Epilogue - Janella
“We don’t want to know the sex,” Riley explained while Sherry was pulling the ultrasound machine closer to us. “And by we, I mean me. I don’t want to know.”
Sherry raised an eyebrow. “Really? You don’t want to know ?”
Riley shook his head. “No, I want to be surprised when the baby comes out.”
I pulled at my shirt, yanking it up while she started to examine me. “I’m a little surprised. I would have thought you’d want to know if you were having a little boy or girl.”
“I like the surprise.”
Sherry ran the machine and smiled. “Everything looks good. Baby is growing and has all ten toes and ten fingers.”
I placed my hand on my stomach. I was about seven months along now and feeling like a hippo. I had pregnancy cravings all the time, and my ankles were huge. But I saw how happy Riley was.
“Do you know what the sex is?” Sherry asked, looking at me.
I nodded my head. “I do. I even bought a bunch of stuff for the nursery.”
“Aw, that’s cute. Did you guys pick a theme out?”
“We’re doing a woodsy theme. We have deer and rabbits drawn on the walls. There are clouds and a sun drawn on the ceiling.”
“Aw, that sounds so cute.”
“It is.”
Sherry pulled the machine back and wiped at my stomach. “Well, next time you come back, I want to see a photo of this room.”
“We will.”
“I’m going to go pull the car closer.”
I rolled my eyes. “Riley, I can walk to the parked car.”
“Just stay here.” Riley slipped out of the room, and Sherry turned the chair towards me.
“So, Woodsy? Is that because you're having a son?”
I smiled, still unable to stop the butterflies that formed in my stomach. “He actually picked it without the knowledge of it being a boy.”
“Do you think he’s going to be over the moon that he’s having a son?”
I nodded. “I think he’s going to be so happy. Not that he wouldn’t have minded having a daughter, but I think he’s going to look forward to having a buddy to do stuff with.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“Nervous. Having a boy is different to raise, but I know we will be okay. I look forward to dressing him in little clothes and watching him grow up. I look forward to his first steps and his first words. It’s going to be a fun new journey.”
I pulled my shirt down, and Sherry gave me a hand off the bed. I waddled as I walked. She walked with me into the hallway.
“Do you guys think you’ll want more kids?”
I shrugged. We hadn’t exactly talked about it, but the closer we got to my due date, the more I wondered what I wanted our future to look like.
Did I want one child? Or did I envision us with several children?
We didn’t live in a huge house, so if we wanted more, we would need to start the renovations that Riley spoke about. I didn’t mind the idea.
“I never thought I would be married, let alone have a child.” We paused as I tried to catch my breath.
“I can see you guys with three kids. I can see who is book smart, and another is athletic, while the third is artistic.”
I couldn’t help but smile. The more people talked about possible futures, I couldn't help but wonder if that was ours. “I hope so.”
Sherry opened the front door, and Riley was just parking the car. He’d already hopped out, hurrying over to me.
“You know, he treats me like I can’t do anything for myself.”
Sherry smirked. “It’s called being loved, get used to it. Besides, soon he will be putting all that love into him.”
“Are we ready?” Riley held his hand out to me, and I grabbed it. He helped me into the car, where I buckled up. I groaned as I turned the AC on, moving it to blow on me.
“Lord, it’s baking outside.” I fanned myself as Tiley got into the car.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize how hot it was going to be today.” He started driving down the road, and I tried to adjust in my seat. But I was uncomfortable either way. I glanced out the window, and my eyes widened when I spotted the local fruit stand.
“Stop!”
Riley jumped and turned to me. He owed the car down.
“Watermelon.”
His eyebrows scrunched together. “What about watermelon?”
“And cheese.” I pointed towards the grocery store across the street. “I need watermelon and cheese.”
“For what?”
I unlocked the car, and Riley reached out to stop me. “Jesus, Janella! I’m in the middle of traffic.”
“I’m pregnant! I want some watermelon and cheese.”
“Let me park first!”
I had already unbuckled and was maneuvering myself out of the car. I could hear cars honking, but I waved my hand. “I get what I want! Pregnant lady coming out.”
