THE FOLLOWING NIGHT, the doorbell rang throughout the bunkhouse, which was rare. The usual occupants either lived there or in the main house, and they never knocked.
This meant, visitors.
Phoenix opened the door to see Saxon’s parents on the other side.
“Phoenix,” Saxon’s mom, Susana, said in her light and beautiful accent as she stepped through the doorway. She immediately engulfed Phoenix in a hug. “How are you, dear?”
Phoenix hugged her back. “Can’t complain.” Too much. “How are you two?”
“We just got back from Florida,” Carl, Saxon’s dad, said as he came in the house, closing the door behind himself.
Every winter, Saxon’s parents would go to Florida to get away from the cold now that they were both retired.
Susana released Phoenix and stepped back to stand next to her husband. “We came to let our alpha know that we were back in town, and what a surprise it was to find out that our son had been shot.” Susana looked at Carl. “What did Vance say again?”
She had a sweet smile on her face, but Phoenix could tell Saxon’s mom was not happy.
When Susana heard Saxon enter the room behind her, she looked at her son, and using her mom voice, she said, her accent getting thicker, “Almost four months ago.”
Phoenix couldn’t help but smirk. Saxon, an alpha male, was being reprimanded by his mommy.
Saxon held up his hands in surrender as he came over to them. “Mamá, I was going to tell you. I didn’t want you guys to worry and cut your trip short. It wasn’t that bad, and I’m all healed now.”
Susana hugged her son tight and stepped back to look him in the eyes. She ran her hands all over him, as if to make sure he really wasn’t hurt. “Mijo, you don’t keep something like that from your mamá and papá. ¿Me entiendes?”
“Okay, Mamá, I understand,” Saxon said.
Phoenix doubted he would tell them if something like that happened again. He loved and cherished his mother too much to worry her if he felt it was unnecessary.
“Humpf,” Susana said, as if she didn’t believe him.
Carl drew her away. “Stop babying the boy, Sus,” he teased his wife.
“Thanks, Dad.” Saxon smiled. “So, did you both come here just to yell at me?”
“No,” his father said at the same time his mother said, “Yes.”
Saxon laughed, and he drew both parents in for a hug. “I’m glad you’re home.”
Carl’s crystal-green eyes, so much like Saxon’s, danced with amusement while Susana’s deep brown eyes filled with happy tears. Saxon’s black-and-blond striped hair matched his father’s blond and his mother’s black, and he had also inherited his mother’s stunning golden skin. He was the perfect combination of his parents, and looking at them, there was no doubt they were a family.
The sight of them made Phoenix ache with want—to have parents like that, parents who loved their child so much. And Susana and Carl were lucky to have each other and a son like Saxon.
Susana had come to the US when her entire family and most of her pride were killed in the Veracruz earthquake in 1973. Back then, Vince Llewelyn—Vance’s father and Vaughn’s grandfather—had been the Minnesota Pride’s alpha. He had reached out to what was left of the Puebla Pride in Mexico and sponsored them to come to America.
Carl always said he had taken one look at Susana, and he knew he had found his mate. About ten years later, they’d had Saxon and said their family was complete. Though Saxon had told Phoenix that they had tried for more children.
Phoenix mourned for that kind of relationship because her parents never loved her that much, never loved her enough to believe their own child, and it hurt because she would never have what Susana and Carl had. A beautiful relationship filled with love, devotion, and trust, and she would never get to hold a child of her own in her arms.
For one moment, just a fleeting one, Phoenix thought of Dante, and that only depressed her more. It shouldn’t, but it did.
Susana must have seen the emotions on Phoenix’s face because she pulled away from her son and husband. “Oh, mija, don’t cry.”
Susana held out her arms, and Phoenix gladly welcomed her warm motherly embrace as Carl squeezed her hand. Phoenix and Saxon weren’t related at all, but Susana still called her my daughter, and Phoenix secretly loved it.
How Saxon, commitment-phobe extraordinaire, had come from these two wonderful, loving people, Phoenix would never understand. And, even though she was surrounded by their affection, she still couldn’t help feeling alone.
Phoenix pulled away from their embrace and looked at the clock. “We’d better get ready,” she told Saxon.
