Chapter 40 – EMMA
EMMA
Aknock comes mid-morning.
I've been existing in a blissed-out haze, learning what it means to be mated to a bear shifter.
The good stuff, at least. I can't get enough of his hands on me at every opportunity, his growl when anyone gets too close, and his careful attention to every flicker of emotion.
This is more cherished than I've ever felt in my life.
I'm curled on the couch with a book I'm not really reading when a knock makes me tense. Always alert, Bodhi hurries in from where he's making lunch in the kitchen.
"It's Mason," he says, before I can spiral, wiping his hands on a dishcloth as he crosses to the entrance. "And someone else."
He crosses to the door while I set aside the book, curiosity replacing the brief flash of anxiety. His brothers have become regular visitors, stopping by to update Bodhi on clan business or just to give me a hard time about keeping their brother locked away from the world.
But when Bodhi opens the door, it's not Mason's face I focus on.
Jake is standing on the porch, hands shoved in his pockets, head bowed. There's color in his cheeks instead of the sweaty grey pallor I remember from the last time we saw each other face to face. His eyes, when they finally lift to meet mine, are clear and steady.
"Em." He shifts his weight nervously. "Thanks for seeing me."
Behind him, Mason leans against the porch railing, watching for Bodhi’s reaction. "Ran into him at the compound. Figured I'd give him a ride out and show him around."
Which means Mason was checking up on him, making sure my brother was doing okay because he’s part of the family, even if he’s the black sheep for now.
The protectiveness of this clan still astounds me.
"Has something happened?" My mind immediately spins through worst case scenarios. Dimitri found him. He still owes more money. The police want more information on what happened.
"No. Nothing like that." Jake takes a breath. "I came to tell you Chase is putting together a team, to hunt down Dimitri, and I'm going to be part of it."
Dimitri and Amber. And the elusive Mr. Black.
She's still out there somewhere, and the not knowing must be torture for her loved ones.
"Come in," I hear myself say.
Bodhi steps aside, coming to wrap one arm around my back as Jake enters. The touch grounds me, reminding me I'm not facing this alone. He remains watchful, not hostile, but ready to intervene if I need him.
Mason catches my eye and tips his head toward the door. "I'll wait outside. Give you some privacy."
The cabin feels strange with Jake in it. And that in itself feels odd.
He hovers near the entrance, not quite willing to come further without an invitation, while I settle back on the couch. Bodhi positions himself where he can watch us both, arms folded, expression unreadable.
"Chase and Beau are planning a new operation," Jake continues.
"I’ve been to some of these fights, know how they work, and if that can help even a little, well, I owe it to you, and to myself, to do something useful again.
" He swallows hard. "I can't take back what happened, Em.
But maybe I can help bring someone else home. "
I study him, still hesitant to immediately believe what he’s saying after all the lies, but he looks steadier than I've seen him in years, and looks determined as he stands here, asking for a chance to prove himself.
"That's good," I say carefully. "I’m glad you’re doing okay."
His jaw tightens with determination. "Chase wouldn't let me anywhere near this if he didn't think I could handle it."
I nod, but it’s not as simple as that. He’s an addict. He has a long road ahead. I'll believe it when I see it
"Great. Stick with it. Take all the help you can get," I tell him honestly. "And I’ll be here when you do."
Jake frowns, but he doesn't look away. "That's fair. More than fair." It’s not what he wanted. A hug, maybe, or to be welcomed with open arms? It’s going to take me some time.
With a brusque nod, he takes a step back toward the door. "I just wanted you to know. And to tell you that I'm staying at Chase's compound, if you need to find me. Or want to."
"Good."
He hesitates, looking between me and Bodhi. "I'm glad you found something amazing, Em. You deserve it."
Bodhi nods once, acknowledging both the sentiment and the implicit apology.
"Take care of yourself, Jake."
Mason reappears to escort him out. “I’ll take care of him for you, Em.”
Nodding, blinking back tears, I watch through the window as they walk back toward the truck. Jake's shoulders are straighter than when he arrived and when Mason shoulder checks him right before he climbs into the truck, he even smiles.
