The Wolf's Forbidden Baby: A Paranormal Pregnancy Romance (4 page)

“For the same reason as you, I’m sure,” she snapped. “This isn’t my fault.”

“Well, it isn’t mine either.” In order to adapt throughout the centuries and not be discovered and hunted by humans, the different were species had evolved such that when in human form, it was impossible to detect that they were weres, a most unfortunate occurrence. Especially because mating across species like this was forbidden. If his old pack hadn’t already wanted him dead, they certainly had a justifiable reason now.

“What are we going to do?” He paced around her, eyeing her up and down. For the past few weeks, he tried to tell himself she wasn’t as beautiful as he remembered, that she couldn’t possibly be, but here she was, even more breathtaking than he recollected… because she was carrying their baby? His baby.

He was going to be a father. Unless…

Her eyes clouded over. Obviously she had read his thoughts in his face. Interesting. Not many could understand him so clearly.

Her hands flew to cover her belly. “No. Never.”

“Protective of the pup already.” He had meant it as a joke but the words came out rough.

Her eyes changed to a reddish-brown color. “The baby’s mine,” she hissed.

“Ours,” he corrected automatically. His wolf disagreed, but he could hardly cast her out. She was carrying his child, a child many would want destroyed. All three of them were in danger.

“I don’t know why I bothered to come here.” She stalked toward the door.

He grabbed her arm. A surge grew from the point of contact, not sexually, but deeper almost. Devan didn’t understand it. Whatever it was, it both calmed and infuriated his wolf. “I think you do know why.”

Kyla yanked herself free. “Don’t ever touch me again.”

Although her eyes were still her coyote’s and burning with anger, he had to tease her. “I’m sure you don’t mean that.”

Snarling teeth snapped at him. Within seconds, she was gone, replaced with her coyote self. Even in this form, she was beautiful… if a coyote could be considered that. Such dark fur and—

She snapped at him again, and Devan’s control on his wolf diminished to nothing. He snarled back at her, lips curing above fangs as he dropped to all fours. Of the two, he was much bigger, but the way she darted around him, nipping at his legs, proved her to be the faster of the two.

Her hackles rose, and she leaped into the air. He allowed her to jump on top of him but immediately rolled them over so he was on top. Kyla-the-coyote tried to nip and bite at him, but he ducked to the side and nuzzled her neck, the gesture intimate and natural. He liked wrestling with her coyote. Even his wolf wasn’t fighting him on that. Maybe… maybe it wasn’t impossible for a wolf and a coyote to come together.

For a moment, she stilled, the smaller furry animal finally not moving, but then she brought up her one foreleg, hooked it around his neck, leaned forward, and licked his cheek.

His tail wagged like a pendulum as he grew excited. They rolled around a few more times, and he allowed her to be on top when they next stopped, having ventured close to his shut patio door. Instead of a snarl, he released a quiet, whining sound, one she mimicked.

She nibbled at his coat, grooming him, and he relished the feeling of closeness they were sharing. No, things weren’t going to be easy for them—in fact, just the opposite—but far better for them to be united, to be together.

Oh, yes, to be together.

He shimmied out of her grasp and stood on all fours before her. She watched him, wide-eyed, as he bowed to her. Then, careful, very carefully, he laid his legs over her neck. Kyla released that same quiet whine. Not wanting to hurt her, he lowered back to the ground. When they reverted back to human form, he couldn’t say, but he held her close, and they didn’t say anything, just listened to each other’s breathing, and for a moment, Devan was happy.

Even though he knew it wouldn’t last.

CHAPTER FIVE

    Kyla didn’t spend the night. She couldn’t, shouldn’t. Being with Devan was dangerous, and they hadn’t made any plans. Hell, they hadn’t spoken enough at all to even try to figure out what they might do. Although she felt safe in the bubble inside his apartment, the moment she left, her walls crumbled, and she blinked back tears.

What was she going to do? Her father, when he found out… Even her siblings. What would they think? What she and Devan had was more than just frowned upon. It was expressly forbidden. The life of her baby, as well as hers and Devan’s, could all be forfeit.