They had to leave for the shifter-vampire meeting in under an hour.
Saxon and Phoenix said good-bye to his parents with Phoenix promising Susana that she would call them herself if something happened to Saxon. He rolled his eyes but wisely kept his mouth shut, knowing that, if he protested, then his parents would never leave.
Tegan was just getting home from a date as they walked out the door. She quickly said hello and bye to Saxon’s parents. Then, she told Saxon and Phoenix, “Give me a minute to change, and then I’ll head over there with you.”
The over there Tegan was referring to was the main house where they were meeting their alpha along with Vaughn and Sawyer. The two sentinels would be dropping off their mates, Naya and Kenzie, to hang out with their alphena while the rest of them went to the meeting at L & L Construction. Because there were so many of them now—cat-shifters, wolf-shifters, and vampires—there wasn’t enough room at anyone’s residence. And, since L & L had a big conference room and it was after-hours, it was the perfect place.
Tegan exited the bedroom that she shared with Phoenix, and the three of them trucked over to the main house.
They were the first to arrive, and Lilith offered them cookies while they waited. She loved cooking and baking, and she always seemed to have some treats around the house. Their alpha and alphena had gone upstairs, and about five minutes later, Vaughn walked in. He could only be described as frazzled with his messy black hair and circles under his blue eyes.
“Whatever you do,” he warned them in a hushed tone as he set down his mate’s purse, “do not ask Naya about being pregnant, giving birth, or babies.” He looked at Zane. “I’m serious.”
“Hey,” Zane protested, actually looking insulted.
Vaughn clenched his teeth and pointed a finger at Zane.
Zane rolled his eyes. “Fine, I won’t say anything.”
As Vaughn turned to go back outside, Zane added, “I’m only doing this for you, dude, so you owe me one.”
Vaughn looked back at Zane and laughed, but the laugh was more strained than full of humor. “Oh no, dude, you’re doing it for yourself. Trust me, you do not want to get on her bad side.”
“Vaughn!” Naya yelled from outside.
It looked as if Vaughn might have winced.
“Coming!” he shouted back. He wiped his hand down his face and then plastered on the biggest fake smile before heading outside.
They all looked around at each other, and Zane said, “Yikes.”
Phoenix hadn’t seen Naya for about a month, so she wasn’t sure what to expect, but what she saw wasn’t it.
Naya usually looked so put together, even throughout her pregnancy, but today, she looked nothing like her normal self. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun—and not one of those stylish messy buns. This one was of pure convenience. Her skin was free of all makeup, and if Phoenix had thought Vaughn had bags under his eyes, then Naya had suitcases. The normal violet hue was dull. And, while typically happy, tonight, she wore a scowl on her beautiful face. She looked miserable. And very, very pregnant. Phoenix didn’t even know how the poor woman walked.
Vaughn helped his mate into the nearest recliner while everyone greeted her. They all made sure to say nothing of her huge belly, even Zane.
“Where are Mom and Dad?” Vaughn asked as he straightened up from helping Naya sit.
“Upstairs,” Saxon answered.
The door opened, and Sawyer and his mate, Kenzie, walked in.
Upon seeing her best friend, the human said, “Oh, Naya.” Kenzie bent over to give the vampire a hug, and she just had to add, “You look like you’re about to explode.”
Vaughn visibly cringed this time and muttered, “Shit,” under his breath.
“Yeah, well, you smell weird,” Naya told Kenzie.
Kenzie stood, her back stiff, and she looked at her mate. Sawyer grabbed her hand.
“Naya, baby, Kenzie wasn’t trying to insult you. Remember how we talked about being nice?” Vaughn said.
Naya adjusted herself in her seat and shot a death glare at him. “Fuck you. Don’t treat me like I’m a child.”
“Naya!” Kenzie exclaimed.
Naya threw her head back against the recliner and groaned. “God, not you, too. Listen, when you have this male’s”—she jerked her thumb at Vaughn—“evil spawn inside of you, sucking the life out of you, then you can reprimand me all you want. Until then, shut up, please.”
Everyone was silent.
Then, someone said, “Holy shit, Vaughn. I think you broke Naya.” It might have been Zane.
