Page 21 of Bullied Pregnant Mate (Silver Meadows Wolves #7)

When we return from the hike, I feel shaky and on edge, but it’s not entirely a bad feeling. I know it’s because I’ve exposed the deepest part of myself, and now Jenks fully understands my pain.

And I can’t help feeling like I’m about to get shot down.

I guard my thoughts carefully. Even though it seems like I can shield my mind against Jenks pretty well, I still don’t want my fears to show. We’ve come this far, learning to trust each other. The last thing I want is to take a step back.

When we get back to the room, it’s warm and bright inside, with the sun just beginning to sink behind the mountains. The sky is lit with neon orange, pink, and dark purple, and the snow-capped peaks glitter like diamonds.

It’s so beautiful here, I almost don’t want to go back.

“I was thinking the same thing this morning,” Jenks says, answering my thought. “It’s been so good with just the two of us.”

“I agree,” I say, going over to wrap my arms around his waist. “I think we both needed this, so that we can really get to know each other without anyone else in the way.”

A sudden clash of images cascades through Jenks’s mind. It’s Bae, the big black wolf that is his brother, Brad, and horrifying images of my body broken and bloodied in his backyard.

“Jenks, that won’t happen,” I say, taking his hands. “Look at me, look into my eyes. It didn’t happen.”

He strokes my cheek, fear lurking in his gaze. “It could have,” he mutters. “It almost did.”

Behind those words, I sense his terrible confusion—the desperate need to know his family, understand his mother, and heal from everything in his past.

The poor man is torn in so many directions. To his pack, his mother, his father… and me.

“Listen to me, Jenks,” I say, holding his hands as tightly as I can. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what you choose, I’m going to be beside you. That’s the one thing in this world you don’t have to be scared of.”

“I keep asking myself if my father and brother would have attacked you, if they knew you were my mate,” he says. “They had no way of knowing that we were married, and all they did was come looking for me. Since their whole pack hates witches, they probably attacked you on instinct.”

“I was flexing pretty hard,” I allow. “My powers were really strong that day, and my magic would have been strong enough for anyone to feel it.”

“Maybe they were just scared,” Jenks whispers. “I don’t know.”

The turmoil in him is too strong for me to deal with, so I shake him out of it the only way I know how.

I wrap my arms around his slender waist, pressing my body up against his as I get up on my toes and kiss him on the lips. He smiles, putting his hands on my hips as I kiss him again, and again.

“Are you trying to start something?” he asks.

I nod, giving him a cheeky grin. “Always. I believe you said something about examining every inch of me and attempting to find out why I look hot in everything I wear?”

“Ah, yes,” he says, nodding. “A study must be conducted, for the purpose of science. This may be the most important question in the entire cosmos.”

“I’d better get ready, then,” I say somberly. “I’ll go and take a bath so I’m ready for your careful study. I’m sure it will be thorough.”

“Incredibly so,” he replies. “It may take hours.”

“Hours, huh? For the most important question in the cosmos?”

“You’re right. How stupid of me.” Jenks slaps his forehead. “It might take days. Weeks, even.”

“Well, I’ll get the bath ready, then,” I say, getting up on my tiptoes again to give him another brief, teasing kiss.

“I’ll order some food,” he answers. “We are bound to get hungry.”

“I concur. For such serious business, we have to be well-nourished.”

“More champagne?”

“Ah, no. Not for me, thanks. Feel free to order something for yourself, though.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, still just recovering from the other day,” I say, turning to head for the bathroom.

Definitely recovering from the last hangover… and there is something else…

I shake the thought away and get the bath running. It’s a huge, wide tub with pressure jets so it fills up fast. I put in a generous dollop of bubbles and strip off my clothes, getting in while the tub is still filling up.

As the warm water closes over my shoulders, I sigh with pleasure, letting the hot water soothe me. The hike today made me a bit sore, but I needed a walk outside to loosen my muscles.

For the last week, I’ve only used a very specific skill set, and it sure as hell didn’t involve walking.

I giggle to myself as I scoop up a handful of bubbles and blow them towards the ceiling. Even though we’ve had so much trouble, and it’s far from over, there is still a sense of triumph and fulfillment in my heart that I am finally with Jenks, and it’s everything I dreamed it would be.

When we’re together, it feels like our energy dances. We aren’t the same, but we are in perfect harmony. Between us, there is magic. I always knew it would be like that.

When I lived in the canyon with the other witches, we were strong. No one could ever say we were incomplete or that we were lacking anything. Even though that remains true, we have been enriched by our faith in love and strengthened by our partners.

“Dinner is on its way,” Jenks announces, knocking lightly on the door as he comes in.

“Hmm,” I reply. “Have you come to begin your inspection?”

“I most certainly have. Are you trying to make this difficult for me by using all those bubbles?”

“On the contrary,” I say, giggling. “This is part of the experiment. How do I look in bubbles?”

