A little over a week later and still the word 'incredulous' was an understatement to describe Kate's current state of mind. She was almost thirty, single, in debt up to her ears and pregnant. In the days subsequent to discovering the news about her present state, she'd had some time to process the information, to mull it over and make a decision about what she wanted to do. Despite the timing being the worst imaginable, and the fact that if she'd had a choice she would not have wanted to be a parent just yet, Kate instinctively knew that she wanted this child. Of course she was terrified of what lay ahead, daunted by the prospect of being a single parent and stressed out about the fact that her already overextended finances would take even greater strain. Her life as she knew it was never going to be the same again. But in spite of all that she was determined to make it work. She wasn't going to give up her baby; Jeremy's baby.
Just thinking about him made her stomach do back flips. Kate had always known she'd wanted children, had thought that it would happen when she was in a stable, loving relationship with a man she adored. Did she love the father of her baby? Without question. Were they in a loving relationship? Far from it. They'd never discussed children or the possibility of having them - which was hardly surprising since their relationship had lasted all of five minutes before he'd walked away. Now there was a life growing inside of her, one that they'd created together, one that would keep them within each other's sphere's forever.
She had so many questions about her pregnancy, none of which any human could answer. Since Elena was the only female werewolf in existence, it was obvious that there was no chance the baby would inherit Jeremy's wolf DNA if it was a girl. However, if it was boy… Oh God. She was nowhere near equipped to deal with the kind of changes and challenges that awaited a child who would eventually transition into a fully-fledged werewolf. Just thinking about it brought on a fresh wave of dizziness coupled with an unhealthy dose of panic.
It had also recently occurred to her that all werewolves must have human mothers, but she'd never heard any talk about them. If there was a law against humans knowing about the existence of wolves, then what happened to the mother's once their babies were born? That rather unsettling thought was burning a hole in the back of her brain. If the child she was carrying was a boy, would she be expected to give him up? And what would happen if she refused? The mere thought of someone taking her child away from her made Kate's protective instincts surge to the fore. If any person had any ideas of pushing her out of her baby's life, they had another think coming. She'd die before she allowed anyone, Jeremy included, to separate her from the life she was nurturing inside of her. The intensity and vigour of her natural desire to safeguard her unborn child was startling. Who knew she'd start to feel like a mother way before she ever held her baby in her arms?
Kate had spent practically all of the time since she'd discovered that she was pregnant, worrying about whether or not to tell Jeremy. The thought of deceiving him, of denying him the opportunity to know that he was going to be a father made her physically ill, but the fear of potentially having her child taken away from her was enough to counter at least some of her guilt. If she stayed in town, there was no way she could hide it forever. Once she started showing and people realised she was pregnant, they'd know who the father was and it wouldn't be long before Jeremy found out. There was a small part of her that toyed with the idea of packing up and heading back to California. It would mean having to start all over again, finding a new job whilst pregnant in the hopes of providing her baby with everything he or she would need once they were born - but at least she'd get to keep her child, regardless of the gender.
Trying to make a decision was nerve-wracking and stressful, resulting in many sleepless nights. The truth was, Kate liked Bear Valley. Despite what had happened with Jeremy, she'd settled in well and she was finally feeling like she belonged. The idea of packing up and trying to make things work somewhere else was not at all appealing. Then again if she wanted to keep her baby, what choice did she have? But the thought of running, of never telling Jeremy about the life they'd created together didn't sit well with her. She remembered the conversation they'd had about his father and what a horrible childhood he'd had as a result of his paternal parent's inability to love him. She knew intuitively that Jeremy would be a wonderful father. The respect and affection that Clay had for him, not to mention Nick, Logan and Elena's obvious admiration, was a testament to that fact. Could she deny him the right to know his child? To be a part of his or her life? And would her son or daughter ever forgive her for robbing them of the opportunity to know him? Would she ever forgive herself? Probably not.
