Gabrielle glanced at the moon through the window. Luke’s father was a pompous ass, but she didn’t want to be the one to further the rift. Especially since Marie Laval was such a nice lady. Nice, but formidable. She needed the alpha female on her side.
Tanya turned the test box over, reading the disclaimer. “Are you sure this is accurate? I mean, false positives have been known to happen. I’d take another if I were you. You don’t want to have to unbake a cake.”
Gabrielle pointed to the bathroom trash and the three additional test sticks at the bottom. “As Aiden likes to say, it’s done and dusted.” She raked a hand through her long blonde hair. “With everything happening, the timing couldn’t be worse.”
Tanya perched on the edge of the tub, holding a hand out to Gabby. “Come on, Preggers. Upsy daisy. A cold, hard floor is no place for someone in your condition.”
“I’m like two weeks pregnant, T. I barely qualify.” She gripped Tanya’s hand, sliding beside her on the rim.
“The rabbit done died, lovey. You definitely qualify.” Tanya paused. “You are going to tell him, right? I mean, all things considered, I think you should.”
“I have to.”
Tanya stuffed the white stick into the empty test box. “Technically, you don’t. It’s your body and all, but I agree. You should tell him. Besides, Luke is a wolf shifter. He’ll know the moment he catches your scent.”
“How? I’m like two weeks gone.”
Tanya tossed the pregnancy test in the bin with the others. “Doesn’t matter. Luke will know something’s up the moment you’re within sniffing range.”
“That sounds a little fetishy.”
“Not that kind of sniffing, you kinky witch. Pregnancy changes your scent. It’s a fact. Luke might not know why your scent is different, but he’ll know it’s not the same. They all will.”
“Great.” Gabrielle exhaled. “What every woman dreams about. A pack of nosy wolves sniffing their private parts.”
Tanya chuckled. “I doubt it’ll happen like that, but they’ll know.”
“Thank God for small favors.”
“Crotch-sniffing shifters or not, what you do is still your choice, Gabby.”
Gabrielle glanced at her hands folded in her lap. “Neither of us expected this, Tanya. This takes us from zero to defcon ten overnight.”
“If you haven’t figured it out yet, this clan is all about family. Luke has two sisters who adore him, and vice versa. Not to mention a mother who’d kill for her children. Jared and Aiden have a younger sister and two younger twin brothers. They’re only thirteen, super sweet and funny as hell.” Tanya tucked a stray hair behind Gabrielle’s ear. “Whatever you decide, you’ve got witchy sisters of your own. A family who’d hex the devil himself for you.”
“Ha! Capiria will just love this when she finds out.”
“She will.” Tanya smiled softly. “Believe it or not, that bristly old witch loves babies.”
Gabby snorted. “Roasted or flambéed? I knew that old witch had a candy house hidden somewhere.” Crooking her finger crone-like, she cackled. “Come, children. Time to fatten you up.”
“Not nice, Gabs.”
“I know, but seriously.”
“If want to talk in terms of candy, Capiria is like a toffy you find in your grandmother’s purse. Hard on the outside, but sweet mush on the inside.”
“And covered with dust and the odd hair?”
“Stop that.” Tanya laughed. “My mother told me Capiria helped most when she married my dad against coven edict, and when I was born later that year, whew! Grandmother of the Year, though we’re not related. Of course, the Motherhouse put a stop to that once they found out Mom was still in contact with her sisters.”
“Why?”
Tanya shrugged. “Prejudice. Like Gregory and his purist beliefs. Laura was shunned. Yet, her sisters came when she needed them. When I needed them. And they’d do the same for you. We’re our own coven now. Screw the Motherhouse.”
The two sat in awkward silence until Tanya glanced at the moon through the window. “It’s late.” She got up from the edge of the tub, pausing before she turned for the door. “Try and get some sleep. This will all look better in the morning.”
“It’s already morning.”
“Fine, smarty pants. This will all look better once the sun comes up.”
Blowing Tanya a kiss, Gabrielle watched her head into the hall. She was right. It would all look better when the sun came up. She hoped.
Gabby yawned, repeating Tanya’s words like a mantra as walked back to her room, and got a few hours of dreamless sleep.
Chapter Two
Gabrielle woke to bright sun streaming through her open window. Stretching cat-like, she sighed in its warmth before reality flooded back, stopping her cold.
“Shit.” She threw the covers over her head, burrowing deeper into her pillows.
“Wow. Did I call it or what?”
“Go away, Raven.”
“This isn’t a parking ticket you can ignore, Gabs.”
“Says the girl who picked a fight with a demon in the middle of a cathedral and then keeled over flat.”
“I didn’t pass out from fear, girlfriend. The bastard sucked the energy from my body like a rabid vampire. Therein lies the difference.”
Gabrielle flung the covers back and sat up. “I am not afraid.”
“Glad to hear it, because your late-night stint on the bathroom floor says otherwise.”
Gabby sank back against her pillows. “Tanya. Blood witch my ass. More like blabber witch.”
“When are you going to realize secrets only lead to problems. We are a sisterhood, Gabs. A sorority at the highest level.” Raven fluffed her friend’s bathrobe at the end of the bed.
“Sisterhood of the Traveling Tattlers.”
Raven grinned. ““Blabber witch or not, she only told me because you worried the hell out of her. What if something happened?”
“What
