Chapter 8 #2
“Oh, hush, you.” Liam carried him inside, right past a bunch of giggling kids and a blinking LuAnn, back to the room they were sharing.
Liam laid him out on the bed, then started stripping him, but he grabbed Liam’s wrists. “We could take a shower.”
That got him a laugh. “I told you I stink.”
“No! No, that’s not it. I just thought it might be fun. I’ve never done that before.”
“Ah. Me either. Like, with someone.” So Liam helped him back up. “I would love that.”
Tears stung his eyes for a good reason this time, because not only was Liam listening to him, he got the feeling that Liam also understood that somewhere between the woodpile and the bed he’d decided he was not so heated anymore, and that he needed more tenderness and touching than knotting.
Liam got him undressed once they were locked in the smaller bathroom, the one with the walk-in shower, and then he stripped out of his jeans. The warm water was perfect, so soothing, and he leaned into Liam.
“I’m sorry.”
“What for, sweetheart?” Liam ran one hand down his back, like he was being petted.
“I’m not sure. I just don’t want you to be upset.”
Liam chuckled, shook his head. “I’m not upset. We have a lot to figure out. Absolutely. But I’m one hundred percent not upset.”
“Your world’s changed a lot in, what? A month.” Personally, he couldn’t believe that it was happening like this. And he knew he was a wolf. He knew he could get pregnant.
Liam had to be reeling, but he seemed to be pretty calm. Theo hoped it was real and that Liam wasn’t about to run off, screaming.
“Not leaving you.” The water kept rushing, steam pouring out.
Theo had to admit that they had a way better water heating system here than there was up at the mountain house.
“I don’t want you to. Are you going to be lonely in the mountain house?”
“No.” Liam chuckled, leaning back into the water, showing off that amazing belly. “I’ll have you. I’ll have Gael, and I think my brother is going to come up. He’s chafing a bit, now that he is the youngest one. He wants to have some space of his own.”
“Well, there is space.” In fact, it was kind of cavernous for just one wolf and his baby. “What are we going to do about food?”
“Now there’s an easy question. That’s what my brothers are for. We’re suppliers.”
“Oh.” He brightened. “Right. You said there was a trading post.”
“Yep. And there’s a huge greenhouse and cistern system up there at the dragon home. Oops. Our place. So we can grow stuff and have chickens and goats.”
“I like goats. Chickens are a little challenging.” He had this wild prey drive when they ran. He knew it would be a thing, but he would learn. He could totally learn not to chase the chickens.
Liam looked at him, one eyebrow arched. “No chasing birds. It’s mean. That’s how the feathers get everywhere and make you sneeze.”
“Ah-choo!” He played right back, and then he grabbed the soap. He needed to get his hands on that hard body. “Is it weird to think that we’re pregnant?”
“Yes.” Liam’s immediate answer made him laugh. “But it’s also wonderful.” Liam ran both hands through Theo’s hair, getting it good and wet.
“Me too. It is wonderful. I’m scared. I don’t know how we’re going to manage two little ones. I guess we’ll learn.” It seemed to be what everybody else had to do.
Liam started massaging his scalp. “That is how it works. I’ve never been the head of a household before. And yet, I’m going to be now.”
Another worry fluttered through his brain, even as he moaned happily at the feel of what Liam was doing. “What if your brother doesn’t like me?”
“Then he can leave. I’m not worried about that though. He’s going to like you.” Liam took the soap from him after he lathered his hands, washing his neck.
“Do you really think so?”
“Oh, I know so. He’s gonna love you.”
“But not too much.”
Liam’s low growl raised goosebumps on his skin. “No. You’re my mate. Mine.”
He nodded, pleased. He wanted to be desired, craved. It seemed like Liam was right there, needing him as much as he needed his mate.
He leaned back into the spray, letting it pour down over him. “Oh, it feels so good.”
“It does. I was pretty gross.” Liam snorted, the sound wry, his expression so cute with his wrinkled nose. “And I’m sore.”
“Aww, want me to rub on you?” He leaned in, rubbing and wriggling all at the same time, the soap helping to ease the way.
“You are a nut.” Liam held him close then, just letting the water rush over them and rinse them down. “I want everything with you, Theo. The house, the kids, our own little pack.”
“You’ve come around to everything quickly. I was worried maybe you’d run screaming into these woods. It would be reasonable to, I think.”
