Page 76 of Cursed Luck
Edward kissed the top of her head and laid his cheek to it.“He wasn’t wrong about Brandy. I’m sure Carter can set you up with a blood test if you want.”
A thought occurred to her, and she pushed back from him. Looking around Edward, her gaze met Claudia’s, who watched them over Katia’s head. As if Mia had called her, Claudia muttered something and came to them.
“Did you know?” Mia asked when she was near.
Claudia smirked and shrugged one shoulder. “Initially I noticed something was off in your scent, and over time, I assumed. Peter will have the better nose as alpha. If he says you are, you are.”
“How long have you known?” Edward asked, pressing his front to Mia’s back, his hands cradling their baby.
Mia wondered if he did it consciously or if it was instinctual. They had only known for minutes, and with each passing second, the news was less shocking.
“A few weeks? I’m not really sure. At first, I just thought it was a new perfume or something. It was easier to smell off the women I’d been staying with. A sweet scent stands out among bodily fluids.”
“You’re further along than Babycakes when I smelled it off her,” Peter announced from the patio. He shoved a spoonful of potatoes into his mouth. “I’d guess five or six weeks.”
Mia’s eyes rounded at his estimation. “That means…”
“Probably since the first time,” Edward stated.
“I couldn’t even take a damn test it wasthatearly when he told me,” Brandy said as the family started filing out.
“Really?”
Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, and she didn’t believe him, so she bought a few packs of like three.”
“Damn, remember the glares she kept giving Peter and Xander?” Ethan asked.
“Shut up!” Brandy snapped. “Save yourself the money and just believe Peter. I’m thrilled Gia’s getting another cousin!”
“Peter?” Ethan called as he sat and pulled Serena onto his lap. “As happy as we are to see you, I thought you weren’t making it tonight?”
Peter’s mood darkened, and his muscles visibly tightened. “Let a man enjoy his last meal—”
“Last meal? What the hell are you talking about?” Brandy yelled, rushing toward him.
The alpha shook his head and shoveled the last of his food into his mouth. Everyone spoke in hushed words as they all waited for him to take his plate back inside.
When he returned, Joel and another man followed him out. Mia was not sure if they’d already been inside or if he called them in.
“Why didn’t you call them in to eat if they were here?” Serena scolded.
“We just got here,” Joel said. “I’ll take a plate after Boss updates everyone.”
“Updates?” Claudia asked, stepping forward.
Peter let his gaze pass over them. “We found Garrick Sivella’s compound.”
Mia stepped out of Edward’s grasp and caught her friend around the waist when her knees buckled. Joel hurried to them and scooped Claudia into his arms. The family moved around so he could set her down on a lounge chair. When Max them, he ran a hand over her, concern etched on his face.
“Did… Did you find her? Is she there? Is she…alive?” Claudia’s voice cracking on the final word.
Mia faced Peter, needing to hear his answer almost as much as Claudia. In their time together at the shop, the werewolf had opened up on her fears and worries concerning her sister. She also shared stories from before their life had turned to hell.
“Little wolf… I’m sorry, but we don’t know. Not yet,” Peter said, sorrow in his eyes for not having a better answer.
The man Mia hadn’t met yet spoke. “The compound is closer than we could have hoped for. The Malites came across it and scented the smell of death on the ground. Joel and I just got back from investigating it ourselves. This piece of shit has more men than his son did. We’re going to need your help.”
Mia could not help but note that it took the man a lot to admit the last bit. She was not there when Claudia found her justice, but there was no way she would miss it this time.
