"Yasmin has bad dreams since she got pregnant," Talia said to Damon. "It's because of hormones and unstable energy flows that are messing with the mind and amplifying insecurities."
Yes, it must be insecurities, Talia thought. Hormones made her think about the worst things that could happen… like Damon not being around and her needing to raise their child alone, surrounded by enemies. She tightened her hold on him.
"Good that you know," Damon said, and he took a mental note to talk to Travis and see if they could do something about it.
Feeling that Talia was desperately clinging to him, Damon assured her, "I won't leave your side, kitten. As long as you need me, I will be right next to you."
Talia looked up at him. "That means you will be right next to me for a very very very loooooong time."
He smiled. "I have no objections with that arrangement." Damon kissed her forehead and spoke without pulling back. "Mates are two halves of a whole. We are made to be together, to complete each other. It's the way it should be."
He moved away to see her face. "How are you feeling? Nausea? Hunger? Should I order something light with ginger tea?"
"Ginger tea?" Talia asked. She was never much into teas, and she never drank one made of ginger.
Damon smiled smugly. "I did online research about reducing nausea during pregnancy."
Talia's heart expanded. A mighty Alpha was finding nausea medicine because she vomited last night. While thinking about that, Talia hoped it was an isolated incident.
"The food last night was delicious. It was such a waste that I couldn't digest it."
Damon chuckled. "Don't worry, kitten. There will be plenty of delicious things in the future. How about now? Breakfast? What do you say?"
Talia refused. "Later. I just woke up."
Damon hummed in agreement. "Let me know when you are hungry, and we can order."
"When will we return home?" Talia asked.
Damon loved that she called it home. "First, we will eat. Until you are ready for food, we can relax and cuddle. But before that…"
He released Talia from his hold and slid down her body. "I want to say good morning to my baby."
Damon got down until his head was on the same level as her crotch area. He spread Talia's legs to position himself at the center and stared at her intimate bush.
Talia inhaled sharply when he licked her clit in one mighty stroke.
"Dam… Damon." She called shakily. "How is that good morning to the baby?"
She thought he would talk down there and not lick.
Damon grinned. "It's a good morning for my mate who is carrying my child." He kissed the inside of her thigh. "I will make you feel good, kitten, and I will do it every morning. Whenever you feel good, our baby will be happy because she will know I adore you. Let me show you how much I love you."
He buried his face into her.
"Good morning, sunshine…" Damon mumbled; the vibration of his voice made Talia's body tremble in ecstatic quivers, and then he lapped at her, collecting her love nectar that was sweet and citrusy. His favorite.
Talia would laugh at Damon's silly antics, but the only thing she could do was moan. Damn, he was good.
It was late afternoon when Talia and Damon returned to the packhouse.
Damon turned off the engine of his black armored Lexus SUV. He wanted to go out and open the door for her, but Talia held his hand firmly, indicating that she wanted to stay in the car a bit longer.
"Is there something on your mind?" Damon asked.
"It's about the pregnancy. I would like to keep this for ourselves." She had been thinking about it since they left the hotel. Now that she is pregnant, people will know she can't shift into her wolf form, and Damon will be extra-protective of her. She didn't want this to be used against them.
Damon thought for a moment before responding. "I want you to get a checkup, kitten. If not by Travis, we can go to the human town. But they are humans, so…"
"Travis is OK," Talia said. She trusted him. "And we can tell Maya and Caden."
Damon agreed. "Alright. We won't tell anyone else until you are ready."
Damon and Talia found Maya, Caden, Mindy, and Gideon in the living room. They were snacking on bite-sized appetizers, and the mood was good.
After they exchanged greetings, Talia asked, "What did we miss?"
"Three more people from the Midnight Guardians pack found mates!" Maya announced proudly. "We are down to six people. You should contact Axel and ask for more if you didn't already."
Talia was delighted to hear this news. After so much time without hope, fourteen people found their mates just like that. Normally, it would mean newly mated couples will go to the Midnight Guardians pack and stay there. It was exciting for those who needed to go, but it was also sad because they would leave their friends and family behind. But now, it was different.
Axel, Talia, and Damon agreed to keep the newly mated couples in the Midnight Guardians pack until their abilities stabilize and they learn to control them. After that, they will get to pick where they want to live. It will strengthen the bond between packs.
"I will give Axel a call," Talia said. It's been more than a day since they left, and that would be a month for Axel. They probably went to the Silver Flame Coven and returned. Talia was curious to hear if more people found mates.
Talia glanced at Mindy and Gideon, who were sitting on the sofa so close to each other that any closer and Mindy would end up on Gideon's lap. Talia remembered that they had come out of their seclusion.
'Is she pregnant?' Talia asked Liseli.
'Yes.' One word response came.
Talia's lips lifted into a smile she could not suppress, and Mindy noticed.
"What?"
"Do you want to know?" Talia asked.
Mindy was confused. "Know what?"
"Oh, oh!" Maya got it. "Talia can sense pregnancy."
Maya was bouncing in her seat. If Mindy were not pregnant, Talia wouldn't bring it up.
Mindy and Gideon stared at Talia.
"Can you sense it now?" Gideon asked breathily, his face red from excitement.
Talia wiggled her eyebrows and responded with a nod.
All color drained from Gideon's face, and he became pale as a ghost.
"Ah!" Mindy shrieked half due to her delight and half because Gideon fell limply on the sofa. Was he about to pass out?
Mindy slapped Gideon's cheeks. "Why are you overreacting? I was in heat, and considering what we did, it should be expected."
"Hold me, princess. The world is spinning faster, and I might fall off from it," Gideon said.
Mindy giggled and hugged him with all her might. "Get a hold of yourself. If anyone sees their mighty Shaman in such a state, they will crack jokes."
"Shaman or not, I am just a man," Gideon said. "I waited so long that I lost hope I will find my other half and have a family, and…" He inhaled a shaky breath. "Then you showed up and proved that I was an idiot for thinking that the Moon Goddess forgot about me. She was taking extra time in creating you so that you are perfect inside and out."
Mindy smiled foolishly at Gideon. How could he talk so sweetly with all the audience?
