Two months later …

Penny picked up the heavy basket with both arms, letting out an un-ladylike grunt as she lifted it out from the backseat of her car and placed it on the ground. Maybe I shouldn’t have packed so much food. But she wanted to surprise Ben. Though he’d probably be surprised enough once he saw the gift waiting at the bottom of the picnic basket.

“Mrs. Walker, can I give you a hand?”

It took Penny a few seconds to respond. She was still getting used to being called ‘Mrs. Walker’ by the employees at the mines. She turned around. “Oh thank you ….”

“Mike, ma’am,” the young man said as he picked up the basket with ease. “Where would you like me to take this?”

“Let’s go over there.” She pointed to the clearing behind a row of trees. She and Ben often had lunch there; in fact, that was the spot where Ben had asked her to marry him. He didn’t even wait a week after they were mated to ask. She said yes, of course, and they were married shortly after.

“Right here’s fine,” she said to Mike as they reached the shady spot under some trees. “Thank you so much.”

“Welcome, Mrs. Walker. Anything else I can do?”

“Yes, if you could call my husband, that would be great.”

“Will do.” Mike gave her a two-finger salute as he walked back toward the mines.

My husband, Penny said to herself as she began to unload the picnic basket. The words still felt alien to her ears, but her heart would always swell at the sound of it. And to think, their wedding had almost been a disaster, thanks to none other than her own mother.

Penny had left Greenville to live with Ben right after the night his grandfather’s clan had attacked them. Without their Alpha, what remained of the clan had scattered in the wind, but Ben wasn’t taking any chances. They sold her trailer and paid off some of her dad’s medicals bills, and she moved in with Ben. She was at the bank, signing the final papers of the sale when news of the scandal broke.

Coach John Stevens was caught having an affair with a sixteen-year-old student at Greenville High. He claims it was consensual, but the girl’s parents had pressed charges anyway. He was immediately fired, of course, and was now awaiting his trial at the county jail.

Penny wasn’t sure how to feel about it; in fact, she buried it deep inside, not wanting the old memories dredged up when the happiest day of her life was approaching. She had told Ben about it, and while he respected her need for privacy, he said he would be there whenever she was ready to talk and support her in whatever she wanted to do.

She really was ready to let go. But then, her mother showed up on her wedding day. At first, she thought her mother was ready to apologize for what had happened years ago, but it turned out, she thought it was her right to be there as the mother of the bride. Eleanor didn’t even want to talk about John. And so, without a second thought, Penny had her thrown out.

Maybe she should have felt some remorse over what she had done and some vindication over what had happened to John. Some closure, maybe. But she felt nothing. It scared her, but later, Ben told her that sometimes when something is done, it’s just done. Only you get to choose when something is over and that should be closure enough. And perhaps it was a good thing that happened on the day she was starting a new life. Speaking of which—

“What’s this?”

She turned around to find Ben standing behind her, a big smile on his face. “Surprise!” she said and moved closer to him. He immediately took her into his arms, lifted her up, and kissed her on the mouth. She melted against him, her knees weakening. Even after all this time, it still felt like that first time they kissed.

“It’s not my birthday or anything,” Ben said, his brows knitting together. “What’s the occasion?”

“Oh no occasion,” she said with a laugh. She hoped Ben didn’t hear the nervousness in her voice.

She sat down on the blanket she had laid out and motioned for him to sit beside her. Then, she opened the basket and started handing him the various containers inside, and they began to eat the feast she had prepared. Mac and cheese, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, buttered vegetables—all of Ben’s favorites that Laura had taught her how to cook. They chatted as they ate, and Ben polished off most of the large meal.

“I’m stuffed,” he said as he put down his plate.

“Finally?” she teased.

He laughed. “Yeah. But maybe I could go for some dessert.” He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his lap, making her straddle him. He pressed his mouth to hers in a long, lingering kiss. “Hmmm,” he said as he pulled away. “Sweetest thing in the world.”

“Ben …,” she whispered, then suddenly remembered why she was here. She rolled off him, then smoothed her skirt. “Um, there’s actually one more thing … could you look inside the basket, please?”

“Oh, did you really bring dessert? What is it?”

“Just go look.”

Ben reached for the basket and placed it on his lap. Opening the top, he reached around inside, his face lighting up when he found the gift she had left there. He took out a plain cardboard box. He shook it, shrugged, and then opened the container.

Penny’s heart began to speed up like a locomotive as she watched Ben reach inside and take out the one item she had placed in there.

His face was a mask of confusion as he took out the tiny shoe from the box. He stared at it for a second, then slowly turned to her. “Penny … are you ….”

“Yes.”

