Chapter Three
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MACKENZIE WAS RELIEVED when Dean finally called him and agreed to see him.
He’d heard from his brother sporadically since Jasper had been attacked, but he’d told himself not to freak out or push, considering everything Dean was dealing with.
It hadn’t been easy. Mackenzie wanted answers, and he was worried.
Although he’d gotten some answers from Nico. He still wasn’t sure what had happened that day. He’d been in the parking lot, thinking about Dean and the pregnancy and Jasper’s attack, when an angel had walked up to him.
Well, Nico wasn’t an angel. He was a bobcat shifter, as he’d told Mackenzie, and he’d spent his entire life in the forest. As curious as Mackenzie was about shifters and carriers now that he knew they existed, Nico was just as curious about humans and life outside the forest. It had made for a pleasant afternoon until Nico had to run home, and they’d exchanged phone numbers.
They’d been texting every day, with Mackenzie having more questions about carriers and what he could do for Dean.
He hadn’t told Nico about his brother, but he wanted to know how he could help.
Of course, the easiest way to find out how to do that would be to talk to Dean, but Dean had been busy. He’d reassured Mackenzie that both he and Jasper were okay, but that was all Mackenzie had gotten from him. Hopefully, that was about to change.
Mackenzie knocked on the door of the apartment where Dean and his team were staying.
From what Dean had told him, most of his team members had moved out, and he probably would end up doing the same soon—if he hadn’t already.
That was one of the questions Mackenzie had for him.
He was sure that Dean was spending most of his time with Jasper now.
The door opened. Dean looked tired, but he smiled and gestured for Mackenzie to come in. Mackenzie quickly did so, looking up and down at his brother until Dean huffed. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Because you weren’t fine the last time we were together.”
“I was freaking out.”
“And you’re not anymore?” Because Mackenzie was.
Dean hesitated, then shrugged. “A bit. Jasper and I are both okay, though. I saw a healer, so you can stop worrying about me.” Dean bit his lower lip.
“The healer actually suspected that there was a chance I was pregnant. He’d told me to take a test before, but I refused to believe it was a possibility. ”
Mackenzie flopped down on the couch. “So it’s confirmed? You’re pregnant?”
“I thought we’d already confirmed that with the test.”
“How can you be pregnant? And what about Jasper? How is he?”
Dean sat down next to Mackenzie. He moved a little more slowly, as if his body was aching. Was that a consequence of the pregnancy? Was there anything Mackenzie could do to help?
“Jasper’s fine. Well, he’ll be fine. I really don’t want to talk about what happened, though.”
Mackenzie arched a brow. “You’d rather talk about the fact that you’re freaking pregnant? How did that happen?”
There was a twinkle in Dean’s eyes when he answered. “Well, you see, when two people love each other so very much—”
Mackenzie whacked him on the thigh, taking care not to do it too hard. The baby wouldn’t feel it since they were nowhere near Dean’s leg, but still. “You’re not funny.”
Dean shook his head. “I’m very funny, but I don’t know how to answer your question. All the healer could tell me was that it had to do with my shifter DNA.”
Mackenzie’s stomach dropped. “Is there a chance that I could get pregnant?”
“I’m sure there is. You’re going to have to talk to the healer to know for sure, though.”
“Please. I need to know.”
Dean snorted. “If anything because it’ll ensure you don’t make the same mistake I made.”
“I thought Jasper was your best friend.”
Dean shrugged. “He is. Well, he was. We’re still friends, obviously, but there’s more.”
“And is that something you’re happy with?”
“I wouldn’t be with him if I didn’t want to be, if that’s what you’re asking. We’re not together because of the baby. The baby happened because we’re together.”
“What are you going to do now? I don’t think that any human doctor is equipped to deal with a man being pregnant, but I’m sure we can find someone.”
“I don’t need a human doctor.”
“I’m sorry, but don’t pregnant people go to the doctor?”
“Yeah, but I have a healer. Like you said, I don’t think any human doctor has ever dealt with this kind of pregnancy, so I don’t see why I should see one of them.”
