Unexpected Mates

“Maybe so, but that’s a lot of stuff on one trip,” she said, trying to suppress another yawn.

“Come on, let’s get you inside, so you can lay down. And no, I don’t need your help carrying anything in. I’ve got this.”

Parker grinned as she opened her door. “How did I know you’d say that?”

Ty walked her inside and up the stairs, seeing her settled in before he headed back out. Once on the porch, he stopped for a moment to simply take in everything that had happened already today.

A boy.

He pulled the ultrasound picture out of his wallet, staring at the image. That was his boy right there. Half him, half Parker, and wholly perfect.

He heard a whistle and looked up to see his brother looking in the back of his truck. “What did you do, big brother? Buy the store out?”

“You sound like Parker. It’s all stuff we’re going to need,” he said as his brother walked up the porch steps.

“So how did it go at the appointment? I was worrying a little since you were gone for so long, but I see you were out spending all of the farm’s savings.”

Ty shoved his brother as Chase stopped next to him. “I bought it with my savings, ass.”

“You know I’m screwing with you. So? How’d it go?”

Ty handed his brother the ultrasound picture, watching in amusement as Chase held it up and turned it this way and that, squinting hard. “What the hell is this, Ty?”

“That’s the baby. It’s a boy,” Ty said, unable to keep the quiet pride out of his voice.

“No shit? You’re having a boy? Congrats, brother.” Chase said as he clapped Ty hard on the back. “I’ve got a nephew on the way.”

Ty turned the picture around in Chase’s hand and pointed. “That’s the head.”

“Ooohhh,” Chase drawled. “It makes more sense now.” He studied it for a moment longer before handing it back. “Seeing that makes it real, ya know? I’m going to be an uncle.”

Ty nodded as he put the picture back in his wallet. “It definitely makes it real. How’d everything go today?”

Chase got serious as his face took on a grim set. “Everything with the farm is fine. I went for a run at lunch, though. Caught a fresh trail of that wolf’s.” He put a hand on Ty’s arm as he made to take off. “Hold up, Ty. I tracked it and she was gone. Back over through the river again. She’s gone.”

Ty growled in frustration as his wolf sat up inside of him, hackles raised and a snarl on his lips. “We need to fucking find her. I’ve got too much to lose now, and I can’t stand the thought of an unknown shifter and danger around Parker and the baby.”

“I know, Ty. I feel the same sense of urgency. But there’s nothing you can do right now. I say we cross the river tonight and track her. Wait until it gets dark and there’s less chance of being seen.”

Ty hooked his hands on his hips. “It’s going to storm soon, Chase. Any scent trail will be washed away by the time it gets dark.”

Chase cursed, glaring at the cloudless blue sky and not questioning Ty’s assessment. Every shifter had a special gift, something they were especially good at. Ty’s wasn’t really a skill, but he knew what the weather was going to do. Sun, rain, snow. He knew it all, without fail, even accurately figuring out the weather patterns months in advance. It was part of how he’d managed to keep the farm from going totally under. Knowing the weather made planting crops, harvesting, all of that, easier, and they never lost their crops like some farms did.

“Shit. I’m going to call in Ian. No,” Chase said, holding up a hand, “hear me out. I’m going to call him and some of his shifters in to run the property. They won’t get close to the house or Parker. But neither one of us can afford to stop our work so we can monitor and track. Even if we could, there are only two of us, three if you include Garret. I wouldn’t want to ask Sam, what with him being newly mated. We can’t cover it around the clock without sleep.”

“And this gives you a chance to prove that Ian and his crew are trustworthy and should stay here.”

Chase grinned, although the worry still shown through his eyes. “Just a fringe benefit.”

Ty exhaled heavily. “Alright. Call them in. But I don’t want to see them anywhere near the house.”

“You won’t. Now come on, let’s get all this baby shit inside. Don’t want it ruined if it’s going to rain. I’ll even help you clear out a room for the nursery and get the furniture set up.”

Ty shoved Chase as they headed down the stairs. “Like I’d trust you to put together the crib my pup is going to sleep in.”

“If I can fix a tractor, I can put together a crib.”

Ty and Chase continued to give each other shit as they carried the boxes and bags inside, but Ty’s mind was still on the unknown shifter. He and his wolf were salivating over catching whoever was stupid enough to come close to his pregnant mate.