Page 121 of Bearly Hanging On


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“No.”

They all stared, completely uncomprehending, so I grabbed each one of their hands and placed it on my stomach.

“Are you…?”

Fur prickled all across Tor’s skin, turning his face into a tiger’s mask, then back again. His eyes burned deep gold.

“No.” Mack shook his head so violently I thought for a moment he hated this idea. “No.” He wrenched me close, claws pricking my skin as he buried his nose in my neck. “You can’t be.”

“Didn’t take the Plan B when I went into heat, remember?”

The guys had sat me down and talked me through what would happen. Apparently, my temper, my heat intolerance, made clear what was happening. Human birth control worked fine with human dudes. Women often took Plan B when in heat if they didn’t want to have kids, to counteract shifter super sperm. I’d thought about it seriously, made sure the pills were somewhere easy to get, but when it came time… Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that shadowy shape of that little girl again.

And I couldn’t wait to meet her.

“So we’re…” Kieran looked shell shocked. “And you’re…”

“Pregnant.” Tears clogged my throat, but I forged on. “Six weeks, the doctor thinks.”

“Six weeks…?”

Mack pulled back, his eyes going brighter and brighter silver and then his wolf thrust forward, replacing the man with a massive grey wolf. He let out a very excited woo, then stuck out his nose, snuffling at my belly. My hand went out slowly because wolf Mack was sometimes a little skittish. He thrust his muzzle into my palm, sniffing it like an excited puppy.

“We need to get you outside.”

Kieran sounded more bear than man and I saw it in his eyes. He grabbed me, hoisting me over his shoulder, before carrying me out in the backyard. I laughed, pummelling his back, until he dropped me down on my feet, Tor’s tiger quickly joining us. As the big cat rubbed his head against me, letting out happy chuffs, Kieran took fur.

When we competed in the bear back race, I’d asked him if we could lie under the stars, me sprawled across his bear’s body and that’s what happened right now. The moon rose slowly, the summer air thick and warm as I tried to count each star. I wasn’t allowed to just rest on Kieran’s belly. Their animals were curiously territorial, not happy until I was propped up against Kieran bear’s side, with Tor tiger snuggled in on one side of me, Mack’s wolf lying with his muzzle across my belly. My fingers rubbed through their fur, just breathing in the peace.

“We’re having a daughter.” Each one of the beasts raised their heads at that, Mack letting out a mournful whine. “The doctor didn’t say that, but…” I nodded. “I know. A little girl.” I could just see her, looking back at me with a cheeky grin, then letting out a giggle as she rushed ahead. Into trouble, I just knew it. Mum always said I’d learn my lesson when I had a little girl of my own.

Well, I was about to find out.

Chapter 51

Harper

Several year later

“I do it, Mummy!”

I loved my daughter. Sometimes I had to tell myself that over and over, like a mantra, but it remained true. Just sometimes, occasionally, my very strong willed, determined little girl had my teeth grinding together.

Like right now, as she fought to get her rashie over her head.

Piper was three now, and while people had warned me it was worse than two, I hadn’t wanted to hear it until now. I watched her little limbs fight the stretchy material, her grunts of frustration getting louder and louder, each one feeling like a body blow. I could have the rashie over her head, her arms in the sleeves and she could be paddling with her dads in seconds, but instead I waited.

“Hello, darling girl.”

Today was Piper’s birthday, so all of the families were present. Mum appeared by our side, taking in my daughter’s dilemma with a gentle smile. What the freaking hell was that? Ifthis was twenty-five years ago, she’d be wrenching that over my head and then smacking me on the arse for being a pain.

“Nanna, help!” Piper said. “Help, Nanna!”

My teeth sunk into my bottom lip, biting back the sharp retort that was right there.

“Of course, baby.” Mum bent over, helping Piper put the rashie on, laughing when my daughter’s face popped through the neck hole. “There she is! My big birthday girl. How old are you now, Piper?”

“Three.” Pipes blushed at that, then flung her arms around my mother’s neck, giving her a hug. “Thank you, Nanna!”