Naya grumbled as she put the foot of the recliner up. “Yeah, well, when you’re forty-one weeks pregnant with twins, then you can talk to me about how I should behave.”
Suddenly, all the anger left Naya, and her eyes filled with tears. She looked up at Vaughn and pleaded, “Why won’t they come out? Why?”
Vaughn knelt next to her and rubbed his hand over her hair and down the back of her neck. “I don’t know, baby, and I’m sorry you’re so miserable. But, remember, Dr. Montgomery said it should only be a few more days.”
Vaughn had told them before that human drugs used to induce labor wouldn’t work with vampires. Plus, most vampire doctors believed that, if a female was still pregnant, it was because she was supposed to be, and they didn’t like forcing the child to come any earlier than they were ready to.
Naya sniffled. “I know.” She smiled a smile she reserved only for her mate. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok—”
Naya gasped.
“What’s wrong? The babies?” Vaughn asked, alarmed.
Naya shook her head and looked at Kenzie, her face full of surprise. “You’re pregnant.”
Kenzie’s eyes got huge, and guilt flooded her face.
“That’s why you smell weir—different.”
Kenzie looked at Sawyer, and he nodded.
“Yes,” she told her friend. “We wanted to wait until I was a little further along before we told anyone. I’m only about six weeks.” She looked around the room. “Please don’t say anything. I know you all have stronger noses, so some of you might smell it on me, and if someone asks, you can confirm it, but please don’t go around telling everyone.”
“Congratulations,” Vaughn said. He stood up, shook Sawyer’s hand, and pulled him into a man hug.
Naya held out her arms, and Kenzie leaned over to hug her again.
Saxon and Tegan offered their congratulations to the couple.
Phoenix tried to say something, but she was afraid that, if she opened her mouth, embarrassing words would come out. The ache in her chest from earlier had now widened until she was filled with anguish and grief. Even though she had poured out her secret to Sawyer, she didn’t think he had told anyone about her deepest wish to be a mother. Kenzie didn’t know what her pregnancy announcement along with Naya’s pending birth did to Phoenix, but right now, their happiness hurt. Even Naya’s misery hurt because the reason Naya was unhappy was because she was going to give birth. Phoenix couldn’t help but feel a little resentful of both of them. She knew it wasn’t true, but it seemed like everyone was pregnant but her. Or maybe it was because everyone could get pregnant but her.
Most days, Phoenix had come to terms with her past, but abruptly, the bitterness from her past would come out of nowhere. It wasn’t fair. Why did she have to have issues? Why couldn’t she just be normal? She was only twenty-nine, for fuck’s sake. She had plenty of time to have a baby. If only she could make it through the baby-making process. God, she hated being broken. Phoenix worked hard to be strong, but this weakness of hers ate at her sometimes.
Afraid that she would have to leave the room before anyone saw her misery, she was saved by the front door opening. Payton and Damien walked in as the alpha couple came downstairs.
Thankfully, the arrival of the two separate parties in the entryway saved everyone in the living room from having to explain what they had been talking about.
“Are you all ready to go?” Vance asked his sentinels.
Sawyer answered, “Yep,” rather fast, but Vaughn looked down at Naya with worry.
“Honey,” Lilith said, “don’t worry about Naya. Payton, Kenzie, and I will take good care of her. We’ll call you if anything is wrong.”
“Yes, go.” Naya waved him away.
“Okay,” Vaughn said reluctantly. He leaned over and kissed Naya. “Be nice,” he murmured against her lips, smiling. “My mom’s not tough like me,” he said a little louder.
Naya grinned back at him and pushed him away. “I know. She’s tougher,” she teased.
They all laughed as most of them headed for the door.
Sawyer pulled Kenzie close and cradled the back of her head as he kissed her like he was leaving for a month while Payton pulled Damien down to kiss him, as if he were going off to war. Normally, all this PDA didn’t bother Phoenix, but it did tonight. At least Payton wasn’t pregnant. That was something.
Phoenix made her way around the group and was the first one outside. She took a deep breath of fresh night air, trying to rid herself of the love and pregnancy hormones swirling inside the house. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.