Chapter Ten #2
He led Nico to the bathroom and dug through his drawers to find one of the pregnancy tests he’d left there, then put it on the counter. Nico looked at it like it was a bomb about to explode, so Mackenzie kissed his forehead. “You want me to stay here for this?”
“I’m not going to make you stay here and watch me pee on a stick. You can go back downstairs.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be outside the door.”
Nico looked like he wanted to argue, but there had to be something in Mackenzie’s expression because instead, he nodded. Mackenzie stepped out, trying to look calm when he was freaking out.
What would they do if Nico was pregnant? Mackenzie didn’t think either of them was ready for that, but it wasn’t like they’d have a choice. They’d have to deal with it, and whatever Nico decided, Mackenzie would support him.
He needed to be there for Nico. That meant that he had to freak out now, before Nico came out of the bathroom with a positive pregnancy test.
Because Mackenzie was sure it would be positive.
* * * *
NICO DIDN’T WANT TO do this, but he did anyway because Mackenzie was right. He needed to know. If he was pregnant, he couldn’t hide his head in the sand, even though he wanted to. He’d have to start planning, to make decisions, and talk to his father.
He quickly peed on the stick, then left it on the counter and carefully avoided looking at his reflection in the mirror. Instead, he glanced down at his stomach and pressed his hand against it.
He was still queasy. It could be a stomach bug, what where the chances?
What would he do if the test was positive?
How would Mackenzie feel about having a child with him?
Would he want that, or would he freak out?
Mackenzie had just found out that some men could get pregnant.
He and Nico had gotten together just a few weeks ago.
It was way too soon for them to have a child.
It looked like they might not have a choice.
If Nico was pregnant, he wanted to keep the baby.
It was probably a crazy decision considering the state of his life, but he did.
He was pretty sure that Mackenzie would support him, too.
Nico had wanted to see where things could go between them, and it looked like he was about to get what he’d wished for.
The way Mackenzie reacted would tell him everything he needed to know about their future.
He swallowed. He could do this. Whatever happened next, he knew he could.
The only real danger was Silas. Nico didn’t want to disappoint his father, but Mackenzie was right.
He probably already had and would again.
It was just how things went, and he’d have to learn to deal with that.
Besides, even if his father was disappointed, he’d want Nico to be responsible.
If Nico was pregnant, that meant taking care of his child.
It wasn’t like Nico had been stupid about it or anything. He and Mackenzie had been careful.
Not careful enough, considering the test was positive.
Nico stared at it for a moment, but it didn’t change. It stayed positive, no matter how long he looked at it. Nico was going to be a dad.
“Mackenzie?” he called out.
The door opened instantly. Mackenzie peeked in, his gaze going straight to the test. He didn’t look surprised to see it was positive. He stepped in, and when he opened his arms, Nico dove into them.
“You don’t have to make any decision right now,” Mackenzie murmured. “You can take a few days.”
“I already know I want this baby,” Nico murmured.
“Then we’ll have a baby.”
Nico tilted his head to look at Mackenzie. “Just like that?”
“Just like that. I’ll support you, whatever decision you make. If you want to keep the baby, we’ll keep the baby and be a family.”
Nico groaned. “I really don’t want to tell my father.”
“You don’t have to tell him right away if you don’t want to. I do think you should see a doctor, though. Would the bobcat healer talk to your father?”
“I don’t know.” Nico didn’t know much right now. “But I have to tell him. I was planning on talking to him about you anyway. I guess I can give him a double surprise.”
“How do you think he’ll react to knowing he’ll be a grandfather?”
“I have no idea. My mom will be worried but happy once I tell her that I’m happy, but my father? There’s no way to know. He wanted me to focus on becoming a good alpha, but now, I’m going to have a baby. I don’t know if I can be a good alpha.”
“Of course you can be one. I’m sure your father thinks the same.”
“Maybe not.”
“Nico, your father has always known you and your brother could get pregnant. He still wanted one of you to become the alpha after him. He knew there was a chance that one day, you’d get pregnant and still have to lead the clowder. I’m sure he has plans for this.”
“I doubt he has plans for it happening so soon, and for me not to be married when it does.”
“Being married doesn’t matter. We’re in this together, he when I. We are family.”
He was right about everything. The only thing Nico really needed to be scared of was Silas, and he was more interested in alphas than future alphas right now. That could change, but Nico couldn’t live fearing what Silas would do next forever. He couldn’t afford to focus on Silas.
Things were already scary enough without worrying about him.
But while there was nothing Nico could do about Silas, this was something he could deal with. It was something he had to deal with.
And it looked like he and Mackenzie would deal with it together. It was a lot to wrap their minds around, but Nico couldn’t help but smile. “We’re having a baby,” he murmured.
Mackenzie beamed down at him. “We are. We’re going to be fathers.”
He looked in shock, but generally happy.
It soothed something in Nico. He hadn’t expected Mackenzie to dump him and run, but he’d thought Mackenzie would be more hesitant.
This wasn’t what he’d signed up for. He’d told Nico that he’d never expected he’d have biological children, yet here they were, and he didn’t look like he was going to run.
No, he looked like he was in this for the long term, like he’d support Nico, and that was all Nico wanted.
They’d do this together, like the family Mackenzie had said they were.