Page 17 of A Fate of Blood and Magic (Fated #2)

Chapter

Seven

TEDDY

After showing Gracie and her family where they could find Leah, Elias and I dropped the girls off at school a couple of hours late. While they weren’t thrilled to go, dragging their feet and whining the entire time, I wanted him for myself.

Aside from Hee-haw, our home was empty. And now that I had him alone, my anxiety mounted until it threatened to swallow me whole.

Seated on the porch swing on our front patio, Elias took my hands and held my fingers in place so I couldn’t fidget.

He lifted a single brow in question but waited, never pushing me for more than I was ready to give.

Elias brought my fingers to his lips, and I let out a heavy sigh. His lips turned down as he smoothed my hair back to kiss my forehead.

I was being ridiculous. I knew I was. Elias would be ecstatic over our news, yet I couldn’t shake the damning anxiety that claimed me.

“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here,” he said so low I barely heard him.

I chewed my bottom lip and drew in a long breath that I held in my lungs until they started to burn.

Damnit to hell, I was making this a lot more difficult than it needed to be.

Mentally, I slipped on my big-girl panties and drew in a quick breath.

“I have something big I have to tell you, and I’m like 99 percent sure you’re going to be happy about it. But I’m also scared it’s going to be one more thing on your shoulders when you already have so much.” I studied his face and the way his beautiful, violet eyes bore into me.

He caressed my cheek with his knuckles. “You don’t have to worry about me, mo elma. I’m okay.”

“You’re not, though,” I countered.

Eyes dimming, he drew his brows together.

“You don’t talk about it, and you hide it well, but I know you.” I paused. “Tell me you’re not exhausted.”

“Of course, I’m tired,” he admitted, his voice gruff.

He ran a hand down his face, rubbing his chin before he settled his hand back on his lap.

“I’m tired, and I miss you, and I’d love nothing more than to spend a week doing absolutely nothing with you and the kids.

But I can’t right now, Teddy. Getting the fae back .

. . it must take precedence over anything else. ”

I couldn’t help the way my eyes started to burn with the threat of tears. Couldn’t stop my throat from bobbing at the hard swallow I took.

But this, knowing I was pregnant, wouldn’t change his priorities. It would only make him burden himself more. As if I hadn’t seen the way his eyes dulled when he noticed Juanita’s missing tooth.

At least he had Alastor and the lirio he trusted because he believed Alastor still had some sort of hold over them. Where Alastor hadn’t told him he’d released the lirio months ago, Koa’s mate, Bon, had confided in me with the truth.

While I wanted to tell Elias the truth and had intended to when we’d believed he wouldn’t have to return to the human realm, he seemed more at ease around the lirio, who were once his enemy. Telling him the truth now, when he still relied on them, didn’t feel fair or kind.

I dipped my head down to hide the tears I was sure he could smell. He cupped my chin, tilting my head up gently so that I looked at him.

“Talk to me, Teddy.” It came out as a desperate plea. “Seeing you like this . . .” When I stayed quiet, he continued. “I want to be here with you. I hope you know that.”

“I know you want to be here, just like I know why you can’t,” I told him. “It’s just . . .” I leaned into him to kiss his lips. Once, twice, a third time. I held his worried gaze. “I’m pregnant, Elias,” I whispered.

It took a few seconds for my words to register, but when they did, his lips spread into my favorite smile with two dimples digging into his cheeks.

He pressed his palms against my cheeks, a laugh spilling from his lips before he leaned into me and gave me one of those tight hugs—I could live in those forever.

“You’re pregnant?” he asked, his warm breath tickling the shell of my ear.

I nodded, pressing my head against his neck.

Another laugh before he drew me back. Worry lines marred his forehead when he asked, “You’re sure? Have you seen Leah? We must make sure you and our babe are well.”

The way he cupped my belly, his large hand spread across my stomach, was both endearing and protective. His thumb skimmed over my shirt, but goosebumps spread everywhere as if he’d touched my bare skin.

“A couple of days after you left, I hurt myself while training with Everly.”

He shifted closer to me, and I didn’t have to be a fae to sense his concern.

“I tore ligaments in my foot, but I’m fine,” I said. “While I was there, Leah did a full body exam for her records, which is how she discovered I was pregnant.”

Hurt crossed his features so quickly that I would’ve missed it if I hadn’t been watching him so closely. I rested my hand on top of his.

