Pregnant with His Werewolf's Baby (9 page)

Saul seemed in protective mode, and he could easily hurt
Jessie in a mistaken attempt to help Gavin. There were so many things wrong
with this picture that Gavin didn't even know what to address first. In the
end, he picked the imminent confrontation between Jessie and Saul.

"Stop!" Gavin said. "Jessie is my friend. I
was upset and he was helping me. He'd never hurt me."

He didn't even have to elaborate on the explanation, because
just the word "stop" made Saul freeze. He released Jessie, who
staggered back, wide-eyed. "This is your Prince Charming? What in the
world were you thinking, Gav?"

Saul growled at Jessie. "Stay out of this, human."
When he turned toward Gavin, his voice was so gentle it could have come from a
different person. "Are you sure you're okay? Why were you crying? Why were
you so frightened?"

Gavin wanted nothing more than to throw himself into Saul's
arms. He'd tried his best not to think about the other man, but seeing him now
just made him more aware of how deeply Saul had gotten under his skin. To top
it off, he could feel his baby responding to his father's proximity, and that
just made him tear up again.

"Baby? Gavin? What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Gavin took a few steps back, trying to catch his breath.
"Sick? Do you have any idea how awful I felt when you left me? How dare
you just burst in here and attack the guy who's been by my side when you were
gone?"

Saul winced. "I'm so sorry, baby. You have no idea how
sorry I am. I never wanted to leave you. But... To tell you the truth, I had
some family problems. The man you spoke with on the phone was my brother. He
and my father wanted me to... umm... well, to marry someone else. A lot of
things happened and I was delayed."

Gavin noticed the vagueness of the explanation and glared at
his lover. He crossed his arms over his chest and said, "If you think I'm
going to be happy with that excuse, you've got another thing coming."

Saul opened his mouth to reply, but then, his gaze went
straight to Gavin's stomach. Looking down, Gavin realized his new stance
stretched his shirt, exposing the swell of his belly.
 
"Oh, shit," Saul cursed, sounding
dazed. "Are you... You're... Moon be blessed. You're pregnant."

"Clever guy, your beau," Jessie commented
sarcastically.

Gavin let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, Saul, I'm pregnant.
Congrats. You're gonna be a daddy. And I'm still waiting for answers on why
this was possible."

Saul didn't immediately reply. He knelt in front of Gavin and
kissed the swell of his stomach.
 
"I'll tell you everything, baby. I promise. Just let me hold you
for now."

Emotion clogged Gavin's throat. He dropped to his knees too
and leaned against Saul's chest. "I hate you." He sniffed. "Why
did you have to leave me?"

"I just wanted to protect you," Saul replied.
"There were a lot of circumstances. But I'm never leaving again. We'll be
together forever, the three of us."

The sound of departing footsteps alerted Gavin to the fact
that Jessie was discreetly taking his leave. Gavin would have liked to thank
his friend and reassure him somehow—especially when Jessie cursed as he
struggled to bypass the broken door. But it was too nice to be in Saul's arms,
and Gavin felt so exhausted, physically, emotionally and mentally.

Saul picked him up and carried him to his small bedroom. He
placed Gavin on the bed and brushed a kiss over his lips. "I'll be right
back, baby. I'll see your friend off. I owe him an apology anyway."

Gavin nodded and shot Saul a thankful look. "Just...
Come back soon, okay?"

"I will," Saul promised, and Gavin believed him.

****

Saul caught up with Gavin's friend just as the other man
exited the building. "Hey, wait a minute," he called out. "Wait.
I need to talk to you."

The man—Gavin had called him Jessie—turned toward Saul.
"And what exactly do you want? I'm kind of busy debating the advantages
and disadvantages of calling the police on you. Gav has a history of falling
for assholes, but you take the cake."

"I just want to apologize. Gavin means a lot to me, and
I truly thought you were hurting him."

