Hawk flops back onto the bed, bouncing a few times before settling. “Don’t worry, love, I took one for the team. I think I’ll name it George. Now you’ll have to just go back to the good old fashioned way if you want to get knocked up.”
She snorts, rolling her eyes. “What a benevolent sacrifice on your part, but I think I’m going to pass. That whole bounty on my head thing and the homelessness doesn’t really scream ‘stable environment’ for raising a kid.”
Ian stretches his arms over his head. “We’ll just use George as a tester baby. That way when we fuck up and kill it, we can take notes to avoid repeating mistakes.”
The wolf gasps dramatically, clutching his stomach. “You be nice to my hypothetical baby, you monster.”
Rel doesn’t stick around for their ridiculous argument, though she does leave the door cracked open as she hops into the shower so we can hear her easier. “Ian, what did we say about sacrificing babies?”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “That it’s worth it for the WIFI password?”
My lip twitches as I fight a smile, enjoying the carefree amusement in her voice. “Or a snack. Can’t forget the snacks. Hate to break it to you, Hawk, but you want a baby, you’re going to have to steal it from somewhere. My vagina has better things she’d rather do with her time than pop out a litter of puppies. Cubs?”
A second later, her head peaks out of the crack in the door, dripping water all over the floor. “Are shifter babies born in people mode, or like hairy goblins? Do they just claw their way out? Those nails would hurt like a bitch.”
I finally lose it, genuine laughter shaking my chest. After I settle back down a bit, I answer, “Typically the child reverts to whatever form the mother is in at the time.” Three sets of eyes fall on me in surprise and my remaining chuckles die off as I demand, “What?”
“How do you know?” the mage asks and I roll my eyes.
“Just because I was raised out in the wilderness doesn’t mean I spent all day playing with rocks. Before my mother died, she taught me as much as she could. Not much to do out there for the two of us besides talk.”
“Then why are you so quiet and awkward all of the time?” he presses and I bite the inside of my cheek.
“It’s been a couple of decades since she passed. No one to talk to save the occasional trip to town for supplies.”
My mate cocks her head to the side. “Wait, just how oldareyou?”
I simply shrug. “Not really sure, never had a reason to keep track. Born in the heart of winter, and typically just mark the new year when spring begins. It’s been a little more than twenty since she died, if I had to hazard a guess?”
The wolf chimes in, and I detest the pity I see in his eyes. “When she died, were you still a kid?”
Tossing my bag on the large, sole bed, I hunt for something in it to eat. “No. Hadn’t been for several seasons.”
He simply nods. “So probably early teens. I’d bet you’re around mid-thirties then. No wonder you’re grouchy, ‘ya lonely old man.”
Ripping off a chunk of the granola bar, I meet Esmerelda’s eyes, still tucked behind the wall naked and peering just her head out. “What about you?”
A bit of surprise makes her startle, but she answers easily. “Twenty-three.”
“Does that bother you?”
She straightens up like I struck her, arm slung over her chest and barely concealing anything. “You get way too hung up on the most random things. No, an age gap doesn’t bother me. Kind of hot, truth be told. And I’m not going to ask if it bothers you dating somebody younger than you because there isn’t anything I can do to change that. You’re stuck with me as your mate either way, so you’re just going to have to learn to deal with it even if it does.”
Feeling a bit better, I take another bite of my food. “Best finish your shower before the hot water runs out.”
Smiling, she heads back in, this time closing the door behind her. Moving one of the bags from a chair, I sit down, leaning my head back against the wall and stretching my legs out in front of me. Naturally, I get all of two seconds of peace before the others start arguing over nonsense, and I do my best to tune them out. I just barely start to nod off before a hand lands on my shoulder, my eyes flying open instantly.
Esmerelda stands there in the same shirt I sent her away in, hanging halfway down her thighs. Biting her bottom lip, she shifts nervously. “Last shot at a good night’s sleep for a while before going back to the cold, hard ground. Bed’s big enough for all of us if Hawk shifts. You know, if you want, I mean.”
I don’t immediately answer and she starts to backpedal, but I pinch the fabric of her shirt before she makes it two steps, tugging her back. With the others here too, it won’t lead to anything, not tonight. And she’s right; the chance won’t come up again for some time.
It’s growing increasingly difficult to deny this woman anything.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” she repeats, and I huff out a breath, getting to my feet.
“Thank you,” I correct and she softens a bit as I attempt to be less curt with my responses, so she doesn’t think I’m just humoring her or tolerating her whims.
