“Right. Do you want me to give you space?” She offers, and I shake my head.
“No…” I can’t take my eyes off the stick. There are six others in the trash, all having given me the same exact result. “Nope, nope, nope,” I add, and Sable sighs.
“My guys are feeling anxious. I think your alphas have alerted them to your distress, and they no doubt felt my shock. I give them thirty seconds before they’re all trying to get in here.” She grabs the doorknob and pauses. “I’ll hold them off.”
“Don’t tell them anything!” I yelp, glancing away from the stick to make sure she heard me. She nibbles her lip, frowning. “No hugs,” I add, before she can offer again.
Once I'm alone, I lock the door behind her and then sink to the floor with my back pressed against it.
“What’s wrong? I can feel her panic. Is she okay?” I hear Nick’s rapid-fire questions. Then lots of footsteps and other voices join the fray—Sable's mates checking on her, and my alphas demanding access to the door.
“She isn’t hurt, and no, she doesn’t need medical attention, butyou willif you try to shove past me again. She needs to be alone for a little bit. You’ll respect that, or I’ll start breaking things that aren’t meant to be broken,” Sable threatens, and I suck in a sharp breath.
I love her so much.
“What’s going on?” I hear Kai shout, but Sable must successfully drag them away from the door because it’s quiet for a little while after that, until someone knocks lightly.
“You ain’t got to come out, but you’re going to have to let me in,” Bee says firmly.
I don’t even try to say no. I just stand up, unlock the door, and open it for her. She doesn’t say anything once she steps inside, simply tugging me in for a hug. We stand hugging for a long time, until I finally figure out why I’m freaking out and start pulling away.
“I don’t know if I can do this. My mom died when I was young. I don’t know anything about taking care of someone, let alone a baby,” I confess as she releases me. She grabs the positive pregnancy test off the sink and reads it.
“Yes, you do,” Bee says, placing it back down and turning back to me. “You take care of yourself. Been doing it a while, too. You take care of the people around you, the ones you love… You know what not to do better than most.”
“Knowing what not to do is not the same as knowing how to raise a kid. Just like taking care of my alphas is not the same as keeping a baby alive! Very different things, Bee,” I argue, and Bee nods.
“True.”
“Bee! How does agreeing help me? You’re supposed to tell me I can do this. That I’m strong and smart and that I’ve got a pack that will help me. Friends and family that won’t let me fail! Things like that, not just agreeing with me when I argue!” I lift my hands and drop them against my legs dramatically. Bee lifts a single brow, tilting her head, and waits.
“Kai said he helped set up a community food bank with Nick and his brothers,” Bee says, and the abrupt change of subject catches me off guard. “And that he’s been talking to Benson about opening a bakery. He also mentioned donating money tothe library he worked for years ago. He doesn’t have any plans of returning to his old job, it seems. He’s going to have plenty to do on the farm, though.”
“Um?” I frown, a little confused.
“Nick’s got plenty of staff working the farm, but he loves the work too. Benson would probably love opening that bakery, from what I understand, but that will take a good while to plan. Maybe even a couple of years. Long enough to dedicate his time to fatherhood, hmm? Kai and Nick too.”
“Oh.” Rather than telling me generic things that everyone always says in a situation like this, she took the focus off of me and reminded me what I have with my men. My mates.
My pack.
“Oh, holy shit…” I gasp, tears filling my eyes. “I’m going to be a mom!”
“Even better? I’m going to be a grandma!” Bee smirks, and I can’t help but laugh. “Come on, let's get out there before your men start ripping the walls down trying to get to you.” She chuckles, opening the bathroom door.
I nod, grabbing the test off the sink, and follow her to the den.
All three of my men are pacing around. Sable’s in Rhian’s lap, her alphas on either side of them on the couch.
“Surprise!” I announce, holding the stick in the air when they turn to see me. “Sorry, had to freak out about this first.”
“I knew it,” Kai says, grinning. Benson relaxes but stares at the stick for a long moment. He’s probably never seen one of these.
“Congrats, Plum,” Rhian says. “Looks like I’m going to be an uncle. That kid’s going to have the best aunts and uncles ever.”
“Oh…Oh!”Benson’s eyes go wide, and then he’s smiling. “Holy shit, you’re pregnant!” He scoops me up into his arms, nuzzling my neck.
“You’re having a baby?” Nick asks, looking a little dazed. “I’m going to be a dad?”
