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

Skye

That fateful day had changed my perspective forever.

I never believed in happy endings. I'd grown up watching my parents tolerate each other, wondering when it would be my turn to be in a situation that I didn't exactly want. Emmett had always told me that I had to take one for the team, that I had to carry on the spirit of our family into future generations.

Which meant I had to reproduce.

Kids weren't bad or anything like that. They didn't annoy me, and I didn't find them gross. I just never thought they would have a place in my life. Mothering didn't come naturally to me. I stuck to myself and my field managing, to my schoolwork and my organizing, to my hobbies and niche interests that wouldn't challenge the way I saw myself.

None of that changed until I met Troy.

When my alpha announced I was Troy's mate, I'd protested every step of the way. I'd tried to sabotage our connection. I'd tried to manipulate my way through it. I'd almost run away from it when I found out I was pregnant. I had been sneaky and vengeful without taking too much action, but wishing that I could at some point.

And now, I'm glad I didn't do anything stupid.

If I had, I wouldn't be sitting on the porch with the love of my life, watching Isaiah play with his nephew for the first time in several moons. I wouldn't be sipping lemonade with a dash of herbs made by Myrna who had cozied up with Laurencia in the kitchen and started babbling about magic this and magic that. I wouldn't have been able to hold my belly and feel the heart beating beneath my skin.

I wouldn't be happy.

My past had taught me that it was easier to run, to be hidden away. Things happened with or without me. The world turned and people changed. I could stay the same while tucked away in my room, or I could enact that change by stepping into my power. It was hard finding out I had any power at all. But I was glad that I could discover it with someone like Troy.

His hand swept my upper back and rubbed my muscles. He always knew just when I needed a massage. The silent consideration between us caused me to brim with adoration.

Construction noises echoed from the other side of the cabin. I glanced in that direction with a smile. "Doesn't Wendell need help over there?"

"I believe the volunteers have it all handled."

"You sure? Isaiah is looking a bit guilty over there."

Troy chuckled. "Isaiah and Elias are catching up on some lost time."

Lost. That word had been so heavy two weeks ago. It was an awful ache in my chest that made me feel like I was both void and full at the same time. Ever since the surviving Bravecrests had showed up, everything was different. Including the meaning of that word.

"I can tell they love each other a lot," I whispered shakily. "I can feel it."

Troy grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "Easy, dear Skye. Stress is no good for you."

"I'm not stressed. I'm relieved."

He kissed my knuckles. "Are you sure? I sense that you have other feelings."

"...I just..."

Why did I ever expect to gloss over those things? I was just thinking about how I never thought myself to be appropriate mother figure. Now I had a belly that was about to grow into the size of a watermelon. Was I ready for that? Or had my desire and l**t blinded me to the reality of the situation?

I glanced at my stomach. "I guess I'm just nervous."

"That's normal."

I laughed. "You keep using that word."

"Ah, that's because things are actually normal now, dear Skye."

"I suppose that's true."

I couldn't deny it. After Troy handled the weird Oscar situation, I had to admit that things were annoyingly normal now. But not being at school felt totally not normal. Maybe that was why I felt so restless lately.

Troy smirked. "Would you prefer them not to be normal?"

"Hey, I didn't say that, stinker."

His laughter doubled and floated around us, encompassed us, soothed us. It was a delightful sound that made me want to kiss him and hug him for the rest of the time we had together-and even after that. I hoped that the world would allow our spirits to reside with each other for however long time would last.

Forever, ideally, but I would settle for the remainder of time.

"Thank you," I whispered, "for handling Oscar without hurting him."

"Isaiah wanted to hurt him." He shrugged. "I didn't think that would benefit anyone."

I grinned. "You're really coming into your own about your decisions."

His smirk told me everything. "You could always read me better than anybody else in my life, dear Skye."

"How are you feeling now about that? About leading?"

"I'm getting better one day at a time as Isaiah would say."

I nodded. "That's how I feel about the managing stuff. One day at a time." "You didn't have to quit school, you know."

"It was too much to juggle. I want to make sure your field has a fighting chance and..." I touched my belly. "The horses are enough for me. They're great teachers. I've got enough experience to carry us, I think."

