"Nesting." He counted off on his fingers. "There’s the compulsion to make baby-related things. Your scent has changed and you’ve been crying more frequently.” His hands moved to my hips. "Zale, I think you're pregnant."
The word hit me like a physical blow and I bent over, unable to take in what he was saying. Pregnant. I put a hand to my stomach.
"That's not possible. We only mated a few weeks ago."
"Shifters can conceive immediately after mating, much like humans can whenever they have sex." Hawthorn's eyes searched my face. "How do you feel about possibly being pregnant?"
My gaze roamed over the teddy bear cookies. I’d taken such care with each one, making sure they came out how I wanted them to. The sensation in my chest when I looked at their little faces reminded me of when Mrs. Trent suggested selling them and I’d become possessive.
"I don't know." That was my honest answer. "I didn't think about having a baby so soon after mating. We never talked about pups."
"True. Perhaps we should have." He tucked his arm in mine. "But we should probably get a test so we know for sure."
"A test. Right." My mind was spinning. I might be pregnant with Hawthorn’s pup. But if I was, the little one wasourpup.
My emotions were tangled with fear and excitement mixed with worry. Hawthorn’s cheeks paled. Maybe he was worried I didn't want a baby.
"I'm not upset," I assured him. "I’m just surprised."
He kissed me and the color returned to his face. "We can go to the pharmacy now or I can."
"No." He frowned, probably because he’d misunderstood my one-word reply. I wasn’t insisting we not find out but I hadn’t made it clear. "What I’m trying to say is that’s not necessary."
"You want to wait?"
I tugged at his apron and drew him close. Putting my lips to his ear, I whispered, "That’s not needed. I have an in-built pregnancy detector."
My mate chortled. "Maybe I’m the one with early pregnancy amnesia. Of course, your wolf."
My beast was clamoring for quiet so he could concentrate and discover whether I was carrying a little one.
My mate hugged me. We stood in the middle of the bakery, surrounded by teddy bear cookies and holding each other. My wolf breathed in my scent. He also asked if there was anyone else with him but I told him any baby was too small to reply.
The seconds ticked by and turned to minutes. I’d never considered getting pregnant until Hawthorn brought up the subject and now if my beast said I wasn’t, I was going to be disappointed.
You are!
I squeed and jumped up and down and Hawthorn held my hands and we danced around the bakery.
A pup. We were going to have a pup.
"You’re happy?"
"Oh yeah."
Hawthorn's relief was obvious as the tension left his shoulders. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." I pulled back to look at him. "Are you?"
"Terrified," he admitted. "But also really, really happy."
THIRTEEN
HAWTHORN
The town hall was already packed when we arrived.
Monthly community meetings weren't mandatory, but most of Ridgedale showed up anyway. It was how news got shared, decisions were made, and the way the town stayed connected. I'd been coming for ten years and usually sat in the back, left early, and avoided socializing afterward. My wolf didn’t care for large crowds so he hunkered down and slept.