Jenks kneels by the tub, folding his arms and frowning. “You look fucking spectacular.”

“You can’t even see me from there,” I laugh.

He nods. “This is just my initial impression. Further research will be required.”

“Obviously,” I answer, suggestively wiggling my eyebrows. “Would you like to use a more hands-on approach?”

Jenks grins, rolling up his sleeves and reaching towards me. He picks up some bubbles and rubs them between his hands.

“Should I start somewhere specific or just dive in?”

I raise my leg, putting my heel on the edge of the tub. “You can start right here. Then I’ll consider other areas if your study is incomplete.”

“It will be,” he says breathlessly.

Jenks puts his hands gently around my ankle and starts sliding his fingers up my leg, massaging lightly with his fingertips. He caresses my calf, runs his hand up to my knee, then sweeps back down to my ankle, rubbing the joint in firm strokes.

“Oh my God, that feels amazing,” I moan, leaning back in the water.

“Really? That’s great, because I could be here for a while.”

I sneak one eye open, just to see his cheeky grin. He gives me a dramatic wink, making me giggle.

He’s a different man entirely when his mischievous nature is truly fun and generous, instead of being born of pain and fear.

“Yes,” he says, and I realize I didn’t guard my thoughts well enough. “It’s okay,” he adds, still stroking my leg. “I don’t want to stop being party-boy Jenks. It’s fun running around in stupid costumes, making people laugh.”

“I shall fear no cringe, for I am very silly,” I put in, giggling.

“I should have that on a T-shirt,” he laughs. “But seriously, I do love my parties, cooking for my friends, and playing music. I regret every hurtful thing I ever said—not just to you but to other kids. Hell, even to myself. My inner monologue has been pretty negative.”

“I know,” I whisper.

Jenks lets go of my leg and leans over to kiss me. Before anything else can happen, there’s a knock on the door.

“Must be dinner,” he says. “I’ll go get it.”

I lean back in the tub, relaxing into the water a bit longer. I’m starting to feel pretty hungry, though, so with a sigh of regret, I pull the plug and get out.

The bath will still be here after dinner, then we can continue playing our game.

When I walk out into the living area, wrapped in fluffy towels, I see Jenks standing at the table. Platters cover the surface that haven’t been opened yet, and Jenks is staring at his phone as if it just shot him.

Oh no.

“It’s Bae,” Jenks says. “He wants us back. Like, now.”

“Can’t we even stay tonight?” I ask a bit plaintively. “It’s so late now. We should at least eat dinner.”

“Yeah, I think that’s fine, but Bae is pretty adamant he wants us back tonight. Let’s have something to eat, then we’ll get our stuff together.”

I sit down opposite Jenks while he uncovers the plates, feeling a bit sad and deflated. I don’t enjoy the beautiful food as much as I should, and I sink so quickly into a mood, it surprises me.

“It’s okay,” Jenks says, rubbing my hand. “We can come back anytime you like. I’m pretty sure the staff would be happy to see us again.”

I chuckle softly. “Yeah, no kidding. I think their wages doubled this week.”

“I don’t mind,” Jenks says. “I like making people happy.”

“You really do, don’t you?”

“Yeah. It’s one of the many reasons I never ended up on combat duty. I know Bae never picked me for the hard stuff, but I sure as hell kept my head down, too.”

“Skinny little beanpole like you,” I tease. “Of course the jocks would think you’re useless.”

“I can’t run far or lift weights,” Jenks acknowledges. “But my stamina is unapparelled.”

“It sure is.”

“Want another demonstration?”

“Of course, but from what you said, we should definitely get going.”

“Yeah, we should,” he says defeatedly.

Both of us finish our food, letting the gloomy mood settle around us. Neither of us is happy to be leaving. It’s impossible to ignore that.

I take my time packing all my things before Jenks has attendants come and take our belongings downstairs where his Merc is waiting. As we get in, the valet waves to us with a big smile.

“Please, come back soon, Mr. Holt,” he says eagerly. “We will be most happy to receive you!”

“It will be my pleasure,” Jenks says. “I look forward to it.”

As we pull away from the front of the hotel, I feel a strange sense of vertigo. For a couple of seconds, it’s like I’m falling, even though I’m nestled deep in the bucket seat.

“Are you okay, babe?” Jenks asks, concerned.

“Yeah, fine,” I answer, smiling. “It’s just getting late, that’s all. Past my bedtime.”

“I’ll get you home as quickly as I can and get a fire started in the den.”

“That sounds nice,” I answer a bit absently.

The slight hint I’d been feeling all day slams into me with complete certainty. The sudden tiredness, lingering nausea, sensitivity to alcohol, and now a moment of vertigo—all of that would clue me in if nothing else did.

But I can feel her. I almost know her name.

I’m pregnant with Jenks’s child.

And now that it is not just my heart on the line, I’m terrified all over again.