Notwithstanding how badly Jeremy had hurt her, Kate knew deep down that she could never do that to him. He deserved better than that. So did their unborn child. Besides, she didn't know for sure what the rules were around mothers' and sons' and the only way she'd find out was if she asked. Depending on the answer, she'd have eight months to figure out her next move.
Seated in the waiting room of a New York City Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist, Kate tapped her foot anxiously against the leg of her chair while she waited her turn. Since she didn't want her pregnancy to be fodder for the Bear Valley gossip mill, she'd taken a day off to see a doctor in the city. Her stomach in knots, she looked up suddenly when the door in front of her swung open and a familiar face in a white lab coat came strolling out behind a heavily pregnant blonde. Despite her anxieties she smiled when she saw Dr Rosen. She'd guest lectured for their class a few times in college and was someone Kate had always liked and admired.
Waving the expectant mother goodbye, Dr Rosen looked around the room of women in various stages of pregnancy until her eyes settled on Kate. Surprise registered briefly before pleasure bloomed and her face split into a wide grin. Dr Rosen was somewhere in her early fifties, tall and slender, with dark, short hair and shrewd blue eyes.
"Dr Shaw!" She looked down at her appointment sheet and then gestured for Kate to follow her. Grabbing her purse off the floor, Kate walked inside and took a seat in front of the solid wood desk. The office was spacious, one section for consultations, the other cordoned off for physical examinations. "I must say, this is a surprise," Dr Rosen said, seating herself behind her desk. "I haven't seen you since before you graduated."
"No more of a surprise for you than for me," Kate admitted sheepishly.
"I heard that you took a position practicing family medicine in Bear Valley? It must be a big change from the city?"
"It is, but not necessarily an unwelcome one. I'm enjoying it immensely."
Dr Rosen beamed. "So what brings you to see me? Or am I asking a rather pointless question? Are congratulations in order?"
Kate gave her a small smile. "I've recently discovered that I'm pregnant and I didn't relish the idea of doing any tests at the Medical Facility I work at since the entire town would probably know the results before I did."
Dr Rosen nodded in understanding. "That definitely sounds like small town living."
"You have no idea."
The brunette paused, then gently probed, "Kate, I hope you don't mind my asking, but since you're here on your own, can I assume that means the father is out of the picture?"
Kate's hands curled around the handles of her purse. "I haven't told him yet. I plan to though," she assured, before hastily adding, "I just wanted to know that everything was okay first."
The other woman regarded her thoughtfully. "Well, do you know how far along you are?"
"Just shy of five weeks. I know ultrasounds are only scheduled around nine weeks at the earliest, but I was hoping you'd make an exception for me?"
"Why?" Dr Rosen asked, concerned. "Do you suspect any abnormalities? There is no chance of detecting a heartbeat at this stage, not to mention gender or potential complications, as I'm sure you're aware. If we're lucky, we might just about see a sac; if at all. Some scans only pick it up from around five to six weeks."
How did Kate begin to explain that she was possibly carrying a hereditary werewolf, was feeling unnecessarily paranoid as a result and just wanted to be sure that everything was okay? She felt…she couldn't explain it. She'd never been pregnant before, she wasn't even sure what she should be feeling. Theory was vastly different from practical experience. "I know you see a ton of nervous mothers' every day who make unreasonable demands. I just have this feeling that I can't shake. Like something's… different." More different than a werewolf baby? her sub conscious questioned her rationale. "Even if it's too early, I want to try. Please." Thank goodness her health insurance plan would pay for the scan; she would have had to dip into her meagre savings otherwise.
Dr Rosen smiled indulgently and pushed to her feet. "Why don't you change into one of those gowns?"
Relieved, Kate did as requested and allowed herself to be weighed and measured before hopping onto the exam table to be properly checked. Satisfied with her findings thus far, Dr Rosen performed the ultrasound. Watching the monitor closely, Kate couldn't detect anything. Clucking to herself, the doctor moved the probe slowly across Kate's belly and then stopped.
