****
On the morning of their wedding day, Seth woke Sera with soft, sweet kisses against her neck. She smiled sleepily and tilted her head back, allowing him to nuzzle his lips over her pulse and under her ear. His hand rested on her hip, pulling her back against his body, his long leg draped over hers. He slid his palm up her ribs, coming to rest on her larger-than-normal breast. He sighed as he cupped its weight, her nipple hard against the palm of his hand.
She shifted, her ass coming to rest more firmly against his growing erection. He couldn’t help but move his own hips, grinding against her, seeking more heat, more pressure. Despite his growing hunger, his lips were still slow, gliding over her neck and shoulder as he took deep breaths, savoring her scent, both familiar and new.
This was how they woke most mornings, wrapped in each other’s arms, mouths seeking contact, bodies still supple with sleep. It was strange to see the same person every day, to go to sleep content because that person was there, and to wake smiling and aching for more contact.
He’d never met anybody he craved like he craved Sera. He even dreamed about her.
He wanted Sera near him at all times—a sharp deviation from how he used to run his life, but one his pack members had become accustomed to. Stephanie had helped considerably with that, as she had realized right away that Sera was different—not only from his previous one-night stands and flings, but also from the pack. He loved his pack; he cared for every one of his wolves and devoted his life to them, but that was instinctual due to the wolf inside of him. It was the man who found Sera; who yearned for her and loved her.
“Oh,” she gasped, and he knew that it wasn’t a sound of pleasure. “He’s got a lot of energy this morning.”
Seth moved his hand to her stomach. He didn’t have to wait long to feel the powerful kick of his son. “He’s really got a strong pair of legs on him.”
“Yes, he does.”
“Maybe he’ll be a soccer player like his old man.”
She looked over her shoulder. “You played soccer?”
“In high school.”
“Were you any good?” Sera asked with a smile.
“I was the team captain.”
She laughed. “Of course you were.”
“Why is that funny?”
“Did you ever participate in anything without being the captain, or president, or Alpha?”
Seth considered the question for a moment before answering with an honest, “No.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. What time is it?”
He pulled her closer. “Why?”
“Because I have to get up.”
“No you don’t.”
“Yes I do.” She covered his fingers with hers but didn’t try to move his hand away. “I have one more dress fitting this morning, and then there are a million things to do before the ceremony tonight.”
He lifted his head, frowning. “A million things to do?”
“To supervise,” she quickly amended. “You know Stephanie and everybody else has been such a big help with getting everything taken care of.”
“I still think we should have waited,” Seth said. Not because he had any desire to delay being married, but because the doctor had already warned Sera she needed to take it easy, stay off her feet, and rest as much as possible. She set the date, insisting it needed to be before the baby was born, despite the inherent stress of planning a wedding. She’d also rejected his suggestion that they have a quick, private ceremony at the courthouse, stating that since she was only going to do this once, she was going to do it right. What choice did he have but to agree?
“I don’t think I can even stand to wait another day to be your wife,” she said, kissing the corner of his mouth. “Just think. At this time tomorrow, I’ll be Mrs. Seth Longtail.”
“Just think?” Seth grinned. “I can’t stop thinking about it.” His grin turned lascivious and he attacked her neck with playful bites. “Or the honeymoon.”
She laughed. “Stop! Stop!”
“Really?”
“No. But, yes.” She pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Stephanie is going to be here in less than thirty minutes.”
“You know, that’s plenty of time,” Seth said.
“Not if I want to shower, do my morning yoga, and eat a healthy breakfast,” Sera reminded him.
He relented, relaxing his arms and allowing her to scoot to the edge of the bed and swing her feet over the side. He had his own busy day ahead of him, with plenty of things to do before the bonding ceremony that night, but he still lingered in bed, watching silently as she performed her morning regimen. He couldn’t explain why—she had asked several times—but he loved to simply watch her complete the most mundane tasks. He noted every moment of her brushing her teeth, taming her hair into a ponytail, bending her way through fifteen minutes of yoga, and stripping to take a quick shower.
Once she was under the spray, he made his way to the kitchen. He was in the habit of cooking for her at least once a day, though he preferred to see to all of her meals. Today he made an egg and bacon frittata, served with a fruit smoothie and a Greek yogurt with a touch of raw honey. By the time she emerged, the freshly plated food was waiting for her on the table.
“Thank you. This looks so good.” She tilted her chin up for a quick kiss, and he couldn’t help but deepen the kiss, prolonging the contact for as long as he could.
“Eat up. You’ll need the protein.”
“Yes sir.”
He checked the clock and swore softly. He was already running behind, which was his own damned fault. But he wouldn’t have changed a thing—well, that’s not true. He would have stayed in bed even longer if she’d been willing.
“I have to go to my office this morning to see to a few more things before we go out of town. But I’ll be back here by one. Two at the latest,” Seth said.
“Okay.”
“Call me if you need anything at all. I’ll pick it up on the way home.”
“Will do.”
“Be sure to drink plenty of water, take breaks, don’t do anything too strenuous.”
“Honey?”
“Yes.”
Sera smiled. “Please relax. I’m fine. The baby is fine. Everything is fine, and tonight, everything is going to be perfect. Okay?”
Seth bent to kiss her smile. “Okay. I love you.”
“Knock knock,” Stephanie said as she stepped through the back door. “I hope somebody is ready for her fitting.”
“I am. Is Peggy here?”
Peggy was the seamstress making the dress. Sera had never had an article of clothing to order before, and she’d been thrilled to collaborate on designing a beautiful dress appropriate for the bonding ceremony. Sera had balked a little at the additional expense of having a hand-sewn dress, but Peggy was a member of the pack, and Jackie had insisted. Jackie was the wedding planner that Seth had insisted on.
“She is. She’s on the phone.” Stephanie wrapped her arm around Seth in a friendly hug. “I see you are literally hovering over her now.”
“Just to say goodbye.” He returned the hug and then grabbed his keys and wallet from the counter. “Make sure she drinks enough water and stays off her feet.”
“And doesn’t stress out, or pick anything up, or move. I know the drill.”
Seth gave his co-Alpha and pack sister an affectionate smile before pulling himself away and hurrying out the door. They weren’t siblings, but they were born within a week of each other, raised together from birth, and best friends from the beginning. He knew most of his pack expected the two of them to marry one day. It made sense when he looked at it from their point of view—they were already co-Alphas and nearly inseparable—but for the two of them, it had never been an option. She was his sister in all ways but blood. There was nobody else on Earth that he would trust with his mate and his unborn child.
His phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. “Hey, Noah. What’s the word?”
“Nothing good, I’m afraid.”
“What happened?”
“I’d rather not tell you over the phone.”
Seth swore under his breath.
“When can I expect you?” Noah asked.
“I’m on my way right now.”