It’s a start. A good one. He looks like a man with purpose, even if that purpose is just staying useful one more day.
When the door closes, Bodhi is beside me immediately, pulling me against his chest.
"You okay?"
I consider the question. There's hope there, buried under the lingering anger and disappointment. Jake might actually get his life back on track. Or he might not. But I can't control that, and for now, he needs to do it alone.
"Yeah," I say. "I think I am."
His hand slides down to rest on my hip, thumb stroking absently. We stay like that as the afternoon light shifts through the windows, the fire crackling low, the compound carrying on with its daily rhythm outside.
"Hungry?" Bodhi asks eventually, the same question he's asked every few hours since I woke in his bed. "You barely touched lunch. Or a snack?"
"I'm fine." But my stomach rumbles loudly in disagreement and I press my hand to my abdomen without thinking.
Bodhi goes still.
His whole body changes, every muscle locking as his attention narrows on my belly. He pulls back just enough to look at me, really look, his dark eyes searching my face.
"Emma." His voice is rough. "When did you last have your period?"
Heat floods my cheeks. "I don't know. I lost track." I try to do the math, but the days blur together. Before Kozlov took me. Even then, I never paid that much attention to the dates.
His hand slides from my hip to my stomach, palm flat against my stomach. He closes his eyes, and I watch his nostrils flare as he breathes deep.
"Bodhi, what are you doing?"
"Quiet." The word is barely a whisper. His brow furrows in concentration, head tilting slightly like he's listening for something only he can hear.
I hold my breath.
When his eyes open, they're blazing gold.
"There's a heartbeat." His voice cracks on the words. "Faint. So faint a human couldn't hear it yet. But it's there."
The world tilts as he leans forward and rests his cheek against my stomach and inhales.
"That's not possible. It's too early. We only…"
"Shifter pregnancies are different." His hand presses more firmly against my stomach, protective and warm. "The baby will develop faster. Stronger." A smile breaks across his face, raw and wondering. "You're carrying my cub, Emma."
I stare at him, trying to process. Pregnant. I'm pregnant with a bear shifter's baby. A week ago, I was a prisoner. Now I'm mated to an Alpha and carrying his child.
Joy bubbles up through my chest, so fierce it almost hurts. A baby. A family. Something I never let myself want because it just made my loneliness all the more stark and pitiful.
But there's something else too. A small, silly thing that catches in my throat.
Bodhi's expression shifts. "What is it?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie to me." His thumb strokes across my belly. "I can feel it. Something's bothering you."
I shake my head, laughing through the tears pricking my eyes, embarrassed by my own reaction. "It's stupid. I'm happy. I'm so happy."
"But?"
The word hangs between us. He waits, patient in that way he has, like he'd wait forever if that's what it took.
"I always thought I'd be married first, because I waited…
" I finally admit, the words rushing out before I can stop them.
"It's silly. I know the mark means more than a piece of paper ever could.
It's just something I pictured, when I was young and stupid and believed in fairy tales and happily ever afters. "
Bodhi's hand continues to stroke my stomach, in gentle, soothing circles, then he's moving, sliding off the couch and dropping to one knee on the cabin floor in front of me.
My heart stops.
"Bodhi, no, I didn’t mean… that wasn’t a hint."
"Emma Wilson." His voice is rough, his golden eyes burning into mine. "I don't have a ring. I don't have pretty words. But I have the rest of my life, and I want to spend every day of it making you happy." He takes my hand, his grip firm and sure. "So we’re getting married."
It's not a question. It's barely even a request. It's Bodhi, gruff and no-nonsense and utterly certain, offering me everything.
"Yes." The word tears out of me, feeling right for the moment even though technically, he wasn’t giving me a choice. "Yes, obviously yes."
He surges up to kiss me, one hand cupping the back of my head, the other still resting protectively against my stomach. I taste salt and realize I'm crying, tears streaming down my cheeks as I laugh against his mouth.
"Immediately," he says when he finally pulls back. "We'll do it this weekend."
"That's insane. You can't plan a wedding that fast."
His grin is fierce and possessive. "Watch me."