"There we go," she said, sounding pleased with herself. "We're in luck." Eyes glued to the black and white monitor, Kate followed the doctor's finger as she pointed towards the screen. "See over there? You can just about make out…Oh-" Dr Rosen's brows arched and Kate tensed.
"What is it?" she asked, her heart in her throat. "What's wrong with my baby?"
The snow had finally arrived; fluffy white balls that fell from the heavens, coating the ground with a thick silvery blanket that made Stonehaven and its surroundings look incredibly picturesque. Jeremy loved this time of year, particularly because it always brought the family together, ensconcing them in the warmth and security of time honoured traditions. This year though there would be marked absences from their table with Pete and Antonio no longer amongst them. Jeremy knew it would be a tough time for everyone, most especially Nick. Logan, too, would be absent since he'd opted to spend Christmas day with Rachel but had promised to make the trip to Bear Valley before the New Year.
For himself, Jeremy had hoped that the advent of the festive season would inject some cheer into his pensive and broody mien, but as he stood at his bedroom window staring out across the white-washed woods encircling his home, the tree branches heavily laden with snow, he couldn't really muster a feeling of merriment. Clay and Elena had been out all morning searching for the perfect tree before heading into town for some supplies while Nick made work of removing all the decorations from the attic store. Under normal circumstances Jeremy would have joined him, but a call to Henry in New York had lasted much longer than anticipated, so he'd told Nick to go ahead without him.
He'd spent another sleepless night thinking about what his family had said, weighing their words trying to determine if indeed they held any merit. A part of him was angry that they'd verbalised their support of his relationship with Kate, thereby making him doubt his choices and their consequences. The other, much larger part was humbled by their loyalty and selflessness. He'd do anything for his pack and he knew with certainty that they returned the sentiment. Elena's words haunted him most – her assertion that it had been arrogant and disrespectful of him to make decisions on Kate's behalf without consulting her. Jeremy knew Kate well enough to know that she'd probably be furious with him if she knew what he'd done.
The knowledge made him uncomfortable. His reasons had been altruistic, his guiding instinct to protect her above all other concerns. But the longer he thought about it, the more he realised that it didn't excuse his blatant disregard for her feelings. He'd robbed her of her ability to choose for herself and in doing so had made himself the master of her destiny. He had no right. He knew why he'd done it and he knew that his primary instinct would always be to keep her safe, but he should have been honest with her. In the end, even if they had been forced to separate, she would at least have known why.
Regret washed over him, his eyes closing briefly as the weight of his mistake crashed down on him, the burden almost suffocating. Roman was a very real threat, one none of them could take lightly, but even so, it didn't give him the right to decide what course of action was best for Kate.
However, according to Nick, she was moving on. Just the thought of another man being close to her, touching her, holding her, made Jeremy's fists clench at his sides. He wanted her more than he desired air to breathe, but would it be selfish of him to drag her back into his world, a world she'd just managed to break free from? She now had a genuine opportunity to be happy, to find someone normal, to never have to look across her shoulder wondering which of his innumerable enemies wanted to do her harm. Besides, perhaps after the past few weeks' separation, Kate might have decided that she'd dodged a bullet and was glad to be rid of him and all of his baggage. The thought was depressing.
One good thing had come from the entire experience though: He'd discovered that not all humans were untrustworthy. Jeremy knew with a certainty he couldn't explain that Kate would never expose them and as Nick had recently informed him, Antonio had trusted his son's mother with their secret until the day he'd died. His best friend had been a smart man, one who had never taken their existence or the dangers the outside world posed, lightly. If Antonio had trusted someone with the most sacred part of himself, he must have loved Lily deeply. Knowing this made Jeremy realise that the werewolf community could no longer look at all humans in the same manner. There had to be some way in which they could bridge the gap, allow mothers the opportunity to have a hand in the rearing of the son's they birthed, to the benefit of both parties. It wasn't as simple as that, he knew, there'd have to be a set of very specific guidelines, a variety of nuances that would need to be taken into account and workable solutions tabled – but it wasn't impossible. Jeremy knew that broaching the subject with the Alpha Council would certainly not make him popular, but he couldn't bury his head in the sand anymore. Nick and Elena were right. It was time for change.
