“It might be different in other ways,” I reminded them. “Maybe it’ll be normal, but I have no idea what they did to me in there—no idea what’s growing inside me.”
“A baby. That’s what’s growing inside you, female.” Lakota rose to his feet. “A packmate. One who’ll keep our wolves on guard. And forget diaper duty; if we have a pup in the house, someone will be on poop patrol.”
Tak roared with laughter.
“Do you know the gender?” Robyn asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to know. It spoils the surprise.”
“You really have two wolves?” Mercy asked. “Dang. That must be a crazy feeling inside your head.”
Hope pushed in a few chairs. “I’m dying to meet them. What a blessing to our pack.”
Everyone looked up to Hope. She always offered good advice, so her public support eliminated any lingering doubt from thepack. The tension lifted as everyone stirred with excitement over the prospect of another baby in the house.
Archer gave my belly a friendly rub and said, “Can’t wait to meet the little squirt.”
They seemed to have forgotten all about Atticus courting me, and I heard Krys whispering something to Tak about going after the labs. Meanwhile, Salem hastily excused himself from the room.
Atticus put his hands in his pants pockets and approached Tak. “When you get a chance, I’d like to speak to you alone.”
“We need to celebrate,” Virgil insisted. “Let’s go to the Rabbit Lounge.”
Hope shook her head. “Not me.”
Mel skipped around the table. “Why don’t you boys head out and let the girls have a night alone to celebrate? We havea lotto discuss.”
“Trying to get rid of us,wife?” Lakota scooped her up in his arms.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You can show me later how much you missed me.”
He kissed her neck until her legs gave out. “Sounds like a plan. Should I make a pie?”
Chapter 20
Atticus smiled at the young server who clumsily spilled drinks while setting them on the table. He would never have hired someone as inept as her, but no one seemed to mind. Customers laughed it off, so maybe their expectations were lower in the Rabbit Lounge.
Calvin, the ornery Shifter who owned the bar, hollered at a naked man strutting in. “Goddammit, Kevin. You know the rules!”
The town handyman reluctantly pivoted and collected the trousers hanging by the door—something Atticus would never allow in his own establishment. Kevin had tried on more than one occasion to visit his club, but Atticus had instructed his staff to turn him away unless he was dressed, which he never was.
Satisfied, Calvin resumed his conversation with Bear. Though Atticus didn’t know him well, he liked Bear. Quiet, friendly, and completely devoted to his mate.
Tak gulped his tea. From their booth in the back, they had a decent view of the room except for the left side of the bar and back hallway area. Lakota, Krys, Montana, and Lucian were in aheated game of pool. Atticus looked over his left shoulder at the dartboards near them when Archer cheered triumphantly.
Virgil pulled a dart from the bullseye and examined the needle. “Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater. You put magnets in these things, don’t you?” He waltzed over to the table, collected a shot glass, and knocked back the tequila.
When he reached for another, Tak waved his hand over the glasses. “You know the rule. Only one drink after the house special.”
Virgil was intoxicated on sensory magic. Every reputable bar put a limit on how many alcoholic beverages could be ordered after a sensory drink—it depended on the strength of the magic.
Flattening his hands on the table, Virgil frowned at his Packmaster. “I was only going to deliver it to the fellas.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Story of my life.”
Tak briefly glanced at his phone. “If anyone wants their drink, they know where to come.”
