16. Carlton

"There's a new exhibit at the museum downtown." Theo was scrolling through the What's on this weekend app. "It's got a great write-up."

We'd agreed that we needed to get out of the rut that was spending every Saturday in bed and Sundays in the woods where my beast shifted.

"Maybe." I didn't bother to remove the pillow from my head because I didn't have the energy. Getting up, showering, and looking at old things—or was it modern quirky objects this month?—didn't excite me, and I hoped I could convince my mate to revert to the old schedule just this once.

But Theo tossed the pillow to the bottom of the bed, and I fumbled for the covers. There was too much light, even though I had my eyes closed.

"Hello. It's after ten. We've spent most of the morning in bed."

"The perfect place to be." I was hoping Theo would give up and make coffee, leaving me to snooze, but he ripped the covers off me.

"Talk about cruel and unusual punishment." I rolled onto my belly and lay face down, trying to block out all light.

Theo sighed. He's giving up. I can go back to sleep. But fingers attacked my underarms and sides. Damn, he was sneaky ‘cause he knew how ticklish I was.

"Fine. You win. I give in to your demands." I flung myself out of bed and stood upright for a second or two before the room spun around and I staggered backward. I scrunched my eyes closed, and with my arms flailing, I grabbed the bedding instead of the mattress and sagged onto the floor.

"Carlton?" Theo's warm breath billowed onto my ear. "If you really don't want to go, just say that. Don't pretend." The mattress squeaked, suggesting he was now lying down.

"Not a joke, love." I tried to lift my arm but didn't have the energy. "Can you help me up? I don't feel so good."

My mate was at my side, a hand on either side of my face. "I knew you'd get sick from overwork. No way am I letting you go to the office Monday." He hauled me into bed. "I'm getting a thermometer from the bathroom. Don't move."

What's wrong with you? You seem different.

Having my beast say I wasn't quite right was disconcerting, and as well as an icky belly and a head that was spinning like a toy I had as a kid, I was now worried something was really wrong with me. Firstly, shifters didn't suffer the illnesses that felled humans, whether they were commonplace or serious. But if my symptoms were caused by overwork… maybe shifters weren't immune to that. What did I know and thinking hurt my head.

"Open wide."

Gods, how many times had we said that to one another when a blow job was imminent or even a fuck. I parted my lips enough for Theo to place the thermometer under my tongue.

"Is it time yet?" I mumbled. I hated having that thing in my mouth. Cock was a much better option, but not today.

Theo studied the device. "Normal."

According to the human scale of what was "normal," I wasn't and never would be, but he was referring to my temperature. No fever. I'd never had one, unless being hot and bothered when having sex with my mate caused a rise in temperature. When we were fucking it could be described as feverish.

Not the same.

How did you get to be so smart?I asked my bear.

"Stay in bed, and I'll make chicken soup." Theo bustled into the kitchen, accompanied by mews from our four fur babies.

I stuffed a fist in my mouth as bile rose up my throat. The thought of eating made me want to puke, but Theo and I'd had a rocky experience with me working all the time. I kept my mouth shut. When a loved one was ill, cooking for the patient was one way to feel useful. Glancing left and right, there were no potted plants I could tip the soup in without my mate's eagle eyes noticing.

Eagle?

It's an expression. I'll explain later.

If Theo left me alone to shop for food or feed the kittens, I could tip it down the bathroom sink. Oops, no. It would clog the drain, and I'd have two huge problems; one, I'd need a plumber, and two, Theo would be peeved—and he'd have every right to be.

But my stomach was complaining. Not for food, but it wasn't happy, and I had an internal hammer thumping my forehead.

Do you feel that?Surely my bear couldn't be unaffected.

Feel what?

There was my answer. What if we shifted here on the floor, maybe my symptoms would disappear?

Your mate would hear a big thump.

That was true, and he'd rush in, holding a chicken, and he might shriek. And the kittens would be all over my bear wanting to play. Theo would pick up that something was up. My well-behaved beast never shifted in the apartment.

Theo was humming as he prepared the soup, but it would take ages to cook, so I settled in for a nap. Perhaps when the soup was ready, I'd be up to eating it.

"I'm so glad I made some yesterday and I just had to heat it up." My mate's voice was accompanied by a pungent aroma, and I gulped, telling what little food was in my belly to stay where it was.

My head, my tummy, everything hurt or was complaining. With one eye open, I studied the tray Theo was holding. He stood expectantly, waiting I guessed for me to sit up and thank him. I managed to haul myself into a sitting position, though the room sagged to one side as I did, and I leaned the other way to counter it.

"Your head's all floppy. That's serious." He yanked at the bedclothes and threw pillows off the bed before finding his phone. "I'm taking you to the ER."

"Love, as a shifter, I don't get sick. It's a known fact."

He hovered over me, concern etched on his face. "Can your shifter abilities fade?"

No! Tell him no, please. Now he was pounding on my head. Ouch! My poor bear was frantic, and I understood his anxiety. If me as a shifter ceased to be, he would too. Not that it could happen. I had heard rumors, but that was all they were.

No! No, you didn't!

Sorry.I was messing up left, right, and center.

Wait. Maybe your mate is right, and I'm going away.

Why do you say that?Now I was a little freaked out.

Because I'm not alone in here.

"What?" I jumped out of bed, forgetting about my dizziness, and Theo grabbed my arm and righted me. "There's something or someone growing inside me, and my bear thinks he's going to be pushed out."

I fumbled for my phone on the nightstand. I had to get in touch with the shifter council. They might advise me and offer suggestions on how to combat what was happening.

"Did you say growing inside you?" Theo slumped onto the bed.

I staggered around the bed and took his hands. "I'm not going anywhere and neither is my bear. Don't worry, love. I'll sort this out with the council."

My mate made a face. "I doubt the people who issue building permits and argue about road repairs can help."

I didn't have the energy to disagree, so I scrolled through my phone contacts until Theo put a hand on mine.

"You might have someone inside you." He gave a half smile, but it disappeared when I frowned. "As in a little one?"

"Little one what? Like a tumor?"

"No, Carlton." He pressed his fists into his eyes. "A baby. Could you be pregnant?"

"Baby?" I repeated.

Baby? Am I sharing this space with a baby? I'm still the boss in here, right?

"I suppose it's possible."

My mate giggle-snorted. "Possible? Just possible?"

"Okay. Ummm, I'd ask my bear, but he seems as confused as me."

Maybe.

Maybe what?I asked him.

Thesomeone that moved in here might be a baby.

I chuckled for the first time today. He described it as if the little one arrived with a suitcase and barged in.

It is. I didn't know what to look for, but it is a baby.

"He says it is," I told my mate.

"I don't mean to be rude." Theo lowered his voice. "But he was freaking a moment ago thinking he was about to be tossed out. Should we take a test to be sure?"

My beast harrumphed, but I told him to cool it. Theo was still new to shifterly ways.

"I'll dash to the pharmacy."

He didn't lie. He was back lickety split, and I peed on it. And when he checked, the two lines confirmed my beast was right.

Told you.