Chapter 44
Chapter
Forty-Four
Six months had passed since Laney and Max had exchanged vows under an archway of flowers at the edge of the forest. The brewery had recovered fully from Flint's sabotage, her position at the Bright Institute continued to flourish, and their bond had deepened with each passing day. Yet something new stirred within her—a flutter of possibility that Laney had first dismissed. When the subtle signs persisted into the third week, she could no longer ignore them.
Her heart raced as she looked at the pregnancy test box on the bathroom counter. With a nervous sigh, Laney opened the box then carefully followed the instructions. After capping the stick, she set it on the counter and began to pace the small space. Max was still sleeping soundly after a late night at the brewery, and the house was quiet.
The mirror reflected her nervous expression as she checked her watch again. The test sat on the marble counter, the seconds dragging as she waited for the result to appear. Three minutes had never felt so long. When her timer went off, Laney stared down at the test. Two clear lines appeared in the small window. Positive. Laney gasped, covering her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. A baby. Their baby.
Laney moved into their bedroom, sat on the edge of the mattress, and touched Max’s shoulder. She placed the test on the nightstand where he would see it when he opened his eyes. Max stirred at her touch, rubbing his eyes and blinking slowly awake. His gaze shifted from her face to the object on the nightstand, confusion giving way to dawning comprehension.
“We're going to have a baby,” Laney said.
Max's eyes widened, fully alert now. “Oh Laney!” He sat up and pulled Laney into a hug. This new life growing within her represented the ultimate manifestation of their bond and the love they shared. Max kissed her forehead, his touch reverent. “How do you feel?”
“Happy. Nervous. Everything at once,” Laney replied. “I never thought I'd have this—you, a family, a child.”
They settled in the kitchen twenty minutes later, sipping hot tea at the rustic wooden table that had been a wedding gift from Drew and Quinn. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows.
“Should we tell your parents?” Max asked.
“Maybe,” she said slowly. “Things have been a little different since the wedding. When my father learned I could shift, I think it changed something in how he sees me.”
“They would be happy, I think,” Max said carefully, aware of the complicated emotions Laney had about her family.
Laney nodded, remembering when her father made a stilted but sincere toast at their wedding. “I think they would be, but honestly, Max. I don't need their approval anymore. I found my place here, with you and your family.” She smiled, the realization both liberating and bittersweet. “We can tell them, of course. I'd like our child to know their grandparents. But their acceptance... it doesn't define me anymore.”
“Should we tell everyone else?” Max asked. “My mother’s been pressing for a grandchild since she first learned about you.”
Laney smiled. “Let's tell your family this weekend. I want to see their faces when they hear the news.”
They spent the morning planning their announcement, deciding on a small gift-wrapped package containing a baby rattle. Laney found herself resting her hand on her stomach, marveling that a new life was growing inside her.
The weekend arrived quickly. They gathered with Quinn, Drew, Gwen, Liv, and Noah for a casual family brunch at the Bock home. Laney had wrapped a small gift box that held the baby rattle, tying it with a ribbon.
The dining table overflowed with homemade food—Quinn's famous cinnamon rolls, a frittata bursting with fresh vegetables, crisp bacon, and fruit salad glistening with honey. They waited until everyone had eaten their fill. Then, with a meaningful glance at Max, Laney retrieved the small package from her purse.
“We wanted to give you all a little present,” Laney said, placing the box in Quinn's hands.
Everyone watched Quinn carefully untie the ribbon and lift the lid. Her eyebrows rose in question, then her eyes widened in realization as she pulled out the tiny wooden rattle.
“A baby rattle? Are you two...” Quinn's voice trailed off, her eyes filling with tears as she looked from the rattle to Laney and Max.
The family exploded with excitement. Gwen leaped from her chair with a squeal of delight, rushing to embrace Laney. Liv clapped her hands together and began describing the perfect nursery design. Noah, practical as always, immediately began calculating baby expenses.
“When did you find out?” Quinn asked.
“A few days ago,” Laney replied. “We wanted you all to be the first to know.”
