CALIFF
One year later
“Are you okay in there?” I knocked on the bathroom door when my hearing couldn’t grasp Shadow.
“Just a minute.”
“Since when did we lock doors, baby?”
A growl of frustration escaped her throat as the toilet flushed. “I said just a minute.”
When the door unlocked, she was wearing a deep frown on her face.
“I’m sorry, but I promised you a romantic getaway, and Zarah would be pissed if we wouldn’t be late when the portal appears.”
A sigh rolled over her lips as she fixed her summer dress.
“You’re fussing over your outfit? You can wear a shirt and shorts, baby. Look at me.” I gestured at my jeans and shirt, but I had a feeling she was upset over something.
My life couldn’t be any more perfect. Our pack had been peaceful, and I had almost two hundred werewolves in my protection.
My allies were everywhere. My relationships with lycan and witches were strong. Kain’s pack of werecats and I became friends.
Shadow and I worked tirelessly to keep the peace and harmony around us. Our lives were beyond what I had ever imagined, despite missing one thing in our lives.
We tried our best to have kids on our own, but we had dumb luck until we gave up and enjoyed the moon goddess blessed us with instead.
But I knew Shadow. She hadn’t given up yet.
“Let’s go.” She picked up her bag and held my hand.
The portal appeared, and it brought us to the cabin in Alaska. It was still fresh in my head when Shadow lost her gift and wolf and escaped here to train.
I was not the kind of person who gave up quickly on the people I loved, but I was so miserable that day. I thought Shadow, being human, would give up on me and be with her own kind.
“What?” she asked as I stared at the living room. There was humor in her eyes. “Reminds you of how you drugged me?”
“Yeah, and how you gave me blue balls. I thought I was not gonna get you back, baby. I’d never felt so helpless and miserable, and my heart bled, and I couldn’t stop it.” Everything about that moment brought back both good and painful memories.
“Wow.” She went to the small kitchen and opened the fridge. She grabbed a beer and sparkling water.
“That’s all? I could still feel the pain, and you have no idea how uncomfortable it is to be unable to come.” I grabbed the beer she offered.
“Then why do you like teasing me when you know it’s uncomfortable?”
A sinister smile broke out from my face as I went to wrap my arms around her waist. “Because you will have an earth-shattering orgasm after.” I pressed my lips against hers. “Now tell me, why were you upset?”
She met me in the eye, and those eyes, I could get lost in there, I’d be fine. They were beautiful, just like everything about her. “I have something to tell you.”
“Of course. What is it, baby?”
She drew a deep breath and closed her eyes for a brief second. I thought she would show me a trick she learned from Zarah. That was it. Nothing happened, making me confused.
“What are you trying to tell me, little rogue?”
The nickname I gave her made her wrinkle her nose. “Really? Nothing?”
“Should I see something?”
She sighed again. “Remind me again why I am mated to a powerful alpha but dumb at the same time?”
I cupped her face with a dissatisfied grumble. “Just tell me already, baby. I’m dying to know.”
This time, she laughed because she thought I was ridiculous. I saw the excitement in her eyes, but her voice stayed calm. “You don’t hear anything, Alpha?”
“Wait.” I tried to concentrate, but my eyes never left her until I heard something like a beat. Fast and rhythmic- a heartbeat. It was not hers, neither mine.
I gasped, gulping.
She chuckled and smiled while I remained speechless, but she could hear my heart galloping against my ribcage.
“Is that-” breathless, I asked. I didn’t want to be hopeful until it was just my imagination.
“Yes, Alphasshole. It is.”
“Oh, Goddess.” That was all I could say. My emotions-excitement and happiness were everywhere, overwhelming me and making my head spin. We’d been waiting for this moment, and the timing was right.
I let my arms go around her, turned, walked away, and blew a shaky breath. I ran my fingers through my hair and faced her. “Shadow, just to put it out there. Are we having a baby?”
“Yes!” she said excitedly.
“Oh, Goddess.” I opened my arms. “Come here, baby. I wanna make sure I’m not dreaming.”
Shadow ran to me, jumping into my open arms. I caught her as she crossed her ankles behind my pack. A little impatient of her and a greedy of me made us a perfect match.
“We’re gonna be parents.” She cupped my head and kissed me hard. Her mouth and hands were everywhere, kissing me, biting my neck, and licking her mark on me.
I was instantly hard as I carried her upstairs. Without a word, our clothes began piling on the floor. The next thing that happened, I was inside her with a satisfying groan.
“It feels so fucking good every time.” She arched into me, sighing.
“We’re perfect, baby. Never doubt that.” I took her deep and fast. When she started clenching around me, I said through gritted teeth, “Look at me when we come together. And no blue balls.”
“Yes!” Groaning, she flexed her hips again and shuddered.
“Fuck.” I grabbed her face and kissed her hard. I couldn’t take it any longer. The happiness and contentment in my chest could make me explode. I growled against her mouth as I rocked into her faster and deeper.
