Page 162 of Bred

My mate carefully cleaned me, then wiped the dried fluids from my thighs and stomach. He lingered at my middle, his fingertips brushing just beneath my belly button. He looked lost in a trance, just staring. "I can't wait to see you swollen with my pups."

And just like that, all the deep aches and stiff muscles disappeared, and I pressed my palm over my stomach. "I could be pregnant," I said with absolute wonderment.

Rowan smiled, placing his big hand over mine. "Maybe not right now," his dark eyes sparkled, "but soon I hope."

I smiled wide. I couldn't help it. In the midst of all the embarrassing touching and looking and the flood of fluids, I completely forgot that this was how pups were made. I could be with child.

And if I wasn't, I would be soon.

I hoped.

"Do you want pups?" Rowan asked, but judging from the look on his face, he already knew my answer.

"I want a whole mess of them," I said, hoping he felt the same way. "Do you want lots?" All alphas wanted an heir, but I wanted a pack.

"I want as many as you will give me." His tone was serious, this thumb brushing over the back of my hand. "Just promise me you'll smile like that again."

I bit my bottom lip, staring at Rowan's handsome face. I wanted to crawl into his lap and beg him to make me gasp and moan like he did last night. I finally understood why Mina would let Ivor defile her behind the temple.

I was officially a harlot.

THE BEDROOM

ROWAN

Thelookofpurebliss on Lily's face was everything.

I had woken up several times throughout the night as her nightmares bled into mine through our bond. While I couldn't see what she dreamt about, I felt it and hated how frightened she was. Did she always have bad dreams? Did it have something to do with our mating?

But right now, she was pure happiness. Her hands trembled under mine as she caressed her stomach. I could practically see her imagination playing out in her big brown eyes. My sweet omega wanted pups, and I was going to give her as many as she wanted.

"Are you hungry?" I asked. She sat up, and I quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, easing her back down into the pillows. "Don't get up. I'll bring you breakfast."

A shy smile lifted her lips, and she leaned back against the plush pillows.

I returned quickly, pleased to find her rearranging the blankets. It was good to see her nesting, making the space her own. Lily's eyes went wide as I sat the tray next to her. Not knowing what she liked to eat, I grabbed a bit of everything. Dried meats, nuts, berries, and a loaf of grain bread her mother left yesterday after preparing our cabin.

"You brought so much," she said in awe of the spread.

"I didn't know what you normally ate for breakfast." I grabbed a strawberry and held it up to her mouth. She eyed it before slowly parting her lips and letting me slip the sweet fruit into her mouth.

She moaned at the taste, then picked up a slice of bread. "We eat a lot of bread in our house…or at my parent's house." She took a big bite, then gasped. "This is fresh!"

I laughed at her reaction. "Of course it is. Who eats stale bread?"

Her chewing slowed, and her gaze fell. I silently cursed at myself. Of course, they didn't eat the fresh bread her parents baked. They needed to sell it. I frequently forgot the realities of the lower statused pack members, and I felt like an ass for assuming she had the same luxuries as my family.

"Did you grow up hungry?" I asked, eyeing her slender frame.

"No," she said quickly. "We had some hard winters, but we always had plenty to eat. We were very lucky in that. But the Pack Alpha is good to us. He always sends down extra meat and grains to those who live near the gully when things get too thin."

"I didn't know that." A slip of shame twisted in my chest. I had no idea some of our pack struggled like that.

"Caz is a good Pack Alpha," she smiled sweetly. "He takes care of us."

Speaking of the Pack Alpha made my mind drift to his advisor, Dage, and what he said after our bonding ceremony. I hated the way Lily's hands trembled as he spoke. I didn't know if her fears were tied to Dage or his son, or if they were just the result of being near such a powerful alpha in general, but my wolf demanded an answer. It was near impossible to protect her from the unknown.

"What happened with Dage?" I asked.