Emery sighed. “I can’t even imagine how hard this is on you. It’s already hard for me, and I’m not even the one carrying the baby. I also know you never completely accepted the harpy, so it makes things even more difficult. I don’t blame you for freaking out.”
“But what if—”
Emery turned to his side as slowly as he could so he wouldn’t hurt his mate. He cupped Troy’s cheek in a gesture that was becoming routine to them. “No what-ifs. It happened. I stopped you in time and you and the baby are fine. There’s no use thinking about what could’ve happened, because it never will. You’re going to rest and heal, then you’re going to tell whomever you’re comfortable telling, and we’re going to wait for you to lay the egg. We can’t do anything else right now.”
Troy nodded and Emery kissed him. The kiss was slow and sweet, and it seemed to reassure Troy. He melted against Emery’s body. Once their mouths separated, he leaned his head on Emery’s shoulder and closed his eyes. Emery held him close as he fell asleep and prayed everything really would be all right.
* * * *
Someone knocked at the door and Troy tried to burrow deeper in his pillow. He heard Emery chuckle next to him before he moved and tried to extricate himself from the tangled mess their limbs were.
“Let me up, come on.”
“Can’t we sleep a bit more?”
“Apart from the fact that you’re the only one sleeping anyway, don’t you remember what’s supposed to happen today?”
Troy thought about it. He’d been doing fine in the past week, even if his stomach seemed to have grown again. It was still hard to look at it, and scary, but he forced himself to do it and to at least try to accept that a son or daughter was growing inside him. Emery was there every step of the way, soothing Troy when he was scared and ignoring him when he snapped under the influence of the damn pregnancy hormones. Nothing seemed to scare Emery away, and Troy was slowly starting to realize Emery really was in it for the long haul.
“I give up. What’s supposed to happen today?” Troy pulled the sheet off his face and looked at his mate. He frowned when he saw that Emery had dressed while he was still lounging in bed.
“You told Keenan, Jamie, Derick and Oliver to come by.”
Troy tried to sit, but his stomach made it difficult. He gave up and sank back into his pillow. He scowled at the bump and held his hand out to his mate. Emery smiled and grabbed it, pulling on it to help Troy sit up. Another knock came, accompanied by Keenan’s voice.
“Anyone there? We can come back later if you’re, um, busy.”
“Keenan! I’m sure they’re not doing that!”
“You know, I’m still not sure what Ward saw in you, bro. You can be such a buzzkill sometimes.”
The sound of a hand slapping skin was loud enough even for Troy to hear it, then Keenan cried out. “Hey! I’m telling Jonah you beat me up!”
“Please. I’m sure your mate spanks you harder than that.”
“Mmm, you might be right.”
Troy chuckled and checked that his stomach was covered as well as it could be. It didn’t really hide the baby bump, but he didn’t think the men waiting outside the door would actually understand what Troy was trying to hide without knowing what they were looking for. “I think you should open the door before Keenan gives Jamie a play-by-play account of what happened the last time Jonah spanked him.”
Emery kissed Troy’s forehead and walked to the door just in time to stop Keenan from going into too much details.
“—and my ass stayed red for at least a few days, I swear!”
Troy nearly laughed as the men entered the room. Derick and Oliver were laughing, but Jamie looked a little green. “Can we just pretend you’re a virgin? I really didn’t need to hear about... that.”
“Only if you tell me what you’re up to when you’re in bed with Ward.” The smile on Keenan’s face was devilish.
“What? No! It’s not your business!”
“Okay, so after Jonah spanked me he—”
Jamie slapped his hands over his ears and started to yell. “Lalalala, I don’t want to hear any of that!”
Troy couldn’t resist. He laughed. He was surprised by that, because he knew he hadn’t laughed in a while, and everyone in the room turned to look at him.
Troy blushed and clamped his lips together. The smile Emery gave him was soft and Emery walked to the bed. He leaned over and captured Troy’s lips with his, deepening the kiss for just a few moments before moving away. “It’s good to hear you laugh.”
