Page 62 of A Surprise Baby for the Wolf Shifter

“They’re arresting her,” I said.

“Oh, thank God,” she said.

I kissed the top of her head.

Seconds later, the door opened, and I pulled Gemma close, just in case Tabitha tried to do something again. I wouldn’t have put it past her, even with the two detectives. But she walked past us, sniffing, defeated, and staring at the ground as she was escorted to the vehicle the two detectives showed up in. Once she was in the back of the car, I loosened my arms around Gemma. Detective white walked up to us and held a piece of paper.

“This is the case number if you need to follow up with anything,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the piece of paper.

“Anything else you need to know?” she asked.

“Do you know the timeline?” I asked.

“Timeline?” Gemma asked, staring up at me with her eyebrows drawn closer together.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” I said.

“Okay,” she said then to the detective, “What will happen to her now?”

She shrugged. “I will let you know. On both. One likelihood is she is placed in permanent protective custody. We have facilities for shifters like her, but unfortunately, they are full. At least that was the last I knew. For now, try to relax and get some rest. We will make sure she stays as far away from you as possible.”

I sighed and pulled Gemma a little closer. “Are you cold?”

She shrugged. “A little.”

It was starting to turn cold again, especially in the mountains, like where I had made my home. My instincts to keep her comfortable were hard to fight off.

“You can go back in, now. We’re done here,” she said. “Go inside and get warmed up.”

“Thank you again, Detective,” I said. She nodded. “Congratulations to you both.”

“Thank you,” Gemma and I said together.

She nodded and walked off without another word. Then I escorted Gemma into the living room and had her sit on the couch. I covered her with a blanket and then headed to the fireplace. I tossed a few logs in and had a fire going in no time.

I headed into the kitchen next and made her some tea.

All the while I fell into my thoughts. With Tabitha gone, we could live our lives in peace. It was now just Gemma and me. Like it was supposed to be.

But for how long? I wasn’t sure. What I was sure of, however, was I wouldn’t waste a single moment. I would prepare. Because I had a sinking suspicion if Tabitha ever made it back out, things were going to end in one of us dead.

25

GEMMA

Just one short week later, I sat on a hospital bed holding a tiny baby, wrapped in a small blanket. I had never been so in awe of another person before. Especially one as small as him. I stared down at the squishy face. My baby. My son.

Getting to the hospital was an adventure. I had gotten up in the middle of the night to go pee. The baby kept kicking my bladder, and sleeping through the night had been difficult, especially over the past few days. He was sitting so low. He felt like a bowling ball sitting between my hips.

The second I stood up I felt a small trickle. One that wouldn’t stop. After several minutes of trying to wipe myself clean, I realized, my water was breaking.

I woke Weylan up.

He grumbled at me.

“It’s time,” I said. “Get up or I’m having this kid on the floor of our bedroom.”

---