Chapter 32

32

Kane

Nine Months Later—House of Zorah

M y son coos against my chest as I prepare breakfast. I have him in a baby wrap, held snugly against me while he gnaws on his teething ring, his vibrant green eyes staring up at me with love.

Tami's still sleeping, which isn't surprising since she's pregnant again, but I’m not going to tell her just yet. It's bad to tell a woman before her body catches up with her. Her scent is different, a mix of fresh country apples and cherries. Maybe this time it's a girl?

I smile when I hear Tami's footsteps as she climbs out of bed and goes into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Then she slips into a pair of slippers and makes her way downstairs, finding us in the kitchen. She's truly a vision. She scratches her head and looks around, a bit irritated that I didn't wake her. Why would I? She's growing another baby; I can handle everything for now.

Bringing her back to my village is something I should have done from the beginning. Tami thrives here among the pack and fits right in as part of the family.

We gather twice a month in our village community center that Levi constructed, ensuring we congregate as a family instead of staying holed up in our cabins, which we all prefer.

Gabriel lets himself in through the front door, dusting his bare feet off from the snow, before entering the kitchen. He pats Tami gently on the forehead as he enters, then goes for what he came for, our son, Ocran. He pulls him out of the baby wrap, then sits down at the table.

Tami goes over to the coffee pot to make herself a cup of coffee, and I snicker. She's about to find out. She fixes her coffee the way she likes it, more cream and sugar than coffee, then takes a sip. Her face contorts with disgust, and she hurries to the sink to spit it out, wiping her mouth.

“This coffee has gone bad. I can't drink this crap!” she snaps. Realization hits her, and she glares at both me and Gabriel.

“You could have given me a heads up!” she snaps, pouring out her coffee. She folds her arms over her chest, frustrated.

“So, it’s back to only water again. Ugh! That's the one thing I hate about being pregnant. Only water. Always water,” she grumbles. I pull her into my arms, and she doesn't protest, resting her head against my chest.

“It’s bad to tell a woman she’s pregnant before she figures it out on her own,” I say. She sighs and shrugs, her hands going to her belly. I can tell from her scent that she's ecstatic about being pregnant again, even though she's being moody. Tami wants this baby. She looks over at Gabriel, who's playing with Ocran.

“I just wanted to see him one more time before I leave. Hopefully, I'm back before your new baby is born,” Gabriel says. Tami pulls away from me, wondering what he’s talking about.

“You’re leaving?” she asks.

“I told Kade I wouldn’t help with the radicals until after Ocran was born. He's here now, so I need to keep my word. Plus, I feel something pulling me there. My mate, perhaps?” he says with a wink.

Tami’s bonded well with my brothers, especially Gabriel. I can tell she doesn't want him to leave, but she’s not going to protest him searching for his mate and stopping the radicals from harming other supernaturals.

Levi feels the same. He doesn’t want Gabriel to leave, but who are we to stop Gabriel from finding his mate? He’s the last of our pack without a mate, and I know it’s getting to him.

When Levi and Micah found their mates, it was unbearable in the village. I can only imagine what Gabriel is going through.

“Have you told Levi?” I ask, scraping the eggs onto a large platter that has hashbrowns, bacon, and biscuits.

Tami steals a slice of bacon before grabbing plates and utensils, placing them at the table while I carry the platter. She tries to sit in her own chair, but I pull her into my lap.

“He’s not happy about it,” Gabriel answers, then reaches for a plate to serve himself while Ocran steals some food before he can even get a bite. I keep a firm grip on Tami, making sure she stays on my lap. She giggles, not fighting me. I tangle my fingers in her natural curls while she digs into her food .

“How long? Levi wants to start breaking ground on King Amir’s palace,” I ask. I'm not much of an architect; my skills are in carpentry, but I help whenever I can.

When Levi breaks ground on the palace, we’ll all have to move our village temporarily to the island until it's finished. Tami and the other mates already dislike the seclusion in the village, so they are really going to hate being secluded on the island for a couple of years. But we’ll find ways to balance things out and keep them happy. We always do.

“Until the situation is handled. I looked at the files. It’s a lot worse than it looks. They’re selling our children on the black market. We’re going to put a stop to it and rescue them. Leah’s already talking to Levi about building an orphanage for the children we rescue,” Gabriel says.

“Oh my gosh,” Tami says, and I can smell the heartache in her scent. She looks at Ocran, who doesn't have a care in the world, and feels blessed.

“I want to help with the orphanage. I have experience as a CNA, I’m sure my skills are needed,” she offers, and I squeeze her tighter.

“Your skills are always needed, sister,” Gabriel says with a smile, and I glare at him.

Does he not smell that she’s pregnant? I don’t want her doing anything but growing our baby. I almost lost my mind while she was pregnant with Ocran. Tami was always busy, on the move.

Angie had to explain to her that she’s in a different place now and can’t mingle with humans the way she used to. It took her a while, but she got over it. Now, she’s settled into Wintermoon and hasn’t looked back.

“Worry about the baby you’re carrying first,” Gabriel tells her, and her hands go to her belly. She doesn’t argue with him .

Gabriel enjoys breakfast with us and spends a little more time with Ocran before placing him in his playpen and bidding us farewell. Tami watches from the window as Gabriel grabs his duffel bag and leaves the village.