“Aww, that’s so cute.”
Keenan sauntered over to the bed and flopped down next to Troy’s feet. “How are you? I know you were sick for a while, but everyone is being so mysterious about what happened to you. I couldn’t get anyone to tell me!”
“Imagine that,” Troy said with a smile. “I think you’d all better sit down before I tell you.”
“Oh, so you asked us to come to tell us? Awesome!”
Jamie shook his head at his brother’s antics and settled next to him along with Derick and Oliver, while Emery climbed back next to Troy. Troy loved having a huge bed, and it was proving to be useful.
Emery took his hand in support and Troy looked at the four men in front of him. They were so different from each other and from him, yet all of them were Troy’s friends. Not one of them had told him off for hiding away, for ignoring them, and they’d all come as soon as Troy had called.
His throat clogged with emotion. He’d been so scared of what they would say he’d pushed them away without even giving them a chance. “I, uh. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For coming. I know I haven’t been the best of friends, well, ever since I met you guys. I’m moody and antisocial and probably a bastard, but you came anyway. Thank you.”
Keenan patted Troy’s foot. “That’s what friends are for. We know you had a hard time adapting to everything. We don’t blame you for that.”
“Yeah. I know what you’re going through better than anyone,” Oliver added.
Suddenly four hands were patting him and Troy felt tears prickling his eyes. He quickly wiped them away and mentally cursed the damn hormones. “Just... thanks.”
Everyone stayed silent for a bit, until Keenan said, “Okay, is the lovey-dovey moment done? I want to know why we’re here!”
“Keenan!” Jamie slapped his brother’s thigh, and it was enough for the emotional moment to be over.
“Okay, right. I did ask you to come here for a reason. It’s, well, I want to tell you what happened to me in the past month, why I’ve started to hide in here again.”
Four heads nodded at him and Troy continued, “You guys know that my newer half is half female and half bird, right?” Nods. “Yeah, well, it looks like I got more than the wings from the harpy. Apparently I also grew an ovary, and well, you know what that does.”
Derick’s forehead was crunched as he mulled it over, but Oliver was already looking at Troy with a wide eyed gaze that jumped from Troy’s hidden mid-section to his face.
“Oh. My. God. You’re not saying what I think you’re saying, right?” Keenan asked, and Troy couldn’t do more than to nod at him. “How long? Can I see? Please?”
“I don’t get it,” Derick said, his head tilted to the side in a move that recalled his wolf.
“I think he’s saying he’s pregnant,” Jamie told him, his eyes looking at Troy for a confirmation.
Troy nodded again. “That’s what I’m saying.” He pushed the sheet down from his belly and pulled his T-shirt up, not that he needed to do that for the men to see the bump.
He couldn’t contain the laughter that escaped him when they all gaped at him. Keenan was the first one to react, of course. He pulled himself on his hands and knees and moved closer to Troy, a hand already raised to touch the bump. “Can I?”
“Yeah. You won’t feel anything moving, though.”
Keenan touche
d Troy’s stomach with an awed expression. “Why not?”
“Because it’s an egg.”
“Wait, what? You’re having an egg?” Jamie asked.
“Think about it. He looks nine months pregnant, but he stopped coming out of the room only a month ago,” Oliver explained. “There wasn’t enough time for his stomach to get this big if it were a human pregnancy.”
“So are you having a bird?” Derick asked and Keenan scowled at him.
“Of course he’s not!”
“We don’t know, actually. Jared hasn’t been able to see inside the egg, and he won’t be until it comes out. We don’t even know if the... if the baby is human.” Troy looked at his hand, tears about to fall again.
Keenan cooed at him and leaned forward, wrapping Troy in a surprisingly strong hug. “Of course it’ll be a baby. It might not be entirely human, but then there aren’t a lot of those in the pride. It’ll be right at home here.”
“So you’re... okay with this?”
“Do I get to be Uncle Keenan?”
“Of course you do.”