In hindsight, he could recognize now that it hadn't been very
rational behavior on his part. But the trip here had taken far too long, and
every pulse of Gavin's fear and sorrow had increased the aggressiveness of the
wolf. He couldn't exactly tell Jessie that, so instead, he added, "I do
appreciate you being such a great friend to him and sticking with him when I
couldn't."

"It's not me you have to apologize to. Gav was
heart-broken when you left. And then the pregnancy thing... Shit, I have no
idea what you are, but you'd better be worth it, because Gav is risking his
life for your spawn."

Saul's breath caught. He didn't know anything about male
pregnancies, since he hadn't heard about it ever happening in the werewolf
world. Other paranormal species did it all the time, but for werewolves, it was
unusual. "What do you mean?" he asked Jessie.

"Look, I don't know much, only what my dad told us. He
seemed to have some experience with this sort of thing and he said that it's
going to be very difficult and painful for Gav, that the baby might not even
survive, and that Gav himself is at risk. Male bodies just aren't built for
pregnancy."

Just the idea of losing Gavin made Saul's blood run cold.
"Thanks... Thanks for telling me. I'll speak to him."

Jessie frowned in obvious concern. "Maybe he'll listen
to you. Or maybe you'll find a better solution now that you're together. Just
let me know what you decide, okay? I'm very worried."

On impulse, Saul hugged Jessie. It felt strange, but kind of
nice and familiar, like touching a pack member, or maybe even a sibling.
"Thanks. We will."

Jessie broke away from the embrace and smiled awkwardly.
"Okay, before this can get more embarrassing, I'm off. Take care of Gavin
for me—or I'll hunt you down and rip out your testicles, no matter how much of
a badass you are."

With that parting shot, Jessie turned on his heel and walked
away. As soon as the other man was gone, Saul rushed back to the apartment. He
found Gavin out of bed, staring at himself in the mirror and rubbing his now
swollen belly. Saul's heart clenched and his knees almost gave out. He'd never
thought he could be so happy and so distressed at the same time. "You're
more beautiful than ever," he heard himself say.

Gavin turned toward Saul and grinned. "I admit I didn't
really feel beautiful until I knew why I suddenly gained so much weight."
His expression sobered as he met Saul's eyes. "Jess told you about what
the doctor said," he guessed correctly.

Saul walked to Gavin's side and hugged Gavin's back, burying
his nose in Gavin's hair and inhaling deeply. "I don't want to risk your
life for anything. I'm just... I'm so worried I'll lose you. Moon be blessed, I
didn't even get the chance to truly earn your trust. I can't think about a
future we won't share."

Gavin broke free from Saul's arm and took his hand, guiding
him to the bed. "Come. Sit down with me."

Saul complied. He couldn't have denied his lover to save his
life. As they both sat on the mattress, Gavin said, "I want you to listen
to this very carefully. Promise you will, because it's not easy for me to speak
about it."

Saul didn't like the sound of that, but he saw the decision
in Gavin's lovely brown eyes. "I understand."

Squeezing Saul's hand, Gavin started to speak. "My first
memory as a child is a happy one. I remember living in a big house with my
parents, and in that particular memory, we were playing in the yard. I had a
garden hose and I was spraying my parents with it. My father finally disarmed
me, but by then, we were all sopping wet." He smiled distantly, as if he
could still see the image in his mind. The smile didn't last. "A few
months after that, my father lost his job. He started drinking, then gambling.
In the end, we lost everything and we had to move to this hole in the wall
apartment. I missed the big yard, but by then, I just wanted us to be a family
again, for Mommy and Daddy to smile like they used to. And then, one day, I
woke up and my dad was gone. Mom never explained it to me. He just left and
never came back. I was so afraid, but she said that day that she'd always be
there for me, that it was the two of us against the world now, and she'd never
fail me."

"A few years went by, and everything settled down a
little. We were poor, but I studied hard and got a scholarship to ease on my
mom's expenses. Things seemed to be looking up. I was wary when my mom started
dating again, but I figured, she had a chance to be happy, right?"

