“Sure, shoot.”
Jackson grinned, “I already did,” leaning into Steel’s side, turning his head to bury his nose in his mate’s neck while inhaling the rich, deep scent he found there.
Steel laughed. “I remember.” Running his fingers through Jackson’s long hair he added, “Smartass.”
Turning his face to look at his mate, Jackson began. “Seriously, right? Last night, as we claimed each other, at one point I could have sworn I felt your wolf in me—mating with my wolf. Now, I know that can’t happen, so what did happen?”
Steel thought for a minute and said, “You’re right. My wolf wasn’t in you even though it felt like it. My wolf’s spirit entered you to become one with your wolf. In a sense they were mating, but only spiritually. It only happens with a Fated Mate during theirtoirchighperiod,” Steel explained.
Jackson looked puzzled. “What is thetoirchighperiod? I’ve never heard of that.”
“Certain paranormals have a specific time during which they are able to impregnate their mate. It’s only during thistoirchighperiod that it’s possible,” explained Steel. “Toirchighmeans ‘to make pregnant’. Once the mate is pregnant, then thetoirchighperiod ends until the next cycle.”
Jackson thought about what Steel said and when he put the pieces together, he came to only one conclusion. “Are you still in yourtoirchighperiod?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Are you telling me I’m pregnant?” asked Jackson in a voice so soft that Steel needed to rely on the hearing skills of his wolf to know that his mate even spoke.
He couldn’t tell how Jackson felt because he didn’t want to use their mind link again until his mate knew about it. He took a deep breath before replying. “Yes, you are,” he said quietly.
Chapter 14
Jackson froze. He was pregnant. He, no,theywere going to have a pup. A pup! His own baby to care for, nurture, and raise with unconditional love—from both parents!Oh, my gods!Jackson leaped into Steel’s lap, holding his mate’s face between his hands, looking Steel in the eye, saying, “I love you,” and following with a kiss that quickly morphed into tongue dueling as Steel gasped at Jackson’s declaration.
Pulling back, Steel looked into Jackson’s beautiful blue eyes, rubbed his thumb along his mate’s puffy lips, uttering, “I love you, Jackson, now and forever and that won’t even be enough time,mo chroí. You are my heart, my soul, my everything.”
As tears of joy ran down Jackson’s face, he leaned forward to snuggle in his mate’s arms, finding the security and love he’d sought his whole life. Listening to Steel’s strong, steady heartbeat, peace came over him, settling his soul and centering his universe.
Jackson took a deep ragged breath, trying to stem his tears as Steel soothingly rubbed his back. He was loathed to leave his mate’s arms but wanted to continue their conversation; if he stayed where he was, they would be having a different conversation with body parts. Reluctantly drawing out of Steel’s arms and lap, he moved to sit next to him.
Steel loved Jackson’s reaction to the news he was pregnant as he did his affirmation of love. Yet he was surprised at how quickly Jackson had accepted the ‘you-can-get-pregnant’ news, so he asked, “Mo chroí,I’m delighted at how easily you accepted that you could have a baby. Did you know it before my mother told you?”
Looking down, pausing to gather his thoughts, Jackson brought Steel’s hand to his lips, kissing it before he moved it to rest over his heart. Then he spoke, “As I grew up, my father spent hours lecturing me on the duties and responsibilities of being an Alpha and, while I did my best, I always felt I was lacking somehow.” Steel started to object but before he could speak Jackson said, “No, shush,” holding a finger over Steel’s mouth.
“What I mean is, parts of being the Alpha were very hard, such as sending men out to fight because I knew in my soul if one died on my orders, it would affect me far greater than it should. So, I tended to over-think decisions, always trying to find a peaceful solution so no one would have to pay with their life.
“My father hated that part of me and tried to crush it with insults and putdowns which only resulted in me retreating into myself. My mother finally sent me away to spend a summer with her parents. They taught me how to handle my father’s verbal assaults and when I came back, I never allowed his words to hurt me again.”
“But youarea good Alpha,” asserted Steel, not wanting his mate to denigrate himself. “Look at how you took control after the massacre.”
“Yes, I took control of my brothers and made sure they were safe. But I couldn’t bring myself to order the revenge my family deserved. I would sooner cut off my right arm than put one of my brothers in harm’s way,” replied Jackson sadly. “That’s exactly what my father hated about me. So, my family still doesn’t have the justice they deserve, and my mother and siblings have the right to it—maybe more than my father—because they were innocents in all this mess.”
Jackson paused before going on. “This part of me was the reason I rejected claiming you at first. I knew if—no,make that when—the Silver Point enforcers found us, I would have to stand with my brothers to defend them and that meant I wasn’t putting you first, as a mate should. It was an untenable position and either choice would devastate me if harm came to anyone.”
“What changed your mind?” asked Steel.
“Mystia,” said Jackson. “She talked me down off the edge, so to speak, and made me see my mate would stand with me and my brothers and it wasn’t an ‘either/or’ choice.”
“Your brothers are my brothers now,” growled Steel, upset his mate was still threatened. “They will be protected with all the resources of my family.”
Jackson’s eyes began to fill with tears as he listened to Steel’s vow. Looking at his mate with watery eyes, he said, “That means more to me than you’ll ever know. Thank you.”
“Hey babe,” Steel crooned, taking Jackson’s hand, lifting it to his mouth and licking off some fallen tears. “Know I will do anything and everything for you just so I can see your smile.”
Jackson, leaning in for a kiss, said, “Remember when you found me at the side of the road?”
“How can I forget?”
