Thirsty (Black Wolf Pack 1)

He growled. “I know I won’t ever have seen anything more beautiful than my mate big with my child.”

My heart softened anew for my male.

“I wasn’t too hard, was I? I don’t want to hurt you.”

I smiled and shook my head. “I mean, you’re pretty powerful with the oral, but that’s all it was. And just because I’m pregnant doesn't mean I’ll break.” I tipped my head back and looked into his face. “You can go harder,” I whispered and watched as his eyes became hooded, the scent of his desire heavy in the air.

But he didn’t act on it and instead continued to run his hand over my belly. “I just want to make sure you’re comfortable, and I don’t hurt you or the baby.”

I wanted to roll my eyes in good fun. “Tucker,” I said and waited for our eyes to lock. “Pretty sure pregnant women have sex all the time.” I felt this saucy little smile cover my lips. “And even though your cock is huge, I’m also pretty sure it isn’t going to hit the baby or anything.” I started laughing softly at the scowl on his face.

He grumbled something, and I tried to stop laughing. I shifted on the mattress so I was now on my back. He lifted up my left hand and brought it to his lips, running his mouth over my wedding ring. Although a mating was a forever situation, a once in a lifetime situation between two shifters, Tucker had insisted on not only doing the human wedding, but the exchange of rings too.

Since being mated officially and going with the whole human marriage route—because of course Tucker had to tick off all those boxes—we’d been blissfully happy and in the honeymoon stage. We’d gotten married only a month after he claimed me, did the whole Justice of the Peace show, then threw the biggest Black Wolf Pack reception. The party had gone on for three solid days, and I knew the ones who partied the hardest had felt that celebration for a week after the festivities ended.

It still brought a smile to my face when I thought about it.

“I wish I could marry you all over again.” Tucker’s deep voice drew me out of my thoughts. “Come here, baby,” he murmured and pulled me close.

I ran a finger over his smooth, hard flesh, thinking about all the things we had to look forward to. I snuggled against him, resting my head right under his chin. “I love you.”

He sighed in clear contentment. “I love you too, baby.”

We lay there in silence, but nothing needed to be said. Even a year later, I was falling more in love with this male. I felt like our lives were becoming even more entwined with each passing second.

“My female. My mate,” Tucker rumbled out sleepily and pulled me close once more, wrapping his big arms around me and just holding me tight like he thought something or someone would take me from him.

And as my mate held me, as I felt contentment and a sleepy pleasure fill me, I knew that everything that happened in our lives up until we finally gave in to each other was worth it. He was mine, and I was his, and there was nothing supernatural or other on this planet that could or would ever change that.

And it was the greatest feeling in the world.

Epilogue Two

Tucker

Five years later

“You’re going to wear a track in the tile,” Mia said in a sleepy voice from the hospital bed.

I stopped and faced her, running a hand over the short, disheveled strands on my head. I was surprised I even had any hair left for as much as I’d been tugging at it over the last few hours.

“You act like we haven't done this once already.”

“I know,” I murmured and went over to my mate. My heart was thundering, and my palms were sweating from my nerves. But I couldn’t help how I felt. I was fucking scared of her giving birth again, at the risks that could happen, even if she was safe and had no issues when she gave birth to Leland, our first child.

But I worried about her constantly. It couldn’t be helped. I was a fully mated wolf shifter who was overprotective of my mate and would kill anyone who thought to hurt her.

But I was also so fucking excited about our little girl about to be born, knowing that with great risks came greater rewards. But my heart still raced at a scared tempo, and my wolf prowled inside me at the thought of her getting hurt in any shape, way, or form.

I sat on the edge of the hospital bed and ran a hand over my face, the stubble on my cheeks and chin scraping along my palm.