Our bodies shook, and our chests heaved as we fucked passionately, building to our climax.
“Alpha!” When she got there, her body tensed. When I felt her clenching around me, my dick throbbed inside her. The contraction was brutal, leaving me gasping.
“I love you so fucking much, Luna,” I grunted, my heart pounding as my orgasm rocked through me.
“I love you, Alpha.”
***
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Growling, I glared at Zack standing at the door like a lost puppy. “It’s been weeks since you’re gone, and now you just suddenly appear when I wanna be left alone with my mate. How did you know we’re here?”
“I don’t know. I must be dreaming or something, Alpha.” He looked confused but kept sniffing the air.
“What is wrong with you? Are you high or something?”
Zack looked hurt, blinking rapidly. “I don’t do drugs, Alpha. You know that. I left because I wanna find my mate, but something that led me here.”
“Go to Fyer. It’s in the middle of the night, Zack. And I want to be alone with my mate.”
How he looked at me as if he was lost or hopeless baffled me.
“Is that Zack?” Great. Shadow must have sniffed his scent, making me groan.
“Luna,” he said breathlessly as if Shadow just offered him the world. He passed through me and hugged my wife.
“Zack,” I growled at him, but he didn’t let her go. “Back off.” I grabbed him by his arms and threw him against the wall.
“What is wrong with you?” Shadow glared at me. Of course, Zack was her best friend, and she treated the guys like her own children.
“He’s acting strange. He must be sick or something.”
“Oh, shit.” With wide eyes, he suddenly went on his knees. “This is not happening.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” It pissed me off more when he talked in cryptic. “Explain yourself, or I will throw you out.”
“Why in the hell does Luna smell like lavender and cherry blossom in spring?” His eyes widened, and his lips parted in shock.
“You’re fucking kidding me.” I towered over him and sent him a glare. This was not happening. This was not what I thought it was.
“No. What’s going on?” He purred shamelessly when Shadow went to him and rubbed his arms, and he just sagged against my mate. “Shadow, what’s going on with me?”
Shadow met my gaze, and I warned her with a growl.
“I’m pregnant.”
Zack froze, backed away, and stared at Shadow.
“Touch her again, and you’re dead, Zack. Get out!” I thundered, but he just dropped her gaze like the good guy he was.
“Don’t be an asshole, Califf.” She stood up and came to me. “Let him stay overnight.”
“You don’t know why he’s acting that way towards you, do you?” I resisted the urge to poke my fingers into Zack’s eyeballs. My heart raced as my wolf and overbearing protectiveness grew in my chest.
“What are you talking about?” She was clueless, turning me hostile and vicious as I turned to Zack. “Califf, what are you trying to say?”
“Fuck!” Furious, I cursed out my rage. “I couldn’t believe this is happening.”
“I don’t understand a shit, Califf. Please, make me?”
“The scent, the way he acts stupid and lost, yet he found his way here. Sounds familiar?”
Shadow stared at me and to Zack, then back at me, shaking her head. “No, no, no.”
“Don’t look at me. Ask the Moon Goddess why is she unfair to us?”
“Zack, my best friend.” Pregnant Shadow pissed off? She looked like she could snap my neck with her finger. She pointed at Zack, who was still in the same position. “My child isn’t born yet-”
“Our child, baby.”
“Our child and this asshole are mates?”
***
It had been twelve hours since the bomb dropped on us, and it was raining, pouring outside with lightning and thunder, but Zack was still standing, steadfast, and never left or moved when Shadow kicked him out, proving he was worthy of our child.
The thought alone made me sick in my stomach.
“He’s gonna be sick and die, baby. How do you think our child would feel?” I somehow calmed down because I couldn’t do anything. The stars were already aligned for Zack and my child- Goddess, the thought of my child at twenty-one dating twice her age.
I groaned inwardly.
Shadow and I had a significant age difference, but it worked for us. She acted more mature than her age, and I should give Zack a chance, considering how protective and loyal he was towards Shadow.
“She won’t remember. She’s only six weeks old.” Shadow was still mad.
“You know that werewolves or lycans have different gestation periods than humans, right?”
“I can’t believe this is happening.” She opened the door. The chilly gust of wind invaded inside. “Hey, asshole. You won’t touch or kiss my daughter until she’s twenty-one, but you will protect her with your life. Do you fucking understand me?”
He went on his knees and bowed. “With my life.”
“Get in and dry yourself, asshole.”
When Zack went to the back door, I pulled my mate into my arms and hugged her tightly. “At least I know her mate is a good guy, and I don’t have to worry about her falling to someone like Keane every second.”
She sighed. “My best friend. Agh.”
“So, we’re having a girl, huh?” I cupped her face and kissed her softly. “I love you with every breath I take, my love, my Luna, my princess, and our little princess.”
“I love you forever, Alpha.”