10. Grant
Chapter 10
Grant
It's been two weeks since Lennon and I mated, and each moment has shown me what I didn't know I was missing in my life. Tonight, my family is coming over for dinner to meet my mate. The cabin’s filled with the smell of something delicious Lennon has been cooking, and something much spicier—my mate is pregnant, and her condition has made her naturally sweet scent even more yummy.
Lennon appears in the doorway, fidgeting a little with her shirt as she paces back and forth. “I’m so nervous, Grant,” she admits, chewing her lip. I know I should tell her our little secret, but I want to wait until after this dinner so we can celebrate appropriately.
I walk over, wrapping her in a reassuring hug. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, baby,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “They’re gonna love you. And if they don’t fall for your charm, Oreo’s bowtie should do the trick.”
She laughs, rolling her eyes as she lightly punches my arm. “Speaking of which, you two are quite the matching pair tonight,” she teases, noticing my own pink and blue plaid bowtie that perfectly matches Oreo’s. Yeah, I figured if we’re gonna look sharp, we may as well do it together.
Just then, the front door opens and my twin brother, Gabe, comes strolling in. He’s the kind of guy whose presence fills a room, and tonight is no exception. The moment he steps inside, he scoops Lennon up in a warm hug. “Pleasure to finally meet you, Lennon,” he says, flashing that trademark grin. I can see his nose perk up, and I hope no one in my family lets my secret out of the bag before I have a chance to tell my mate.
My inner polar bear doesn’t like another male laying his hands on my mate and voices his displeasure by ordering me to shove my dumbass brother. “Hands off my mate, dumbass.”
Gabe glares at me and gives me a once-over, zeroing in on my bowtie. A slow smirk spreads across his face. “Matching the dog, huh? You are so pussy-whipped.” He laughs, the sound echoing through the room as he makes himself at home.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I reply, not letting his teasing get to me. Honestly, I’m so in love with my mate that I don’t even mind being called pussy-whipped.
A few minutes later, my parents arrive, and Mom rushes right in to pull Lennon into a heartfelt hug, whispering something to her that makes her relax visibly, while Dad gives me a firm pat on the back.
“Lennon, dear, you should call us Mom and Dad,” Mom insists, winking. “After all, you’re part of the family now.”
Lennon glows with happiness, and I can’t help but feel grateful for how easily she’s meshing with everyone.
“She’s so stunning,” my dad tells me. “How did you get her to give you the time of day?”
“I have no idea.” I chuckle and pull Lennon close with my arm around her shoulder. “But she’s stuck with me now.”
My mate’s face turns an adorable shade of pink from our teasing. When my dad notices Oreo, he walks over and kneels next to the little Frenchie. “Who’s this little guy?”
“That’s Oreo, our little boss,” Lennon tells him, drawing an amused laugh from my dad.
“I can see he rules the roost.” My mother cuts in and walks over to give Oreo a few pets on the head.
Gianna, my younger sister, arrives not long after with Dillon and his mate, Emilia. They bring their usual energy, amplified a bit by Emilia’s vibrant pregnancy glow.
“Hey, so Clay and Bethany aren’t coming tonight,” Dillon informs us after they introduce themselves to Lennon. “Bethany’s ready to pop at any moment, and Clay is hovering like a mother hen.”
“I hope she’s doing okay,” I say, making a mental note to check in on them later.
“Did I really hear you say that you’re going to check in on your cousin later in my mind?” My mate’s voice echoes through my thoughts, and I realize we have developed the ability to communicate silently from the mate bond.
I smile and wink as I respond in kind. “ You did, baby.”
“How?” She glances around at my family members, and I can see her mind whirling. “ Does everyone hear what we’re saying?”
“I’ll explain it all to you later, but no, they can’t hear us. This is a private line of communication between the two of us.” I hope that’s enough to reassure my mate for now.
“You definitely will explain later.” She gives me a mock-stern look before smirking. “ This is going to come in so handy when we have kids.”
Which is much sooner than she realizes. Oops. That’s another surprise I have in store for her after my family leaves.