“Janella! Jesus Christ! Do you hear yourself?”
“Get me cheese, and I will meet you in that spot over there.” I pointed across the fruit stand as I shut the door and started to waddle toward the stand. But I paused and turned back to him. “Brie! Brie cheese! Peanut butter! I want peanut butter.”
I didn’t even let him say anything as I turned and started for the fruit stand. Marty, who was running it, smiled. “Janella, you're glowing today.”
“No time for chit chat, Marty, I need a watermelon, and I need it now. And by God, if you say you don’t have any, I will cry. I’m a pregnant woman, and I want what I crave.”
Marty chuckled. “I heard, as did probably half of Riverville.”
I blushed as he moved, placing a watermelon in front of me. “Was I that loud?”
He nodded. “But I won’t judge. I’ve had two women fighting over a pineapple because they were craving it.”
I paid for the watermelon, only to realize I had no way to carry it.
So, I stood and waited until I spotted Riley pulling into the spot I had pointed at.
He got out and started to walk towards me with a grocery bag in his hands.
He stopped at the picnic table and set the bag down. “Janella, please come sit.”
I slowly made my way over. He grabbed the watermelon and placed it on the table next to the bag. “I love you, but I think your cravings are becoming dangerous to those around you.”
I blushed as I looked around. But my mouth watered as I could smell the watermelon.
And then I realized we couldn’t eat it. Tears started to form, and the thought of having to wait became too much.
Riley looked at me, shocked. “Why are you crying?”
“Because. We have this beautiful watermelon that I wanted, and we can even eat it because we have nothing to cut it with.”
He reached into the bag and pulled out a knife. “I’m ahead of you. I bought one. Including some plates and forks.”
I started to cry harder, and he bent over, pulling me into a hug.
“I’m sorry I’m so bossy and mean.”
“Sweetie, it's the hormones. You're just fine.”
“But I got out of the car.”
“It’s fine. I don’t recommend it again, but it’s okay. How about we have some watermelon?”
“With peanut butter and cheese.”
He nodded. “Yes.”
After we ate, Riley drove us back home. It took me a moment to get inside and relax on the couch, but I made it. I sighed heavily, rubbing at my stomach, feeling even more full.
“Do you think that counted as lunch?”
Riley chuckled as he pulled my shoes off. “Yes, I think that counted as lunch, but give it a couple of hours, and you’ll be hungry again.” He leaned back and threw a blanket over me.
“Are you not going to join me?”
He shook his head. “I have another town meeting.”
Since the pack found out about everything Riley had kept, they have been holding an open town meeting every week for anyone with concerns or questions.
He didn’t want there to be any more secrets, and he was making sure everyone knew it.
People were pissed to hear about the cauldron and the fact that it was in the pack, but there wasn’t much we could do about that at the moment.
No one was to touch it, and until we found out more, it stayed there.
It was still locked up and guarded. It wasn’t like anyone could just go downstairs and see it anyway. No one knew the exact coordinates.
Riley bent over and kissed me. I leaned into it, basking in the smell of him.
“Do you have to go?” I grabbed hold of his shirt. “I can think of something better to do than a meeting?”
He hovered over me. “I would love to do that, but I didn’t go to the last meeting because I stayed home and had you. And I don’t think my Beta would appreciate me being gone two weeks in a row. He doesn’t like speaking in large crowds.”
“He should work on that, considering he will have to help out more when the baby arrives.”
His hand landed on my stomach. “I promise when I get back, you can have me however you want me.”
My body clenched up at his words. “Then you'd better hurry before I please myself.”
He laughed at this as he kissed my cheek. “My dick is so much better.”
I laughed, giving him a kiss in return before letting go.
I flipped the tv on and started a movie. I was only paying half attention to it, feeling tired. I felt my eyes growing heavier as the movie played. I finally stopped fighting it and let myself sleep.
I sleep peacefully. I dreamt about Riley and me with a little baby boy. We were playing in the nursery, watching this little bundle of joy laugh. It was the most beautiful sound.