An ominous feeling niggled at the back of Saul's mind, and he
could feel Gavin's sadness and anxiety echoing through their half-formed bond.
He squeezed Gavin's hands harder in a silent gesture of support. It seemed to
work, because Gavin continued with his story.

"I was fifteen when she got into a serious relationship.
The guy was a real-estate agent and, at first, he seemed nice enough. He even
asked her to marry him. But that very same night, just after we celebrated
their engagement, he came into my room and tried to... You know."

Saul's breath caught and his vision began to dim around the
edges. Just the thought of someone hurting Gavin like that made him want to rip
that person to shreds. Hatred rose within him, hot and angry—a human's fury
coupled with the instincts of the wolf.

"Just give me his name and I'll make sure he pays the
price."

Gavin shook his head. "No, I don't want that. I'm just
telling you the story because it's important for you to understand me." He
paused slightly. "Although, it would help if you held me."

Saul gladly did that. Gavin crawled into his lap, and Saul
held him close, giving Gavin time to gather his thoughts. "Anyway, long
story short, he didn't succeed," Gavin said. "I went to my mother and
told her about it, but he accused me of trying to seduce him and she believed
him. In the end, I left, and I've been on my own ever since. I put myself
through college, where I met Jessie, and we found work together through one of
our previous professors. My mom did eventually marry the asshole and they had
kids together, but she divorced him. But all that's in the past. I just wanted
to tell you this. I always wanted the family I had with my parents once, but I
knew it was only a dream. I became a guidance councilor because I realized I'd
likely never have children of my own—not even adopted ones. But now, I have a
shot at fulfilling my dream. I can't give that up."

Saul said nothing. Gavin's tale moved him to the core, but it
also just made him even more protective of the other man. He had to admit that
he wanted to have a family with Gavin too. He wanted it so badly he ached. His
wolf could already feel the connection with the unborn baby. But the fear of
losing Gavin remained just as poignant as before, or maybe even more so.

Before he could even try to argue with Gavin, though, his
mate took a deep breath and approached an entirely different topic. "Now,
listen. The two of us agreed once that we'd take it slow. That didn't work out,
and I need you to be perfectly honest with me if you want us to get a second
chance. Who, and what are you exactly?"

Saul froze. He hadn't expected Gavin to ask that, which, in
hindsight, had been stupid. Of course Gavin had questions. He seemed to have
accepted the pregnancy thing, which was remarkable given that Saul himself
still had problems with it. Nevertheless, Saul owed him an explanation.

Releasing Gavin, he left the bed and stood. "I think
it's probably best that I show you. Just promise you won't freak out, all
right? Remember that, no matter what shape I might take, it's still me."

Gavin nodded, petting his stomach absently. "Okay. I'll
remember."

Praying his lover would take this well, Saul quickly disrobed
and left his garments on a nearby armchair. The scent of his mate's arousal—and
the feel of it through their connection—distracted him, but he struggled to
focus and acknowledge the seriousness of the moment.

Finally, when he was naked, he allowed the shift to flow over
him and summoned his wolf to the surface. When, at last, he dropped to the
floor on four paws, he looked up at Gavin and waited for a reaction.

Chapter Nine

It was very easy for Gavin to get distracted with the perfect
specimen of man stripping for him in his bedroom. It was even easier to get
aroused, and in fact, the moment he saw Saul's long, thick cock, his libido
flared to life, completely ignoring the fact that his relationship with Saul
needed so much work it wasn't funny. In that moment, he just wanted to reach
for Saul and take the other man's cock in his mouth—or maybe in his ass.

And then, it became obvious that Saul hadn't removed his
clothes for the purpose of seduction. Under Gavin's astonished gaze, his
lover's form melted from that a smoking hot man to a huge black wolf.

Up until that moment, Gavin hadn't intellectually processed
what his doctor had told him. Even if he'd seen some unusual things about Saul,
he hadn't realized exactly what they could mean. But as the wolf pinned him
with gray eyes that turned deep gold, Gavin could no longer hide from it.

