The Mates of Monsters
Chapter 78

Lyde and I sit together in the back seat of the SUV that picked us up from the airport. The sun is setting, and I am entirely exhausted, but my excitement to see David keeps me awake.

Bonny flew home to Argentina from Germany, so without Jeremy, it is only the two of us returning. The decision to leave without Jeremy was out of my hands, but my guilt lingers and sours in my stomach. He left us, yet I feel the opposite. David is still unaware of everything-especially regarding Maybe Baby-but any moment now I'll be free to tell him each and every detail. We're nearing our territory, only ten or so minutes away.

"Lyde," I say, looking from the window, "I just want to thank you for coming with me."

Her eyes open and shift to me before closing again. She adjusts in her seat. "Of course, Brigette."

"I'm really happy to have you as our Third."

A smile twitches on her face. "Thanks."

"And don't worry, I will take full responsibility for everything that happened. I decided to leave David out of things, and if he's upset, I'll make sure he knows you simply did as I asked."

"Oh, I know."

My little laugh fills the silence of the car. "I mean, it could have gone worse."

"You could have attacked the Alpha. For a moment there, I thought you might."

"I'm better suited for verbal fighting, I think. That's why I have David; he's my muscle."

"I see," she says. "Then it's a good thing Alpha Dreier is smarter than Nicodra was." "Thank the Goddess."

When we arrive, Lyde is dropped off first. Her home isn't far from mine, however, I find it difficult to sit still as we coast through the town. I've been restless ever since the plane landed, and once the car stops in front of the house, I hurry inside while my luggage is carried for me. The front door is unlocked as usual, and I scan each room until I reach the kitchen. Helena is sat at the kitchen counter with a mug of tea and a novel as thick as my fist.

Her face beams at the sight of me. "Oh, dear, it's you! You're home! How was "

"Think my baby is okay," I quickly update her then ask, "Where's David? He's not home?"

She juggles my news and says, "No, he's not. H-he's at the fields, I believe. Go! We'll talk later."

"Okay," I breathe and head back the way I came.

The last strips of sunset fade behind the trees as night consumes the sky. Despite my path being shadowed, I make my way along the road alone. I know the pack land as well as my old one by now, and not even the night can confuse me.

My feet move with an unconscious speed-even my body knows it's time to reunited with my mate; a need as basic as eating and sleeping. I'll have to call my mom as well to let her know that my trip went fine, and I suppose if Maybe Baby holds on, I'll be telling her much more exciting news very soon. I don't know what she'll think about me having a baby so early on, but I know she'll be supportive on the outside. I'll have to tell Lindsey as well-it feels like forever since we've last spoken-so maybe a trip to my old pack is overdue. This time I will wait until David can accompany me. If I see this pregnancy through, I won't be taking any solo trips, that's for sure.

I come upon the fields that are near empty by now. The only people left stand in a small group to the side, speaking casually to one another. I notice Tarlo first as he stands with his back to me, but he then steps aside.

The second I see David, I can breathe again like I've been held underwater without him. My knees buckle, but I push on, and a smile pulls at my lips. "David!"

His head turns. When he spots me, I relive it all again, every nervous flutter and sweet kiss and precious whisper. The nights of laying in bed and holding one another just to feel safe, just to mumble little nothings. There are so many moments I would have missed if I got away that night that feels so long ago, and I know this is going to be one of them. I'll never forget this night that I came home to my love and told him that I'm pregnant.

David meets me and doesn't wait a single second before capturing me in a hug. He holds me so desperately that my feet hardly reach the ground. "Thank the Goddess," he says then kisses the top of my head.

I press my cheek into his shoulder. "I said I would come home to you."

"I know, but that doesn't make having you across the world any easier."

We stand locked together as the bond has its fill. I'm already willing to return to our desperate wanting, even if it was beginning to feel uncontrollable before. I need to be alone with him in the privacy of our room where no one can come and take either of us away. My head spins with desires-everything I need him to do to me but there is a conversation to be had.

"Well, now that I'm back, I have so much to tell you."

David leans away to look upon my face. His eyes linger, so I smile and stroke his cheek. The stubble of growing hair scratches my palm, but he rests against my touch. "Let's go back to the house so you can tell me all about it."

