Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45658 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45658 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
That and Morgan had just woken up from a nearly life-ending injury. “You should be lying down,” Ricky said as he hurried back to the side of the bed.
“I’m fine.” Morgan gazed at The Baby reverently. “What’s his name?”
“He, uh…” Ricky glanced away and rubbed his lips together. “He doesn’t have a name yet.” Swallowing hard, he returned his focus to Morgan’s face. “It’s the Alpha’s privilege to name the baby,” he mumbled.
“Does she know you’re here?”
Crinkling his eyebrows together, Ricky tried to make sense of the question. “Does who know I’m here?”
His eyes lowering from Ricky’s face to The Baby, Morgan said, “His mother. Does she know you took him from Blue Mountain?”
“I don’t…” Ricky shook his head. “What?”
“She must know because you said Keith was friendly enough with the Alphas there to get information and he got onto their pack lands to get you, which I know from personal experience isn’t something he could have done without their permission. That means she let you take him.” Morgan furrowed his brow. “Is she the reason you told me to leave when I came for you in Blue Mountain? Were you worried she’d get embroiled in the fight and your son would be hurt?”
Ricky was so confused about what Morgan was saying that he didn’t know how to respond, so instead, he constructively gaped like a fish.
“And is he the reason you ran from me after we made love?”
Hearing Morgan’s characterization of their time together as making love, Ricky’s breath hitched. For months, he had been certain he had pushed himself on his mate, preying on his instincts as an Alpha to share an intimacy he hadn’t wanted. But if Morgan remembered their time together as loving, that meant he wasn’t upset by Ricky’s actions. Or at least what he understood about those actions. Clearly, the man didn’t realize The Baby was his so he didn’t know their actions could result in him becoming a father.
To make him understand that critical piece of information, words were needed. Ricky had to use words. Something he had so far failed to achieve on a spectacular level.
“His mother was pregnant and you were worried I’d keep you here in Golden Valley and away from your child.” Morgan gazed down at the baby, his expression softening. “That’s why you ran.”
Ricky finally understood that Morgan believed the Blue Mountain Alpha’s mate Donia Loader Grant was The Baby’s mother. It made sense in a way because Morgan had seen her pregnant and because few people knew Psi wolves existed. Ricky hadn’t been aware of it himself until Brian had joined the Purple Sky pack and explained the reason for the textured skin that bisected Ricky’s stomach all the way from his bellybutton to his groin.
“Family is sacred. I would never keep you from your son,” Morgan said, his voice serious. “I overheard your conversation with Ray when you came in here.”
“You were awake?”
“Awake enough.” Morgan shrugged and then flicked his gaze away. “You know I lost my entire family in one night,” he said quietly.
“Yes.” Blinking away tears at the raw pain in his mate’s voice, Ricky said, “I'm sorry.”
Morgan nodded in acknowledgement. “My parents and my siblings were gone, and I was stuck with a pack role I’d never wanted.”
“You didn’t want to be pack Alpha?”
“No.” Morgan shook his head. “I wanted to be useful to the pack, of course. I expected to help my brother. But he was supposed to be Alpha, not me. My plan was to find my mate and have a bunch of kids. That’s all I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember.”
Psi pregnancies lasted only nine weeks and although they were draining because of the surge in hormones, they weren’t as physically impactful. Ricky had healed from the birth within days. If Morgan’s fondest wish was for a large family, as a Psi wolf, Ricky could give that to him. Suddenly, he had hope that he could be worthy of his mate.
“How about you?” Morgan swung his legs over the side of the bed so he was sitting up and then he patted the empty spot beside him. “What did you dream of doing when you grew up?”
Carefully holding his sleeping son against his chest, Ricky climbed onto the bed and sat close enough that his knee touched Morgan’s thigh. “I’m an only child and an Omega so my parents were really protective when I was growing up. I was so focused on wanting more freedom that I didn’t consider much else about what I wanted in the future.”
“They sound like good parents,” Morgan said with a grin. “I’m excited to meet them.”
“Figures an Alpha would feel that way about anyone described as protective.” Ricky playfully nudged his shoulder against Morgan’s. “Make sure you leave me room to breathe when you cover me with that bubble wrap, okay?”