Turning away from the window Jeremy left his bedroom and went in search of Nick. He found the younger man carting boxes overflowing with tinsel and ornaments from the attic to the living room.
"I'd forgotten how much stuff you have," Nick said, dropping the box beside the tree Clay had placed adjacent to the fireplace earlier that morning. He must have made a few trips back and forth because there were four other boxes stacked alongside the one he'd just delivered.
"Since Elena joined the pack, Christmas stopped being a modest affair," Jeremy said, his tone filled with warmth and affection. He knew he indulged her, they all did.
Wiping his dust covered hands against his jeans, Nick grinned. "Remember that time when my Dad-" He stopped abruptly, the smile fading from his lips.
Jeremy reached out and placed a comforting hand on Nick's shoulder. "We all miss Antonio. Christmas won't be the same without him."
Nick nodded. "I sent Lily a photo and a card. I know we can't see each other, but I'd like to uphold the tradition my father started."
"He'd be proud of you, Nick." For a moment neither talked as they stared into the leaping flames of the fire in silence. Then Jeremy said, "You were right."
Nick tilted his chin, curious. "About what?"
"About there being a better way. Logan shouldn't have to give Rachel up and he shouldn't have to make his son grow up motherless."
Nick looked stunned. "It's not going to be easy convincing others of that. Our rules have existed for centuries."
"When the rules no longer make sense, it may be time to relook at them. I know the notion of allowing humans into our space is a formidable one and it will have to be dealt with carefully and with the utmost care and consideration; it is an incredibly dangerous prospect after all. I imagine it's going to be tough to work out the finer details and I'm aware the very notion will be met with resistance, but I think it's time for wolves to learn to adapt."
"So this is the effect falling in love has on an alpha," Nick teased. "He becomes more liberal."
Jeremy's lips titled up ever so slightly. "Kate certainly has made me see a lot of things differently."
Nick glanced at him discerningly. "Are you sure about letting her go?"
He wasn't sure about anything anymore. Raking a hand through his hair Jeremy shook his head. "I don't know… I realise Elena was right. It was wrong of me to make such an important decision without consulting Kate, but my reasons were sound."
"Then maybe you should be telling her that?" Nick perched on the edge of Jeremy's favourite chesterfield. "Look, you know you have our support. If you want her in your life, you can count on all of us to have your back."
"Thank you," Jeremy said, sincerely.
"So you'll talk to her?" Nick prompted.
Jeremy sighed. He owed her the truth and if she decided she wanted nothing more to do with him, then at least he could be sure that it was her choice. "Yes."
Grinning widely, Nick replied, "Preferably before she's swept off her feet by the Dr Feinstone."
He stared at the younger man blankly. "Who?"
Nick rolled his eyes. "He was the psycho from that horror movie about the dentist who-"
Jeremy held up a hand to silence him. He got the message. "I will never understand why you pollute your mind with such nonsense."
Eyes dancing with glee, Nick replied, "Come on, admit it. It's funny."
He gave Nick an exasperated look, but his eyes were filled with mirth. Stepping forward he gave his best friend's son a fond, back slapping hug. "I'm proud of you, Nick. Antonio would approve of the man you've become."
Eyes misty, Nick nodded. "Now get out of here."
Distracted and even more stressed out after her doctor's appointment, Kate stopped off at the grocery store on her way home to pick up some essentials. Her mind elsewhere, she shoved one of the large brown bags filled with foodstuffs into the miniscule trunk of her Mini while clutching the other one to her side. Unfortunately, one sharp push-pull later and the bag she was holding toppled over, the contents of bread, milk and cheese spilling onto the tarred surface of the parking lot. Cursing, Kate stooped down to retrieve the fallen items, relieved that none of the packaging had torn.
"Need a hand?" came a feminine voice she recognised just as two sets of hands entered into her periphery to assist with gathering the scattered provisions. Glancing up, she saw Clay and Elena.