“I’ll worry and fret. That’s why I was chopping wood. But Rory eased the way some, and I adore you too much to fight it.”
“And Gael?” He had to ask.
“I think that little boy is going to be amazing. He’s a fighter, and I like that.” Liam rubbed their noses together. “I swear I’m going to love him as if he was mine. I already do.”
“Because I promised his omega that I would raise him, love him.” And he meant it with everything in him.
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Liam turned them under the water, getting soap off parts they’d missed.
“I hope that we can be happy together up there. It felt like home when I went in. I felt like it was a place to hide and be safe from those that were trying to harm me.”
“It’s what it was for the dragons—a haven, a sanctuary. It will be for us too.” Liam suddenly squeezed him tight, holding him close. “You would’ve liked them, the dragons. They were amazing, good friends.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet them.” He sighed, leaning. “And I’m sad that you miss them.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t get to meet them too, but I’m tickled they left us their house to make our own to start a family. I will have to go up and explore. Do you think we should take the baby with us when we go?”
“Yes.” He had no doubt. The baby was theirs. It didn’t belong with another pack. Gael belonged with them.
“Okay, cool. Then we’ll make a plan to go get that done soon. We need to get as much work done as we can before winter sets in hard.”
Theo pondered that for a second, and then he nodded. “We have the rest of the summer. We should go now and explore. Have you called your family? Do you need to go there?”
Theo wasn’t sure he wanted to go there. He was a little nervous about meeting the other people in Liam’s family.
Liam shook his head and said, “They’re going to come to us.” Liam leaned in, lowered his voice. “When Rory came, he wolfed out and scared everyone. I’m sort of worried that would happen to me. So I think I should stay with you.”
“That makes sense, mate. The wolf will come. Obviously, it’s in your blood.”
“Obviously, and if it brought me you, Gael, and our new baby, then I’ll be happy for it.”
He beamed at Liam. “I can help you when it happens.”
“And if it never does?” Liam’s expression took on some worry.
“Then it never does. I know, and that’s enough for me. And I guarantee you, when our baby shifts the first time, you’ll know too.”
“You’re too good to me.” Liam finally turned off the water, then got a couple of big towels to dry them off and wrap around them since they had to go back to their rooms. “We need to make some lists, huh?”
“Like what?” Theo tilted his head.
“Well, I need to get the grid working right up there again. Then a good tankless water heater. A better shower. They lived pretty off the grid, and we’ll have to as well, but I know a bit more about modern conveniences.
And to be fair to them, for decades, the old pack wouldn’t let them come down the mountain. ”
“Oh, wow. Were they afraid the dragons would eat them?” How sad!
“No. No, I think it was because they said that the dragons couldn’t look completely human, and they were afraid they would draw attention to them as werewolves and get them all killed.”
“Ah.” Theo pondered that. He supposed he understood to a certain degree. Especially if the dragons moved into the mountain area as westward expansion really took off, then paranoia about humans had to be huge.
“Yeah. I guess it sucked all the way around. Jameson and Keegan are tight-lipped, but Loyal has mentioned a few things about abuses inside the pack, and about how they finally banished the old alpha and his supporters.” Liam took him and led him back to their room.
“I wonder if it’s the nature of big packs to implode. Ours sure did.”
“Maybe. I sure hope not for Jameson and Keegan’s sakes.
Then again, they sent some wolves up here and we’ll be bringing some up with us, so maybe the key is expanding.
” Liam pulled him down on the bed, holding onto him.
He loved spending time right here in Liam’s arms, enjoying their privacy, skin to skin.
He loved Liam, period.
“I love you too, baby. So much.” Liam kissed the top of his head. “And I love Gael. And this new little one.” Liam put a hand between them on his belly. “You make me happy.”
“I’m so glad you aren’t mad or freaked out.” He’d been so scared that Liam would just— He didn’t know what. Just run.
“I’m right here. I’m not running anywhere but to you.”
He sighed, happy, leaning against Liam’s chest. “Should I go help Niall, do you think?”
“With cookies or with Loyal?” Liam teased.
“Good point. I can help him make cookies after they’ve made up.”
“Good idea.” That warm chuckle was so sweet and kind. He was so lost. Liam was it for him.
And he knew his trust was well-placed. He really did.
Now he just had to deal with how awful coffee smelled.