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“I know. I will.” He chuckled, but then they were inside, and Rory came to see what was going on, only looking a tiny bit green around the gills. “Hey, guys.”

“Hey.” Dean grabbed Rory to hug him. “Congratulations, bro.”

“Thank you.” Rory smiled, but he looked tired.

“They just wanted to see you, love. Then we’ll head up to the top of the mountain.” He wanted Rory to rest. His poor mate was pale and a little sweaty.

“Of course. I’m not upset.” Rory’s eyes widened, and he bolted for the bathroom.

“Oh, man. Should we wait outside?” Liam looked a little green now too. Apparently, he didn’t do well with hearing Rory be sick.

“We’ll go out.” Dean winked at him, not at all worried, it seemed. Dean was a solid citizen, he thought. Liam a little more…flighty, if a Calhoun could be called flighty.

He supposed they all had their personalities just like any pack did.

He missed his pack so much just then that it almost doubled him over.

Fen went to look in on Rory, knowing stress made his morning sickness so much worse. “Love? Are you doing okay?”

“Mmmmph.” Rory just knelt in front of the toilet, his body shaking.

“Shhh.” Fen squatted behind him, stroking his back. “It’s okay. Do you want me to tell your brothers to go without me?”

“No.” Rory leaned back, then hugged on Fen. “No. No, I want you to go with them. If that other pack is up there, they might need you. As a wolf, I mean.”

“Of course, love. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Oh, I just need to?—”

“Bed. Crackers. That lemon-lime soda they brought. Now, please.” He lifted Rory into his arms as he rose.

Rory laughed, the sound breathless. “You should at least let me rinse.”

“Okay.” He set his mate down, allowing him to freshen up. Then Fen lifted him again.

Rory hooted. “I love how strong you are.”

“I wish I was truly an alpha sometimes.” But he wasn’t. Oh, he was, as far as knots and growly protectiveness were concerned. But not when it came to leading a pack. Maybe if he were, his family would still be alive.

“You’re sad all of a sudden.” Rory touched his cheek as he lowered his mate to the bed.

“No, I’m fine. Do I need to send someone to sit with you?”

“Of course not.” Rory smacked his chest now. “I’m queasy, not really ill. Go on. If you need help, though, put me on blast.”

“I will. I promise.” He took a kiss, since Rory had cleaned up and he could. Then he stroked Rory’s hair back from his face. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Go on.”

So he headed out to the four-wheelers with Rory’s brothers.

“Is he all right?” Liam asked. “I mean, seriously, that was…whoa.”

“He’s fine. I swear. He just got up too early. He needed to just chill.” Had they never seen a pregnant person? Ever? Fen decided just to change the subject. “So what are we hoping to find up here in the compound? I thought that dragons were gone.”

“They are. I just, I want to check out the house. I want to see what’s there. I’m… I just need to go up there.” Liam rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. I guess maybe I just want to see for myself.”

“Fair enough.” Fen understood curiosity. He also understood exploring all the edges of one’s territory.