"Are you sure you want to hear every detail?"

He caresses and gazes with such care. "Every detail."

"There's actually one very important detail," I say. "What happened before I left-I was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't realize it until it was too late, but it's still possible that I'm pregnant. I-I wanted to wait to tell you so you wouldn't worry."

David shields me in his arms once again, surely considering any and every outlandish scenario that could have occurred while I was out of his protection. "You should have told me."

"But it was such a fast trip, and there's no reason to worry now. I mean, I'm here and I'm perfectly fine."

"I really don't like that, Brigette. I should have been there with you."

I coax my arms around his body. "That's not the only thing."

David tenses. "What else happened?"

"It's kind of my own theory, but I'm pretty sure Jeremy and Alpha Dreier are mates. Jeremy was acting so weird the whole time, and then he just disappeared out of the blue. So I confronted Alpha Dreier," David prays under his breath, "and he was all like: he didn't belong to either of us."

"You're never going to a Union meeting alone ever again," David tells me

"Just let me finish because Jeremy is entirely gone. Lyde and I came back alone."

"Brigette..." he tends to his head, and I can't help but laugh some. "You think this is funny?"

"No." I shake my head and cover my mouth to conceal my smile. "It's just that nothing ever goes the way it's supposed to. A-and I really need to see a doctor."

"First thing tomorrow we're going," he says and leads us off of the field.

"Right, okay."

"How are you feeling?"

I shrug. "I feel fine-much better now that I'm home."

"Were you eating? Sleeping? Are you hungry? Helena should still be at the house."

"I could eat, but everything else is fine. Believe it or not, I had a bed while I was gone, and they did provide food for us."

David glances down at me, not appreciating my humor. "I'm okay," I assure him. "I'm here, and everything is fine, and there's nothing to worry about. Come on, when we get to the house, you can feed me and take care of me."

David takes my hand, and although he does so subtly, I know he monitors my steps-ready to catch me if I fall. I press against his arm and relish in the fact that he's already protecting both of us, not just me.

I sit at the head of the dining table

on my computer. I type an email to Jeremy-he probably has his phone or laptop wherever he is. Whether or not he answers is one thing; I just hope he sees it. I do ask why he left, but the majority of the message is a thank you for his help over the past months along with a bit to assure him I'm not upset that he left the way he did. At the end, I promise that he is always welcome here without notice.

I will always hope he shows up one day. Maybe I'll be with my children, and suddenly he'll knock on the door.

I send the email as David appears in the archway. "Ready for bed?" He asks. "We have to get up early."

He made the first possible appointment.

I close my laptop and walk around the table. "I emailed Jeremy. Maybe he'll respond."

"I think he will."

David guides me up the stairs,

staying one step behind me. "When

Alpha Dreier was talking about Jeremy, he looked so defeated, so sad. Jeremy left him, and I couldn't help but think about us. That could have been us. It just scares me to think about it because I could have spent my life running away from all of this, and you could have been as sad as Dreier."

"Then it's a good thing I caught you," David says.

"But what if you didn't? What if I got away?"

We enter the bedroom, and I turn on the bedside lamps, not wanting the bright ceiling light. David sits on the end of the bed, and when I'm done, I wander over. "I don't think there's a universe out there where you got away, Brigette." "Really?"

He nods and draws me in. I sit on his lap and rest against his chest, draping my arm over his shoulders. "I can feel it that we're meant to be. We know that we belong together, and I don't think there's a version of ourselves who believe otherwise." "Every one of you belongs with every one of me," I murmur.

David tucks my hair behind my ear and runs his fingertips along my jaw until they pinch my chin. He kisses the corner of my mouth, so I turn to kiss him properly. He holds my face as we move together, but I promptly push him back, and he eases us to the bed. Now on top of him, I ask, "Is this what you wanted?"

He fingers the hem of my shirt. "There are one or two things I would change."

"Oh really? Well, I think I know what you mean."

David's hands grip my waist as I take off my shirt. Once I fling it to the side, he switches our places and sets me on my back so he can slide off my bottoms. His touch trails softly down my legs, and he drinks up my body with waining restraint. What's his has finally been returned to him.

And I love when his Alpha side surfaces to stake his claim.