Aubrey had woken up alone in the bedroom, still fully clothed. The curtains were drawn, so she had no clue what time it was, but a bag of clothing sat atop a folded blanket in a chair next to her. Helping herself, she was pleased to find a couple of long, flowy house dresses which would fit fairly well in her state. It wasn’t long before she’d showered and dressed, and feeling much stronger and more refreshed, found her way back downstairs to the kitchen.

“Aubrey, there you are, dear. I was just going to go ask Quinn if we should wake you for dinner,” Ruth greeted her, stirring a pot of some sort of delicious smelling red sauce on the stove.

“Um, where is Quinn?” she asked, glancing behind her as if expecting him to materialize.

“In the Man-Cave with his father. That’s where all the guys spend their time when they’re at our house. Through that door and downstairs,” Ruth directed.

“Thanks, it smells delicious in here.” The pleasure on the older woman’s face was obvious, and Aubrey had a lighter skip to her step as she headed off to find Quinn.

The doorway and stairs led down to a basement where she encountered a room full of men, most the size of giants. Frozen in place, she couldn’t decide whether to race back up the stairs or drop to the floor and play dead, hoping they didn’t notice her.

“Hey, sugar, you must be Quinn’s lady,” a man nearby called out. He had blond hair the color of sunshine and green eyes that reminded her of the shamrocks which grew in the spring. When he rose from the barstool he’d been sitting on, he towered over her by a good foot. “I’m Sebastian Jameson, Quinn’s cousin.”

“Aubrey Celine. Um, is Quinn around?” She glanced side to side, but she couldn’t seem to find Quinn in the mass of bodies.

“Yeah, he’s in the back, playing pool. Come on, I’ll get you there.” Sebastian took her hand and pulled her through the room. All around them, people stared at her, and she noticed many of them were obviously inhaling her scent.

“Why are they all sniffing me? Has no one ever encountered a tiger before?” she asked Sebastian.

“Nah,” he grinned over his shoulder, “they’re all just shocked to scent Quinn’s claim on a woman. We all figured he was a confirmed bachelor, but apparently, he just needed to find the right lady.”

“Um, Quinn and I aren’t, uh—” she was cut off when Sebastian shrugged and kept moving. Well, shit. She was afraid of that. Everyone in Quinn’s family was going to assume they were a couple, and then he’d have to break it to them that they weren’t. How awkward.

“Quinn, I got your girl, and I think I’m gonna keep her. She’s a pretty little thing,” Sebastian called out as they broke through the group into an open space around a large pool table.

Aubrey’s eyes met Quinn’s, and she felt warmth fill her soul. Why did he have to be so damn sexy? He quickly passed off the cue he was holding and hurried to her side.

“Hey, angel, how’d you sleep?” he asked, kissing her temple, placing his palm on her belly. The gesture was so intimate, she shivered. What she wouldn’t give to change the parentage of her son.

“Good. Great, in fact. Who are all of these people?” she asked, looking around at all the faces watching them.

“This is the Jameson clan or at least, the male side of it. The females will be gathering upstairs in the kitchen soon. Mama invited everyone over for a big potluck dinner to welcome you tonight.”

Aubrey’s mouth fell open. “Is that a good idea? I mean, aren’t we just sitting ducks for Alex and his pride to attack us?”

“I pray the man is stupid enough to try,” Sebastian said loudly. All the other men in the room roared with laughter, and Aubrey felt silly. These guys were massive, and having seen Alex’s small pride, she knew the Jamesons could take them. But why would they want to? Why would they risk it for her?

“Because they know you’re important to me, and that’s all that matters in this family,” Quinn said softly, catching her chin in his hand, tipping her face up. His head lowered and he brushed a kiss over her lips, right there in front of the whole crowd. “Did you find everything you needed in the bag from Aunt Lisa?”

“I did, thank you,” she nodded, forcing herself to breathe slowly and not read too much into the affectionate gesture. “It’s nice to be wearing clothes that fit,” she tugged at the expansive folds of the dress and then wrinkled her nose, “well, kind of.”

“I think you look beautiful,” Quinn responded. “Let me take you around and introduce you. Most everyone here is related in some way, but not all of them are related to me.”

Aubrey’s mind spun as she was caught up in the whirlwind that was the Jameson clan. They were friendly, welcoming, and absolutely hilarious. It was obvious the men of the family were close and cared deeply for one another.

