I waited until Dot left before prodding. Was it still prodding when it was your best friend? Nah. “So, you’re hungry again?”
She laughed and a blush reached her cheeks. “Yeah. I’m hungry again. All that has passed.”
“All what?” I asked, truly confused. Wendi had some off days, but I hadn’t realized the extent.
She blew out a long breath. “I need you to keep a secret. And if you’ve blabbed all the other secrets I’ve ever told you, consider yourself forgiven. But you cannot, under any circumstances, tell anyone what I’m about to tell you.”
I rolled my eyes and played with the trio of silverware wrapped in a cheap napkin. “Come on, you know my ears are bigger than my mouth. Tell me.”
She nodded and leaned forward like we were in a treehouse and about to share a sacred oath. “I haven’t told the guys yet. I think they all suspect, and Escher said something about my scent being off lately, but…I’m pregnant.”
I gasped loud and hard, making everyone in the restaurant almost break their neck looking at me. With a smile, I waved them off, signaling nothing was wrong.
“Oh my God, I’m so happy for you!” I bounced my knees and clapped, but quietly. “When are you going to tell them?”
“Well, I hoped you would help me.” She picked at her napkin. “It’s just they went so over-the-top with their proposal, and this is just as big a deal. I have fewer than zero ideas about how to do it, but I really want to make it special.”
I nodded while Dot put our food on the table. Wendi’s eyes grew big as she took it all in. “Gods above, this is a spread.”
It was a lot, I supposed. I called it stress eating. A triple cheeseburger, huge plate of onion rings, and a strawberry milkshake. And she had two of each. “Can you handle this, punk?” I asked my best friend, trying to sound like some movie star.
“I can now. Damn, this looks so good. Thank you.”
Dot walked away laughing while I popped an onion ring into my mouth. Wendi was still staring. “Dude, you don’t have to eat all of it.”
She waved her hands. “No, I can so eat all of this.”
“So, how far along are you?”
She blushed again. “I’m right past the first trimester. I know it’s silly, but I didn’t want to tell anyone until I was past that milestone.”
I shook my head. “They’re gonna be a little pissed you didn’t inform them sooner.”
She shrugged one shoulder after taking an impressive bite out of her cheeseburger and groaning like she hadn’t eaten in months. “I know my boys. Pissed will only last for a few seconds. Then they will be so excited.”
Then I really started to think about it. Four mates. One baby. How in the…?
“Don’t, Christie. I’m not asking the question, and neither will they. It’s our baby, no matter what. Though I am excited to see who the baby looks like.”
I guess it didn’t matter. She looked so overjoyed I refrained from pressing the subject anymore. We ate the rest of our meal in silence, and, true to her word, she finished it all.
“Now,” I said, pulling a stray notebook from my bag. “Let’s get planning this big reveal. If you wait too much longer with the way you’re eating, you’re gonna have a belly before we can do this thing.”
Chapter Three
Wendi headed off to meet one of her mates—she didn’t mention which one—for an afternoon stroll and ice cream afterward. I’d known her for a while, and although she did enjoy her food, as we both did, she was eating for an army. At least if anyone noticed a bump, they would blame it on her ravenous appetite.
It was so much fun planning her reveal to her mates. The pack would rejoice to know their healer and some of their strongest, smartest warriors were about to reproduce. Their happiness was so evident whenever they appeared they brought up the level of any gathering. Even pack meetings held a particular joy, thanks to the presence of Wendi and the men she loved.
Me? I suspected the chaos between me and Samson was also felt throughout the group. Shifters were sensitive to one another’s emotions, and I didn’t like to think we were contributing to negativity. With the kidnappings, everyone had enough to worry about. Would the time ever come when my mates and I also produced joy in a crowd.
I had to admit, I was happier with Tris than I’d ever dreamed I could be with anyone, but mates weren’t a matter of choice. They were destiny. Fate. Souls who, when they were apart, longed for one another, but my mates were determined not to get along in any meaningful way.
As I headed for my car, my phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my purse and read the text message.
Christie, I need to see you in my office this afternoon. Within the hour.
He didn’t sign it. Of course, my contacts showed who it was even if the tone of the communication hadn’t told me. I had half a mind to ignore him and just continue on with my day. Preferably go home and jump into bed with Tris. Samson had made his opinions clear. Why should we keep going over the same subject? Beating a dead wolf? Reminding me he wanted me to choose. Never going to happen.
Of course, he was also my alpha, and when he summoned me, I was obligated by pack membership to obey. Maybe Tris had a better idea. He didn’t seem to mind not being a member of the pack anymore—much.
With reservations and resignation, I turned the key and started the engine.
No matter the