"Thank you," Kate said automatically, surprised to see the couple.
Quickly they helped her pile the items back into the brown bag which Clay lifted and placed into her trunk before slamming it shut. "There are shopping carts available, you know," he said in amusement, his lips twitching ever so slightly.
Kate tried, but failed to return the gesture. "Don't be a smart ass. I would have managed perfectly fine if the first bag hadn't gotten stuck." Or if I'd been concentrating, she admitted to herself. It was rather hard to do that after the news she'd just received.
"Ignore him," Elena said, tugging her scarf tighter around her neck, her brow furrowed as she regarded Kate. The snow had come overnight and with it a serious decline in the temperature. Both the petite blonde and her fiancé were decked out in jeans, padded jackets and boots. "Are you alright? You seem…out of sorts."
Realising that she was opening herself up to unwelcome scrutiny, Kate pasted a smile on her face. "I'm fine. What are you guys doing here?"
Elena faltered. "Uh, Jeremy asked us to get some extra supplies for the holidays. Christmas time is usually a feast of food and drink."
At the mention of his name, Kate's hands unconsciously settled on her belly. "Sounds great," she said, her smile even more forced this time.
"It'll be good to do some celebrating after all the trouble we've had recently with Salazar and then Roman-"
Kate frowned. "What trouble with Roman?"
Clay gave Elena a pointed look before the blonde shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, you know…"
Both of them looked like they were hiding something. "Jeremy told me Roman came to Stonehaven on official business," Kate said, watching them closely.
"He did," Clay stated quickly, too quickly.
She narrowed her eyes at them. "Why do I get the impression you're not telling me everything?"
"Don't be silly," Elena said with a smile that seemed a little obligatory.
Kate opened her mouth to probe further when Clay interrupted, "So, what are your plans?"
Thrown, she stared at him blankly. He gestured towards her car's trunk. "Oh!" Kate shrugged, shaking her head to shift her focus. "Um, nothing much. I was hoping a friend would visit, but she's spending Christmas with her family, so…" Her words trailed off, but started anew when she saw the identical expressions of sympathy on the couple's faces. "But I have loads to amuse myself with. Tons."
Clay eyed her sceptically, but didn't say anything.
She back-tracked. "About Roman-"
"We have to get going," Elena interjected abruptly, cutting off her words. "Nice seeing you again."
Astounded by the brusqueness of their departure, Kate watched them until they disappeared. Climbing into her car, she sat there, replaying their conversation in her head. Elena had obviously not meant to divulge that there'd been some issue with the Russian alpha. The fact that there had been a problem wasn't what made Kate suspicious, it was their reaction to her asking about it. Not that she expected to be taken into their confidence; she wouldn't have been the least bit offended if either one had mentioned that it was a confidential matter. But instead of using that simple assertion, they'd seemed…guilty? As though they had something to hide. But what?
For the past four weeks Kate had been determined not to think about Jeremy or the manner in which their relationship had suddenly ground to a halt. It was still too painful to rehash, but she forced herself to look past her emotions and recount the facts. Jeremy had told her he loved her and everything he'd done subsequent to that confession had been a testament to that fact - the greatest being his transforming in front of her. Doing so must have meant that he trusted her, completely. Nothing short of that would have induced him to reveal that side of himself; it was too important, too personal, too intimate, too vulnerable a process to share with anyone he didn't know he could trust implicitly because it meant defying the rules. Jeremy was many things, including being incredibly principled. He'd only put himself in such a position if he was sure about how he felt, if he was sure about her.
Her mind racing, Kate thought back to what had happened leading up to their break-up. Roman arriving, Jeremy leaving her in the shed while he went to deal with the other alpha, then the incident with Salazar. Kate dismissed the occurrence in the basement as being overly significant or enough to make Jeremy doubt the strength of their relationship. He'd known and accepted that she'd see that side of him when he'd agreed to let her accompany him to Stonehaven when they found out Salazar had been captured. That alone couldn't have made him rethink the terms of their association. So what had? The only other plausible explanation was Roman. Something must have happened that made Jeremy question the idea of them being together.
