Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what to do. I had a plan, and we are so far out of the spectrum of that plan, it’s not even funny. We’re not married. You don’t even love me, and I know you said you care for me, but that is now, knowing I carry your child. Before then, you were quite sure. I’m trying not to freak out, but I don’t think this is working,” she said.
Shadow cupped her cheek, and the temptation to kiss her was so strong, only he didn’t think it would help, and might perhaps freak her out more.
“I want this baby,” he said. “It will be part human and part wolf, because that is what we are. I do not know if our child will be weaker or not. We’re entering unknown territory, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Eloise and Beau did it,” he said.
“You’re not mad?” she asked.
“I’m delighted. I’m going to be a father, and I couldn’t have gotten a better mother for my child. You’re going to be an amazing mother.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what I’m doing. What if it is different with a wolf child? What if your pack really can’t stand her or him? What if you want a boy and you get a girl? Does that change anything?”
“Stop,” he said, gently. “All we want for certain is a healthy baby. That is it. One happy, healthy baby.”
Lisa nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“And, I want you to move in here,” Shadow said. “I want you to live with me.”
She began to shake her head.
“Listen to me, Lisa. You didn’t take care of yourself. You ran out of food, and you didn’t eat. I want to take care of you.”
“No, I can take care of myself. I’m not going to stay here.”
She got to her feet, and he stood. If he needed to, he could keep her here.
“Look, this hasn’t changed anything,” she said.
“Lisa, don’t.”
“We’re two different people, and I can’t stop thinking about what you said. I know I am not the mate you wanted.”
He cupped her face and tilted her head back to look at him. “I was an asshole,” he said, finally admitting the truth.
“I didn’t know what the fuck I was saying, or what I was thinking. You cannot listen to that shit. I was wrong.” He hadn’t been anywhere near close to saying what he really felt. He wasn’t going to tell them that when he was around Lisa, the whole world faded away. He wasn’t going to tell them that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. That he loved being with her. Shadow hadn’t told them the truth, because at the time it had terrified him. Lisa was human, he was not.
He was an Alpha, and not once while they were together did Lisa ask him about the pack, about being an Alpha, about any of this. They didn’t talk about it. He didn’t think she wanted to know. Maybe she was a little embarrassed to have given her virginity to him, to a wolf. He doubted it, but again, he didn’t know for sure. Instead, he fucking lied, because it had been easier to him than to admit the truth. Lisa owned him.
He was a fucking Alpha, and she owned his heart.
No wolf allowed themselves to be at the mercy of a human. It was unheard of.
“You can hate me all you want, and I know it doesn’t matter what I say, you’re going to think what you damn well like. It doesn’t change the fact that is my child in there. It doesn’t change the fact that I am going to take care of you, whether you like it or not. You’re staying here, and that is final.”
Lisa stared at him, and he waited for her to argue. She folded her arms, continued to look at him, and he waited.
“Fine, if that is the case, I want to … pick up some of my things from home.”
“You’re not going to argue with me?” he asked.
“What’s the point? You’ve already said it’s not going to change, and also, I rather liked your meatballs and spaghetti. It would be nice to have someone cook for me.” She nibbled her bottom lip, and he found that so sexy. He wanted to reach out, touch that lip, and maybe even nibble it between his own teeth. He refrained from doing that, and instead focused on actually doing what he was meant to do—take care of Lisa.
“You’re not working,” Shadow said.
Now this did create a cute growl.
“I don’t give a shit. I’m not always going to be there to catch you. This is me taking care of you. Adele can come and visit you here anytime she wants. Anything else in between, that is not fucking happening.”