“And last, but not least, is Sebastian who you’ve already met,” Quinn said, bringing them full circle to where they’d started.

“I sure as hell hope there’s not a test over all these names,” she grumbled, rubbing at her forehead. “I’m pretty sure my brain can’t absorb all of them.”

Sebastian and Quinn both laughed, “As long as you know the important ones, you’ll be fine. My parents are August and Ruth. Sebastian’s father is Michael Jameson, our Alpha, and my uncle.”

Turning to face him, she frowned, “And who were you again?”

Quinn’s eyes flashed and then narrowed as he leaned in. “I’m the only man in this room you need to commit to your long-term memory, angel. I’m your mate.”

Aubrey’s heart stopped beating in her chest for an anguishing second as she stared into his eyes in shock. What was he saying? Had he really just claimed to be her mate in front of his family? Surely, she’d misunderstood him.

“Supper is ready!” Ruth’s voice called down the stairs, and the crowd surrounding them rose en masse and headed off in her direction. Aubrey and Quinn, however, stood frozen in place, still as statues until they were alone.

“Mate?”

Quinn gave her a slow nod.

“Are you sure?”

“Are you asking me or yourself?” his full lips curved. “I’m so sure, I’ve already told my mother.”

“But we just met, and well, how do you know, exactly?” she stammered. When she tried to take a step backward, Quinn stepped forward, stalking her until she felt the pool table at her back.

“I know because the moment we met, you fit me like a puzzle piece. I know because every time you’re close to me, my bear goes wild with wanting you. And I know because I can’t get you out of my head.”

“But, Quinn, I’m carrying Alex’s baby. Surely that changes how you feel?”

He gave her a funny look, and then slid his arms around her waist, his hands resting on the curve of her backside. “Does it change the way you respond to me, Aubrey? When I’m this close, I can smell your arousal. At first, I thought it was just your hormones, but my heart is telling me that’s not true. It was pure luck I was covering the ER when the ambulance brought you in, but I’m not stupid enough to kick fate in the teeth. In fact, I’m kinda thrilled with the woman she chose.”

“Fate,” she whispered, finally absorbing what he was saying. Quinn wanted her as much as she wanted him, and he didn’t care she was pregnant. A terrifying thought occurred to her. “But what about after?”

“After what?”

“After I have the baby. He’s my son, Quinn. I know he shares Alex’s blood, but he’s one-hundred percent mine. I’ll never give him up.”

“Do you think so little of me you even need to ask?” Quinn’s face reflected his horror. “I’m already head over heels for both of you, angel. You and your Peanut. I’m not going anywhere, and neither is he. We’re going to hammer that fact home for Alex and make sure he’s not stupid enough to come back and test the waters again in this lifetime. Then, we’ll all three go home and build a life together.”

“Quinn, I don’t even know what to say.” Tears of joy and relief built in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

“Then stop talking,” Quinn murmured, brushing the tears away with his thumb before he tipped her head back and kissed her soundly.

Aubrey’s body lit up from the inside out, and she clung to him, opening her lips and welcoming him in. She loved the way he brought one hand up and held the back of her head in place while he feasted on her mouth. She felt dominated and cherished, all at once.

Lifting her own palms, she ran them over his broad chest and down the ridges of his abs. He was built perfectly, and her pussy clenched thinking about getting his thick cock inside her. Slipping her hands under the hem of his shirt, she felt his muscles tense when she touched his bare skin. He groaned and pressed closer; his skin was as scorching hot as her insides, and she couldn’t get enough.

Quinn seemed to feel the same way because his hands suddenly gripped her waist and lifted her onto the edge of the pool table, breaking their kiss for a moment.

“We’re going to have to get you some high heels baby, or I’ll have to hire a massage therapist for my neck muscles,” he teased, kissing his way along her jaw to her throat.

“I’ll rub any aching muscle you have,” she hissed in reply, her back arching when he sucked on her collarbone.

Quinn chuckled and braced her back with his strong hands, easing her onto the pool table. His cock pressed tightly to her pussy now, but with the large curve of her belly, kissing her was suddenly very awkward. They both seemed to realize the hilarity of the situation at the same moment and began to laugh.

“Um, this should probably wait,” she said, rubbing at her burgeoning belly.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I can’t seem to keep control once I kiss you.”

“I’m not complaining.”

