17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jayce

I fell asleep that night with a sense of peace I'd never experienced before in the arms of my mate. We'd gone home and made love. It was different than the other times. Sure, we'd been hot and heavy all the way to slow and sweet in the past. It wasn't about that. No, there was just a different understanding between us, and that made everything so much better.

He loved me and I loved him. We were put together by fate but came together by choice, and that was such a powerful feeling. There was nothing quite like looking into his eyes and seeing such complete open affection looking back at me to mirror my own. Breaking free from our fears and insecurities had been so freeing.

And when we came, both of us so intune with each other that it was nearly simultaneously, his knot grew in me as his teeth sank into my flesh and mine into his. Our marks were both covered by our shirts, something we both agreed would have to be remedied. We both wanted to tell the den as one. There were no secrets here, and it was best to announce it while we were all present and to celebrate as a pack. After that, we were going to mark the heck out of each other.

I'd been so worried about why we hadn't been knotted together. It made sense that we wouldn't have been, without being able to scent each other fully, but logic had no place where the heart was concerned. I hadn't stopped to think what it might be like. Full, sure. His big cock was going to grow bigger. But the connection I felt, the closeness it created? That was unexpected and freaking magical. That or my pregnancy hormones were running amuck already.

This morning, as I woke in his arms, I wanted to stay there forever. He hadn't rushed off to work or woken me early. Aydan had allowed himself to sleep in and to savor our time together. It was so unlike him, while at the same time being exactly like him. One thing was for sure, life wasn't going to be boring with him around.

After breakfast, he went off to deal with his fun paperwork, and I went to meet Corey. I should've known that he was going to see right through me.

"You smell different." Corey narrowed his eyes at me. It shouldn't have come as a shock that he'd figure it out before I announced it. He was always in tune with… everything, or at least with everything related to me.

He held his daughter in his lap as the little girl reached for the salt and pepper shakers. Without taking his eyes off me, Corey moved the objects out of his daughter's reach and put a toy in front of her. He had mad skills as a parent, and I wondered if I would be able to do that sort of thing.

I supposed I was going to have to, but how did one acquire them? It wasn't like they taught a seeing all things at all times course or anything like that. Or did they?

"Does parenting come naturally, or like, do you feel like you've had to research a whole lot?"

"What?" Corey asked.

"I was just curious. Like, you're doing great. You seem like you've got your shit together and—"

"Oh, hell no. I'm spiraling every minute. It's mass confusion over here, but I love it. Some parts are natural, other parts are terrifying. Some parts of it I absolutely love, other parts are the worst. Diaper changes—actually, I don't mind diaper changes at all—but bath time, I just..." He shuddered. "I don't enjoy it. I'm always afraid I'll mess up and he'll take in a lungful of water."

He shuddered and a new fear was unlocked in me.

"Luckily, Zane does, so that's his responsibility. I'll change all the shitty diapers all day, but I don't want to sit there on my knees washing a baby filled with anxiety. And this kid loves water. But why are we changing the subject? You smell different."

"Well, the skunk aroma is gone." That wasn't what he meant, and I knew it. But diverting away from the topic at hand was my goal. His brother and I wanted to share the news with him together, but it looked increasingly like we missed that window of opportunity.

"It's not just that. You smell a lot like my brother." He looked me up and down, not hiding his accusation, at least not well.

I licked my lips. "So, we should've talked about this before." Like a long time before, but I wasn't going to go into that level of detail. Not unless he pushed. "In hindsight, I should've talked with you before I even started anything—"

Corey's eyes widened. "Oh my gods, you're sleeping with my brother!"

Crap. He hadn't connected the dots, and I went and did it for him, without Aydan by my side.

"Yes, but I'll do you one better." No sense keeping it in now. If I did and he pieced together later that I'd held back, he was going to be mad, and unlike his brother, Jayce could hold a grudge. Not for most things, but when they hurt his heart… yeah, that was going to hang on tight, and keeping this from him would definitely hurt his heart.

"Your brother's my mate. We didn't realize it right away because of the skunk smell, but—"

Corey didn't give me a chance to finish. He squealed so loudly that heads turned in our direction. Maybe telling him in public wasn't the best idea.

"I always knew you were family. I knew it in my heart of hearts, I knew it! How did he take it? Are things okay? I bet he freaked out."

I blushed. "Things are good. I freaked out more than he did, actually. We plan on announcing to everyone at the festival, and... we're also expecting." I whispered the last part.

We'd been so careful, using protection each and every time. But love has a way and all that. Our little one wanted into this world and made it happen, and neither of us could be happier.

Corey let out another squeal and clapped his hands. His daughter looked up at him, eyes wide, then her face split into a grin, and she clapped her own little hands. She was growing so quickly. I felt like I went home at night and came back in the morning and she was an inch taller or had a new skill.

"This is so great! Oh, I can't believe it. You two are such opposites, but it works, right? Like, you're happy?" He was talking a mile a minute, and I was surprised the entire place wasn't looking at us.

Maybe they were all eavesdropping and that was why. If that was the case, we'd find out soon enough when someone who wasn't here randomly congratulated one of us. This den wouldn't let knowledge like this go unspread. It wasn't in them.

I grinned. "So happy. I do love your brother very much. We balance each other."

"You drive each other to distraction—both in good and bad ways." He wasn't wrong about the distraction, but it was all good ways. With Aydan there weren't any bad, even if some were a tad annoying.

"Yes, I suppose that's accurate." I wasn't going to argue the point. He was thrilled. I was thrilled. My mate was thrilled. That was all that mattered.

"I'm so happy for you." I had a feeling he was going to say that a few thousand more times, and I was okay with that.

"Thanks," I said. "That means a lot, Corey. And... well, I suppose I should say that you were right. Your brother's not so bad."

Corey laughed heartily. "See? All these years I've been telling you to just give him a chance. He's not a stick in the mud."

Corey was wrong on that account.

"Well, he is a stick in the mud, but he's my stick in the mud, so I'll keep him."

"And when can I expect my niece or nephew to be born?" He spoke so low even I almost missed it.

"A couple of months, I think. I don't know. I guess I should see Rissa, huh?" I had gone and gotten the supplements I needed, but we hadn't talked past that.

Fine, they'd talked about how keeping things from them wasn't the best way to stay healthy and there was no denying that. There was also a hug and a reminder to come back soon for a physical, but no actual baby exam. I wasn't even sure what those would entail.

"Yeah, I would say so. Why don't we go over there now?" Talk about cutting to the chase.

"Well, I have to wait until Aydan can go."

"Right, of course." I was going to have to bring Corey to some appointment because seeing him not quite disappointed but maybe a little sad wasn't working for me. "So happy for you."

"Thanks, Corey. That means a lot." More than he could ever know.