
Emily covered her mouth, realizing she’d spoken too soon. “You didn’t know yet?”
“No. What are you talking about?” Luna asked, her voice shaking.
Emily reached for her hand. “You’re pregnant. I have an advanced sense of smell. I’ve always been able to tell. I could smell a baby just now.”
Luna blinked several times. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I knew when Mia was pregnant, too.” Mia had mated Seth Volk and was due sometime in the next few months.
Luna sat back, tears welling in her eyes. “I wasn’t sure I could have children. I mean, I thought maybe once I mated with Erik, but I didn’t know if it was possible. I can’t believe this. How wonderful! Are you absolutely sure?”
Emily squeezed her hand. “I’m one hundred percent positive.”
Joy transformed Luna’s face, her smile radiant. “Oh, this is incredible. But don’t tell Erik yet, okay?”
“I won’t say a word.”
“Good. I want to surprise him after I double-check. No offense.”
How wonderful for the couple. “No offense taken. It’s one of my gifts.”
Luna’s gaze brightened, and she inhaled sharply as if holding back a rush of emotions. “Let’s focus on you now.” Her voice turned brisk, her healer instincts apparently taking over. “I need you to tell me everything again, from the first symptom to the latest. Don’t leave anything out.”
Emily hesitated, her fingers knotting together on her lap as she lowered her voice. “This has to stay between us. Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that.”
“Of course.” Luna tilted her head, whispering back. “Does Jackson know?”
“No.” Emily’s voice dropped. “But I’m sure he has questions since he knows I was carrying blood.”
Luna snorted. “Oh, I’m sure he has questions. You know, you can tell him the truth. Your packs are aligned, and besides, there’s something between you two.”
“There can’t be,” Emily said firmly.
Luna waved a hand through the air. “Oh, that’s just silly.”
“No, it isn’t.” Emily appreciated her friend’s encouragement but held her ground.
“Well, I’m not done trying,” Luna teased. “But tell me. Did I hear right that he’s looking for a mate on the Internet?”
Sometimes, wolves gossiped worse than humans. “I’ve been using the Internet to find one for him. So, yes, that rumor is true.”
“Girl, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Luna shook her head.
“Maybe. Maybe not.” Emily took a deep breath. “For now, can you help me?”
Luna’s gaze sharpened. “Yes. I’ll coordinate with the doctors and healers in all four packs. We’ll figure this out, Emily.”
For the first time since falling ill, Emily felt hope.
Chapter 22
Jackson carried Emily into the cozy guest cabin and looked around. The place had been furnished with hand-carved wooden furniture holding thick, blue leather cushions. A fire crackled in the hearth, flames reflecting off copper etchings of wolves encircling the stone mantel. A small kitchen lay beyond the gathering area, fitted with what appeared to be brand-new appliances. To the left, a hallway led to two bedrooms, their doors slightly ajar.
“You really don’t need to carry me, Jackson,” Emily said, though she seemed to cuddle closer against his chest.
He kicked the door shut with the heel of his boot and crossed the room, setting her gently on the sofa. Without hesitation, he grabbed a hand-knitted blanket in copper and blue from the armrest and draped it over her legs. The thick yarn still held the scent of the cabin’s woodsmoke.
“I’m really okay,” she added, her voice soft.
“You’re pale and felt fragile in my arms,” he muttered, crossing to the fire to add another log. Sparks flared as the flames licked the fresh bark. The cabin’s clock ticked steadily above the mantel. Midnight had come and gone. Heavy and full, the moon outside pulled at his blood, sharpening his senses.
He returned to the chair beside her, sinking into the worn leather. His elbows rested on his knees as he studied her. Her platinum-blond hair framed her face in a wild halo, the tips still damp from their time outside. Her eyes, a deep black now, met his. He noted the absence of the worn backpack she’d guarded so fiercely earlier. His patience had thinned. No more secrets.
“What?” she asked, her shoulders tightening.
He held her gaze, unmoving. The fire popped softly. The air between them thickened until a flush spread across her cheekbones. She looked away first. Alphas knew how to stare down anyone, but this female carried Alpha blood of her own.
“Where’s the backpack?” His voice came out low and steady.
Her hands twisted the blanket’s edge. “With Luna.”
“Why?”
Silence clung to the walls, broken only by the distant hum of the fridge. Emily’s fingers stilled. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter than before. “It’s not your problem.”
“Wrong,” he replied. “It became my problem the minute you collapsed outside the border. Whatever you’re hiding could get you killed. That makes it my concern.”