Quinn helped her sit back up, then he placed his hand over hers on her tummy. “Do you really feel it too, Aubrey? You’re not just agreeing to be mine because you’re scared of Alex, are you?”

“Oh, God, no. Quinn, I can’t call it love because I’ve never been in love before, but I know there’s something special here. Something magical. Call it fate, or destiny, or luck, whatever you want. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that it’s real, and I’m not going anywhere. You’ll have me… and Peanut… for as long as you want us.”

“Forever sounds just about right to me,” Quinn responded, kissing her forehead.

“Are you two coming up here, or do I need to come down there after you?” Sebastian called from the stairwell. “Quinn, if you’ve got that girl naked, I’m not covering my eyes, damn it.”

Aubrey giggled and lowered herself off the pool table. Hand in hand, they headed upstairs and into the warm folds of the Jameson clan.

* * *

Raucous laughter rang through Quinn’s childhood home, threatening to continue until the wee hours of the morning, but by midnight Aubrey was having trouble staying awake. Rubbing at her back, she rose and began moving slowly about the room. Each person she met smiled warmly or greeted her by name. It was wonderful and confounding all at once. Why would Quinn have ever left his family behind in favor of a lonely existence in Colorado? If she’d been blessed with this kind of supportive family, she’d have built roots that could never be broken.

“You okay, angel?” Quinn’s voice murmured next to her ear as she looked over a row of framed family pictures on a side table. His hands took over for hers, rubbing gently at her arched back.

“Just getting tired. I seem sleepy all the time these days.”

“That’s normal for the end of the pregnancy,” he nodded and kissed her temple. “Any pain?”

“Nothing more than the regular soreness which comes with carrying an extra thirty pounds around my middle.” She turned and faced him, letting her hands rest on his broad chest. “How long do you think we’ll stay here, Quinn?”

“As long as we need to,” he answered quickly. “What’s wrong? You don’t like it here?”

“That’s not it at all. I love your family. In fact, I was wishing they were mine a few moments ago.” She giggled when his smile grew wider. “I guess I’m just nervous about delivering the baby.”

“I told you, I can handle the delivery. Not only am I experienced, but I’m also pretty damn good at what I do.” He sounded a bit put out by her doubtful attitude, so she hurried to reassure him.

“I never doubted that for a moment, but I’ve never had a baby. I’m… scared.” She lifted her eyes to meet his, and in the warm light of the family room, she could have sworn she saw something more than affection in his gaze.

“Trust me, angel. I’ll take care of you.” He pulled her in close for a hug, and she buried her nose into his chest, inhaling his spicy scent deep into her lungs. She wanted to get lost in his embrace and never leave.

Unfortunately, the timing was bad. At that exact moment, a sharp pain hit her, making her knees buckle as she cried out. A millisecond later, she felt a gush of water splash down her thighs.

“Oh, shit!” she cried out, her eyes filling with tears as she pushed Quinn away. “My water just broke!”

“Looks like it,” Quinn said, absently spinning toward the room full of people. “Mama!”

Everyone looked in their direction, and Aubrey’s face grew hot with embarrassment. She’d just met these people, and she’d already managed to ruin their carpet.

“Mama!” Quinn called again as several women hurried their direction. He turned back to her and wrapped one arm around her waist before bending to scoop her up.

“Quinn, I can walk!” she protested, slapping at his chest as another pain hit her. “Ouch, damn it!”

“Deep breaths, Angel,” he instructed, pushing through the various offers of help and marching them down the hallway.

She was lost in a haze of adrenaline, pain, and fear as he settled her onto a bed and began bustling about the room. Ruth burst through the door, a huge smile on her face.

“This is marvelous! I was hoping you’d be here when the time came.” The older woman came directly to Aubrey’s side and took her hand. “How far apart are the pains, dear?”

“I—I—don’t know.” Tears slid freely down Aubrey’s cheeks. “It just started, and I think I ruined your carpet. I’m so sorry, I’ll pay to have it cleaned.”

“Pfft. Don’t you worry about that carpet. I raised Quinn with that same carpet in the living room. A little bit of baby fluids isn’t the worst thing that’s ever been on it. Let’s focus on getting ready for your little boy to arrive.”

“Peanut,” Aubrey gasped as another pain wrenched through her gut. It didn’t just hurt, it burned. Like a white-hot poker being stabbed through her lower abdomen. It tore through the middle of her, stealing all the air from her lungs.