Three more kisses were planted on my knuckles. Warmth planted itself in my heart. Amazing the ways Troy assured me I had his support without even saying a word. And that was always good enough for me. I turned back to Elias and Isaiah who were playing ball with Archie. The kid was rail thin from not eating much for weeks, but the color had returned to his cheeks and his eyes weren't glossed over with fear anymore.

"Dad!" he shouted. "Over here! I'm open!"

Isaiah jumped in front of Archie to playfully intercept but Elias managed to toss the ball in time. The three of them hooted. Isaiah hoisted Archie in the air and ran around with the kid on his shoulder, proudly showing off his spectacular nephew. Seeing a grumpy lug like Isaiah do so well with Archie gave me hope that maybe I could do the same. Although I didn't think I was that grumpy.

I rubbed my belly. "How many houses do you think Wendell wants to build?"

"Enough for fifteen people."

"So, fifteen houses?"

Troy chuckled. "Perhaps we can settle for five more than we already have."

I grinned. "I think that's a fine idea. This will be a bustling neighborhood soon."

"The fields will be brimming with life."

"This late in the season?"

He nodded toward the porch door. "Laurencia claims to have a fail-safe trick to get the crops growing double in half the time." "She says that about everything."

"I trust witches."

I cackled. "She's not a witch, sweetheart. She just believes in the mystical."

"Plenty of miracles have happened around here." He gestured around. "Don't you have faith in your friend?"

I couldn't deny he had a good point there. But I wasn't happy about agreeing with it. "I've never doubted Laurencia." "Liar."

"Don't sass me."

He stuck out his tongue. He didn't even need to say anything. He was teasing me without words-and it was working.

A lot more than he probably anticipated. I nipped my lower lip while my eyelids fluttered for a beat. That look alone was enough to draw a sly smile out of him. Two weeks had been plenty of time for the fifteen Bravecrest survivors to settle in. And it had also been a busy time that kept us too tired to do much in the evenings.

"Later," I promised. "We can have some quality time."

"I'd like that very much, dear Skye."

When he kissed my hand again, I felt more than warmth spread through my limbs. I felt the weight of his promise and the support that he carried for me. He believed in me in ways that made me believe in myself. Maybe I would be alright as a new mother. Or maybe I'd fumble.

But maybe that was okay too. Shifters like Troy didn't expect perfection. He was above that sort of thing. He made sure people knew that he wanted them to try their best-and nothing less or more than that. Aiming for the moon was great and all, but it was okay to land among the stars if that was where my best put me in the end.

As long as my family was happy and healthy, then I would be happy too.

The ball smacked the railing of the porch. I squeaked as Troy hopped into action to snatch up the ball. Archie ran up with an apologetic look and a pout that most kids could perfect long before they could talk.

Troy leaned over the railing and extended the ball. "Be careful, Archie."

"Yes, Uncle Troy."

"Would you mind seeing if your father can check on Wendell and the others? They've been working hard this morning."

Archie perked up and nodded excitedly. He seemed to love being given tasks.

"He's helpful," I remarked as he ran off. "Are all kids like that?"

"Ah, I suppose it depends."

I snorted. "Do you think our pup will be helpful?"

"I'd hope so."

"Speaking of helpful," I said in a much lower voice, "were you able to get any information from those other packs?"

Troy's expression darkened slightly. "I've spoken to the Sabremaw Tails and the Warner Wretched bikers. Both of them told me that the Bravecrest survivors showed up on their doorsteps without any memories."

"I feel like Myrna and Claire's situation is understandable. They got knocked out. But fifteen other people?"

"I have a feeling that perhaps they survived the clinical trials run by Dr. Myrtle."

Slivers of ice stabbed my heart. "You think they were experimented on?"

"I'm not sure what to think, dear Skye. The packs were as helpful as they could be. I sensed no malice in their responses."

"It just makes me wonder about Archie, you know?"

Trouble brewed in his expression along with an understandable look of concern. If the survivors had been in that medical facility, then that meant Elias-and the rest of the boys-had been so close to their pack without even knowing it. I was sure that brought up a lot of feelings.

I gulped. "Darling?"

"Yes, dear Skye?"

"Do you feel guilty?"