He let out a loud whoop and then picked her up in his arms and swung her around. “We’re having a cub!” he shouted. “I—Oh no!” He quickly put her down and then placed a hand over her belly. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Did I hurt the baby?”

Penny laughed. “No, no, not all! He or she is still very tiny.”

His face was beaming with pride. “I don’t think I could be happier than this moment. Who else knows?”

“No one. Well, except Kate. Because you know—”

“Kate is nosy,” Ben finished with a laugh. “We’ll tell Mom and Dad over dinner this week.”

“I can’t wait.”

They packed up the picnic, and Ben put the tiny shoe in his pocket, promising he’d carry it from now until the baby was born. As they walked back toward the mines, an unfamiliar car pulled in front of the office trailers. The driver’s side door opened, and a figure stepped out. It was a woman dressed in a white suit and stiletto heels and holding a leather briefcase.

“May I help you?” Ben said as the woman approached them.

The woman smoothed a hand over her midnight-black hair tucked into a neat bun. Light blue eyes tinged with a dark blue outer rim stared back at them. “Good afternoon,” she said, her voice low and husky. “I’m looking for Dr. Scott Philipps or a Mr. Benjamin Walker.”

“Dr. Philipps is still in the mines, but I’m Ben Walker.”

“Oh excellent,” she said, holding her hand out. “I’m Dr. Violet Robichaux.”

Ben shook it. “Dr. Robichaux. You’re coming in for an interview today.”

“That’s right.”

“We can do that now. Oh, this is my wife, Penny,” Ben said.

“How do you do, Mrs. Walker?” Dr. Robichaux greeted in a formal tone, her voice posh and refined.

Penny couldn’t help but stare. Violet Robichaux was beautiful in an unusual way—heart-shaped face, alabaster skin, and those strange eyes. They were almost hypnotic. “Um, I’m great. Nice to meet you.”

“Let’s go this way,” Ben said, motioning to his trailer office. The three of them started to walk over but stopped when they heard a loud voice from behind.

“Ben! Goddammit Ben, wait up!” Nathan called as he ran up toward them. “That fucker Jenkins left the fucking grinding machine on again during his break! I told him I was going to tear him limb from limb and piss on whatever was left if he ever—” He stopped short, skidding on the gravel right before he ran into Dr. Robichaux. His body tensed, and a growl emanated from his chest.

Dr. Robichaux stared at him and her nostrils flared. “Oh,” she said in a breathless voice.

“Oh?” Nathan echoed, his eyes glassy.

“Oh. No.” She shook her head. “This simply won’t do.”

“Huh?”

“No, this won’t do at all.” She straightened her shoulders. “I appreciate you and your wolf’s interest, but I’m afraid I can’t have a mate at this time. So, thank you, and I wish you well.”

Nathan continued to stare at her but didn’t move an inch.

Dr. Robichaux turned to Ben. “Mr. Walker, could we get on with the interview, please? It was a long flight, and I’d really like to go back to my hotel and rest.”

Ben didn’t answer her right away as he was giving Nathan a strange look. Penny nudged him in the side. “What? Oh yeah. Penny, sweetheart, could you show Dr. Robichaux to my office? I need to talk to Nathan.”

“Of course,” Penny said and led the other woman away. She glanced back and saw Ben talking to Nathan, who shrugged and walked away, kicking a rock in his path and shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Go right inside,” Penny said to Dr. Robichaux. “I’m heading out. It was nice to meet you.”

“Lovely to meet you as well,” she said before stepping into the trailer. As the door closed behind her, Ben came jogging up. “What was that about?” she asked. “Did I really hear her say mate? What did Nate say?”

Ben sighed. “I’ll tell you later,” he said, drawing her close and placing his chin on her head.

Perhaps it was their mate bond, but it was like she could feel what he was feeling, the joy in his soul when he put a hand over her belly. “I love you,” she said warmly.

“I love you, too.” He was smiling at her, but there was an uncertain look behind his eyes.

Penny sensed something else in him. “What’s wrong, Ben? Are you regretting this?”

"What? No! Don’t ever think I’m anything but ecstatic that you’re having my baby. It’s just … the stakes seem higher now. I have so much more to lose.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Ben, you’re not going to lose us. I know you’re going to keep our baby safe. And as long as we’re here in Blackstone, we have family to protect us.”

“You’re absolutely right,” he said, giving her a kiss on the nose. “I promise you, you and our cubs will be safe forever.”

Penny’s eyes shone with tears because she knew deep in her heart Ben would keep that promise. She would always feel safe and loved in his arms. Grabbing his hand, she placed it over her belly. “I know you will.”