We’re finishing up dinner when Oreo drags out his favorite toy to show his new friends, and I know I’m never going to hear the end of it. Gabe chokes on his beer and ends up coughing and sputtering until Gianna beats him on the back.
“Grant, why does your dog have an eggplant emoji toy?” she asks, giggling as Oreo proudly parades his toy around.
I lean back in my chair. “Honestly, I took him to the pet store, thinking he’d choose something normal, like a bone or a teddy bear. But nope. Oreo went straight for that thing and wouldn’t drop it. I guess my little man has a taste for the unique.”
Gianna laughs harder, shaking her head in disbelief while Oreo continues to prance around with the eggplant like it's a trophy.
Dad chuckles and reaches down to give Oreo a loving pat. “Well, I love your toy, Oreo. It suits you, buddy,” he says with that endearing Grandpa tone.
Oreo basks in the attention, blissfully unaware of his quirky choice or the peals of laughter it has inspired.
As the laughter dies down, Gabe—never one to miss an opportunity—leans in, mumbling just loud enough for the whole table to hear, “I’m surrounded by pussy-whipped assholes.”
The table erupts again, everyone doing their best to cover up amused snorts. Even Lennon lets out a little giggle, shaking her head at Gabe’s antics. I just grin and shrug, draping an arm around her. “You hit that nail right on the head, big brother,” I shoot back, unbothered by his teasing. “And it’s not a bad thing to be.”
It’s moments like these that remind me why I love having my family around. Sure, they’re a bit over-the-top at times, but the love and camaraderie are genuine. Seeing Lennon fit right in, laughing and swapping stories about Oreo’s exploits, makes my heart swell.
As the night wears on, I find myself grateful for every chaotic, love-filled moment. After all, what’s life without a little laughter, even if it’s at the expense of a stuffed eggplant emoji?
After my family says their goodbyes and the door closes behind them, the cabin feels suddenly quieter, the echoes of laughter and conversation still lingering in the air. I turn to Lennon, who’s tidying up the last remnants of our dinner party, and my heart swells with love for my stunning mate.
I step up beside her, gently pulling her into my arms. Her warmth melting against me feels heavenly. I lean down and press a soft kiss to her lips, savoring the sweetness and the comforting familiarity of the moment.
I brush a stray hair from her face. “I have something to tell you.”
She freezes for a second, worry flitting across her features. “Is everything okay? Did I mess up tonight?” she asks half-jokingly, but I catch that little edge of anxiety.
I chuckle softly, shaking my head. “No, nothing like that. It’s good news, incredible actually,” I say, pausing for a heartbeat. “You’re pregnant.”
Her eyes widen in shock, her hands instinctively flying to her belly. I watch as her initial surprise melts into joy, her face lighting up with happiness that takes my own breath away.
“Oh my God, really?” she asks, a mix of disbelief and elation in her voice, tears glistening in her eyes. “How do you know? My period isn’t due for several days.”
“I can smell it. Your scent went from sweet and sugary to warm and spicy.” I hold her close, letting my happiness flow between us.
We stand there, wrapped in each other and the enormity of the moment. But then, as if a light bulb flicks on, I see a different thought flash across her face.
“Wait a minute,” she says, stepping back slightly with horror flashing in her eyes. “Could your entire shifter family smell it, too?”
I nod a bit sheepishly, knowing exactly how smothering and curious my family can be. “They’re your family now, too.”
Her eyes widen, a mix of wonder and mild embarrassment dancing there. “And they didn’t say anything?”
“Guess they were leaving it to us to figure out.” I grin, hoping she finds it as endearing as I do.
She shakes her head, laughing nervously, a hand resting gently on her belly as she does. “ I’m gonna need some time to get used to all of this.” She tries out the mental link between us.
I pull her back into a hug, feeling her relax again in my arms. “ We’ve got all the time in the world. You, me, Oreo, and our little one.”
“This is going to come in so handy when the kids try to get one over on us.” She wraps her arms around my waist and hugs me tight.
And just like that, I realize how lucky I got when the universe chose Lennon as my mate. With her by my side, I know we can handle anything.