“You saidIwould lead the pack. Not your betas.”
I stroked her hair off her face. “You think I would take that from you? After everything?” I asked her. “You are the heart of this Hollow, Rowen. You aremyheart. When I am not here, my mate is my voice.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she dipped her head, resting on my chest. “I love you, Wolfe. I’m sorry I didn’t say it a thousand times before I said it for the first time.”
My arms wrapped around her. “Well, you’re saying it now,” I whispered. “Now, why are the druid and Diesel and you all smelling guilty?” I looked toward the path they had gone down. “I don’t trust them together, and you may as well just tell me what they convinced you to do.”
Rowen giggled. She pushed off me and sat up, her eyes meeting mine, hers still bright with emotion. “You shouldn’t be listening to the summons of trees. You’re the alpha.”
I grunted. “Tell the tree.”
She reached out, her fingers trailing down my face, her eyes soft. “Yesterday…I reached for the power of an alpha.”
I frowned. “Are you okay? Are there side effects?” I sat back. “Are you hurt?”
“I thoughtIreached for the power of an alpha,” she said again. “I didn’t.”
“I’m not following.” I glanced toward the path. “You think it was one of them?” What the fuck was going on?
Rowen shook her head. “No.” She inhaled deeply andblew out the breath slowly. Her tongue flicked out, wetting her bottom lip. “I…um.” She blew out another breath. “I don’t know how to say this out loud.”
“Then say it here,”I told her.
“I’m sorry you’re not the first to know.”Rowen picked up my hand. “If it helps, I wasn’t either.”She frowned. “I think I might have been third. Maybe?”
“Rowen…” My growl was low, patience waning. “What did they know before you?”
“I’m pregnant.”
I stared at her. She looked back at me steadily. I sucked air through my teeth. I got to my feet. I walked over to the tree. I leaned against it, my head meeting the rough bark.
“Say it again.”
“I’m preg?—"
“Out loud.”
I turned and looked at my mate, who had gotten to her feet, the smile on her face wide. Joy danced along the bond. “I’m pregnant.”
I pounced on her, gathering her in my arms and swinging her around and around. “Say it again,” I whispered, kissing her soundly.
“I’m pregnant.”
I set her back down on the ground, gently lowering us down to our knees, then onto her back. My mouth moved over hers hungrily. Her clothes came off, then mine, her thighs parted, and I slid inside her, relishing the sigh of pleasure as she accepted me into her body. Rowen’s arms wrapped around my neck, her hips moving with mine, her teeth nipping at my ear.
“You knew?” she accused me as I made love to her.
“Sorry.” I wasn’t sorry. Not at all. Iwassorry the Goddess knew before me, but I’d let that one slide. “I didn’t think you’d appreciate me telling you.”
“I’d rather you told me than Diesel.”
She hissed in protest when I bit her. “We’ve spoken about this, princess. Only my name on your lips when I fuck you.”
“I thought we were making love,” she teased, looking up at me, her legs tightening against my hips.
“We are,” I murmured. The heat between us grew until she was arching and murmuring for me not to stop.
I had no intention of stopping. I tilted my head to the side, exposing the point between my collarbone and my neck. “Our binding mark is on my back because the only thing on my neck should be my mate’s mark.” I looked down at her, her pleasure intensifying. “Make me yours, mate. Mark me.”