“Then I’m more than okay with it!” Keenan pressed his hand against the mound of Troy’s stomach again, and the other three men got closer. Jamie looked a bit shy, but there were no traces of disgust or fear on his face, and Derick looked as enthusiastic as Keenan was. Oliver just gave Troy a smile full of understanding that made Troy’s breath hitch. He really had a family again.
“So, when do you want to have the baby shower?”
* * * *
Emery smiled at the sight of Troy grabbing more blankets from the dresser. “You’re cold?”
“No. I’m not, I just... feel the need to, I don’t know, put more of those on the bed.”
“You’re nesting.”
Troy let the blankets fall on the bed and turned to face Emery. He grimaced and pressed one of his hands against the small of his back. “What do you mean?”
“I talked with Jared and Jayden. They said that once your body starts feeling ready, you’ll nest.”
Troy sucked a breath in. “You mean it’s nearly time?”
“Yeah, I think so. You already got past the date Jared gave you, so it shouldn’t be long.”
“How will I know?”
Emery could see the fear swimming in his mate’s eyes. He smiled softly and took Troy’s hand, pulling him along when he sat on the bed. “You don’t remember?”
“Well, yes, but...”
“It’s getting scarier as we get closer to the laying.”
“Yeah. It’s like I never realized how real this was before.”
“We’ll be fine. Your friends are happy for you and supportive, Jared and Adrian are ready to help you, and Jayden is still researching as fast as he can.”
Emery smiled when Troy buried his face into the crook of his neck. It couldn’t be a comfortable position, not with Troy being quite a bit taller than Emery, but Troy didn’t complain. “Come on, let’s lie down.”
Troy nodded against Emery’s skin and moved away. Emery gently pushed Troy on his back and cuddled against his side, one hand on his bump. He smiled when Troy pressed a kiss on the top of his head and looked up. He puckered his lips, making what he wanted obvious, and Troy smiled before leaning down and kissing Emery.
Emery wanted nothing more than to deepen it, to take it further, but he kept himself in check. He wasn’t an animal—he could go without sex for another little while. Troy didn’t seem to want to wait, though, and he was making things difficult for Emery.
One of Troy’s hands was sliding down Emery’s body while they kissed. It stopped at his nipples and tugged on the loop piercing through the fabric of Emery’s T-shirt. Emery shuddered and tried to move away, but Troy was having none of it.
He tightened the arm he had around Emery’s back and held him close while his hand slid to Emery’s other nipple and one finger circled it. Emery arched his back into his mate’s hand, trying to get more contact, more pressure.
Troy chuckled in Emery’s mouth. “Like that?”
“Mmm, yes, but you should stop.”
Troy’s lips left a burning trail on Emery’s skin as they moved downward. Troy bit into the soft flesh of Emery’s neck and Emery whimpered. “Why?”
“Because you’re pregnant. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Who said you were going to top?”
A sudden image of Emery on his hands and knees while Troy plowed into him flashed in Emery’s mind. He didn’t care about the pregnant belly, at all. He wanted his mate, and if Troy wanted him just as much... “You think you could find a comfortable position?”
Troy trailed his tongue over Emery’s jaw and reached his mouth again. “I’m sure we can find a way to make it work for both of us. We don’t have to do anal, I just want to feel close to you.”
Emery nodded and moved his hand from Troy’s stomach do his groin. He smiled when he felt his mate was already hard and grabbed the erection that was waiting for him through the loose fabric of Troy’s sweats. Troy hummed and nipped at Emery’s jaw before soothing the bite with his tongue and lips.
The hand that had been tormenting Emery’s nipples slid lower and teased the sensitive skin just above the button of Emery’s jeans. He needed it to go lower and he squeezed his mate’s erection, hoping to relay the message. Troy chuckled again and Emery was amazed at just how good his mate seemed to be doing.
The past week had made an enormous difference in Troy’s behavior. Emery didn’t know what had happened to make Troy change so much, but he was glad he had his mate back. He just hoped things would continue to go as well for another little while.
Troy twisted his wrist and opened Emery’s jeans. Emery moaned at the sensation of the slightly rough skin of his mate’s hand on his dick when Troy finally wrapped it around Emery’s aching erection. He needed more, though. He needed skin to skin, no fabric between them.