More worry slapped his features, and then it was all gone in the blink of an eye, his controlled peace slipping back into place as it had many times. "Perhaps."

"You don't have to feel guilty, Troy. You didn't know."

"I don't know a lot of things." His eyes still hosted a hint of worry as he looked at the fields. Some crops were already starting to grow. "I wish I knew more." "You're doing your best. One day at a time. That's enough, right?"

He smiled while holding my hand to his lips. "I suppose that's good enough, dear Skye."

"It's always good enough, my love."

More kisses eased the concern his inner wolf wore like a collar. I knew that was just the mark of a great alpha. He carried buckets of concern for his pack wherever he went. It was just in his nature. But now that he had his remaining pack in one place, the healing could truly begin.

And life could start anew.

***

Silence draped over the living room as I rested on the couch. The construction noises were gone and the voices that had carried conversation from the street had retreated into the other homes that had been finished. Our neighborhood held plenty of energy despite the quiet-and that was fine by me. It meant life existed beyond these walls.

The farm was starting to grow. A lot like my belly.

I didn't have a huge stomach yet, so it was nice that Troy wanted to give my belly so much attention. As he applied lotion to my skin, I closed my eyes, focusing on the warmth and affection growing between us. His fingers drifted south, swept toward the waistband of my jogging pants, and then rose again.

I caught his wrist. "No, keep going."

His chuckle tickled my ear. Just seconds ago, he'd been gracing my neck with kisses. Now he was decorating my flesh with lovingly light nips. He massaged beneath my waistband and stroked the front of my panties, coaxing a light buck out of me. Another stroke did the same. I curled my arm around his shoulders and nestled into him, enjoying the flow of our hands wandering.

Life was different now. Touching him was different. Now that we were officially mated, our bond had strengthened tenfold, providing me relief even when I wasn't near him. Though it helped to know he was nearby, I hated leaving his side. We had started making a pup together. I didn't want to miss a second of spending time with him.

The gods knew that once that pup came into the world, it would demand all of our attention. And we would willingly give it whenever we could.

But for now...

I moaned softly when he licked the space just beneath my jawline. Heat bubbled in my center as he searched beneath my panties for my slit, easing his fingers between my folds to find my swollen bud. Every time he caressed my clit, I bucked into his hand, racing toward the finish line much faster than I ever had in the past.

Just a few more sweeps had me writhing under him. My cheeks burned while my nipples hardened, my whole body receptive to the lightest of touches. I buried my face into his neck while gasping for air, feeling like I was spoiled.

He chuckled while leaning back a few inches. "Don't hide, dear Skye."

"I came so fast."

"It happens. That just means it's more fun for me."

His teasing tone eased my anxiety. I was used to us coming together at this point. Coming without him almost felt like betrayal. But the easy way he slid off my pants and my soaked panties put to rest any fears I had about him being upset.

A smile crossed my lips when he nudged my knees apart. He smoothed his hand over my mound and up my chest, caressing my left breast as he bowed forward to devour me with his mouth. The way his velvety tongue parted my slit caused me to arch again, my hands flying to the straps of my top to snap them down. I freed my breasts, inviting both of his hands to massage them.

Each long lap sent me further over the edge, doubling the sensation of his thumbs toying with my nipples. I grabbed the back of his neck and forced him deeper, unwilling to let him go as my thighs clamped together. A wave of pleasure washed through me that felt stronger than the last, and then I was a whimpering, writhing mess all over again.

His rumbling chuckles vibrated my clit. I shivered harder and practically bucked him off, struggling to breathe as he crawled up my body to join me on the couch. "That's my girl." "You're...so...mean..."

"Is that a formal complaint?"

Smiling weakly was enough of a response. The amusement was shared, even as I found it remarkably unfair that he was doing all the work.

I sat up and pushed him back, crawling slowly into his lap to straddle him. His hands came to rest on my hips with his thumbs in the dips just beside my hip bones. The way he swept his fingers over my skin assured me he was fully present and that he loved what he was seeing.

Warmth spattered my cheeks of the bashful variety as I worked open his jeans and shimmied them down. He kicked them the rest of the way off and then stripped away his shirt, leaving behind hot imprints where his hands had been on my hips. As soon as his hands were free, I put them back where they belonged.

