Page 37 of Wrong Number, Right Lion

“So this is unusual?”

“Very.”

Kalen got into bed and put an arm around me. “I watch a lot of movies, and they all feature humans, or shifters pretending to be human.”

I loved my shifter mate, but I was ready to snuggle in for the night, not hear about his hobbies, however interesting they were.

“And in many of them, omegas like to eat crackers at a certain time in their life.”

I didn’t know where this was going, but I needed more sleep.

“Can your story wait until morning, babe.” I patted his hand. “I love hearing about your experiences, but I’m so tired, it’s as though I have a boulder sitting on my chest.”

He kissed my cheek. “I get it. Bear with me.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I wondered if he was going to introduce me to a bear. A lion was enough. “I’m not ready for another shifter in my life. Maybe tomorrow or next week, but I have to get used to your animal first.”

Kalen tugged his ear, a sign I’d come to recognize as him withholding information.

“You have a bear friend and he wants to meet me?”

He grinned. “How did me asking you to wait a little longer become me inviting a bear to the house?”

I shrugged, but despite my lethargy, my brain was buzzing.

“Okay. I’ll spit out. Omegas often eat dry crackers after a tummy upset when they’re not sick but pregnant.”

“Pregnant!” I shot up in bed. “That’s impossible. I can’t be pregnant.”

Kalen’s face fell, and he hugged me tight. “Oh, love. I didn’t know or I wouldn’t have mentioned it. He rested his head on mine. “I’m so sorry.”

I rolled over and studied his face. “What? Why are you apologizing?”

“Because you said you can’t get pregnant.”

“No, I said I can’t be pregnant. We’ve only had sex a few times and…”

Kalen grinned. “A few times. Do you know how long we’ve been seeing one another?” He nudged me. “Besides, that’s every teen’s line when they find out they’re pregnant. ‘We’ve only had sex once’.”

I rolled my eyes. “I understand how it works. But I just… well, I… damn… I’m being just as ridiculous as a teenager.” Except I was with the man I was spending my life with, he had my heart and I cradled his. Having a baby would make us a family.

“I guess I could be. Might want to get to a pharmacy and grab a test.”

“I have a better way.” He grinned.

“Oh yeah? Like what? Dangling a ring over my belly?”

Kalen giggle-snorted. “No, that’s to find out the sex based on what humans call an old wives’ tale.” He put a hand under the covers and brushed his fingers over my midsection. “My lion.”

I drew back, my heart speeding up so loud Kalen with his supersonic hearing must have picked it up. “Do I want to hear this?”

“He’ll sniff your tummy and be able to pick up if you’re pregnant.”

If I wanted to show Kalen that I truly accepted him for who he was, that I wasn’t fearful of his beast, this was the ultimate test. “Okay. It’s just a sniff, nothing more?”

“That’s it.”

“Let’s do it.”

---