Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Alpha’s Pregnant Bride Chapter 12

Skye

Troy looked shaken for about three seconds until he straightened his back, released Wendell, and turned to me. "Darling, would you mind entertaining while I get ready?" Wendell paled. "But Troy-"

"Our guests will be happy to meet the match of the alpha. I'm sure of it. Would you be so kind as to see them inside once Skye gives you the green light?"

Only a moment passed before Wendell nodded. He bowed his head when Troy sidled down the hallway, carrying a sense of calm. Someone was here to visit the alpha. Someone that Wendell couldn't name. I had to guess that the alpha dealt with this sort of thing all the time. Old debts came to surface at some point along with old friends-and old enemies too. Blake entertained cousins from far away in his mansion like clockwork. He had so many of them. Wolves had a knack for filling their families with dozens of pups. My hand went directly to my belly. Maybe we can be those people.

"Skye?"

Wendell held a hint of panic in his tone. Was he really that worried about this person meeting with Troy? I stood with a smile and gestured to the plates on the kitchen counter. "Would they like breakfast? Maybe pastries? Laurencia sent some over the other day." He drew air deep into his lungs and then sighed while nodding. Well, that was one thing handled. I rounded the table, gathered pastries from the fridge, and started setting up a bunch of plates. Wendell helped me carry them to the living room. I closed the photo album, tucked it away, and started fluffing pillows.

Any other guy requesting me to greet our guests would have been given the finger. But seeing as Troy had appeared like he had just rolled out of bed, it was best for him to clean himself up. Part of my position here with him was to make sure he looked like a great alpha. And he was a great alpha. But appearances meant everything to some people.

Most importantly, appearances mattered to those who hadn't been around in a while. Whoever these people were-shifters, humans, magicians-they needed to know that Troy would always be prepared to meet them. natural to tend to the house, to clean up for Troy and help him prepare for guests. Some part of me wanted this to happen more often. I liked it so much rewarding.

Another mindless rub of my tummy made me smile as I went back to the kitchen to make more coffee more than tending to my managerial duties. Sure, it was nice overseeing lots of people, but it wasn't e Nurturing the horses felt far more in line with what I wanted to do.

But it's my job, I thought. The field manager stuff-that's my actual job. I have to keep doing it. Jada is counting on me to make it work. Sadness slid into my peripheral view until I chased it off with a firm head shake. If I was going to gree "Would you like me to clean up the table?" Wendell asked.

pha's guests, then I had to practice self-control. Much like him. What did Troy do when he was feeling overwhelmed? Didn't he take a bunch of deep breaths?

I smiled and nodded, focusing on steadying my breath as much as I could. Having Wendell here to clean up made me feel a lot better. He was an excellent assistant. I could see why Troy wanted his help so much.

About ten minutes later, the kitchen and dining room were tidied up and the living room was ready for guests. Wendell went outside while leaving the door cracked. I heard whispers on the other side. My right ear perked up with attention when I heard Troy in the rear bedroom trip over something. Probably one of his boots.

I chuckled internally while imagining him rushing around the room to get ready. Nothing made that man nervous-except maybe me, of course.

And maybe some good news.

I brightened up when the front door slowly swung open. Were these people who could share our good news? Would it be bad taste to tell Troy the news in front of his guests?

But all that thinking went right out the window when the two women wandered inside on shaky legs. In a moment's notice, I was at the side of the younger one, who appeared so much more somber and anxious than the other. Their faces shared similar traits, though one was clearly older. They must have been relatives.

I took their hands and led them to the couch. "Please, sit. Take a pastry. I hope you like coffee. If not, tea."

The younger one gave me a tight-lipped smile and then tended to her relative. That woman must have been her mother. They were so close in facial features.

Wendell relaxed in the recliner near the porch. He sat so rigidly that I thought a rod had been inserted in place of his spine. The guy never looked this tense. But these women seemed so innocent, so passive. They hardly looked like enemies. The energy I got from them was immense regret-along with a mixture of hesitation, relief, and anticipation.

Sweet gods, the way they looked around like they hadn't seen a living room before made my heart break. Their clothes were practically rags. They were shivering despite the heat outside. Had they been trekking through the woods or something? Maybe they had been camping nearby and heard of the great alpha getting reinstated into his pack.

News like that would have surely spread fast. Two alphas working together wasn't an uncommon thing, but the deal that Blake and Troy had struck was certainly new age. Older, more traditional packs would be opposed to it. Were these woman spies from one of those packs sent to investigate our customs? I had to wonder why that would ever occur to me.

Probably because we just survived a massive war, I thought. Anybody would be traumatized by that. I blinked with realization. Maybe these two had gone through a similar war. Maybe they were leftovers from the Myrtle pack!

I turned to Wendell. "Could you bring us fresh clothes from the guest suite?"

He practically jumped in the air. "Right away, ma'am."

Ma'am. I almost laughed. That wasn't something anybody had ever called me. Aside from when I went to the supernatural flea market. Creatures there were a lot more respectful and sweeter than most humans, many of them using fancy, respectable terminology. Ma'am was the best translation from those languages. Hearing it in English just made me titter.

Both women stared at me. I covered my mouth and cleared my throat, trying to pass off my chuckling as coughing. Was it working? Gods, I hoped it was working.

"Can I get you anything? There's breakfast if you'd like," I said, gesturing to the plates on the coffee table. "Or are you vegetarians?" I gasped. "Merciful gods, I never asked. I'm so sorry about that-"

The older woman waved. "No, dear. Please, you've been so gracious in hosting us. We appreciate it. We've been..."

The younger woman squeezed her mother's hands until her knuckles were white. "Mother, you're hungry. Please, eat."