Kate was stumped. She placed her hands on the steering wheel and stared blankly ahead, her mind desperately trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Think! What could have happened? What might Roman have said or don-
If anyone finds out that you know about us, it would be disastrous. Having you at Stonehaven is one thing, having you there when we kill a mutt is another.
What if Jeremy had broken things off with her because he believed that she was in danger? It was literally the only possible explanation that made an ounce of sense. How have I been so ridiculously blind? she wondered, astonished at her own ignorance. He loved her. He'd proven that he loved her in a million different ways. How had she lost sight of that? Because Jeremy had counted on it. He must have known that the only way to permanently severe ties between them was to make her believe that he didn't love her.
Anger streamed through her veins like lava. How dare he lie to her? How dare he make decisions on her behalf? How dare he hurt her so deeply? Without thinking, Kate started the car and headed in the direction of Stonehaven. Its master had a lot of explaining to do.
Jeremy was halfway down the stairs, about to grab his keys when he heard a car door slamming shut. Wondering who it could be, he hastened his steps and opened the front door just as Kate raised a hand to knock.
Rendered speechless, he stared, devouring the sight of her. Most of her body was hidden beneath a thick red coat, black scarf and gloves, but her face, flushed from the cold was like a cool drink of water to a thirsting man. He felt as though it had been a lifetime since he'd last watched that expressive face, tasted those tempting lips, looked into those bright eyes – which at that very moment were shooting daggers at him.
Taken aback by her unexpected appearance, he automatically stepped backward as she marched inside, the tip of her index finger poking into his chest.
"Kate?" he asked in disbelief.
She looked furious. "You lied to me," she said without introduction. "You deliberately deceived me, knowing it would break my heart, humiliate and shame me. And still you did it."
Floored, Jeremy's eyes widened. She couldn't possibly- "What are you talking about?"
Her eyes flashed with indignation. "Are you really going to pretend to be obtuse? 'For a time I thought that a relationship was something I wanted, but I realise that it's not.' Really?! How long did you practice that line? Did you think I wasn't going to figure it out eventually?"
His heartbeat ground to a halt. She knows. The icy chill from outside was sweeping through the foyer. "Why don't you come inside where it's warmer? There's a fire in the next room."
Glaring at him, she stomped ahead and entered the living room. He saw her head turn in the direction of the undecorated tree and the boxes of baubles stacked haphazardly in the corner before she whirled around to face him. Unwinding her scarf, she threw it across his desk before she peeled off her gloves. "Feel free to explain yourself."
Jeremy tried to collect his thoughts as best he could. He'd never seen her so livid. "How did you find out?"
She waved a hand in irritation. "It was something Elena said-"
"Elena?" Jeremy repeated, disbelievingly.
Kate's eyes flashed again. "Don't you dare hold her responsible for this," she warned.
"How much do you know?"
"Nothing factual," she confessed. "I only have my suspicions."
Jeremy offered her a seat, but the withering look she directed at him could have reduced granite to dust. He knew he had no choice but to come clean. "Roman didn't only come to talk to me about Council matters. He came to find out what you meant to me."
She folded her arms across her chest, bristling with ire. "What did he want to know that for?"
"He's always despised me, turned his nose up at the way I choose to run my territory. He feels I'm too soft, too lenient. He's never made a secret of the fact that he wanted to usurp my position, take control of my pack."
"I don't understand what that has to do with me."
He took a step closer to her, unable to help himself. She was like the sun and all he wanted was to bask in her radiance. "If he thought that you meant more to me than a casual fling, he'd strike at you to get to me. He threatened your life, Kate."
Her chin rose defiantly and he couldn't help the surge of pride he felt at her show of bravery. "What did he say?"
"He implied that you were disposable, someone who would have to face pack law if you knew the truth about us."