Something hit the couch, and I jerked awake.
“Shit, sorry.” Riley stood at the other edge of the couch with a bag. I could smell fries and a burrito from the Mexican place I craved all the time.
“Sorry, I tripped on the rug and hit the couch. I wasn’t going to wake you.”
My dream was still in my memory, and it had felt so real. I couldn’t help but smile because it was exactly what I wanted.
“You brought me dinner.”
He nodded. “The meeting ran long, and I figured you’d want this.” He placed the bag down, leaning in for a kiss. I sank against it, grabbing his shirt.
“You're lucky I was patient and didn’t please myself.”
A smirk formed on his lips. “Can you even reach?”
I was embarrassed because he knew I couldn’t. I’d just asked him to help me shave the other day.
“Well then, you're lucky I did find someone else to do it for me.”
He laughed at this. “No other man would please you as I do, Janella.”
His lips pressed against mine a little rougher this time. “Do you want to eat, or can food wait?”
“Food can wait.” I wanted him. I wanted him inside me, making me come apart.
Riley grabbed at my pants, and we slowly shimmered them off. I grabbed the remote, shutting all the blinds. Riley gripped onto my thighs, spreading them.
“You are so wet, honey. You’ve soaked through your underwear.” He looked at me with hunger. “Were you having a naughtier dream?”
“No, but it was nice. It was a dream about us and our future.” It was a turn on in its own way.
I felt his hand stroke over the fabric, and my head rolled back. I moaned at the contact, feeling I was already throbbing down there.
He yanked my underwear down, thrusting two fingers into me. My back arched, and I moaned louder. I rocked my hips as he moved. I liked it slow, but I desperately wanted to come.
“Eager?” He asked as he kissed my thighs.
I nodded, feeling how close I was. “Yes,” I said breathlessly.
I watched as he dipped down, and his tongue slid over my clit. My hands grabbed the couch, and my head tilted back. “Oh god!”
I didn’t know what was better, the angle his fingers were thrusting in or how his tongue was swirling over my clit perfectly.
We had done this so many times, Riley knew exactly where to lick. He knew where to bite and what parts I wanted worked. It was no different now.
An orgasm hit me, and I moaned as I came. I felt his fingers continue riding my orgasm higher.
He pulled away just enough to undo his pants and pull his cock out. I watched his stroke a hand over it, moving himself against my entrance.
He grabbed a pillow and placed it under my hips. His fingers were tight against my skin as he nudged himself slowly inside me. I felt myself stretch, and my toes curled at the contact.
“You are so tight.” He growled as he kissed my neck. One hand reached underneath my shirt, grabbing my breast. “And your breasts have gotten so big.”
I felt hotness spread over me as he rocked his hips slowly, giving me just a little friction.
I felt his hands moving lower, his fingers moving in circles over my already sensitizing clit. I felt myself pulsing at the contact.
He grunted, his thrust growing quicker and deeper. I felt my voice pitch higher until I was panting. The couch creaked under our weight, and the sound of our noises bounced around the room.
I was so close. Just sitting on the edge, ready to fall over.
His lips pressed against my cheek. “I love you.”
I felt my heart swell at his words. “I love you too.”
It was like electricity hit me as I came hard. My body jerked, my back arching as my orgasm took hold. I felt Riley filling me, slamming into me hard as he came himself.
We were both panting as we tried to catch our breath. I felt sweaty and hot, but my head felt fuzzy. I stared at Riley. I loved his eyes and the shape of his lips. I loved his thick hair and the way it curled slightly.
I loved so much about him. I never thought I’d be here. Never thought I’d have what I have now.
“Riley.”
He leaned back, raising an eyebrow at me. “Yeah?”
“We should stay for renovations to add more room.”
He smiled. “You think so?”
I nodded, suddenly wanting more children who looked like him. “Yeah.
He kissed me softly as he pulled me up. “I’m going to go clean myself up, and then we are going to eat. We can talk about it when we eat.” I beamed, knowing this is where I wanted to be.
*****
THE END