I felt like a coward for hiding, like I was a scrawny fourteen-year-old cowering behind big brother’s legs all over again. Damn it, I wasn’t that frightened pup anymore. I’d come a long way since then.

Guilt nibbled on the insides of my arms like bloodthirsty fleas, making me twitchy. I should’ve faced Hunter. I should’ve manned up and told him the truth. But should’ve wouldn’t get me anywhere. I didn’t. I let Huxley chase him off, let my brother come to my rescue again.

“You okay, Soren?” Chance mused aloud.

I picked at my dinner with the tines of my fork, rolling peas around in the creamy mushroom soup. Guess Dresden got it honest, playing with his food. I glanced up to see the little boy with a spoon in one hand and a fork in the other, both of them held away from his body as he went face-down in the casserole on his plate.

“Not hungry,” I said on a sigh.

“You need to eat,” Huxley said. “A few bites, at least. For the baby, if not for me. You’re eating for two now…” His tone was light, but the worry that shone in his eyes betrayed his nonchalance. They were both concerned about me.

I looked away, but forced myself to take a bite. Huxley’s tuna casserole was one of my favorite meals, but today it tasted like cardboard. I swallowed the lump of food. It dropped like a lead weight in my gut. Ugh…

I pushed my plate away. “I’m sorry. Maybe I’ll grab a snack later or something.” I stood and the backs of my thighs sent my chair scraping across the floor. I took my plate to the sink and rinsed the food down the garbage disposal, which roared to life with a flick of a switch.

Dresden squealed. “Sink monster! Sink monster’s gonna eat you, Uncle Soren!” He sounded oddly delighted by that fact and it made me smile. I walked around behind his highchair and ruffled his mop of ginger-brown hair. With my fingers and thumbs, I gently pinched at his shoulders and neck till he shrieked with amusement. “It got me!”

“Are you all done eating, puppy?” I asked him.

He turned big green eyes on me. “I’m full!”

“You ready for a bath?” Dresden pouted out his lips in something reminiscent to a duck-face. I laughed. “You’re all greasy, Drezzy. You need a bath, otherwise your feet will start to stink! Pee-yew!”

He began to giggle and my chest swelled with love for this happy little boy. I slid his tray off and set it on the table, then scooped him up out of his chair. My tired arms nearly groaned. “Ohmygosh, you’re getting so big! C’mon, let’s go take a bath.”

After getting thoroughly soaked by Dresden’s splashing and flailing, with soap bubbles flying everywhere, I handed the sopping wet boy over to Chance, who mouthed a big “thank you” before wrapping Dresden in a towel. The pup tossed the towel to the floor and ran naked down the hallway, laughing like a madman.

I grinned. He was so damn cute, but a handful for sure, but cute. Would my child grow up to be as happy-go-lucky as Dresden? I paused and smoothed my palms over my slightly rounded belly. It was still soft and squishy, but it seemed bigger than it should’ve for not-quite three months. Still…My bloodline ran large, and Hunter wasn’t a small man by any means.

After a quick shower, if not just to rinse off the soap suds clinging to my arms and neck, I told my family goodnight and retreated to the quiet of my bedroom. I pulled back the sheets, freshly laundered, and slid in between them. Rolling onto my back, I stroked over my stomach and hummed softly to myself.

When my pregnancy test came back positive, Chance and Huxley sat me down and we talked about my future, and the future of my child. I knew that Hunter didn’t want any part of being a father, and I wasn’t going to be one of those clingy Omegas who hounded his baby-daddy at every turn.

Chance had brought up the idea of them adopting the child when it was born. At first, I was on board with the idea. Chance was a natural with kids and there was no one else I’d trust more…except as the weeks ticked by and the life grew within me, I started wanting.

Watching Chance with baby Charlotte, seeing the love in his eyes, I began to wonder what that would feel like, that bond between father and child. I started imagining a future where I kept it, instead of sitting back and letting the burden fall on my brother’s shoulders once again.

So what if I was only twenty-two? Plenty of teenagers were popping out kids nowadays. Kace’s little sister was eight months pregnant with her first and she was only nineteen. Of course, she had a mate and a pack, but that was besides the point. If she could raise a baby, then so could I. Besides, I had plenty of experience with Dresden.

I hiked up my shirt and flattened both palms over my belly, caressing it. “It’s gonna be okay, little fawn. We’re gonna make it work. You and me against the world.” I closed my eyes and breathed out a soft sigh. Kace was right. No matter what happened, I had a family who would support me. They would love the child, deer or not.

I heard something click against my window. Immediately, my eyes popped open and I sat up in bed, gripping the sheets to my chest. My pulse took off like a bottle rocket and my stomach churned. I was half-afraid that if I got out of bed, I’d come face to face with Erick.

I didn’t move. Shadows danced to form the silhouette of a large stag, his antlers tap-tap-tapping against the glass. I groaned in relief. Oh, thank god. It was only Hunter. Definitely the lesser of the two evils, and yet everything inside of me pinched tight. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to come clean, otherwise the guilt would slowly eat a hole through my heart.

I climbed out of bed and shoved the bedroom window open. The stag snorted softly, then trotted into the woods. Follow me, he said with every springy step. Very quietly, I removed the screen and leaned it against my bedroom wall, then slipped out the window.

I followed him. As my bare feet squished through the damp grass, I felt…guilty. Ashamed. Dirty. The emotions tied up my guts like balloon animals. I knew he’d be pissed. The look on his face from earlier was emblazoned across my memory and it wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. But didn’t he deserve the truth? Didn’t he deserve an apology for why I suddenly ditched him?

Is that why he’d come?

I came to an abrupt halt, glancing up. Hunter stood before me, human once more. His expression was unreadable in the darkness of the forest, but I could smell the leftover anger on his skin. “I need to apologize, I—” I began to mumble, but Hunter cut me off.

“Tell me something, because I don’t quite understand. Why would you hook up with me if you had a mate?” His tone was sharp enough to cut, but his words made me pause.

What? “What mate?”

“That Alpha you were with at the store,” Hunter uttered.

I frowned. He thought Kace was my mate? Was that why he was pissed? “He’s not my mate. He’s just a friend. I didn’t want to go out alone, not without an Alpha, just in case…” I grimaced and drew my arms around myself, suddenly needing the comfort.

He pinned me with a look. “He’s not your mate?”

I quickly looked down at my feet, my toes curling into the muddy earth. “No. H-He offered, so the baby isn’t fatherless, but—” I pinched my eyes shut as everything began to froth to the surface. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I know I should’ve told you, but I just… I couldn’t stomach the idea of you hating me. I was on the pill, I swear I didn’t lie.”

“Soren.”

My anxiety pitched as high as my voice, try as I might to keep hushed. I didn’t dare look at Hunter. I swallowed hard. “I don’t expect anything out of you, for the record. I’m not gonna come mooching child support or anything, so you don’t have to worry. I know you didn’t want kids but—”

“Stop.” His calloused fingers gripped my chin, wrenching my gaze up to his. He looked stunned, almost shaken. “It’s mine?” He barely choked out the words. They echoed through me—he didn’t know.

I jerked out of his reach, shaking my head as a questionable ire bristled through me. “Seeing as you’re the only person I’ve ever slept with, yes,” I snapped, then softer, “It’s yours. I’m sorry.”