Heat crept through Mathlin’s face. “Oh hush! Are the rest of the explosions like that? All of them are pickup lines?”
“We could bet on it, but you know what the outcome will be,” Titan said dryly.
“I don’t know of anyone else who would break into our cabin just to fill it with pickup lines and confetti. Wait. Is the confetti cock-shaped?”
Titan gave Mathlin a pointed look that told him what he already suspected. Mathlin waddled closer, snorting at the tiny neon dicks on the floor.
“Hamilton The Sixty-Ninth, you’re cleaning this up,” Titan said.
“But you haven’t read the rest of the pickup lines,” said Hamilton petulantly.
“We could read one more,” Mathlin said.
Titan sighed. “Fine, but you’re sitting on the couch first.” Without waiting for Mathlin to respond, he swept Mathlin off his feet and carried him over, setting him down gently.
Mathlin leaned sideways and placed Jannie on the floor. She promptly shifted into a kitten, wriggled out of her clothes, and scampered off. Wildcart chased after her.
Titan went around the cabin, collecting all the exploded boxes of pickup lines. He ducked out for a bit and returned with more. Then he piled them on the coffee table in front of Mathlin.
He was about to pick one out to read, when a contraction rippled through Mathlin’s belly.
Titan whipped his head around. “Sweetheart?”
“Contraction,” Mathlin said, panting. “That was a big one.”
Titan’s eyes widened. “O...kay?”
“‘M fine,” Mathlin mumbled. “It’s normal.”
“But I’ve never heard you sound like that before.” Titan came to crouch in front of Mathlin, stroking up and down his thighs. “Should I fetch someone? Ottis?”
“Ottis ran away, remember?” Mathlin smiled lopsidedly.
“Fuck,” Titan said, his brow furrowing. “I can’t believe I forgot.”
Ottis had run away with his pup not too long ago. Titan’s alpha brothers were chomping at the bit to chase him down, but their dads had forbidden them to.
“I’m fine,” Mathlin said, rubbing his belly. “I think—”
Something popped inside him.
“I think my water broke.”
“Your waterwhat?”Titan squeaked.
“Popped!” Hamilton cheered. “Just like I said it would!”
Mathlin exchanged a look with Titan, bewildered. “The exploding boxes? I’m... not going to question it,” Mathlin said as his body went into another contraction.
“Sweetheart,” Titan yelped. He wrung his hands and reached out, cuddling Mathlin against himself. “What do I do?”
“Get the bed ready,” Mathlin said. “Lay down some towels. Tell the pack, but I really don’t want an audience.”
“Yeah, no, we’re not filling the room with wolves watching you,” Titan said dryly.
Mathlin snorted, then winced when his body clenched again.
Titan swore and rushed off, throwing open all the closets.
