Ella’s POV “Congratulations to you both. You are having two healthy pups,” Dr. Carmen Schmitt said as she glanced at the ultrasound monitor.
Carmen was the best OBGYN at the Calpso Pack Hospital and certainly not someone | thought | would meet anytsoon. But after everything went down before and after the battle, with my knowledge that | was pregnant, Colton and | decided that it was tto find out the truth from a doctor that we could both trust.
It's been a few days since the battle in the forest and we still haven't told anyone in our families about this pregnancy. We didn’t think now was the right tto inform anybody about it while things were calming down.
Colton is working on a petition to expand his territory so that it could include his mother’s territory too. Now that his mother and her clan had their abilities back, they were ready to return to society. However, they really loved the village they created and made their own. It was their home, and they didn’t want to walk away from it.
| couldn’t blthem. They've lived there for most of their lives.
So, Colton wanted to make her village part of his pack.
He wrote out the petition and now he just has to get the permission of the surrounding Alpha’s considering that territory could be part of their packs as well if they wanted it. It was only fair that Colton asked permission to take the territory for himself.
Once permission from the nearby Alphas is granted, my father said he'd be happy to approve the treaty.
| was surprised that Alpha Jonathan was the first to sign the treaty in Colton's favor.
He had three more Alpha’s he needed to speak to and then his mother’s village could be part of the Calypso pack.
My mother has been in Diana's village, helping them adapt to their abilities again and making their territory more livable and modern. Now that they were no longer in hiding, they didn’t need to be off the grid. Which meant they were now open to having technology and taking down their protective barrier.
Periodically, I've been getting updates from Brody. He has been by Sarah's side, and he hasn't left. According to Brody, she’s been doing well. She gained a lot of color back, and she was starting to eat a lot more without throwing up. She is out and about more often as well and is planning on returning to school in another week.
Brody refuses to return to school without her, so they gave him an extra week off as well.
Alpha Jonathan will be collecting their missed schoolwork, so they don’t fall behind. | was surprised at how accepting Jonathan was when he heard that Brody was Sarah’s mate. But he seemed happy for them, which madevery happy for them.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Do we know the sex of the pups?” | asked, refocusing on the present moment.
“We won't know for another month,” she explained. “They are very tiny but healthy. | can already tell they will be strong like their parents.” | smiled up at Colton whose eyes were fixed on the monitor. | could tell he had a million thoughts racing through his head.
“We are going to be parents...” he breathed.
Tears filled my eyes.
“We are going to have to discuss how this is going to work,” | found myself saying, making Colton look atquestionably. “I'm still in school.” Realization dawned on him.
“I'll quit my job,” he toldbefore | could say another word. He said it so quickly and nonchalantly that it tookby surprise.
| raised my brows at him.
“That's not what | want,” | said quickly, grabbing his arm. “You love being a professor, despite you not wanting to admit it.” He narrowed his eyes at me.
“I love my family more.” “We will figure something else out, Colton,” | told him, trying to give him a reassuring smile. “We have plenty of people who can help us if we need it. But | don’t want you to quit your job if you can avoid it.” He sighed, but he didn’t argue.
Instead, he bent down and pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was sweet and caused butterflies to attack my stomach. His kisses always causedto feel this way and | knew they always would.
“I love you,” he said against my lips.
I smiled.
“I love you too.” “I'm just going to clean mom up and then you can both be on your way,” Dr. Schmitt said with a glimmer of humor in her eyes.
| completely forgot she was standing in front of us and soon my cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.
She grabbed a warm towel and began to wipe the petroleum jelly off my belly before lowering my shirt. | didn’t have a baby bump yet, but | knew this tnext month | would. Which meant we were going to have to figure out how to tell everybody within the next couple of weeks.
Colton thanked the doctor on both our behalf as he helpedoff the table and to my feet. With an arm wrapped around my waist, he ledout of the hospital and toward his waiting car.
He opened his car door for me, and | gave him a silly bow in return, which made him laugh as he shut the door behind me.
Once he was in the driver's seat, he turned the car on and reached over to grab my hand. He entwined his fingers through mine and smiled atas he pulled away from the hospital.
When we returned hto the Calypso pack, we were automatically greeted by Beta Ethan. He was going to park Colton’s car behind the packhouse as he always did when Colton returned home.
“Welcback,” Ethan said, givinga head nod.
“It's great to be back,” | breathed. “Is Brianna awake?” It was still pretty early and Bri was known to sleep until noon.
“She’s inside,” he said, motioning with his head toward the door.
| gave him another smile before kissing Colton on the cheek. | then turned and ran into the packhouse.
Brianna was running down the stairs when | entered the house and as soon as she saw me, she ran faster with a growing smile. She must have been waiting forat her bedroom window, which overlooked the front of the house on the second floor.
“Ella!” She cooed as she threw her arms around me. “Telleverything. Are they healthy?” She asked way too loudly.
“Shhh, Bri!” | scolded, grabbing her arm. “Let's go in the kitchen.” | dragged her along withuntil we reached the kitchen. The entire kitchen smelled like Dee’s delicious chocolate chip cookies. Dee was walking from the stove to the island counter when she saw us entering her space.
She gavea fond smile and motioned for the counter stools for us to sit.
“How did today go?” She asked, sliding the plate of cookies in our direction as we sat down.
Bri and | took a cookie immediately and ravished in the warmth of the delicious treat.
Brianna and Dee were the only ones who knew that | was pregnant; oh, and Ethan. But we had to tell Ethan because despite being the Beta, he was also Colton’s best friend. Not to mention Bri’s mate so | figured she'd probably tell him regardless, and we wanted him to hear it from us.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmWe told Dee because we would never be able to hide something like this from her.
“It went well,” | told them as | took a bite of the cookie. “They are both healthy.” “Are they boys or girls?” Bri asked with wide and hopeful eyes.
“We aren't sure yet,” | said with a shrug. | swallowed the piece of cookie in my mouth before continuing. “We won't know until next month. They are too small.” Bri sulked in her seat, pouting at me.
“Ugh... | can’t go shopping for them until next month?” She whined. “That's not fair. | was hoping to do a little shopping therapy over the weekend.” “We can get gender-neutral clothes for right now,” | told her. “I'll go with you.” She beamed at me.
“Yay! A girl's day!” She cooed.
| chuckled as Bri took a large bite of her cookie and moaned as the delicious flavors exploded in her mouth.
“This is sooooo good,” she breathed with a mouthful of cookies and a little chocolate on her cheek.
Bri had only been staying at this packhouse for a few days, so she wasn’t used to Dee’s baking or cooking yet.
Things were still a little awkward for her here; it was a weird adjustment. She never expected to have a second chance mate and | know she has anxiety about it.
She doesn’t want to mess anything up or get heartbroken again.
Despite Ethan's efforts to make her feel comfortable and assure her that he isn’t anything like Alexander, | know Bri is still worried. But she seems to be warming up to him a little bit more and she even started sleeping in the sbed as him last night.
However, Ethan and Colton were both accommodating and gave Bri her own bedroom so she could have space for herself to cope with everything.
“I'm glad you like it,” Dee said, smiling at her. Then, she looked atand her smile softened. “As long as they are healthy, that's all that matters.” “They are,” | assured her, touching my belly gently with my fingertips. “Val did a great job protecting them during everything that happened.” “I'll always protect our pups,” Val breathed in agreement.
Dee looked like she was about to say something else but was soon stopped when a very loud voice sounded from the front foyer.
“Helllooooooo!!!!!11” We all froze and turned toward the doorway of the kitchen which soon burst open, and a familiar figure stood in front of us.
“Where is my welcwagon?!”