No. Her tears burned her skin as her fear changed into anger. They would find a way to get through this. When she had come to Devan, she hadn’t known what she expected. Telling him had been the right thing to do, even though a part of her wanted nothing to do with him, to even forget that he was involved. A wolf! Of all weres, a werewolf!

At one point during the drive over, she had contemplated turning around but then she felt something. A kick or a punch, something, definitely movement. The baby. He deserved to have the choice as to whether or not he would also lay claim on the babe.

And he did. Her heart warmed over that, but she couldn’t be blinded by emotions. Anything she might be feeling right now could just be the results of hormones and not be her true thoughts and opinions at all. Better to keep her heart guarded.

Attacking him hadn’t been her best of ideas, but then it turned playful and even, dare she say, romantic. Lust had gotten her into this mess; love couldn’t play a role now. Love. Just the thought made her stomach flutter, or was that another kick?

Her cell rang as she left the apartment building. Paula. She ignored it and climbed into her Beetle. Another call, this time from Viola. Again, she ignored it. Her sisters could wait. She had too much on her mind right now. Yes, they were more than her sisters, her closest of friends, but she wasn’t ready to tell them what had happened. Not yet at least. Eventually she would, she knew she would. They never kept secrets from each other. Paula had confided in them as soon as she got home the first time she slept with a human. Viola had lasted a week before she caved and spilled that she thought a certain human was hot, not that anything came of it. Viola, more than Paula and Kyla, preferred her coyote side and didn’t accept her human side.

The next caller was her father, forcing her to halt her thoughts. If her family was trying that hard to get her attention, it could only mean Father had rounded up some more coyotes for her to meet, judge, and—in her father’s eyes—pick one to be her mate.

Not going to happen.

Even if everything hadn’t happened between her and Devan, she still never appreciated the way her father threw coyotes at her. Love wasn’t something her father ever considered. He hadn’t loved her mother, and he never acted as if he loved any of his children. Maybe it wasn’t surprising she craved attention from another, even if he was a werewolf.

At least one of her sisters would be waiting for her at her place, she was sure, so she couldn’t return there. Going back to Devan’s crossed her mind, but she couldn’t bring herself too, even though it strangely felt as if a part of her had remained there.

It was day yet, and even though the sun beat down on her, she made her way to GreyFace Mountain. Normally, they only ever shifted at night to help prevent any kind of shooting accident, but she had so relished her freedom in showing her other form to Devan that she already craved that release again. Nothing felt better than racing up the mountainside on all four legs.

She drove recklessly there and hid her car out of sight of the main path. This area of the mountain usually wasn’t a tourist attraction, so she felt safe enough shifting. For an hour, maybe two or three, she roamed up and down the mountain, jumping, running, breathing in life itself. It felt beyond wonderful and just what she needed to forget her life’s worries.

But when she reverted to human form and returned to her car, Paula was leaning against the hood.

“There you are.” Her sister’s normally jovial face didn’t break out into a smile.

“What’s up?” Kyla tried to ask lightly.

“Father needs you.”

She gestured to the mountain. “I needed—”

“Come on. You know what we need doesn’t matter.” Paula never seemed glummer.

“Is something wrong?” Kyla glanced down at her clothes. She sucked in her stomach some, glad this outfit didn’t make her status obvious.

“Father’s in a really bad temper.”

Wonderful. More stress. Just what she needed.

Kyla climbed in. As soon as she and Paula buckled, she drove to their father’s cabin. He lived to the west of the base of the mountain, where he claimed he could track every animal that moved on it.
Wonder if he knows there are wolves around.
Wolves long graced Minnesota, but werewolves?

Once inside, Kyla only saw siblings and quickly realized they were all the unmated ones. She pushed through the crowd toward her father, who stood six and a half feet tall, dominating the dining room. His smile was geared toward a man she had never seen before, and Father’s lips curled down into a grimace when he spied her. “Kyla. My oldest unmated daughter. A lovely girl.”

The man smiled. Even his human teeth seemed canine. “I’m sure,” he said, looking her over, his grin fading into a frown.

