Fated to the Warrior Wolf (The Hunted Omegas #3)

13. Leigh

THIRTEEN

Leigh

I sat in the courtyard, feeling better than I had in a while, thanks to Brielle’s magic touch. This time, she’d managed to suck all the nausea out of me without even swaying on her feet, which was a huge improvement. I watched from a very comfy lounge chair, fresh-pressed juice in hand, as she, Shay, and Oli stood in a circle, palms outstretched.

“So, I’m sorry, tell me again— you’re part fae? And as a result, you accidentally zap people?”

“Basically,” Shay said with a grimace. “I’m trying to learn to control it, or at least not do it accidentally anymore.”

“It would be handy if you could do it on purpose, though, given the number of people who keep coming after us,” Brielle said with a smile.

Olivia looked pale at the thought. She hadn’t taken the news about Bri’s omega status as badly as we’d expected, but I supposed that if your palm was already glowing when you found out the world wasn’t what you thought it was, it was easier to believe.

I grimaced down at my own bandage-covered palm, then tucked it under my leg, out of sight. I had more immediate problems than a glowworm appendage.

Like the fact that Gael was going to ask Bri for a paternity test, and I should probably get ahead of that.

“Shit, sorry!” Shay snatched her hand away from Olivia’s as her hair started to float around her head from the electricity.

“It’s okay, it didn’t hurt. It was, uh, tingly, though.” Olivia grimaced, carefully shaking her probably numb fingertips behind her back. She was sweet, trying to spare Shay’s feelings.

Brielle bravely stood with her palm up, but no matter how many times they tried, Shay’s shock did not transfer to Bri.

“Do you want to try me?” I called, but was immediately shot down, like the first two times I’d offered.

“No zapping the pregnant lady.” Brielle leveled me with a pointed glare.

I was halfway through my juice before they took a break. Brielle sank into the lounge chair next to me, frowning as she sipped her own drink.

“Not a fan of the fresh juice?” I asked.

“The texture is weird, but it’s tasty.”

I shrugged, enjoying it. Though, anything I could keep down at this point was my new BFF. The chef had called this a carrot-apple colada, but assured me it contained only fresh fruit and vegetables appropriate for gestating she-wolves .

It was so great when people talked about the contents of your uterus. So great .

But the man made a mean juice, so I forgave him.

Brielle cleared her throat. “So, I have to ask you something, and I hope you won’t be offended.”

My eyes shot from the juice to hers, and I knew from her expression that I’d missed the boat. Shame clogged my throat.

“It’s okay,” I murmured, setting the glass on the side table so I could clench my hands together unimpeded .

She rested her hand on my arm, clearing her throat lightly to get my attention so she could ask the question I dreaded.

“Why does Gael think he needs a paternity test?”

I blew out a breath, letting my head fall against the chairback with a thunk . “Because I’m an asshole.”

“Umm…”

“I got mad at him, and in the heat of the moment, I insinuated he might not be the father.”

She blinked at me, speechless.

Shay wasn’t, though. “Leigh, please tell me you’re kidding?”

I threw up my hands and then covered my face. “I’m not kidding. It was stupid and awful, and I know it, okay? He was just standing there all domineering and bossy, and I lashed out. I’m not proud of it. I just wanted him to back off.”

“Domineering about what?”

I bit my lip and looked from Bri to Oli, who was hovering awkwardly at the end of the chairs Bri and I sat in, clearly uncertain if she should be part of the conversation. She might as well hear the bit about my stupidity, but I didn’t feel comfortable telling her about Brielle’s curse unless she brought it up first.

“Things that have to do with me and a visit to your Aunt Kari.”

“Leigh, no !” Shay shot to her feet, clearly making the connection even as Bri’s face turned ghost white with shock.

“I haven’t decided, okay? But… if our official efforts don’t do what we need them to, well, I’m not sacrificing my baby.” I lifted my chin, not apologizing for that fact. She was mine, and I would protect her.

“So he didn’t like that plan for obvious reasons of being a decent person, and handling a disagreement with your baby’s father like an adult , you told him he might not be the father?” Shay summed up the situation .

When I nodded, she growled—actually growled, her eyes glowing gold with her wolf.

“He is the father, though, right? He’s asked me to run a DNA test, and I drew his blood this morning. If there’s any question—and I’m not judging; if there is, you know I don’t care—I’ll need a sample from you too, if you consent to being tested.”

I sighed. “You don’t need a sample, but I’ll give it if he wants it. I haven’t been with anyone else since Marcus.”

Brielle nodded, squeezing my shoulder supportively. “Okay, well, would you like to talk to him first, or just run the blood test?”

I thought long and hard. “I’ll talk to him. But if he still wants the test after, I’ll do it. He should know, especially after what I said. It’s going to be pretty hard to walk that back, even if the truth is I haven’t been with anyone but him in a year and a half, and there’s zero chance anyone else is the father.”

“What did you just say?”

I froze in the chair, my pulse pounding double time at the masculine voice.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” I said. Shay swore under her breath and stepped forward, angling herself between me and Gael. She might have been pissed at my immaturity, but she still had my back, and something about that tiny movement had tears stinging my eyes. They did that a lot more than I was used to these days.

“Repeat what you just said,” Gael barked, the alpha dominance in his tone making me bristle.

When I stood from the chair, I ignored the fact that my knees were shaking, keeping my chin up. Though I faltered when I saw the giant bouquet of red roses clutched in his fist.

“I said, you’re the father. I haven’t been with anyone else.”