Epilogue
Aries
One year later…
Something was up with our mate.
I noticed it the moment I walked in the door. She was on the couch watching a movie with Diesel on one side and Carver on the other.
Her eyes met mine.
“What’s going on, female?”
Her knee bounced. Whatever it was, by now, she had to know we would get through this together.
“I have something to tell all three of you, and I wanted to wait until we were having dinner or something special, but our schedules have been crazy lately with the new club plans coming together and—”
“Whoa.” I said and sat down in front of her, grabbing her knees. “Slow down, love. Tell us.”
She let out the longest sigh to date. Her brilliant, bright eyes filled with tears. “I took three tests. I’m pregnant.”
If I’d been standing, I would’ve fallen. My gaze darted to her belly and then back to her eyes.
Carver clapped his hand over his mouth. Diesel put his hand over her stomach.
“Josie, I’m gonna burst I’m so damned happy. We’re gonna have a baby!”
“We didn’t plan this. We talked about it but…”
I shook her knees as my pack brothers hugged her to death. “So? None of what has happened to us was planned, and it turned out incredibly. We have to celebrate!”
Footsteps came shuffling into the room. A very sleepy Aunt Eliza rubbed her eyes. “What’s the commotion? Josie, are you okay?”
We turned to her, waiting for her to answer. I wasn’t sure if she was ready to share the news yet. Josie contacted Eliza after our mating and we found a way to get her out of that terrible pack. The alpha didn’t even notice for months afterward. He didn’t bother looking for her.
She’d only been with us a few weeks and was working in Josie’s old job. We’d found her a cozy apartment close by.
“I’m pregnant, Auntie,” Josie said.
“Oh, heavens! I’m so happy for you, baby! What an exciting night.” She and Josie hugged. “I’ll let you three get back to the celebrations but I can’t wait to be a grandmama.”
I leaned forward, resting my head in Josie’s lap.
“Are you really happy?” she asked. “All of you.”
We all reassured her, but I had to know. “Josie, the question is, are you happy? It’s your body that has to grow a pup and birth them and feed them. We will be with you every step of the way, but I can’t do those things for you.”
Her fingers ran through my hair, scraping my scalp. She did that when I came home stressed. It was our thing. “I want a little one of you more than anything. And he’ll be the best of all of us. I hope he’s big and strong like Diesel and has that commanding air like you and Carver’s sweetness.”
I raised my head. “Or a daughter that looks like the most beautiful woman in the world.”
She shrugged. “Or that.”
Thank you for reading Tainted Mate. One-click the next in series, Ripped Fur, today.