Yes, Devan had ogled her some in the bar when they’d first met, but this man eyed her like he couldn’t tell if he wanted her or not. His gaze shifted behind her. Paula had followed her. Although they were twins, he seemed to like what he saw in Paula better than her. She stepped to the side, so her father could introduce Paula, but Father was glowering at her.

He can tell. Maybe they both can.

Another male she didn’t recognize also didn’t seem to want to meet her gaze.

“It’s time to eat,” Father announced abruptly.

While her siblings talked, rather loudly, Kyla held her tongue and hardly ate. Her stomach churned so much she feared she would get sick, but she managed to not give into morning sickness. She couldn’t meet her father’s gaze or anyone else’s. Paula kept trying to draw her into a conversation, and she tried to join in, she really did, once she realized Paula didn’t care for smiler-frowner either.

As soon as everyone else finished eating, Kyla jumped up to help clean, but her father barked at Maria to handle it instead and summoned Kyla into his study. Gulping, she followed him, feeling as if she had her tail between her legs. Head down, she stood before his desk as he stalked around it.

“Do you care to explain yourself?” he barked.

She blinked and risked looking up. He didn’t sound as angry as she thought he would be.

“Who is the father?” he asked, and he proceeded to rattle off the names of all of the numerous men he had introduced her to.

With each name, she shook her head, and her father’s face grew redder and redder. He slammed his fist onto his desk. Kyla forced herself not to jump, but she couldn’t help stepping back.

“If you won’t tell me…” Her father stalked toward her.

“If I don’t then what?” she dared to challenge. “You’ll beat me like mother used to?”

His eyes flashed from dark to his coyote yellow. “You will do as I command and—”

“Father.” Paula opened the door. “A moment if you will.”

Father glared at Kyla for a half minute before he marched out of the room. Paula sent her a pointed look and scurried away.

Kyla swallowed hard. She couldn’t dare tell him about Devan. Her hands flew to her belly. Deep inside, she had known her family would not side with her. She and Devan would be on their own.

The thought terrified her.

Before Father could return, she opened the window and climbed out. Right now, she needed some time and space away from everyone, including Devan, so she could try and figure out what might be the best course for her.

If there was a course that didn’t end in her death.
      

CHAPTER SIX

This time, when Kyla left him, Devan didn’t feel such a sense of loss. More than anything, he felt on fire. He knew what he had to do, and he didn’t waste any time. He called up Erik and told him to come straight over.

Twenty minutes later, his brother arrived. “What is it?” he asked as he locked the door behind him.

“It’s happened.”

“What has?” Erik collapsed onto the couch.

As much as he was ready for the next step in his life, he needed some courage. He turned away from his brother, shifted his nose, and inhaled deeply. Her scent lingered. Only with his wolf nose could he pick out the traces and particles in the air that distinguished her as a coyote. Although it made his mouth salivate—after all, wolves and coyotes were natural enemies—it also stirred a far different kind of hunger within him.

Embolden, he shifted back and faced his brother. “Come with me.”

“I just got here.” His brother grimaced.

“Late night?” Devan couldn’t help smirking. In addition to Kyla’s scent, he had also smelled traces of another female.

“Maybe.” Erik stifled a yawn.

“Too bad. We don’t have time for dalliances.”

He glowered at him, eyes flashing. “How can you say that when—”

“Come on.” Devan bolted out the door.

After a long moment, his brother followed. Devan drove a good two hours before stopping in front of a mountain. BlueBeard.

“Why are we—”

Devan climbed out of his car and motioned for his brother to tag along. Halfway up the mountain, Devan shifted.

“What in the world… During the day?”

He snarled and nipped at his brother’s still human legs.

“All right, all right, but you’re crazy and if we get shot… Ouch!”

So maybe that last bite had been a little too hard. Whoops.

Erik in wolf form was a lighter shade of gray than Devan’s, slightly smaller too.
Pain in the ass. I don’t understand why he can’t—

Why I can’t what?”
Devan challenged him, lifting his tail straight up, the position reserved for alpha.