Chapter 428 – A Mating Gift

"What?" Roger asked, going suddenly rigid and raising his head. His alpha instincts probably anticipated an attack. "No," I said, gaping at the sky. "Roger, look—"

He turned to follow my gaze, his mouth falling open. What looked like a thousand shooting stars crossed the sky in a blink, chasing each other across the blackness above the sea.

"Oh my god," he murmured, his head falling back as he stared upwards. Instinctively, I closed the slight distance between us, pressing my body seamlessly against his. I took his hand, and we both stared.

His body, like mine, thrummed with the joy of it—the promises, the sex, the marking, all of it—but this, the awe we both felt… We were both silent for a long time, marveling at the sky.

"Cora," Roger said after a long moment, turning his head slightly but unable to tear his eyes away from the meteors flashing across the sky. "Did you… do this?"

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"I mean," he said slowly, "I'm pretty sure you did the wind, and the earthquake—"

"The what?" I gasped.

He turned to me fully, a wide smile breaking out on his face as his eyes met mine. "I mean, I know I'm good, Cora, but you had to have noticed—"

"An earthquake?"

"The ground shook, Cora! What did you think it was?"

"I thought it was just a—a little shake! Not an earthquake."

"Well, yes, just a little one," he replied, still laughing, giving me a tiny shrug. "I mean, I don't think you leveled any cities—though, I mean, I can try harder next time—"

It was my turn to growl. I smacked him on the chest. "You don't get to take credit for my gift, mate—"

"I mean," he growled, turning toward me and grabbing my waist, pulling me flush against him, stomach to stomach, "I get some credit."

I laughed, kissing him, joy rippling through me as he kissed me back. But then he pulled away slightly, staring into my eyes for a long moment before glancing up at the sky again. "But seriously," he said, "do you think you did it?"

"I honestly don't know," I said, looking up again at the sky, where the meteors continued to streak, leaving behind long tails of golden light. They were slower now, more patient, less a frantic rush. Now they seemed to take their time, wanting to put on a show. "I mean…that," I said, pointing upwards, "sort of matches how I feel. So," I shrugged, "…maybe."

"Wind, rain, hail…now an earthquake and meteors?" He raised his eyebrows, impressed, and I grinned. "Nobody'd better piss you off, Cora," he said, considering. "Or we'll get an asteroid and another species-ending event, like the dinosaurs."

"Yeah," I said, giving him a playful shove. "So, keep that in mind, sir."

He laughed, turning to me and nudging his nose against mine. "Oh, I intend to piss you off every day," he murmured, grinning. "I like taking you to bed when you're angry."

I snapped my teeth at him, inviting his laughter. Honestly, he didn't piss me off—not really. Not everyone understood Roger, but with me, he walked a very fine line of teasing, bringing me right to the edge of my limits but never pushing too far. And me? Too-serious me? I needed that in my life.

And he was right. It made us great in bed.

"All right, little mate," I murmured, laughing and turning my head away so he could study his handiwork on my neck. "What's it look like? Did you do good, or did you mess up and give me a sloppy mark?"

"Hmm," he said, raising his head to study it. "Nah, it's real pretty, Cora. You'll like it. And I put it high, where everyone can see—"

I laughed, spinning my head back, grinning. "Jealous," I accused, narrowing my eyes playfully at him.

"Mmm, yes," he murmured, dipping his head to kiss my collarbone. "I want everyone to know you're mine. Can you just start wearing a t-shirt that says 'Hands off'?"

"Oh sure," I said, laughing harder. "I'm sure that will go over really well with the humans we're trying to convince that we truly believe human and wolfkind are equals—for the only human in our little wolf family to start walking around in a t-shirt that says 'Property of Roger Sinclair.'"

"Ohhh, I like this new wording," he said, sitting up slightly and grinning down at me. "I can get you one for each day of the week—"

I was laughing harder now, shaking my head at him. "Only if you wear a matching one," I replied, "'Property of Cora,' emblazoned on the front and back—in pink."

"It would be helpful, honestly," he said, his voice full of mischief as he brought his face close to mine. "I already have to beat the women off with a stick—this will cut my job in half—"

I shrieked, smacking him. "You shut up! You so do not have to turn women away—"

"I do!" he insisted, laughing harder. "Seriously, every five minutes! Sorry, I'm a mated man. Sincere apologies, I know, it is a loss for womankind, to have a specimen like me off the dating market—"

I growled, even as I laughed, grabbing him tight and pulling him against me, letting my nails sink slightly into his skin. "You're a liar," I murmured, bringing my lips to his, "but if you push it, I really will make you wear the shirt. Because you're mine, Roger Sinclair. And I'm not sharing."

"Good, Cora Sinclair," he murmured before kissing me, a long and sweeping kiss. "And neither am I."

"Good," I replied, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, relaxing, bliss still running through me—deep and true.

Just then, I felt a curious little tapping along my second bond and burst into a smile. Roger laughed again, glancing down toward my belly, and I knew he felt it too.

"Baby's up," I murmured.

"Probably the earthquake," he replied, "hard to sleep through."

I laughed again and sent my own little feeling along the bond to the baby. Happy? Happy! came the response, making us both laugh.

"I wonder if this means that he'll be a happy kid," Roger murmured, smiling with a deep content that I also felt, "or if he just… doesn't have a very wide emotional range."

"He's just a tiny little thing right now!" I protested, putting a hand on my stomach. "He's like, the size of a marble. He doesn't have room for any emotions besides happy. And it's not even like he knows the word—he's just telling us he's content."

"Well, let's see what else we can make him do," Roger said, shifting lower so that his face was closer to my belly.

I laughed, shaking my head but playing along. "He's not a Labrador, Roger," I murmured, "he doesn't do tricks." But my mate ignored me.

"Baby," he said, pitching his voice loud, which made me laugh harder, because I knew this wasn't how it worked. The baby probably wouldn't be able to hear anything outside my body until much further along in the pregnancy. But still, Roger was making me laugh, so I indulged him.

"Baby," Roger said, sending me a happy little glance, "I'm going to say some names, and I want you to tell me which one you like."

Giggling, I waited, but no response came.

"I don't think he wants to play," I said, grinning at my mate.

"Sure he does," Roger said, grinning up at me and then focusing on my stomach again. "Baby, what do you think of Edgar?"

We both waited, but nothing happened. I reached out my hand and Roger gave me his, his eyes still on my belly.

"Let's try it this way," I murmured. And then I closed my eyes and sent the word along the bond, so that the baby and Roger could both hear it. Edgar?

There was a long pause…and nothing.

"Knew the kid had taste," Roger murmured, proud.

"Okay, well, try one you actually like," I urged.

"Are you going to do it too?" he said, flashing his eyes up to me.

"I will," I said, squeezing his hand. "I promise. But mine are really good, so I'll give you first try so you feel like you had some say in it."

Roger laughed and then dipped his head to kiss my stomach before passing another name along the bond.