Chapter Twenty-Six

Dakota

It was lunch time the next day before we had Scott and his four pups tucked away safe and sound in bed. It'd been a long night, but he managed to bring all four of his babies into the world without needing to be rushed into Dara's OR. Another plus was that he only nipped Dara twice and that was for trying to look over the puppies. His wolf wasn't the friendliest toward the doctor, but everyone who came to help left the house with all their fingers intact.

First to come was a pup with big blue glowing eyes. They named him Terry after his sire. Next came his brother, another pit hound, who they named Jains, after one of Scott's Hemlock ancestors. The wolf pups came together in the same caul, little identical girls who spent the last three months together in a little water world all their own: Syla and Shayla. They were all beautiful and healthy babies.

I rested at the kitchen table with my water-logged feet up in a chair while Cardian fried eggs and bacon. It was past breakfast time, but since I wasn't cooking, I wasn't about to complain. Tomorrow morning, Scott's family would pour in and the house would be covered with his relatives. Cardian and I decided we'd talk to Bobby about staying at the other house once they didn't need constant support for the pups. We wanted to ensure they had their privacy and bonding time with the babies while also getting the help they needed to keep functioning.

"Guys?" Terrick yawned walking into the kitchen.

"You have a bloodshake in the fridge, baby brother," Cardian said from in front of the stove.

"My hound won't let me sleep until I tell you," he yawned, stretching his long arms high above his head.

"Tell me what?" Cardian glanced over his shoulder.

"You're pregnant," Terrick yawned again.

"Me?" Cardian chuckled. "Maybe you should get some sleep. That hound of yours too."

"You know what I meant, jackass," Terrick laughed.

"And how does your hound know this?" Cardian asked while I stared down at the flat plain of my belly.

"Not quite sure, but he knew Scott and I were going to have four puppies. So, believe him."

"And how many are we going to have?" Cardian asked, amused.

"Just one," Terrick said, glancing at my belly to double-check, "this time at least. I'm going to bed."

Neither Cardian nor I spoke until Terrick was out of the room.

"So, what do you think?" Cardian asked me.

"He's probably right. I mean he doesn't have a reason to lie about that," I said.

"Do you feel pregnant?" he asked.

"Not really, but what does pregnant feel like this early on?" I shot his question back to him.

"I've never been pregnant," Cardian laughed.

"Well, I haven't either. I don't even think that I'd be far enough along for the ultrasound to pick up yet. Maybe the green pixelated baby test, but I'm not sure," I said, wiggling my wrinkly toes. "I think whatever test can wait until we've all had a chance to rest."

"Are you excited, if we are?" Cardian asked.

"A lot. I'm just too tired to jump for joy," I laughed.

"Don't shake up my baby," he teased, sliding a plate piled with food in front of me.

"Maybe they think it's just a tilt-a-whirl at the fair and they like it," I teased him back.

He kissed the top of my head, and I couldn't help but smile. Last night had been long, but worth it. Sure, we didn't have all the hustle and bustle of Mage Street out here, but my friends were here and now my mate was here. Heartville was growing, but still pack focused. What better place to settle down with my true-mate and raise our future kids?

Read on to find out if Terrick's prediction is correct and to find out who else falls in love when they come to help with all the babies!