A Baby for the Bear (Wylde Brothers 1)

“Okay.” Ary inhaled deeply and looked between them. “So, yeah, I slept with Charlie Wylde.”

Melissa grinned in a way that made her think her friend was silently saying “I told you so.” Ary immediately glanced around. Fortunately, no one paid them any attention.

“I knew it, you whore.” Melissa’s grinned from ear-to-ear. “You go first.”

“I go first what?”

Melissa gave her a bored look. “Puh-lease! You tell me the dirty details, and then I’ll spill it on Nick and the wild freaking sex we had.” She took another drink and said, “I’ll even tell you the freaky shit he wanted to do.”

Ary didn’t bother responding on the whole Nick the lion shifter thing or question her friend on why she hadn’t gone home with Bram, because she had only been on the phone with Melissa for one minute, and it had been sixty seconds too long. It seemed like Nick enjoyed talking dirty—or at least that was what she picked up on when she heard him in the background while talking to Melissa.

“So, yeah, I was with Charlie, and it was incredible, but then…” Ary paused, and Melissa and Candace’s eyes grew wide as they both leaned in closer. “It broke.”

Candace’s brows dipped low, and she glanced at Melissa.

It didn’t take Melissa any time at all to understand what she was talking about. “Oh. My. God. Ary, what happened? Was he angry? Did he turn in to the biggest jackass? You know how those bear shifters can be, all growly and territorial, like it’s the female’s fault everything in the world goes wrong.” Melissa waved down the waiter and ordered an oversized margarita. “I’m going to need some alcohol to get through this conversation.”

“Well, yeah, he freaked out, just like I did, although I think I took it to a whole other level,” Ary replied as the waiter came back with a big-ass margarita and set it in front of Melissa.

“So, was he an ass?” Melissa sucked down her drink and watched her. “I bet he was. Lord knows Nick was a hot piece of ass, but way too alpha and pushy for me, and that was just in bed. I hate to see how he acts with a female he’s in a relationship with.” That had Ary lifting her brows in surprise. “Yeah, I mean I like my men all controlling and whatnot, but some of the stuff he wanted to try at the end just wasn’t for me.” Melissa waved her hand in front of her. “More on that later though. Anyway, finish up, girl.”

Ary spilled the rest of it. The more she talked, the better she felt. She told them in detail how she freaked out so much, because her fertile time was nearing. That little tidbit had their eyes widening even more, because any shifter female knew the full severity of the situation.

Over the past few days Ary thought long and hard about what would happen if she did end up pregnant. The chances were slim, of course, but it was still possible. When a shifter female went into heat, there was a one-hundred percent probability that conception would occur. Most single males stayed away for obvious reasons.

“Holy crap, Ary. That is serious.” Leave it to Candace to state the obvious. “What did he say when you told him? You have to know that unprotected sex even days before a shifter’s fertile cycle is dangerous.” Candace’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “Oh my God.” Candace looked between them. “You could be pregnant with his cub.”

“God, Candace, of course she knows that. You’re cute, but sometimes I don’t know about you.” Melissa turned her full attention back on Ary. “What did he say, and when are you going to see him again?”

Ary wasn’t going to admit she’d been thinking about him nonstop. She had one night with him, that was all, and chances were nothing unexpected would result from that mind-blowing night of sex, but a tiny voice in the back of her head kept whispering, “What if?”.

“Every male shifter knows that if they don’t want a kid, then they better keep it in their pants when a female is ovulating. Of course, I suppose if you weren’t ovulating at that time, he wouldn’t have known.” Melissa’s brow dipped low, and she looked thoughtful.

Shifter senses were precise and keen, and a female in heat could be scented a mile away. It was kind of like a big neon sign that hung over their head, stating they were ready to procreate. “I was a couple days away from it. I mean, it wasn’t like it was flashing across my face.”

“I suppose, but still.” Melissa shrugged and sucked down more of her margarita. “What are you going to do?” That was the million-dollar question.

February shrugged and picked at the bagel she hardly touched. “I guess just wait and see. I mean, it isn’t like we weren’t staying safe. The damn thing broke.”