Cypher pulled her against his chest as he wrapped a large arm around her waist. “For the same reason that it feels like the world is going to fall off of its axis at any moment.”
“That isn’t reassuring,” she told him dryly.
“Wasn’t meant to be. Now go to sleep, female. I’m tired and more than likely I’m going to have to help save the world in a week. We need all the rest we can get.”
“Love you, too, king of mine.”
Cypher pressed his lips to the back of her neck. “I adore you. Now sleep.”
Chapter Twelve
“Nothing in the world can prepare you for those two words: You’re pregnant. From one breath to the next, my life has been forever changed.” ~ Bethany
Drake satBethany down gently on their couch. Despite what he’d told Jen, he had no intention of bedding his mate at the moment. He’d just said that to keep the girls away. He and his mate needed to talk, without any outside interference from meddling packmates. Yet, now, the words seemed to be frozen in his throat, and his heart felt as though it was attempting to punch its way out of his chest.Pregnant. His mate was pregnant with their child. An hour ago he’d been worried about how he was going to make things right between them, and now he was worried he wouldn’t be a good father. He was obviously terrible at being a good mate, considering how well he’d royally screwed up for the past couple of months. How in the world was he going to take care oftwoof the most precious people in the world when he couldn’t even take care of one?
“Are you going to say anything?” Bethany asked. She was looking up at him, her brow raised as her eyes scanned his face.
He nodded.Say something fool,his wolf growled. His wolf had gotten good at the insults since Drake had been angering him over how things were going with Bethany. The beast was scared she was going to get fed up and leave them.We would follow her,his wolf rumbled in his mind.Yes,Drake responded,to the ends of the earth.
“How are you feeling?” Drake asked, finally forcing his tongue to work.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Unsure, I guess.”
Drake felt alarm bells going off inside of him.If she leaves us, I will figure out a way to end you, human. Drake’s wolf snarled.She isn’t going to leave us.His wolf huffed and snorted at him.
“What are you unsure of?” he asked, almost terrified of the answer. What if she wasn’t sure if she wanted to have a baby,hisbaby? What if she was unsure about their mating? Regardless of the fact it was already done, it didn’t mean she was happy about it. What if she didn’t know if she wanted this life at all? What if she wanted to go back to live with humans? The more the thoughts and questions piled on, the more worked up he could feel his wolf becoming. Drake had no doubt his eyes were glowing by the time she finally spoke.
“Drake?” Bethany’s voice reached him through the fog of doubts that had begun to fill his mind. He turned to look at her, not realizing he was pacing.Way to inspire confidence in the mother of your child, Drake. Act like a lunatic.
“I apologize,” he said and then moved to sit beside her on the couch. He wanted to touch her,neededto touch her, but he didn’t know if his touch would be welcome. “What are you unsure of, Bethy?” he asked again, forcing himself to ignore all his own worries and listen to hers.
“How you feel about this?” she said, pointing to her stomach.
“That’s all?” he asked, his brow drawn down low as he narrowed his eyes on her.
“Um, isn’t that a big deal?”
“Yes,” he said quickly. “Yes, of course it is. I’m sorry, love. My mind was working overtime when you said you were unsure of how you were feeling, and I was worried that you didn’t want this anymore.”
“This?” she asked. “You mean us?” Bethany pointed back and forth between them.
Drake nodded.
She reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers. “Of course I want us. Why wouldn’t I want us?”
Drake didn’t want to ask his next question, but it was one that had been whispering in the back of his mind and he couldn’t keep wondering. “Bethany, do you only want me because I was the first thing that came along after you were rescued by the vampires?”
Her eyes narrowed on him, and her lips drew tight across her face.
Maybe that wasn’t the smartest question I could have asked.
“So you think I would have shacked up with just any male because I was so desperate to get away from those monsters? You think I would just jump into bed with the first willing Joe Blow because I was frightened of being taken by the vampires again? Seriously, Drake!”
He took a deep breath and gave in to his need to touch her. He placed his hands on either side of her face and pressed his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry. That was a jackass thing to ask.”
“Yes. It was.”
“You aren’t the only one with insecurities, mate. You aren’t the only one who worries,” Drake admitted. “I’m so damn scared of losing you. I didn’t know I could love someone this much, need someone this much. I’m sorry.”