My heart hurt so much seeing the way they looked at the food. Were they afraid to eat? Well, that just wouldn't do. I had to make sure they felt comfortable to eat. Their energy was so erratic that it inspired me to sit right next to the young woman and take her free hand. Seconds later, the stress melted from her face. She passed along the feeling to her mother who appeared much more at ease a millisecond later.

"There," I whispered. "That's much better, isn't it?"

"So, it's true," the young one said. "You are the alpha's mate."

"Oh, well, I wouldn't say that specifically, but-"

Wendell appeared with a pile of clothes in his arms. "I was unsure of sizes, so I grabbed what I could."

I beamed up at him. "That's alright. We'll make do and I'll rummage through my closet if needed."

"You're too kind," the mother said. "Really, it's fine. We just want to talk to Troy."

I stood calmly. "I'll check on him. Wendell, can you make sure they're comfortable?"

"Of course, ma'am."

"And don't call me that again," I chided playfully. "I'll be back in a minute."

Like before, my hand went right for my belly. It was becoming a natural movement at this point. Last night had been a wild ride that I spent in the guest suite-which I hadn't meant to do all night, but there wasn't much room for anything else. Troy had fallen asleep on the couch, and I hadn't wanted to disturb him. The tea he'd made me was lovely. It really hit the spot, filling my nooks and crannies with the love I needed.

That was his doing. And now I could return the favor by telling him that we could expand his pack.

The very pack he had lost would never return, but I could give him a pup. Or two. Or as many as he wanted. My heart softened at the idea of having a family. I wasn't into the whole "mates" thing and I still doubted if I was fated for Troy, but at the same time, I couldn't deny the twinkle in his eyes when he looked at me like I belonged to him.

Not as an object but as a partner.

These thoughts spun around in my head as I wandered to the rear bedroom. I tapped on the door, twisted the handle, and walked inside. Steam billowed from the bathroom where he had just taken a shower. A pair of boots lay on the ground near the bed, the ones he had likely tripped over. On the bed was where Troy sat with a pair of jeans on and a shirt halfway over his head. Part of the fabric snagged on the back of his neck.

I laughed and went to help. "You're silly."

"You're supposed to be in the living room, dear Skye."

"And you're supposed to know how to dress yourself."

His chuckle was light and playful. "Don't tell me what to do."

"I'll do whatever I want."

His eyes appeared, glossy still from being sleepy but wondrous in their sparkle. A smile slid over his lips and then he was on his feet with those lips pressed against mine. Nothing in this great world could have made me doubt his affection. Love grew in my belly- quite literally at this point-and made me deepen the kiss, devotion pouring from me in every way.

Something had shifted between us. I felt the twist of the ropes connecting us, the fibers growing sturdier by the second. Each new kiss forged that bond until it grew taut and made me slump into his arms.

"Later," he whispered. "Go out there and let them know I'm almost done."

It was hard breaking away from him. Just moments earlier, some stranger had called me his mate. Ages could have passed since then and I wouldn't have known by the way that kiss swept me away. I returned to the hallway, taking my time to get back to the people sitting in the living room who seemed less foreign now that I had touched each one of them.

The two women on the couch weren't as stressed as when they'd arrived, and Wendell was appearing better as well. I gave them a heartfelt smile and sank into the cushions, taking the younger woman's hands again. "He'll be back soon."

"He always was a diva."

I chortled. "He takes his time."

"Some things never change. Right, Mother?"

The mother nodded. "This is so nice. This is so..." She choked up and waved off our concerned glances. "It's fine. I'm fine. I'm okay..."

Before I could assure her that she could cry all she wanted, the younger woman shot to her feet. She stood next to me with a ghastly expression like she was staring at an urban legend come to life. I knew it was Troy behind me. The woody tobacco scent was unmistakable. But why was this woman so alarmed by his presence? Hadn't she requested an audience with him on purpose?

"Troy-Alpha." She bowed her head. "We didn't mean to barge in. We didn't mean to stay away either. We just didn't know how to...when to..."

Wendell stood up. The mother stood up. I stood because it felt awkward being the only one sitting down. Whatever confidence I had felt when they'd first walked into the room withered away. Just what was going on here, and why did it feel like so much more than I could handle?

The mother rested her hand on her daughter's shoulder. I stepped back to join my alpha and take his hand. He squeezed it. That was slightly reassuring.

"Skye," he said hesitantly. He swallowed so hard that his Adam's apple bobbed. "Skye, I want you to meet two of my previous pack members."

I gasped. "But...I thought..."

"That they were all dead?" He didn't break eye contact with the younger woman. "Yes, I thought as much myself. I'm sure Wendell here is just as shocked as me."

"But this is good news," I said while my confidence rose. "This is great news. What if there's more? What if you all can-?"

Troy clenched my hand. Normally, it wouldn't hurt, but my muscles were tender and sensitive, irritated by the lingering feelings of doubt. I snapped my mouth shut and stared at the people staring right back at me.

These were his pack members. Shouldn't this be a happy occasion? I could make my announcement and then we could-

"Skye," Troy stated blandly, interrupting my thought, "this is Myrna and her mother, Claire."

"Myrna and Claire," I repeated. I frowned while studying their features. "Wait, you two look familiar."

Where had I seen them? If they were assumed dead, then I couldn't have possibly run into them in town, right?

"I would hope so," Myrna said with a tight grin. She lifted the photo album from beneath the coffee table, a place where I swore no one could have seen it unless they knew it was there. "I'm in here." She opened the book to the center and pointed to a woman kissing Troy's cheek.

None other than Troy's ex-girlfriend.