Breakfast was exactly as Quinn had described, a dozen family members around a large wooden table, eating, drinking, and laughing. Aubrey had never felt so comfortable in her life amidst a crowd of strangers. Quinn’s mother, Ruth, was the complete opposite of her husband and son, who could have been a before and after picture. Ruth had long chestnut-brown hair and cocoa-colored eyes which were warm and enthusiastic as she asked Aubrey all about her pregnancy.

“When I was nine months pregnant with Quinn, I suddenly had this crazy craving for tacos—”

“At four in the morning,” her husband August grumbled good-naturedly.

“Anyway, I asked August to go out and find me some, but it was too early for anything to be open. So, he went to the all-night convenience store and found some taco shells and a wilted head of lettuce and came home determined to make them for me.” Ruth reached under the table to pat her husband’s thigh as she smiled up at him. “He spent almost an hour thawing out hamburger to make the taco meat and setting up this great taco buffet for me, and just before we sat down to eat—”

“Her water broke,” August grumbled.

“Oh, no!” Aubrey joined in the laughter as she imagined how the young, soon-to-be father had felt in that moment. “So much for a good meal before delivery.”

“Are you kidding?” Ruth laughed. “I told August to call the midwife, and I sat down and ate tacos before my labor pains grew too uncomfortable. I wouldn’t recommend it though. The heartburn during labor was wicked.”

“What a great story!” Aubrey gushed, glancing at Quinn who was listening with an amused smirk on his face. “I hope I’ll have a good story to tell my little guy when he gets here.”

“It’s a boy?” Ruth’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s wonderful! Do you know what you’re going to name him yet?”

“No,” Aubrey shook her head, “I just found out yesterday what the sex was. I haven’t had much time to think about it with everything that’s happened.”

“Oh, poo.” The anger on the older woman’s face surprised Aubrey. “I want to bash that lion’s face in, just for putting a pregnant woman through this kind of trauma.”

“Take a number. I get first dibs,” Quinn responded, reaching for Aubrey’s hand. “I’ve already assured Aubrey she and Peanut will be perfectly safe with the Jameson clan. We’re going to stay put and let Alex make the next move.”

“He’ll probably lose interest once he realizes he’ll have to go through forty polar bears to reach her,” August said. “I can’t imagine anyone stupid enough to tangle with all of us.”

“You haven’t met Alex.” Aubrey’s heart ached with a combination of warm affection for this wonderful family and guilt over bringing danger to their door. “He’s been trying to breed a liger shifter for years, and this is the first time he’s successfully impregnated a female tiger. If I had only known before…”

“Shhh.” Quinn wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his warmth and offering her comfort. “It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. We just have to make him see the error of his ways now.”

“When should we expect this lion’s pride to darken our doorstep?” Ruth asked, her tone taking on a sharpness Aubrey hadn’t heard before.

“The tracker should have had time to get our location back to his Alpha by now. My guess, they’ll attempt something after dark,” Quinn replied calmly. Aubrey jerked in his grip, but he didn’t release her.

“Tracker? We were being followed?”

“Yep,” Quinn nodded, “but that’s okay. I wanted him to know where we were. Maybe it will make him think twice before he does anything stupid.”

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I couldn’t forgive myself if—”

Ruth reached out and cupped Aubrey’s hand between her own. “Aubrey, dear, if this dunghead does something to threaten a member of our clan, it will be on him, not you. And as far as I’m concerned, you and your son are family.”

Aubrey noticed Ruth’s eyes lift to meet Quinn’s over her head. “Thank you, Ruth. I don’t know what to say.”

“Nothing more to say,” Quinn interjected. “In fact, I think the time for talking is over. You’ve barely gotten any sleep in the last day and Peanut needs you healthy. Let’s find you a place to take a nap.”

Without a word of argument, Aubrey thanked Ruth for the meal, again, and bid everyone goodbye as Quinn led her out of the kitchen and upstairs.

* * *

Quinn led Aubrey up the stairs and down the short hallway to his childhood bedroom. He could have taken her to the guest room—and he probably should have—but he just couldn’t stand to let her out of his sight.

“If you want to freshen up in the bathroom or take a shower, I’ll go get those clothes for you that Aunt Lisa brought over,” he said, gesturing to the connecting bathroom.

“Thank you, but I’m too tired to do anything, but sleep at this point. Do you mind if I keep the shirt to sleep in?” She tugged at the t-shirt she was wearing, drawing his attention down to her chest where her nipples were jutting out against the thin fabric. Quinn’s mouth went dry, and he floundered for a response.

“No, uh, that’s fine. It’s yours. I’ll grab those clothes and be right back.”

He nearly flew out of the room and down the stairs to the front hallway where his mother had said she left the bag of maternity clothes. Finding it, he turned to head back up to Aubrey, only to come face to face with his father.

“Dad?”

“Son? Want to tell me exactly what we’re facing here?” August Jameson was identical in almost all ways to Quinn. They were both the same height, weight, build, coloring, and even shared the same overly serious temperament.

“He’s determined to have her, but he wants to use her as a breeding horse to create an army of liger shifters. His betas attacked me when I refused to turn her over. I managed to fight them off and corner him, but the crazy son of a bitch jumped out the window rather than fight me.”

“I see,” August nodded slowly, “and where was Aubrey during all of this?”

“Safe room. I couldn’t risk being distracted, so I put her in there until it was over,” Quinn said with a guilty grin.

“I can’t imagine your mother ever letting me keep her safe. Hell, she’s more likely to start a fight just to have a chance to land a punch,” August said, laughing.

“I think Aubrey is stronger than she realizes. Right now, her first priority is her child, and in her position, the safest thing she can do is stay out of Alex’s reach,” Quinn explained.

“She looks like she’s about to pop. When’s the baby due?”

“Any minute,” Quinn said with a grimace. “That’s another reason I brought her here. I’ve delivered four hundred and eighty-nine babies in my career, but the idea of delivering hers has me scared shitless.”

“Exactly how I felt when your mama was carrying you,” August nodded, his lips curving up in a wide grin. “Better get back to her. We’ve set up a watch, but I doubt they come until nightfall. I’ll make sure you’re awake in plenty of time.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Quinn left his father behind and returned to the bedroom to find Aubrey sprawled out on top of the bedspread, sound asleep. She hadn’t even managed to remove her pants or socks before she’d passed out.

With an indulgent smile, Quinn slid the bedding out from under her and tucked her in. Once she was settled, he found himself at a loss. He’d planned to ask her if she minded him sleeping next to her—on top of the covers of course—but now that she was already asleep, he wasn’t sure how she’d feel about it. Resigned to protect her feelings, he retrieved a blanket from the top of his closet and pulled an arm chair over next to the bed. In this position, he was between her and the door, so if someone made it this far, they’d still have to contend with him.

For a long while, he just watched Aubrey sleep, her face relaxed and peaceful in the security of his family home. Her long hair was a tangled mess, but she’d removed the clip, so the curls were free to drape about randomly. He liked the way they looked on the pillow, he could imagine wrapping a handful of them in his fist as he woke her with a kiss.

His cock throbbed, and he cursed softly. As pregnant as she was, she would not appreciate the road his thoughts were traveling down. Even if the scent of arousal filled the air every time they were alone together, he couldn’t bring himself to pressure her. They’d barely met, and neither of them knew a damn thing about the other, and yet…

Mate.

Quinn begrudgingly had to agree with his bear. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind now. Aubrey Celine was his mate, and his future.