"Holy shit," he murmured. "You're… You're a
werewolf."

The wolf slowly padded closer to the bed and set its massive
paw onto the mattress. Gavin tentatively placed his own palm on it, peering
closer to the… creature's face. "Saul?"

In response, the wolf whined slightly and licked Gavin's
hand. Gavin couldn't help it. He giggled. "Oh, my God, I should have known
when you kept mentioning the moon. A werewolf… This is crazy."

The black wolf leapt onto the bed and started to sniff Gavin
and lick him all over. Gavin ended up burying his fingers in the wolf's
strikingly silky fur. He still didn't fully understand how the hell he'd ended
up from a regular—albeit somewhat wacky—guidance councilor to a pregnant man
with a werewolf in his bedroom, but it seemed this was his life now. And oddly,
he felt so much safer and happier than ever before. Yes, Saul had fangs and
claws now, but somehow, Gavin knew the other man would never hurt him.

After a few minutes, Saul shifted back into his human form.
He brushed his fingers over Gavin's lips and whispered, "I seriously don't
know what I did to deserve you. I was so worried you'd be frightened, and you…
You amaze me more and more with every passing second."

"Don't be so quick to compliment me on my accepting
nature," Gavin replied, now testing the feel of Saul's hair and mentally
comparing it to his fur. "I think I'm still in shock."

Saul didn't take Gavin's comment in the light-hearted way it
was meant. "You want me to get you some water? Maybe you need a breath of
fresh air?"

Gavin had never thought a gorgeous guy like Saul could ever
be described as cute, but there it was. Saul's sudden agitation was just about
one of the cutest thing Gavin had ever seen. In spite of the oddity of the
moment, Gavin found himself focusing more on how comfortable it felt to be with
Saul again, than on the implications of Saul's revelations.

"I'm fine," he assured his lover. "Although I
still have a couple of questions. Is this male pregnancy thing common for your…
kind?"

Saul shook his head. "No, baby. I had no idea it was
even possible. Everything I've ever been taught suggests that we need a male
and a female to breed."

Gavin's eyes widened. Okay, so that was one thing he hadn't
expected, although Saul had shown surprise when he'd first entered the
apartment. "Then… How? Why?"

"I don't have a clue," Saul replied. "I just
know this baby is ours, just like you are mine. Moon help me, I'd do anything
to protect the two of you, but I feel so fucking helpless. Being away from you,
trapped, experiencing your heartbreak, not knowing what made you so frightened,
it was hell. And now that I'm finally here, I'm still useless."

Saul's phrasing immediately drew Gavin's attention.
"What do you mean? How did you know I was frightened and
heartbroken?"

Saul hesitated slightly. "Remember that time, when I bit
you?" he finally asked. "Basically, werewolves claim our mates
through our bite and it gives us a feel of whatever they're feeling at any
moment in time."

Gavin didn't know whether to be excited at the potential of
this particular tidbit or angry at the intrusiveness. "Wait… You can read
my mind?"

"No, not quite," Saul hastened to assure him.
"It's more like… an empathic bond, and it's not very specific. It depends
a lot on the intensity of a particular emotion, and it's meant to strengthen
the union between mates."

"Why doesn't it work both ways then?" Gavin asked,
a little hurt by Saul's words. "Why can't I feel you?"

Saul cupped his cheek and caressed him with that very same
gentleness that always managed to make Gavin's fears fade. "Well, baby,
it's because the mating bond is also a pledge of loyalty and fidelity. It means
that the person making that pledge will never be able to be with anyone else,
even sexually. You're it for me, baby, for as long as I live. I couldn't ask
that from you, though, not yet. I knew from the very first moment I saw you
that you were my other half, but humans have different ways. We promised each other
we would take it slow, remember?"