“Don’t you think it would be better to go home?” Mackenzie wasn’t trying to offend Dean or tell him what to do, but the forest was more dangerous than he’d expected. Jasper had been stabbed. Mackenzie understood why Dean might not want to leave, but he might have to consider it for his baby.
Dena narrowed his eyes. “I am home.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do, but I can’t believe you’d suggest something like that. Why do you want me to leave the father of my child? It’s not like Jasper can move with me. He couldn’t even if he was allowed to. He’s the skunk alpha, and he has responsibilities.”
“And you have a responsibility to your child. Staying here is dangerous. What’s going to happen if they stab you next?”
Dean got to his feet, shaking his head. “You don’t get it.”
“Maybe not, but have you actually thought this through?”
“What do you think I’ve been doing since I found out I was pregnant?”
“You’ve been focused on Jasper.”
That gave Dean pause. “I have been, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about what will happen next. I’m not leaving the forest. This is my home now, and it’s where my child will grow up. I thought you and the rest of the family had agreed to move?”
“I didn’t realize this place would be so dangerous.”
Dean shook his head. “It’s not.”
“Your boyfriend got stabbed, Dean. Hell, you and your team are here because this place is dangerous.”
“We’re here because the human authorities are prejudiced against shifters. We’re here because one asshole is ruining everyone’s lives, but that’s not going to last forever. Silas will be stopped.”
“I hope you’re right, but in the meantime, you should protect yourself.”
“Which is something I can do better than you can protect yourself, remember? I was trained for this.”
Mackenzie didn’t want to fight with his brother. He understood where Dean was coming from, but at the same time, he thought that Dean wasn’t thinking clearly.
It made sense. He didn’t want to leave his baby’s father. He was in love with Jasper, so of course he wanted to be close to him. Was it the best thing he could do, though?
Something told Mackenzie that his brother wouldn’t listen.
He’d made his decision. It didn’t matter how hard Mackenzie tried to convince him otherwise.
Dean was sticking around, and that was that.
Mackenzie would have to deal with it, and clearly, he needed to make his own decision when it came to moving to the forest.
Initially, he’d been almost eager to. After he’d learned what had happened to Jasper, he’d been more hesitant. It felt too dangerous, especially considering how vulnerable he was compared to shifters.
But Dean wasn’t going anywhere. That meant that Mackenzie wasn’t, either. They were family, and they stuck together.
Hopefully, that didn’t mean that Mackenzie was going to get stabbed, too.
* * * *
WHEN NICO GLANCED DOWN at his phone as it vibrated, he was surprised to see Mackenzie’s name on the screen. It was a pleasant surprise, but considering he was with his father right now, it was also slightly awkward.
If he answered in front of his father, his father would have questions.
He’d be curious because Nico was his son, so of course he wanted to know who Nico was friends with.
Even more likely, he’d assume it was Chris and might want to talk to him, and Nico would have to tell him that the call had nothing to do with his brother.
No, it would be better if his father didn’t find out about Mackenzie just yet.
Nico wanted to keep Mackenzie to himself for a while.
He didn’t want any of the complications that would come with him being friends with a human.
Not that his father would care. He didn’t have anything against humans or against Nico having friends.
He’d just warn Nico to be careful and to think about the clowder and what his friendship with Mackenzie would mean for them, but Nico didn’t want to do that.
For once, he wanted to think about himself.
It had always been hard for him and Chris to make friends. Not only were they carriers, but they were also the alpha’s sons. People were either intimidated by them or wanted to use them.
But Mackenzie didn’t know who Nico was. It made Nico feel guilty for not telling him, but at the same time, he was giddy. He didn’t want to keep secrets from his friend, but this was easier.
“I have to take this,” he told his father as he raised his phone.
His father frowned and gestured at him to leave the office. He was reading the latest report on Silas, so he was as distracted as he could be.
Nico quickly left the office, answering the phone as he ran up the stairs to his bedroom. “Hey,” he said, hoping Mackenzie wouldn’t realize how breathless he was. He needed to do more exercise if one set of stairs left him feeling like this.
“Hey. I’m not bothering you, am I?”
“I wouldn’t answer it if you were bothering me. What’s up?”