“I should’ve been here for you,” he said, his attention on his hand that still held my belly. “I should’ve been the one to heal you.” His eyes dulled to a pale violet. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been here.”

“That’s the thing, Elias,” I said in earnest. “You can’t be here and there at the same time. I get that you want to bring your people home, but you also have friends and other warriors you can count on to help you get them home.”

He worked his jaw back and forth, his frustrated thoughts starting to filter through my mind. I did my best to shove them out, but I heard them anyway. The way he believed he was letting his people, me, and now our babies down.

Except he didn’t yet know we were having twins.

When I stood from the porch swing, he fisted his hands. I nestled on top of his lap, his arms immediately going around me to cradle my back. With slow movements, I twined my fingers behind his neck, resting my head on his shoulder. He ran a hand over my back that he then twisted in my hair.

I loved the ease of his affection. It felt good to be in his arms. Like everything in my world had suddenly clicked into place, and I was exactly where I should be.

“We’ll figure it out,” I said into his neck, wanting to sweep away the negative thoughts I’d put in his head. “I trust you. I trust us, and I know we’re going to kick ass at this whole being a parent thing.”

He chuckled, more to appease me I realized, when it held no warmth. “We kind of already are.”

I thought about the girls and how much they adored Elias. About Javier and how he respected Elias.

“Yeah, we kind of are.”

I took my time peppering kisses along his jaw.

When he inclined his face toward me, he nudged his nose against mine before our lips touched.

His tongue whispered against my parted lips before it swept into my mouth.

What started off slow quickly became all-consuming, as if he were pulling my very essence from me.

I tasted the breath we shared, and when he pulled me closer, his heart thudded against my own.

I inched back, kissing his nose before I said, “I need to tell you something else.”

He traced my smile with a finger that I drew into my mouth for a soft bite. The way his eyes darkened made my stomach twist all too happily. Seeing the way he reacted to me in an almost primal manner made me feel powerful and beautiful.

“It’s about the pregnancy,” I said, drawing out the moment so I could soak in his joy. The joy I’d stolen when I should’ve just let him be happy without my worries crossing his mind.

His smile widened enough so that I could see his two sharp fangs, or canines as he called them. “Did Leah tell you the gender of our babe?”

“She told me the gender of both babies.”

His mouth hung open before he started laughing. Shaking his head in either shock or disbelief, he ran his fingers through the length of his black hair.

“Both?” he asked, his brows shooting up.

“We’re having twins.”

He wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me impossibly closer.

“Twins,” he whispered, stunned.

He nuzzled my neck, his thoughts now happier as he wondered about the babies.

“Leah told me they’re both boys,” I said. “Both healthy. We’re six weeks along, so they still have a lot of time to bake.”

“You should see her regularly,” he said, his tone soft yet firm. “Her magic allows her to detect potential issues before they become a problem.”

His worries for the babies, so similar to mine, crashed into me.

“She wants to see me every two weeks,” I said. “Just in case.”

“Our babes are going to be fine.” He kissed my cheek. “Strong and beautiful like their mama.”

I huffed out a loud breath. “I’d rather they look like you. All ruggedly handsome. No,” I amended. “If they’re too good-looking, the girls will be after them, and I’m not ready for them to have girlfriends or move out.”

His laugh was deep and throaty. “We have a long time before we have to worry about that.”

“I haven’t heard their heartbeats yet,” I said. “Leah offered, but I wanted to wait for you. ”

He stood abruptly, holding me closer to his chest. “We should go.”

“Now?” I asked.

Before he replied, he bent space and stepped us just outside the healer’s office. Her door was half open, and I could hear her rustling around inside.

“Elias,” I hissed, still cradled in his arms.

“Leah,” he said, his loud voice booming through the castle.

I squirmed in his arms, but he only held me tighter. His antics shouldn’t amuse or endear me even more than I already was, but they did. They very, very much did, and I felt it when my heart surrendered further to my mate.

God, I loved him.

When he rushed into the clinic, Leah stopped to gape at us, almost dropping her tablet before she caught it.

“Is everything all right?” she asked, her eyes wide with worry.

“My mate is insane,” I told her with a dramatic roll of my eyes.

“Ah.” She smiled, tucking her tablet close to her chest. “I take it you told him the good news.”

“We want to hear our babes’ heartbeats.” With that, he placed me on the closest examining table and grinned.

“So we make an appointment instead of assuming Leah isn’t busy.”