He smiled up at me. "Take what's yours, dear Skye."

Those words were as potent as his usual commands. Hearing them made goosebumps rise everywhere. I leaned forward and searched blindly for his c**k, positioning the head of him at my entrance and sliding him inside without using my hands. Watching his countenance break satisfied me deeply.

One squeeze on my hips had me sitting back up. I rested my hands on his chest and rolled forward, gliding over his cock with slow bucks that made me clench around him. He gripped my hips harder and yanked me forward, determination turning his expression to stone. I leaned close and cupped his face, easily following his leading rhythm.

He was my alpha. I would always fall into line with him. And while he would be my leader first, he would also be my mate, my confidant, and my husband. His command of my body and mind weren't something to fear, but something to embrace-because I had much the same command of him.

We shared our power, reveled in the glory of it. We playfully tested those limits and stood firm in our decisions. Even now while he demanded my pace, I could quickly take it all back, for my heart was not his by force. It was his by my choice. And that was the most powerful decision of all to make.

Troy hoisted me up, holding me in place for him to drill me. The sudden shift made me flutter with excitement as I burrowed my nails into his flesh. He held my gaze for a long time without saying a word, rich appreciation reverberating from his irises that reminded me of the love growing between us.

This was a love that would keep growing. Regardless of what happened and what changed, we would evolve into the future together, flowing just as nature intended. We were mates-and would always be mates. And that was what looking into his eyes reminded me. That was what aroused me most when we made love.

My forehead rested against his as he bowed forward, meeting me with fervent pumps that blew apart what little control I had left. I bucked with him to chase that blissful o****m right to the edge, falling over without warning and spinning through the air instead of falling. It felt like my heart was about to stop.

And I couldn't have possibly cared less.

Death didn't frighten me the way it had before I met Troy. Great adventures waited for us wherever our spirits mingled. And I knew that this life would produce all kinds of challenges and triumphs for us to share. As he slumped beside me and lazily propped his arm around my waist, I leaned into him, inhaling his woody tobacco scent and praying to the gods that we would always have this level of intimacy.

Fighting with Troy had been the worst experience of my life. It was almost worse than listening to the sounds of war raging outside the bunker. With Troy at my side and with hope in my heart, I knew that we could only get stronger from here. Maybe we would argue about smaller things, but we would never fight like that again.

We had grown leaps and bounds in a matter of weeks. I couldn't wait to see what we would look like in a few more months.

Troy's head snapped up. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"A heartbeat."

I chuckled while rubbing my sweaty stomach lightly. "Yeah, duh. There's one in here, stinker."

"No, it's louder than that. Rhythmic. Like an adult."

I patted my chest.

But he shook his head, insisting on standing up and wandering toward the porch where he planted his ear against the glass. Panic shot me up from the couch. Was something going on that I couldn't sense? Jada had said Isaiah had immaculate hearing even for a shifter. Maybe Troy had the same thing.

Both of them had been the focus of experiments. There was no way they had walked away from that without some kind of problem. Or in this case, power.

"Troy?" I stood on my wobbly legs. "What's going on?"

Paranoia mounted in my chest. "Is he in trouble?"

"I can hear someone's heart. It sounds like-" His spine straightened. "Wow, that smells like Elias. But I can't tell why I'm hearing his heart."

"No, he's not in trouble. He's just..." Troy exhaled forcefully like he was trying to get a bad smell out of his nose. And then he laughed. "Sweet gods, it sounds like his heart is singing."

"What do you mean?"

My heart was thumping furiously with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. Troy was feeling that way-so I was feeling it too. But I couldn't figure out why.

Was this a good thing?

"It's singing," Troy said louder, with a triumphant tone like he had found something he had lost years ago. "I think it's a name."

"Is it about Archie?"

Troy shook his head. "No, it's not Archie." He met my gaze and took my hands, love pouring from him in waves. "It's a woman's name, Skye. I think it's his mate." A smile cut across my face. "You hear a name?"

"Like Blake describes all the time," he gasped. "I'm hearing a name on Elias's heart. And I think it belongs to his mate."

*****

THE END