Mackenzie sighed. “I just had a fight with my brother. Well, it wasn’t really a fight. We argued, and honestly, I understand his point of view, but I feel he’s not considering mine.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” That had to be why Mackenzie had called, right?
Nico was touched that Mackenzie seemed to trust him enough to tell him about his family. It made him feel bad about not doing the same, but he would eventually. He just wanted a little time.
“I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t, but I trust you. See, the reason I asked you about carriers the day we met is that my brother had just found out that he was pregnant. We didn’t know it was possible since we’re both human. His boyfriend was also stabbed that day, so everything was a bit of a mess.”
Nico swallowed. He’d heard about Jasper getting stabbed.
Jasper was an alpha, and even more important, he was Silas’s son.
Silas hated him, though, and he wanted to retake his place as the skunks’ alpha.
He and his supporters were ready to kill Jasper to obtain that.
It was a miracle that Jasper had survived.
Nico hadn’t realized that Mackenzie was connected to Jasper. Maybe he should have asked more questions. He could now, though. “What were you and your brother fighting over?”
“I think it would be safer for him and the baby to leave the forest, not permanently, but until things calm down. Him being with Jasper puts him in danger, and he has to think of the baby now. He disagrees with that. He wants to stay here, and I get it. I’d want to stay with my boyfriend if he’d been stabbed, too.
I just don’t want anything to happen to my brother. ”
Nico understood where Mackenzie was coming from. “I get it. I’d do anything to protect my brother. He’s stubborn, though.”
Mackenzie snorted. “I think all brothers are.”
“Maybe. But while I understand where you’re coming from, I think your brother’s right in this case.”
Mackenzie sighed. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“Jasper has been stabbed. I know it’s scary, but I doubt anything like that will happen again.
His father isn’t going to stop coming after him, but people aren’t going to make it easy for him.
Don’t you think that Jasper would rather die than have anything happen to Dean and their child?
I’m sure that if he thought it would be safer for Dean to leave, he’d push for him to do just that.
Besides, what can you do? You’ve already told Dean that you think he should leave, and he said no.
You can either stand your ground and fight with your brother, or you can support him in his decision. ”
“I know that.”
Mackenzie didn’t sound angry, and he probably wasn’t. If Nico was in his place, he’d be worried. Hell, he was worried, and he didn’t even know Dean. He liked Mackenzie, though, and he didn’t want the man to be sad or to lose his brother.
Nico wished Silas would die. He would hesitate to think that about anyone else because he wasn’t bloodthirsty, and he didn’t believe that death was the best way to solve most situations, but in this case, he was all for it.
Silas was making everyone’s life in the forest hell.
He and his supporters wanted to take their freedom away.
They wanted carriers to be confined to their homes and to be nothing more than baby-making machines.
Hell, they probably wanted the same from women.
It wasn’t just that they were old-fashioned.
They were monsters who believed that they were superior to everyone who wasn’t like them.
But they weren’t. People were fighting to make a better life for everyone in the forest, and Nico knew that they’d win eventually. The problem was what might happen before they did. Silas was an asshole, but he was a smart asshole, and he had allies.
“I hate this,” Mackenzie murmured. “We should be happy, you know? My brother is having a baby. It’s not something any of us thought could happen, but it’s a good thing, and Dean is happy. But he’s also in danger.”
“But he’s trained, right? He’s not nine months pregnant yet. If Silas tries anything, he can defend himself.”
“He shouldn’t have to.”
“No, but unfortunately, he might not have a choice. He knows what’s best for himself and for his baby. The only thing you can do is support him.”
“Is that what you would do for your brother?”
“And what he would do for me.”
“I hate that there’s nothing more I can do. I want to protect Dean.”
“You have to trust that he can protect himself. Besides, he’s not doing this alone, is he? Jasper is right there with him. He knows his father better than anyone, and now that Harvey is out of the way, it’ll be easier to keep him and everyone else safe.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Nico hoped he was right, too. He didn’t want to make false promises, and while he didn’t know Dean, he prayed the man would be okay.
He prayed that everyone but Silas and his allies would be okay. The problem was that until they got their hands on Silas, everyone was in danger.