Page 4 of Daddy Wolf’s Secret Baby (Fated To The Wolf #10)

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Zahra

Z ac walked into the kitchen, poured himself a cup of coffee, looked at Zahra, and shook his head.

“What?” she asked.

“I stood up for you, but Josiah is right. You should have told him you were pregnant and given him the chance to choose.”

“You know what he said to me and you know damned good and well what he would have done. He would have at least resented me for it and maybe Jace.”

“You don’t know that. He might have chosen to be a part of Jace’s life and not been in a relationship with you. It’s done all the time.”

Zahra really wanted to tell Zac the rest of Josiah’s comments, about how he was worried that a relationship with her would hurt his friendship and his chances at being the pack’s sigma, but she swallowed her words. Instead, she muttered, “You weren’t in my shoes and you have no right to judge my decisions.”

“You guys do know that I’m sitting right here,” Jace interjected. “You two need to stop arguing. You’re giving me indigestion.”

Everyone was silent for a second and then they all laughed.

Isabel looked at her grandson. “Do you even know what indigestion is?”

“Yeah. It means that my stomach is upset, there is a burning in my upper abdomen, and I want to throw up.”

“That’s a very precise definition,” John said.

“I looked it up once when Mom told Aunt Emma that her boss was giving her indigestion.”

Zahra shrugged. “That’s what he does anytime someone says something that he doesn’t understand. He researches it.”

“You’re a very smart, young man,” Zac said. “Smart enough to become the alpha someday.”

Jace shook his head and said, “I’m way too smart for that. It’s too much work and not enough appreciation. Gentry told me that.”

“Who’s Gentry?” Zac asked.

“He was the Alpha of the Dark Claw Wolf Shifter Pack when I first moved to St. Theresa. He was a wonderful man and welcomed me to take part in pack activities, even though I wasn’t a member. Gentry was always very kind to Jace and went out of his way to speak with him.”

“We met him a couple of times when we visited Jace and Zahra. He was always looking forward to retiring. I liked him,” John said.

“Besides,” Jace continued as though no one had spoken. “You have a couple of sons and so does Uncle Conner. They will get to be alpha before me.”

“Usually it works that way, although sometimes, the Alpha will choose someone else to take the role if there is a better choice.”

“No, thanks. When I grow up, I want to be a medical examiner, like Ducky on NCIS. ”

“You watched NCIS ?” Zac asked.

“Why not? There aren’t any bad words. Just a murder mystery. The agents solve it and all is well,” Jace said, matter of factly.

“He’s been reading everything he can get his hands on since he was three. He read Black Beauty and Call of the Wild when he was six. Don’t let him snooker you into a game of Trivial Pursuit, and if you do, don’t take any bets.”

Jace threw his hands up in the air. “Mom, shsh. How am I supposed to pay for a horse if you tell them all my secrets?”

After breakfast, Zahra took Jace to the mountain to shift. As they loped around the mountain, they talked telepathically.

“Am I going to start spending time with my father?”

“Yes. Since we are back home, it’s only right that you get to know your dad. He’s a good man. I’ve always told you that he was.”

“He was sure mad today.”

“Yes, he was. He was very shocked to find out about you. He never had a chance to know that I was pregnant. I think that he was also a little upset because I didn’t tell him about you, even after we got back. He either figured it out on his own or someone mentioned to him that the two of you looked a lot alike.”

“When were you going to tell him?”

“In the next day or so. It seems that the universe beat me to it.”

Zac stopped by the house after lunch. “I was wondering if Jace could come to the house this afternoon and hang out with his cousins. They are curious about him and want to get to know him better.”

“Mom, can I?”

“Of course.”

At least here, Zahra wouldn’t have to worry about her son’s safety like she did in other towns and cities.

Jace hugged her and then ran over to Zac. “See you later, Mom.”

“Bye. Have fun, and make sure you mind Aunt Olivia and Uncle Zac.”

“I will.”

Zahra watched them leave before joining her mother on the sofa.

“I’m so glad that you guys are here. I was terrified when the doctor said that I had breast cancer, even though he said that I had a great chance of survival. Some chemo, radiation, and he probably won’t even have to do a mastectomy.”

“I’m so glad to hear that. I might be almost thirty, but I still need my mommy.”

Isabel laughed. “I need my daughter, too. Zac and Conner are great, but there’s something about a daughter that’s special.”

“Thank you,” Zahra said. “I’ve been thinking about coming back for a long time, anyway. I miss Angel’s Creek and my family. I just wasn’t sure how I was going to handle the Josiah issue.”

“It seems to me that it handled itself.”

“True enough.”

They talked for a while and then Zahra’s phone buzzed. Josiah had texted her.