Emery wriggled to get away, but Troy still clung to him. “Come on, I just want to take my clothes off.”
“Mmm, okay.”
Emery rose from the bed and wrenched his T-shirt off before attacking his already opened jeans. In the meantime, Troy wasn’t moving, not much anyway. The only thing he was moving was his hand. It was sliding up and down on Troy’s cock while his eyes were glued to the skin Emery was exposing. “You should take your clothes off too.”
“But then I’d have to let my dick go.”
“I’ll take care of it, don’t worry.”
Troy finally let go and Emery took the opportunity to reach for his sweats. He pulled on them and Troy lifted his hips before trying to get rid of his over-sized T-shirt. Emery didn’t wait for him to succeed. Once Troy’s pants were off, he lay between Troy’s legs and blew on the reddened tip of Troy’s cock.
Troy suddenly stopped moving and Emery smiled. He couldn’t see his mate’s expression, but he knew what to do to make Troy happy. He stuck his tongue out and licked the tip of Troy’s erection, lapping at the drop of pre-cum that had appeared there. Troy made a rumbling sound that seemed to come from deep in his throat. Emery wanted more of those noises, so he wrapped one hand around the weeping erection in front of him and opened his mouth.
He engulfed Troy’s dick with his mouth, glad he’d put his other hand on his mate’s upper thigh. It helped to keep Troy still so that he couldn’t push himself too deep into Emery’s throat.
Emery used his lips and his tongue to bring his mate to the brink quickly. He lowered his hand and cupped Troy’s balls, rolling them in his palm as he sucked hard on the head of Troy’s dick. Troy made a little needy sound and Emery let go of him completely except for his mouth, allowing him to lift his hips and fuck Emery’s mouth. He slid a finger under Troy’s balls and pressed against the tight opening there.
Troy’s hands flew to Emery’s hair and held him in place as Troy shouted and came. Emery drank down everything his mate had to give him with practiced ease before letting Troy
’s cock flop out of his mouth. Troy was still panting and Emery felt just a bit worried, at least until Troy reached for him and hauled him up.
It took a little maneuvering, but once Troy’s hand was around Emery’s cock, he didn’t care anymore. All he could think about was how Troy felt pressed against his side, how his scent was all Emery could smell, could taste. Troy was everywhere around him, on his skin, even inside him, and Emery found he didn’t mind one bit. Somewhere along the way, he’d started to have feelings for his mate, and being able to have Troy so close to him and so open when he was usually very reserved made Emery’s thoughts derail.
He arched into his mate, hands clutching at Troy’s chest, at his shoulders. Emery didn’t even notice Troy’s fangs pop out in his mouth until he felt them penetrating his skin. He pressed his aching groin into Troy’s hand as hard as he could and came, the spurts of semen coming out at the same rhythm of Troy’s pulls on his flesh.
Emery sagged on the bed. He kept one hand on his mate’s chest and petted the hairless skin there. He enjoyed tracing lines from freckle to freckle, and it made Troy smile, which was always a plus.
“Do you want to help me setting up the nest?”
Emery looked up. “Sure. What are you planning exactly?”
Troy grimaced. “It’s weird, but... I really feel the need to have an honest-to-god nest.”
“Should I start gathering twigs in the garden?”
Troy playfully slapped Emery’s hip. “No twigs. I know I can do this with blankets, it’s just not easy to move around and organize them.”
“Do you want me to put them in a circle around the mattress or something?”
“That would be great.”
“Anything to make you happy.” Emery really meant that. He knew it partly was because Troy was his mate, but it was also because Troy deserved someone to take care of him, someone to love him and help him have as easy a life he could get. Emery had seen a lot in his life, but what Troy had been and still was going through was one of the most difficult things he’d had to face. He wanted to make things easier for him and for their child. He just hoped he wasn’t lying when he told Troy everything would be all right.
Troy [Whitedell Pride: 12] Page 9