your neck is a cub collar. When a female becomes pregnant, her skin will flush around her neck like yours.” He touched the mark with the fingers of one hand. “I thought it looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out where I knew it from. Genevieve probably scented your pregnancy when we first arrived. I thought I saw her scent you, but then she made such a fuss about you smelling badly that I didn’t think anything about it. Female tigers can scent pregnancy very early. Normally, females are very protective of pregnant females.”
Tera snorted. “She’s got a fucking screw loose.”
Tera took one of his hands and one of Melo’s and laid it against her stomach. “I might be carrying one of your cubs. How do you guys feel about that?”
Melo laughed and kissed her cheek. “Are you kidding me? This is the best thing to happen since we found you in Midas’ kitchen.”
Tahlon nodded in agreement. “We’re ready to start the next chapter of our lives together, Tera. This cub, and any others that we have, are joyfully welcomed.”
“I love you both.”
They promised that they loved her, too. Tahlon was still furious over what had almost happened. If he hadn’t been there to stop her from drinking the tea, they might never have known she was pregnant in the first place. A large part of him wanted to kill the queen. But a better revenge was living his life to the fullest with the woman he loved. It wasn’t a bloody revenge, but it would wound her. She’d shown her true colors in front of her mate and would have to answer for it.
Tahlon touched her forehead with the back of his hand. She felt flushed. “Can we get you anything, baby?”
“Take me home, please.”
Now that was a great idea.
It took only ten minutes for them to get on the road. Tahlon drove the first leg of their journey while Melo sat in the back, and Tera rested her head in his lap and slept. Tahlon was very proud of her for standing up for him. He had been so enraged in the house that he might have fought Jorah to get to the queen. Her distraction had shifted the focus from himself to her. He didn’t like that the show of power had exhausted her so much, and he would speak to her later about being more careful now that she was carrying a cub.
Whether the cub was his or Melo’s, it wouldn’t matter. They were a family and any children she carried would belong to all of them. Unlike their parents, he, Melo, and Tera weren’t going anywhere, and their children would grow up in a home that was filled with love and support.
* * * * *
Monday morning, Tahlon drove to a drug store to buy a pregnancy test for Tera. She wanted to take a test before she made an appointment with a doctor. He’d never had to buy this sort of thing before, and when he walked into the pharmacy and found the right aisle, he didn’t know which one to choose.
He must have stood in front of the shelves looking confused for too long because the pharmacist stepped from behind the counter and asked if he needed help.
“My mate is pregnant, but she wants proof before she goes to the doctor.”
“Ah.” The older woman had gray-streaked blonde hair in a tight bun and half-glasses perched on the end of her long nose. At her prompting, Tahlon explained that she was Wiccan and her mates were tigers. “Do you know how far along she might be?” the woman asked.
Tahlon shook his head. “She’s not sure. She has the cub collar, though.”
The woman, whose nametag identified her as Deloris, said, “If she has the collar, then she’s at least two weeks along. It doesn’t show up until after two weeks. It has to do with the hormones in the blood building and the tiger DNA infusing her body to help her and the cub.” She looked at the shelves and pulled two bright purple boxes and handed them to him. “These are specially designed for the mates of shifters. They’re sensitive
Tera snorted. “She’s got a fucking screw loose.”
Tera took one of his hands and one of Melo’s and laid it against her stomach. “I might be carrying one of your cubs. How do you guys feel about that?”
Melo laughed and kissed her cheek. “Are you kidding me? This is the best thing to happen since we found you in Midas’ kitchen.”
Tahlon nodded in agreement. “We’re ready to start the next chapter of our lives together, Tera. This cub, and any others that we have, are joyfully welcomed.”
“I love you both.”
They promised that they loved her, too. Tahlon was still furious over what had almost happened. If he hadn’t been there to stop her from drinking the tea, they might never have known she was pregnant in the first place. A large part of him wanted to kill the queen. But a better revenge was living his life to the fullest with the woman he loved. It wasn’t a bloody revenge, but it would wound her. She’d shown her true colors in front of her mate and would have to answer for it.
Tahlon touched her forehead with the back of his hand. She felt flushed. “Can we get you anything, baby?”
“Take me home, please.”
Now that was a great idea.
It took only ten minutes for them to get on the road. Tahlon drove the first leg of their journey while Melo sat in the back, and Tera rested her head in his lap and slept. Tahlon was very proud of her for standing up for him. He had been so enraged in the house that he might have fought Jorah to get to the queen. Her distraction had shifted the focus from himself to her. He didn’t like that the show of power had exhausted her so much, and he would speak to her later about being more careful now that she was carrying a cub.
Whether the cub was his or Melo’s, it wouldn’t matter. They were a family and any children she carried would belong to all of them. Unlike their parents, he, Melo, and Tera weren’t going anywhere, and their children would grow up in a home that was filled with love and support.
* * * * *
Monday morning, Tahlon drove to a drug store to buy a pregnancy test for Tera. She wanted to take a test before she made an appointment with a doctor. He’d never had to buy this sort of thing before, and when he walked into the pharmacy and found the right aisle, he didn’t know which one to choose.
He must have stood in front of the shelves looking confused for too long because the pharmacist stepped from behind the counter and asked if he needed help.
“My mate is pregnant, but she wants proof before she goes to the doctor.”
“Ah.” The older woman had gray-streaked blonde hair in a tight bun and half-glasses perched on the end of her long nose. At her prompting, Tahlon explained that she was Wiccan and her mates were tigers. “Do you know how far along she might be?” the woman asked.
Tahlon shook his head. “She’s not sure. She has the cub collar, though.”
The woman, whose nametag identified her as Deloris, said, “If she has the collar, then she’s at least two weeks along. It doesn’t show up until after two weeks. It has to do with the hormones in the blood building and the tiger DNA infusing her body to help her and the cub.” She looked at the shelves and pulled two bright purple boxes and handed them to him. “These are specially designed for the mates of shifters. They’re sensitive
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