called out. "Wait.
I need to talk to you."
The man—Gavin had called him Jessie—turned toward Saul.
"And what exactly do you want? I'm kind of busy debating the advantages
and disadvantages of calling the police on you. Gav has a history of falling
for assholes, but you take the cake."
"I just want to apologize. Gavin means a lot to me, and
I truly thought you were hurting him."
In hindsight, he could recognize now that it hadn't been very
rational behavior on his part. But the trip here had taken far too long, and
every pulse of Gavin's fear and sorrow had increased the aggressiveness of the
wolf. He couldn't exactly tell Jessie that, so instead, he added, "I do
appreciate you being such a great friend to him and sticking with him when I
couldn't."
"It's not me you have to apologize to. Gav was
heart-broken when you left. And then the pregnancy thing... Shit, I have no
idea what you are, but you'd better be worth it, because Gav is risking his
life for your spawn."
Saul's breath caught. He didn't know anything about male
pregnancies, since he hadn't heard about it ever happening in the werewolf
world. Other paranormal species did it all the time, but for werewolves, it was
unusual. "What do you mean?" he asked Jessie.
"Look, I don't know much, only what my dad told us. He
seemed to have some experience with this sort of thing and he said that it's
going to be very difficult and painful for Gav, that the baby might not even
survive, and that Gav himself is at risk. Male bodies just aren't built for
pregnancy."
Just the idea of losing Gavin made Saul's blood run cold.
"Thanks... Thanks for telling me. I'll speak to him."
Jessie frowned in obvious concern. "Maybe he'll listen
to you. Or maybe you'll find a better solution now that you're together. Just
let me know what you decide, okay? I'm very worried."
On impulse, Saul hugged Jessie. It felt strange, but kind of
nice and familiar, like touching a pack member, or maybe even a sibling.
"Thanks. We will."
Jessie broke away from the embrace and smiled awkwardly.
"Okay, before this can get more embarrassing, I'm off. Take care of Gavin
for me—or I'll hunt you down and rip out your testicles, no matter how much of
a badass you are."
With that parting shot, Jessie turned on his heel and walked
away. As soon as the other man was gone, Saul rushed back to the apartment. He
found Gavin out of bed, staring at himself in the mirror and rubbing his now
swollen belly. Saul's heart clenched and his knees almost gave out. He'd never
thought he could be so happy and so distressed at the same time. "You're
more beautiful than ever," he heard himself say.
Gavin turned toward Saul and grinned. "I admit I didn't
really feel beautiful until I knew why I suddenly gained so much weight."
His expression sobered as he met Saul's eyes. "Jess told you about what
the doctor said," he guessed correctly.
Saul walked to Gavin's side and hugged Gavin's back, burying
his nose in Gavin's hair and inhaling deeply. "I don't want to risk your
life for anything. I'm just... I'm so worried I'll lose you. Moon be blessed, I
didn't even get the chance to truly earn your trust. I can't think about a
future we won't share."
Gavin broke free from Saul's arm and took his hand, guiding
him to the bed. "Come. Sit down with me."
Saul complied. He couldn't have denied his lover to save his
life. As they both sat on the mattress, Gavin said, "I want you to listen
to this very carefully. Promise you will, because it's not easy for me to speak
about it."
Saul didn't like the sound of that, but he saw the decision
in Gavin's lovely brown eyes. "I understand."
Squeezing Saul's hand, Gavin started to speak. "My first
memory as a child is a happy one. I remember living in a big house with my
parents, and in that particular memory, we were playing in the yard. I had a
garden hose and I was spraying my parents with it. My father finally disarmed
me, but by then, we were all sopping wet." He smiled distantly, as
I need to talk to you."
The man—Gavin had called him Jessie—turned toward Saul.
"And what exactly do you want? I'm kind of busy debating the advantages
and disadvantages of calling the police on you. Gav has a history of falling
for assholes, but you take the cake."
"I just want to apologize. Gavin means a lot to me, and
I truly thought you were hurting him."
In hindsight, he could recognize now that it hadn't been very
rational behavior on his part. But the trip here had taken far too long, and
every pulse of Gavin's fear and sorrow had increased the aggressiveness of the
wolf. He couldn't exactly tell Jessie that, so instead, he added, "I do
appreciate you being such a great friend to him and sticking with him when I
couldn't."
"It's not me you have to apologize to. Gav was
heart-broken when you left. And then the pregnancy thing... Shit, I have no
idea what you are, but you'd better be worth it, because Gav is risking his
life for your spawn."
Saul's breath caught. He didn't know anything about male
pregnancies, since he hadn't heard about it ever happening in the werewolf
world. Other paranormal species did it all the time, but for werewolves, it was
unusual. "What do you mean?" he asked Jessie.
"Look, I don't know much, only what my dad told us. He
seemed to have some experience with this sort of thing and he said that it's
going to be very difficult and painful for Gav, that the baby might not even
survive, and that Gav himself is at risk. Male bodies just aren't built for
pregnancy."
Just the idea of losing Gavin made Saul's blood run cold.
"Thanks... Thanks for telling me. I'll speak to him."
Jessie frowned in obvious concern. "Maybe he'll listen
to you. Or maybe you'll find a better solution now that you're together. Just
let me know what you decide, okay? I'm very worried."
On impulse, Saul hugged Jessie. It felt strange, but kind of
nice and familiar, like touching a pack member, or maybe even a sibling.
"Thanks. We will."
Jessie broke away from the embrace and smiled awkwardly.
"Okay, before this can get more embarrassing, I'm off. Take care of Gavin
for me—or I'll hunt you down and rip out your testicles, no matter how much of
a badass you are."
With that parting shot, Jessie turned on his heel and walked
away. As soon as the other man was gone, Saul rushed back to the apartment. He
found Gavin out of bed, staring at himself in the mirror and rubbing his now
swollen belly. Saul's heart clenched and his knees almost gave out. He'd never
thought he could be so happy and so distressed at the same time. "You're
more beautiful than ever," he heard himself say.
Gavin turned toward Saul and grinned. "I admit I didn't
really feel beautiful until I knew why I suddenly gained so much weight."
His expression sobered as he met Saul's eyes. "Jess told you about what
the doctor said," he guessed correctly.
Saul walked to Gavin's side and hugged Gavin's back, burying
his nose in Gavin's hair and inhaling deeply. "I don't want to risk your
life for anything. I'm just... I'm so worried I'll lose you. Moon be blessed, I
didn't even get the chance to truly earn your trust. I can't think about a
future we won't share."
Gavin broke free from Saul's arm and took his hand, guiding
him to the bed. "Come. Sit down with me."
Saul complied. He couldn't have denied his lover to save his
life. As they both sat on the mattress, Gavin said, "I want you to listen
to this very carefully. Promise you will, because it's not easy for me to speak
about it."
Saul didn't like the sound of that, but he saw the decision
in Gavin's lovely brown eyes. "I understand."
Squeezing Saul's hand, Gavin started to speak. "My first
memory as a child is a happy one. I remember living in a big house with my
parents, and in that particular memory, we were playing in the yard. I had a
garden hose and I was spraying my parents with it. My father finally disarmed
me, but by then, we were all sopping wet." He smiled distantly, as
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