Yes, they had said that, but so many things had happened
since then that Gavin's entire outlook on life had changed considerably. The
night Gavin had given his virginity to Saul, it had seemed like the ultimate
act of trust, but now, they had a child on the way, and were discussing family.
That went far beyond anything Gavin had ever considered would happen.

"You know, Saul, there was always something that puzzled
me," he whispered. "How does a person know when they're in love? How
do werewolves know?"

As he spoke, Gavin trailed his fingers over Saul's naked
chest. It was hard to focus on serious concepts when he had Saul completely
bare in his bed, but that very same nudity gave Gavin a good starting point for
the plan forming in his mind.

Saul's gray eyes were turning golden again and his voice
sounded husky when he said, "When we look at a person, when we smell his
scent… It's right there. We just know." His hands threaded through Gavin's
hair and he murmured, "I don't know how humans love, baby, but if it's
anything like werewolf emotion, it's a beautiful, magical thing, when you feel
you can't breathe if you don't see that person. You're my mate, and our mate
bond is forever."

Mate, huh? Saul had said the word before, but now Gavin
understood it differently. And he might not be a werewolf, but he felt the
same. "That sounds about right," he told Saul. "My mate."

 
As he spoke, he rubbed against Saul's
body, not in the least bit ashamed to show Saul the results of their proximity.
Saul released one of his trademark growls—really, Gavin should have guessed the
man's werewolf nature solely from those sounds—and said, "I don't want to
hurt you, Gavin. I—"

"You won't," Gavin interrupted him. "I want
this, Saul. I want you. I missed you so much. It still feels like a dream.
It's… too much. Show me it's real."

Saul's breath caught. "If… If you feel any discomfort,
just…."

Gavin wrapped his arms around his lover's neck, bringing
their lips so close they were almost kissing. "You'll know, won't
you?" he whispered. "I want to do this, Saul. We can be
careful."

Instead of replying, Saul separated the space between their
mouths, brushing a light peck over Gavin's lips. Gavin let out a small moan,
and Saul's tongue slipped into his mouth, coaxing and seducing. It wasn't like
any of the kisses they'd shared before. In the past, Saul had taken his breath
away through raw, visceral passion that followed a softer, gentler approach. In
that way, Gavin had gotten accustomed to both sides of Saul. But this time, it
was different, because the two sides were no longer separate. Saul stopped
trying to keep his nature from Gavin, and as Gavin did his own exploring, he
could now feel the way Saul's teeth sharpened and lengthened—a predator's canines.
It wasn't the first time he came into contact with those wickedly sharp fangs,
but now, it was different in that the touches were unrushed, a little
uncertain, but open and trusting.

This was what Gavin wanted, to get to know Saul in every
possible way. Saul claimed that he'd known Gavin was his other half from the
very first moment they'd met. Maybe a part of Gavin had known too—but through
the romantic beauty of a love at first sight and the clear chemistry between
them, they could build something everlasting, a true family.

Gavin poured all of his need for Saul into the kiss, trying
to tell the other man how much he wanted to trust what they had, and how afraid
he was of losing it. Saul reciprocated by steadying Gavin's earnestness with
lazy, comforting, yet sensual touches. Even as his tongue seduced Gavin's
mouth, his hands were starting to work on Gavin's clothes.

Gavin would have liked to help, but he already knew Saul was
so much better at anything that required coordination. He focused on touching
Saul, mapping his strong shoulders with his fingers. Saul was exceedingly
careful with him, keeping his weight off Gavin's body. Even so, he progressed
steadily on his quest to disrobe Gavin. Somehow, he managed to keep their
mouths fused even as he unbuttoned Gavin's shirt and reached for his zipper.

By now, Gavin's dick was throbbing painfully in his slacks.
When his lover's—no, his mate's—fingers brushed against his still clothed cock,
Gavin shuddered. Much to his dismay, he found himself already close to climax,
and they had barely even started making out.

Saul broke the kiss and licked his lips, his now golden eyes
glowing with sensual promise. "You're so hungry for me, aren't you, Gavin?
It's okay. I'll take care of you. I'll always take care of you."