“It could be years before he comes back,” she mutters, and I bury my face in her neck, nuzzling her claim mark.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as he comes back,” I tell her. Tami turns around and wraps her arms around my neck, smiling at me lovingly.

“I’m serious about helping out. I know I’m pregnant right now and can’t do much, but I want to help,” she insists. I sigh and nod. It’s better in these situations to just give Tami whatever she wants.

The happier she is, the better our bond will be. I love how she completes me. Tami’s going to be pregnant nonstop for the next couple of years. She pulls back and runs a hand over my chest.

“I was thinking, maybe we could slow down after this baby so I can contribute to Wintermoon.” She says. I glare at her. I don't like the sound of this. Slow down? What is she talking about? I remain quiet, waiting for her to finish.

“I’m not saying no sex or anything. I'm suggesting birth control. Just for a little while.” I laugh at that. My sweetheart doesn’t understand.

“Baby, I’ll support any decision you make about children. As long as I get to keep you and the little ones we have, I’m happy. But birth control does not work with supernaturals. You’ll have to stay off my dick,” I say, then pull back from her.

The look on Tami’s face is priceless, like I just stole candy from a baby. Her lips curl into a pout, and she looks like she wants to melt into the floor.

“Don’t worry, baby. There are other ways we can pleasure each other. There’s always oral until you’re ready for me again.” I turn to clean the kitchen, and she immediately chases after me.

“Wait!” she yells, grabbing my arm.

I stop and turn to face her, giving her a smug smile that I know she wants to slap off my face. If there’s anything Tami loves more, it’s riding me. Taking that from her is an immediate deal-breaker.

“I was just thinking about it. I never said I wanted to go through with it.” I laugh, then grab the plates and go to the sink.

“Tami, I’ll do whatever you want. The only thing I won’t allow is for you, Ocran, or the baby you’re carrying to leave me. You have to stay with me, baby.”

“I never said I wanted to leave you. I love you, Kane. I just feel like I’m not contributing enough.” I set the dishes down, then grip her waist and lift her onto the counter.

“Tami, there haven’t been shifter children in a thousand years. Witches can procreate, but a child born out of love in a millennium is rare. You are contributing. But I’ll never deny you your dreams. If you want a break from making babies, I’ll give you that. But birth control doesn’t work with us. Fate wants us to procreate.” I place a gentle kiss on her forehead, and she cups my face, pulling me into a passionate kiss.

“I don’t want you to take your dick away from me,” she whispers, a mischievous smile on her lips. I glance at Ocran playing in the pen, then wrap my arms around her, lifting her and carrying her into the pantry.

“You own me, baby. Where do you want it?” I ask, pressing her against the wall. I unzip my pants and pull out my shaft, stroking it a few times before sliding her panties to the side. I line up at her entrance and feel her warmth envelop me.

“I want you inside me,” she breathes, and I push inside her. She moans, her nails digging into my shoulders as she takes me deep. I grip her hips and guide her up and down on my length.

I can feel her heat and tightness around me, her breath quickening with every thrust. She bites her lip, focused and ready for more.

“Just like that,” I murmur, my voice low as I quicken my pace. Each thrust drives deeper, mixing our gasps with the muffled sounds of Ocran in the background.

“Don’t stop,” she urges, and I feel a surge of excitement.

I drive harder, her body responding instinctively, meeting my thrusts with a hungry rhythm. Sweat beads on my forehead as I savor the way she moves, the way she feels.

“More,” she pleads, and I nod, my grip tightening on her hips as I push deeper still.

Heat builds between us, our desire thick in the air. I can sense the tension as our breaths intermingle, quickening with urgency.

“Can you feel it?” I ask, my voice rough. “We’re close.”

Her eyes flutter shut, a satisfied smile breaking onto her face. “Together,” she gasps.

With one final thrust, the pressure bursts, pulling us both into an overwhelming wave of pleasure.

My release fills her, though it’s unnecessary now since her womb is already filled with our new baby. The sensation of her walls pulsating around me is intense.

“I love you; I love you; I love you,” she murmurs over and over. I will never tire of this woman. I bury my face in her neck, my teeth grazing against her claim mark, feeling the urge to bite her again .

Well-bonded mates often claim each other multiple times. That’s what I want with Tami. I want her to leave scars from her love bites all over my neck. Ocran starts to get fussy, and Tami giggles, trying to let herself down to tend to him, but I keep her in my arms.

“Let him wait a bit. I’ll clean you up first, then you can go to him.” Tami sighs clearly satisfied.

I carry her out of the pantry, my dick still inside her as I take a quick peek at Ocran, relieved he's fine. He just wants his mommy. Then, I carry her upstairs to the bathroom to help her get cleaned up.

If someone had told me Fate had this forever planned out for me a year ago when I was living on the border, I wouldn’t have believed it. I thought Fate had given up on me.

But I was wrong. My Goddess, Fate, placed me there at just the right time so that I could be with Tami. I'll spend the rest of my days making sure Fate’s choices were not made in vain. I’ll cherish this love, this happiness forever, with Tami.

The only woman who could tame my wild wolf.

The End.