"So instead of telling me the truth, you lied?" she exclaimed in irritation.
It wasn't that simple. "Kate, I wanted to protect you-"
"I never asked for your protection!" she denied vehemently, her voice ringing with anger and resentment. "When you love someone, you trust them with the good and the bad, Jeremy. You don't bail when things get tough, you don't make unilateral decisions without consulting the other person! You had no right to decide what was best for me without even asking me what I wanted!" Tears of hurt and outrage sprang into her eyes.
Jeremy wished with all his heart that he could go back and change what had happened, do things differently. But he couldn't. "You're right," he said quietly.
"Don't agree with me because you think it's going to make me feel better!" she warned, swiping angrily at a stray tear that rolled down her cheek.
"I'm not trying to placate you." In the face of her fury, he really had no solid defence other than the truth. "I know I should have told you what happened and I'm sorry. My only defence is that I was afraid for your safety, my every instinct screaming to protect you, even if I went about it in the wrong way." Tentatively, he reached out a hand to touch her, but she stepped out of reach, a fresh wave of torment washing over him. "I'm a fool. But the only way I knew to keep you safe was to make you believe that I didn't love you."
"Well, you very nearly succeeded," she whispered, her eyes red rimmed and brimming with moisture.
He wanted so badly to touch her, but held the impulse in check. "My family staged an intervention the other day, hitting home some hard truths. Like how I had no right to decide what was best for you, that it was arrogant, selfish and disrespectful of me to assume that I'm more capable of making decisions that affect your life than you are."
"I always knew they were smart," Kate mumbled, sniffing indelicately.
"Kate, I was on my way out just before you arrived-"
Her posture became more rigid. "Seriously? We're having this conversation and you're politely asking me to leave?" If he hadn't been absolutely certain that it would have infuriated her further, Jeremy would have smiled at the pique in her tone.
"I was leaving to see you," he clarified.
She froze. "What?"
"My intention was to come clean, to beg you to give me another chance even though I realise that you may be seeing someone else." He tried his level best to control the jealousy clawing its way through him.
Kate's jaw dropped. "Are you talking about Steve? He's just a colleague."
Latching onto her words like a lifeline, Jeremy prompted, "So you're not dating him?"
"Dating him? Of course not."
"I'm going to kill Nick," he muttered under his breath. He'd almost driven himself mad wondering what was happening between her and the other man. "I know you're upset and you have every right to be. But I need you to understand that I would never have done what I did if I didn't genuinely believe that it was the best course of action at the time. Your safety is the most important thing to me. If anything ever happened to you because of me, I'd never forgive myself." He spoke with an intensity, a fire, a determination that was impossible to dismiss.
Kate wavered, her anger seeming to subside marginally in the face of his obvious sincerity. "How can I trust you, Jeremy? How do I know that you won't do this again, when someone else threatens my life?"
"Because I know the pain of losing you and it's been hell," he said softly, his voice laden with tender emotion. "Kate, I've been miserable without you."
Her eyes softened momentarily before she cleared her throat. "What about Roman? Nothing's changed. He's still out there, right?"
Jeremy took another tentative step forward, relieved when she didn't move away. "He will still be a threat, but my family thinks it's up to you decide whether you're willing to put up with me and my lot. Apparently no one could take better care of you than I."
"Stubborn man. I could have told you that," she croaked, and Jeremy's heart dared to hope.
"So what do you think? Am I too much to take on?" he asked, petrified that she'd tell him to go to hell.
Kate looked at him solemnly. "Jeremy, you need to understand that I'm not one of your pack. You can't just do things and expect me to accept it without question."
"I know you're not one of my pack. Kate, you're the woman I love, and you're equally dear to me," he declared fervently. "If you stay, then you need to know that I will always do whatever is in my power to protect you. It's who I am and I can't change that. All I can promise, is that I will never lie to you about anything again."
She regarded him silently for a protracted moment before glancing away. "I was there when you killed Salazar, so I know this isn't a game; there are very real dangers. Falling in love with you just happened, Jeremy, I didn't have a choice." He held his breath when her eyes lifted to meet his. "But I'm choosing to stay."