“Yes, Peanut. I like that nickname. I used to call Quinn peanut when he was tiny. My daughter, Elise, was monkey. She used to like to climb anything and everything, from the curtains to the stair railing. One time, I even found her on the roof when she was playing hide-and-go-seek with her cousins,” Ruth kept talking, and Aubrey found it helped to distract her from her fear. Focusing on the other woman’s words, she managed to slow both her tears and her breathing. “There you go. Now, tell me when the next one starts, and I’ll keep track for you. You’ve got enough work to do. Lord knows, we women are built for this. If men were in charge of having the babies, the human species would have died out long ago.”

“Hey! I resent that,” Quinn grumbled, pulling a pair of gloves on as he sat on the edge of the bed and reached for Aubrey’s dress. “I’m going to check you now, angel. Okay?”

“No!” Aubrey panicked and snapped her knees closed. “You can’t see me like this!”

Quinn’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “I’ve seen hundreds of women in labor, Aubrey.”

“But, if you see my… parts like this, you’ll never… I mean…” Suddenly, she was sobbing again, hiccupping hysterically as every possible nervous thought flew through her mind. Quinn would think she was disgusting and never want to make love to her if he saw a child come out of her. Hell, she wasn’t sure she’d ever want to have sex again in this lifetime after this.

Quinn’s head dipped, and he leaned forward, capturing her hiccupping mouth for a brief kiss. “Stop it. Right now. Don’t let those thoughts even get into your head. I feel privileged to have the chance to deliver your—our son. In fact, I’m not sure I would even consider letting someone else do it. I want to be the first person he sees. Can you let me have that? Aubrey?”

She centered herself on those words. This wasn’t just about her, and it wasn’t even just about the baby. Quinn was involved, too. He was her mate, and they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. Perhaps, even having more children in the future.

“Fuck!” she cried out as another pain ripped into her. “Do it, just do whatever you have to. I can’t take this!”

“Easy, sweetie. You can do this. You were meant to do this,” Ruth murmured, brushing her hair from her forehead and suffering through Aubrey’s unrelenting grip on her hand. “Breathe through it. Slowly in, then slowly out. That’s the way. Come on, look at me, not Quinn. He’s just going to do the official business. I’m the pretty piece of fluff to keep you entertained here.”

Aubrey found herself half-chuckling and half-sobbing as she felt air on her loins and Quinn quickly checked her status.

“This is going to happen fast, Aubrey. You’re at an eight-plus already, so you only have a couple of centimeters to go. I need to get the rest of the supplies set up. Mama’s going to stay right here with you though, okay?” Quinn’s ice-blue eyes held hers for a moment, and she nodded.

“I got this,” she said firmly, forcing air to ease from her lungs as she fought for control of her own body. It was like an alien had taken over, and she was just a vessel for its use.

She had no idea what Quinn did during those few minutes because she stayed focused on Ruth’s soft voice and her own breathing. It really did make a huge difference in her pain level. More than she’d expected.

By the time Quinn returned and lifted her gently to put more towels underneath her, she was starting to grit her teeth with the pain and pressure on her pelvis.

“Quinn, I think I need to push,” she hissed, throwing her head back.

Quinn’s eyes grew large, and he nodded, “I’m going to get another pair of hands, angel. Just hang on one more second.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” she cried out, as he disappeared from her line of vision again. She jerked her eyes to Ruth and snapped, “I don’t want anyone else to see this.”

“Not even your future sister-in-law?” The voice was soft and melodic, enchanting even, and the woman who appeared with Quinn was stunning. “Hi, Aubrey, I’m Elise. Sorry I didn’t make it earlier to meet you before all of this.”

Elise moved opposite Ruth on Aubrey’s other side, but Aubrey couldn’t respond, she was too far into her own situation. As Quinn resumed his place between her legs, Aubrey felt everything inside her body begin to push the child forward.

“That’s it, Aubrey. Lift your knees like this.” Quinn gave her slow, steady instructions, encouraging her through the whole thing, as Ruth and Elise each supported her legs.

The pain was more intense than anything Aubrey had ever been through. Every nerve in her body suddenly seemed to be connected to her vagina, and it felt like liquid fire was seeping into her. Bearing down, she clenched her eyes shut and pushed her son free of her body.