11
Sage
“How didyou guys tell when you got pregnant?” I asked impatiently.
It had only been a week since Xander’s formal acceptance into the pack, and a week since my heat ended, but I was already tired of waiting. If I was pregnant, I wanted to knownow.I kept putting my hands on my belly, as if a half-formed baby would magically appear and kick me, but obviously that didn’t happen. It was flat as ever.
The omega parents were taking a short rest and having a snack while the kids were passed out.
“Hmm,” Len said. “I knew when we visited Dr. Pine in the canyon. You were there, Sage, remember?”
“Oh, right. That wasn’t that much longer after we met, right?”
Len nodded. “But hare gestation is incredibly fast. I don’t know if my pregnancy would be comparable to yours.”
I grumbled. “What about you, Morgan?”
“I visited Dr. Pine as well, on your recommendation, Len,” Morgan said. “I believe it was a few weeks after conception.”
“Bleh, too much info,” I said, not wanting to think about my brother conceiving anything. Morgan grinned in amusement. “Does that mean a week’s too early to go check?”
“Probably,” Len said sympathetically. “But I totally understand. It’s hard waiting, isn’t it?”
“It sucks.”
Len and Morgan both grinned as they exchanged a glance. I’m glad my suffering was amusing tosomeone.
“I’m glad you found your fated mate, Sage,” Len said kindly. “I know Hugo’s been wanting that for you for a long time.”
I blushed. Hugo was such a huge sap, but I loved that about him.
Len’s comment made me think. “Y’know, I don’t think Xander believes in fated mates,” I mused out loud. “He’s mentioned it a couple times now that he thinks it’s a fairy tale.”
“Hm. I can understand that,” Len remarked.
“Me too,” Morgan added. “I definitely didn’t believe it when Dax said I was his.”
“Then it’s not uncommon?” I asked hopefully. I didn’t know why, but since my brothers both found their fated mates, I felt a little left out that Xander didn’t think of it that way.Just matesdidn’t quite have the same ring to it.
“I think by the time I got pregnant with Ashe, I did believe it,” Morgan said. “So maybe Xander just needs time.”
I almost snorted. Xander was a stubborn cat. I doubted he’d change his mind so easily.
“I’m gonna talk to him about it,” I decided. “I’ll prove to him that we’re fated mates!”
Morgan smiled. “Good timing. He just got back with the other alphas.”
I whipped my head around with a big grin. There he was, my mate—myfatedmate. Xander remained in mountain lion form, along with Dax and Hugo, to help haul their recent kill into the grove. It was a big elk that’d feed the pack for a while. Even though Morgan said he was okay with the predators eating deer, we always tried to catch prey that resembled him too closely anyway. I was thankful that my mate was a fellow predator so we didn’t have that kind of problem. Hell, we were running out of prey animals to eat!
I bounded over to Xander in my wolf form and rubbed my cheek against his. His cat whiskers tickled me.
“You’re back already!” I said excitedly.
“Having another hunter around is really useful,” Dax said. “Especially one as powerful and agile as Xander.”
Xander flashed his fangs in a grin. His tail waved in amusement. “You wolves aren’t bad hunters yourselves.”
Hugo chuckled. “I’m glad you’re getting used to hunting in a pack. I know it’s not your usual style.”
