Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 16943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 85(@200wpm)___ 68(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 85(@200wpm)___ 68(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
I pour myself a cup of coffee, but the taste is lost on me as I consider all this means. I’m ready to roar with pride as the thought of my mate having our child lights a fire in my gut. My inner bear is a raucous ball of energy, tossing around like a wild beast anticipating the hunt.
I’m about to pour just a little more coffee, maybe to calm my thoughts, when I sense my mate’s closeness. I quickly spin around, and there’s Louisa, blinking sleepily as she walks up and wraps her soft arms around my waist. My heart flutters, making it impossible for me to breathe normally.
“Morning, sleepyhead.” I lean over and kiss her soft lips.
Louisa instantly pulls away from me like I’ve set off an alarm. Her expression shifts from contentment to something more pained, and I can’t help but frown. “ What’s wrong?” I ask, my heart beginning to race.
She shakes her head, her eyes wide, and I suddenly realize she’s covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh God,” she gasps, panic flickering across her face. “I think my stomach just… revolted when I smelled your coffee.”
Before I can respond, she bolts for the bathroom, and all I can think is, what the hell? Adrenaline spikes through me, and I immediately follow her, my bear instincts kicking in. If something’s wrong with my mate, I need to fix it.
Louisa barely makes it to the bathroom, and I can hear the unmistakable sounds of her retching just as I reach the door. I rush into the bathroom and kneel down behind her.
“Just kill me now,” she moans weakly. “I’ve never felt this bad in my life.” She palms her face, and it’s painfully clear that my beautiful, vibrant Louisa is down for the count.
I fight down the panic rising up in me. Seeing my mate suffering nearly brings me to my knees. “Just breathe. You’re gonna be okay.” I slowly run my hand in circles on her back, hoping to soothe her some.
Once she’s done, I help Louisa brush her teeth and take a quick shower. When she finally emerges from the bathroom wearing sweats, she looks like she’s been through the wringer. But she’s still impossibly radiant, even with the faint sheen of sweat on her forehead. I can’t help but grin, despite her disheveled state, feeling a wave of affection so powerful it almost knocks me over.
She looks at me with that questioning gaze, like she’s searching for answers in my smug, bear-sized grin. “How do you know I’m not just really sick?” she asks, her voice still a little wobbly but tinged with curiosity.
I lean against the door frame, crossing my arms as I try to figure out how to tell my mate we’re about to become parents. “Because morning sickness doesn’t last forever.”
Her eyes widen, moments slowly clicking into place as realization dawns on her. I watch her gorgeous eyes light up like fireworks as everything between us seems to shimmer with happiness.
"Are you serious?" she whispers, her hands instinctively finding their way to her stomach, her eyes wide with awe and happiness. The look on her face is enough to make my heart skip a goddamn beat.
"Hell yeah," I say, unable to stop the grin that’s spreading across my face like a wildfire. "We’re gonna have ourselves a little one."
"How do you know?" Her voice is edged with suspicion, though the corners of her mouth twitch with a hint of a smile.
"It’s all in the scent, sweetheart. There's a subtle change. The moment I got a whiff, I just knew." I tap my nose with a wink, relishing in my smug certainty.
"Oh my goodness," she murmurs, and before I know it, she’s wrapped her arms around my waist, snuggling closer. Her warmth seeps into me, and I feel her love wash over me like a comforting wave. "I love you so much," she whispers, and I can feel the sentiment echo through my mind.
Life couldn’t get any better. I tighten my hold on her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you, too, sweetheart. Prepare yourself; it’s going to be a hell of a ride." And in that moment, standing there with Louisa in my arms, I realize that the adventure we’re about to embark on together is one I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.
Epilogue
Louisa
It’s been four wild, unpredictable years since I fell head over heels for Gabe, my wild and loving mate. And darn it, he definitely delivered on the wild ride he promised. As it turns out, life with Gabe isn’t for the faint-hearted, but I wouldn’t change a single thing.
I’m standing at the back door watching Gabe gallivant around the back yard with our three rambunctious triplets. My entire pregnancy was one heck of a rollercoaster, from twenty-four-seven morning sickness to the unbelievable surprise of having three babies at once. Some people hit the jackpot, and some of us hit three all at the same time.