The honesty in Saul's voice, coupled with the lust growing
ever stronger between them granted Gavin the ability to speak. "Make love
to me, Saul. Please."

To point out his eagerness, Gavin wiggled out of his shirt
and threw it aside. Now he was completely naked from the waist up, which
essentially exposed the swell of his stomach to Saul's eyes. Saul sat back, and
his hands briefly left Gavin's crotch to explore his chest. His fingers zeroed
in on Gavin's nipples. The touch that followed was slight, barely there,
really, and yet, it awoke each and every one of Gavin's nerve endings, making
him cry out and reach for his mate.

"Your nipples are even more sensitive than before,"
Saul commented almost idly. "I wonder what else has changed."

For once, Saul's teasing words didn't foretell a session of
sexual pleasure-pain. When Saul touched Gavin again, he did so in a nearly
worshipful manner, sliding his hands over Gavin's stomach. This time, he stayed
silent, but that was all right. Gavin heard everything that needed to be said
anyway, or at least, saw it in Saul's eyes. When Saul pressed his lips to
Gavin's belly, Gavin could feel that bond Saul had been talking about, so
close, yet beyond his reach. He realized now that he wanted it—wanted
everything Saul offered and more.

Finally, Saul pulled off his socks and pants, leaving Gavin
completely naked on the bed. Now there was nothing separating them, and Gavin
spread his legs, hoping Saul would take him up on his invitation.

Saul didn't, or at least, not in the way Gavin would have
liked. He bypassed Gavin's dick and swept his hands over his legs, all the way
to his feet. Gavin had to admit it felt amazing, especially when Saul started
massaging Gavin's ankles. Up until this point, he hadn't realized how much they'd
started to ache, but when Saul's fingers performed their magic, he could
certainly appreciate the change.

The massage could have probably been considered platonic, if
anyone else had performed it. As it was, Saul's touches built upon the pleasure
and the need already burning inside Gavin. When Saul traced his fingers over
the arch of Gavin's foot, Gavin dreamed of having those very same digits inside
him, or around his aching cock. His prick responded to the imagery by twitching
and leaking copious amounts of pre-cum. His anus clenched around empty air, and
he was torn between moving his leg from Saul's grip to encourage more daring
caresses, and just relaxing, surrendering to Saul's mastery of him.

In the end, it was Gavin who won the battle he hadn't even
been aware they were fighting. Saul seemed to have no resilience at all to
Gavin's arousal. His nostrils flared, and Gavin remembered Saul had said
something about scenting him. It was really the only warning Gavin got before
Saul dove in and took his cock in his mouth.

Volcanic heat engulfed Gavin's prick, and he gasped, burying
his fingers in Saul's hair as he sought an anchor in a world that had stopped
making sense. No, that wasn't it. All his life, Gavin had been struggling to
find his path, and it was only now that he'd finally achieved it.

And maybe he'd have taken some time to be thankful for it,
but his gratitude was overwhelmed by his lust. Lost in the sensual spell Saul
was casting on him, Gavin thrust his dick into his lover's wet cavern, seeking
more, needing more. Saul took his time, licking Gavin's cock from the base to
the tip, suckling on the glans, then lowering his head over Gavin's prick in a
corkscrew motion that made Gavin's vision lose focus. His fingers massaged
Gavin's sac, and found their way to his taint. It was slow suction, reassurance
and seduction all wrapped into one. There was so much emotion in this one act,
in a sexual exchange that usually meant the epitome of raw carnality. In this
moment, Gavin wanted to give himself to Saul more than he'd wanted anything in
his life. And he'd never have thought he'd ever consider something like this,
but as much as he enjoyed the blowjob, it simply wasn't enough to satisfy him.

Saul seemed to guess his desires. He released Gavin's cock from
his mouth with a wet pop. Gavin's dick throbbed in protest, but Gavin mentally
reminded himself he only wanted to come when Saul was inside him.