Unparalleled relief coursed through his body, and Jeremy, unable to resist a moment longer, cupped her cheek. With a sob, Kate leaned into his touch. Gently, he gathered her into his arms and held her tightly against him. Nothing had ever felt so good, so right. "I'm sorry for being such a fool," he whispered into her hair, inhaling deeply, filling his lungs with her sweet scent.
"You know, t-this doesn't m-mean t-that I'm not still m-mad as hell," Kate blubbered, drawing back to look at him.
The absolute vulnerability on her face made his heart tremble. Smoothing her hair back from her face, Jeremy replied, "I know."
She wiped at the last of her tears. "And if you ever lie to me again I may not be responsible for my actions."
Jeremy regarded her seriously. "You have my word."
Satisfied, she nodded. "Good. But you have some grovelling to do, Danvers. I like chocolate. And flowers. But not the super fancy kind. Earthy and simple. Oh, and foot rubs. Those are nice, too."
Jeremy's lips twitched. "Noted."
Regarding him attentively, Kate traced a finger down his hair roughened cheek. He knew he was watching at her like a love-sick puppy, but he honestly couldn't care. "How on earth did I ever believe that you didn't love me?" she asked in amazement. "It's ridiculously apparent."
His eyes dropped to her lips. "I guess I must have been trying really hard." He wanted to kiss her so badly, his hands were shaking. How long had it been?
Kate placed a finger across his lips. "Before you do that, there's something else I need to know."
Jeremy's eyes flickered upward to meet hers, the heat in them causing her cheeks to flame. "I'm listening."
She took a deep breath. "Where's Nick's mother?" she asked quietly, her eyes searching his.
Baffled by the unexpected question, he frowned. "His mother? Why?"
"You've never mentioned her or if she's a part of his life?"
Confused by her interest, Jeremy responded nonetheless. "Lily lives in Hawkesbury. Nick's met her once as an adult, but he was taken from her as a baby and raised by Antonio."
Kate swallowed. "Why couldn't she raise him herself?"
"Because it would have been too dangerous. She understood that and agreed to let Antonio take him. She had a stipulation though, which I only recently discovered."
Kate shook her head. "So Lily knew that Antonio was a werewolf?"
He nodded. "Yes, apparently. Antonio never told me."
"Jeremy, that's cruel. To take a child from his mother…"
Kate's fervour surprised him. "I don't disagree with you and I've actually been thinking about that a lot. Logan's about to become a father for the first time and he, too, is having difficulty with the concept of taking the child away from Rachel. But the reality is that human's aren't fully equipped to teach wolves what they need to know as they grow into adolescence and eventually adulthood. It's imperative that the father take a guiding role in the child's rearing."
Something he couldn't define flickered in her eyes. "So you support the idea that mother's should keep their children?"
"I honestly don't think it would work in all circumstances, but I definitely see the merit in a child being raised by both of their parents. In fact, I want to broach the subject at the next Council- Wait. Why are you so interested in this?"
Suddenly restless, Kate squirmed in his arms, biting her lip apprehensively. "Well, um, I discovered something rather unexpected."
Jeremy raised a brow, his arm around her waist tightening. "Okay."
"You see, uh, the thing is…"
Worry made his brow furrow. "Kate, you're stalling. Why don't you just tell-"
"I'm pregnant," she blurted.
Jeremy gaped at her, sure he'd heard wrong. "Pregnant?" he quoted.
He'd barely wrapped his brain around that one incredibly precious word when she continued, "And there's more."
"More?" he echoed numbly, rooted to the spot. What the hell more could there be? he wondered, completely in shock.
She licked her lips nervously. "There may be two of them."
"Two of them?" he repeated idiotically, his mind incapable of computing what that meant.
Kate was scowling at him, clearly not impressed with his inability to string a coherent sentence together. "It's won't be a certainty for another few weeks, but I may be expecting…twins."