Hi. I was wondering when I could spend time with Jace.

Zahra thought about it for a minute, anxiety taking her breath away.

Why don’t the three of us go out for dinner tonight?

The response came quickly. I was hoping to spend some time alone with him.

When Jace is ready and comfortable with you.

Zahra braced herself for more comments about how it was her fault that Jace and Josiah didn’t know each other. However, he simply replied, I’ll pick you guys up at six.

She moaned. “This is going to be incredibly awkward.”

Her mother patted her on the leg. “Probably not as much as you think. Jace is a very lively boy, and my guess is that he will be talking so much and asking questions that no one will have the chance to be awkward.”

“You’re probably right.”

Even though it wasn’t a date for Zahra and Josiah, she took extra special care getting dressed. She had never stopped loving him, and there was no way that she was going anywhere with him unless she looked the best.

Jace grinned at her when he saw her, but he didn’t say anything.

Sometimes, it’s not a good thing to have a son who is so smart.

He read her thoughts. “It’s always a good thing, Mom – unless it’s Christmas time or my birthday and you are trying to keep me from finding out what my presents are.”

“What am I going to do with you?”

“Get me a motorcycle.”

Zahra laughed. “I don’t think so, Buddy. Besides, I thought you wanted a pony.”

“I’ve changed my mind. I’m allowed to do that.”

She shook her head. That was a phrase he had picked up from Emma. One hard lesson she had learned as soon as Jace could talk was that children were parrots, and everyone had to be extra careful with what they said around them.

Josiah arrived. Zahra’s heart thundered in her chest, and her breath caught in her throat. He was wearing blue jeans that fit perfectly and a buttoned-down shirt with the top two unbuttoned. His muscular body was very evident through the shirt, and Zahra wanted so badly to touch him.

She shook her head. Stop it.

“What’s your favorite food?” Josiah asked.

“Pizza. Isn’t that every kid’s favorite food?”

“I don’t know about that, but pizza it is.”

They went to a pizza joint that had been around since her parents were kids. Zahra was pretty sure the same old man owned it, although his daughter ran the place.

After they ordered, Jace started firing off questions. The first part of the evening was more like a job interview. Jace asked a question and Josiah would answer it. Then, Josiah would ask a question and Jace would answer it. They went back and forth for a while, but soon, they lapsed into a normal conversation.

Zahra tried to stay invisible. She was there to make sure Jace was comfortable with his father. Once in a while, Jace or Josiah would bring her into the conversation, but, for the most part, she sat quietly, listening and watching Jace’s body language. He was grinning and bouncing around, which told Zahra that Jace was at ease with him.

After they ate an immense amount of pizza and ice cream, Jace looked at Josiah and tilted his head. “I guess I should call you Dad because that’s who you are.”

Zahra almost laughed at the shocked look on Josiah’s face. He quickly recovered, though.

“I would love it if you wanted to call me Dad, but if you aren’t ready, you can call me Josiah.”

Jace pursed his lips and thought about it for a second. “I don’t really know you that well, but I’ve always known that you are my dad, so that’s what I’ll call you.”

Josiah’s smile stole Zahra’s heart all over again. Father and son fist-bumped each other, with huge grins spread across their faces.

After Josiah dropped them off, Jace smiled at Zahra. His smile was exactly the same as his father’s.

“I really like him. I want to spend more time with him.”

“Of course. Do you want me to be with you next time or do you want to spend some time alone with him?”

Jace tilted his head to one side, as he always did when he was contemplating an important question.

“I want it to be just us.”

“I’ll let him know.”

Zahra didn’t know whether she was pleased that Jace was so independent or sad that he didn’t need her during this crazy time.

He talked Isabel and John into watching Gremlins with him, although he spent more time talking about Josiah than he did watching the movie.

She texted Josiah. Jace wants some one-on-one time with you.

Most excellent. Does he shift?

Yes.

Zahra didn’t have to wait long for Josiah’s reply, and she could almost feel his excitement from clear across the town.

Can I pick him up after breakfast tomorrow, take him to the mountain, and shift?

Zahra looked over at Jace as he yelled at Billy not to feed them and told his grandparents that the guy who voiced Stripe was the same man who voiced Scooby Doo.

He was such a grown-up little boy, but a little boy nonetheless.

I think he would love that. Is nine okay?

Her phone buzzed a minute later. It’s great. I’ll pick him up then. Thanks, and good night.

Zahra sat back in the chair and sighed. She was glad that Josiah and Jace would have a good relationship. She suspected that the two of them would quickly form a very close bond.

She sighed quietly. This change was something that would be hard for her to get used to. In the past, it had always been her, Jace, Emma, and Ruthie. Now, she would have to share him with his father and the rest of the pack.