Chapter Six

Jessie

The deer would keep overnight, but my beer wasn't finished. As a general rule, we didn't drink around the kids and I waited until Jessica wandered back inside before popping the top. Not that it would get me drunk. It took more than one beer to inebriate an Alpha, but still, good role models and all.

The back door slid open and Logan stepped out, looking sheepish and tired. I sniffed the air, his scent was a bit nervous, but he always got that way when we hosted a get together.

"You alright?" I asked and took a swig of the beer.

"Yeah. I'm fine. We cooked every dessert known to wolf kind," he laughed and hugged me from the side.

I nuzzled my face against his warm belly and froze in place. I nuzzled again, I wasn't hearing that, right?

"Pup!" My wolf barked into my thoughts, and I tossed what was left of my beer in the trashcan.

I didn't give up coffee when Logan was pregnant, but I did relinquish what little alcohol I did consume.

Logan sat down on my lap with a sigh. I wrapped my arms around him and neither of us said anything for a long moment. A third child wasn't a bad thing. It wasn't even bad timing. Jessica was old enough to be a big sister and Zoey-bell was going out on her own. Most of the pregnancy would happen while the academy took its break for summer vacation. We could still take a bit of parental leave if we needed to, but Logan hated missing the first week of class with his Alchemy students.

"Jessica heard it first," Logan grinned. "She beat you."

"To be fair, her ears are a lot closer to your stomach than mine most of the time. Give it a decade and I'll win," I chuckled and kissed his temple. "How's she feeling about it?"

"She announced it by asking if the baby would be a dragon," I said. "Then went on to tell me she's going to grow up to be a horse who drives a racecar and dances ballet."

"Sounds like a Hemlock," I chuckled.

"Can you tell the difference between an egg and a pup by sound?" Logan asked.

"Here," I stood up lifting him with me. "Trade me places," I said and sat him back down in the chair before dropping to my knees for a closer listen of his belly.

I strained my ears and my wolf tuned in. The answer was no, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to try. Even after a few minutes of trying the answer was still no. I flashed Logan a ‘while I'm down here look.'

"Dad!" Jessica called from inside and we both laughed.

"Later I'm taking you up on that look," Logan laughed.

"I'll get her. You've been on your feet cooking all day," I said and stole a kiss before sprinting into the house to check on the kiddo.