The Woodland Packs

“I think maybe you should keep her here,” Claire said, standing up and walking over to Grayson. “She’s pretty scared of men, and if she wakes up in your house without me, she’s going to freak out. Come on, Grayson, I’ll show you where to put her. You’ll probably calm down once you stop touching her.”

Grayson did as asked, though it was obvious from the set of his jaw that he didn’t want to.

They disappeared into a room off the kitchen, then returned without her.

My stomach hurt, so I grabbed for the food in front of me.

“So, um… Congratulations. That’s great news. A baby for the pack will be considered a true miracle.”

“Yeah, if it’s only one,” Claire said, eating the fruit on the platter by the handful. “I’m going to organise an ultrasound in a few weeks, but considering our relationship, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a multiple pregnancy.”

“Which would be even more of a miracle,” I said.

Grayson shook himself and walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. “I’m sorry about the… wolf crap. I don’t know what came over me.”

Dexter didn’t even flinch, “Grab a beer, Gray. You’re gonna need it.”

Grayson, who didn’t drink, turned back around and grabbed a beer from the fridge. “Anyone else?”

“Yeah, me.” I was still shaking and my nerves were stretched tight, ready to pounce on an enemy that didn’t exist.

“Not for me,” Dexter said, and Jay shook his head.

Grayson handed me a beer and sat next to me, the tension between us shaky, but finally settling.

“Well, that was more intense than I expected.”

Jay laughed at us. “I remember it too well. It’s not something that ever leaves you, really.”

That didn’t sound pleasant.

I looked at Claire. “What did you mean about Nevaeh not liking men?”

Fate would surely not have sent us a woman who wouldn’t accept us.

Claire bit her lip. “I’m not sure I should be the one to explain that to you.”

I groaned. “Oh, please, help us out a little. You know we’re going to struggle as it is. We have to explain to a human that there’s three of us to love and that we’re wolf shifters in a world where there are no women left.”

My head was spinning with all we had to accomplish and I suddenly realised how ridiculous it all sounded.

I began to laugh and wasn’t sure why.

Claire smiled gently. “Okay, I’ll help you. But only because I know how hard it was for me to accept my mates, and I didn’t have half the baggage that Nevaeh does.”

Grayson and I sat down again on the couch, opposite Claire, and waited.

My heart pounded and my stomach tightened. I grabbed my beer and chugged some down, the cold beverage soothing some of the dryness in my throat.

“Okay… well, let me preface this with the fact that I only found out about her history today. I knew Nevaeh was a bit… gun shy. She never dates, and works any shift anyone asks her to. She’s really careful with her money and never goes out.”

I glanced at Grayson. Sounded like the perfect woman to me.

“And today I found out why. It’s because her last boyfriend, who sounds like he was her first and only boyfriend, stalked her after they broke up.”

I glanced at Grayson, not really understanding the human reference. But it sounded bad.

“Sorry, Claire, you’re going to have to explain that to us.”