Drew wrapped an arm around Quinn, his stoic expression softening with emotion. “Our first grandchild,” he said, his deep voice roughened by feeling. “This calls for a special brew.”
“Dad, she can't drink,” Max said with a laugh.
“Not for her, for the rest of us,” Drew replied with a rare wink. “A celebration ale. Something we can age and open on the child's first birthday.”
Noah’s fingers tapped at the screen of his phone. “I’m starting a college fund right away. These things take planning. Eighteen years might seem like a long time, but compound interest works best with an early start.”
Gwen rolled her eyes at her brother's practicality but couldn't stop smiling. “Forget college for a minute! We need to plan a baby shower first.”
“I’m going to paint a mural in the nursery,” Liv said. “A woodland theme with foxes and bears.”
Laney felt overwhelmed by the immediate outpouring of love and excitement. She had never experienced such unconditional acceptance. This warm embrace of her future child brought tears to her eyes.
News traveled quickly in a small town like Fate Mountain. Within days, it seemed everyone knew about Max and Laney's expected baby. Word spread from the brewery to the institute, from the town council to the local shops.
Laney felt overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and community support. Just months ago, she had stood before the town council, humiliated as Flint undermined her research and credibility. Now those same council members sent congratulation cards.
“The town loves you,” Max said one evening after another neighbor had dropped off a gift. “You saved their water, their brewery, their livestock. You're a hero to them.”
Laney shook her head, still uncomfortable with praise despite everything. “I was just doing my job.”
“And now your job is growing our cub,” Max replied with a smile, wrapping his arms around her.
As the weeks passed, preparations for the baby began in earnest. Max converted the spare room into a nursery. Liv came over to paint a whimsical mural of foxes and bears playing among the trees. Laney watched from the doorway as Liv and Max worked together.
“You've got that dreamy look again,” Laney said as Max leaned in to kiss her cheek.
“Just thinking about what he or she will be like,” Max replied. “Strong like a bear? Clever like a fox?”
“Both, I hope,” Laney said, leaning her head against his shoulder. “The best of both of us.”
Later that week, Laney sat in Ivy's office at the Bright Institute, discussing how to adjust her research schedule around her pregnancy and her child’s birth
“We can modify your field work during the later months and postpartum,” Ivy said, making notes in a leather-bound planner. “But you should continue your lab analyses on the stream recovery until the baby comes. That work matters, and frankly, you're the best person for it.”
“I worried you might sideline me,” Laney admitted. “Some institutions get nervous about pregnant researchers.”
“Never,” Ivy replied firmly, looking up with a warm smile. “This institute values both your mind and your growing family. We'll make it work. Your research on the recovery of our ecosystem is groundbreaking. Besides, becoming a mother will only enhance your connection to the natural world.”
A week after the first trimester ended, Laney sent a brief but warm email to her parents, sharing the news of the pregnancy. Their response came within hours—congratulations and promises to visit. The message included a photo of her childhood teddy bear, which they offered to send for the baby. Laney responded with a heartfelt thanks. Their validation had once been so important to her, but now it didn’t seem to matter anymore.
Six months into the pregnancy, as the evening sun painted the sky in shades of gold and pink, Laney and Max stood on their porch at twilight. Their hands were linked, fingers intertwined. The setting sun painted the sky in brilliant colors.
Laney thought about the day she'd first arrived in Fate Mountain, a half-shifter scientist with doubts about her worth. Now she stood as a complete shifter, a respected researcher whose work had saved an entire community, a beloved wife, and a mother-to-be. The transformation seemed impossible, yet here she was, watching the sunset with the mate who adored her.
“You know,” Laney said softly, watching as the first stars appeared in the darkening sky, “I spent so many years searching for where I belonged. It turns out I wasn't looking for a place at all.”
Max looked down at her, his expression questioning. Laney smiled, her hand caressing the swell where their child grew. “Home isn't Fate Mountain or the institute or even this house. It's us. You and me and our baby. Wherever you are is where I belong.”