driveway when I spotted the door to Zeke’s house opening. “Hey, man! Glad to see you’re back,” he called.
I changed direction and jogged across the street to greet my friend. “It’s damn good to be back.”
“C’mon, you weren’t gone that long,” Zeke chuckled.
“Long enough for everything to change around here,” I pointed out with a grin as I slapped him on the back. “When I left, all three of us were unattached, and now you and Kace have mates.” I shook my head and laughed. “Hell, not just mates either. Babies, too.”
Zeke grinned back at me, looking happier than I’d ever seen him. “You heard about that already?”
I cocked my head to the side, taking in his reaction. “Holy shit, man. Allegra’s pregnant, too?”
“Too? Who else is pregnant?” His gaze darted over my shoulder, and his grin widened. “Larissa’s pregnant?”
I tapped the side of my nose. “Smelled like it to me.”
Zeke waved toward his house. “Come inside. You can meet Allegra. She’s going to be thrilled to find out one of her best friends is pregnant the same time as she is.”
“One of her best friends?” I asked as I followed him inside, wondering how many of them she had before a luscious scent hit my nostrils and any thought beyond finding the source wiped from my brain. I barely heard Zeke reply, “Yeah, she’s got two of them. Just like Kace, you, and me. Calliope’s here too, so you’ll get to meet her. She’s staying with us until her college classes start back up next week.”
If Calliope was who I thought she was, he was wrong—she’d be staying with me. And not just until next week. She’d be with me for the rest of her life. I didn’t share that with Zeke since I wasn’t sure I could get any words past my throat. Instead, I stalked behind him as he walked through his living room and into the kitchen. The scent grew stronger as we neared the door, sending flames of desire coursing through my blood. When he pushed it open, throaty feminine laughter wrapped around me, and I felt it all the way to my dick. I was rock-hard as we neared the two blondes sitting at the kitchen table. The one with the gray tint making her hair an ashy color carried the smell of Zeke and his baby all over her. Thank fuck, because the little firecracker with a hint of red in her hair was meant to be mine. All fucking mine.
“Hey, baby. I just heard something that you’re going to love,” Zeke said as he went behind his woman and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
She twisted her neck to turn and look up at him with a smile. “Almost as much as I love you?”
“Nah, this is excellent news, but it doesn’t come close to the love you have for me,” Zeke chuckled.
“Not much does.” Her hand dropped to her belly as her smile widened. “But I can always use excellent news. Give it up, handsome.”
“Larissa is pregnant, too.” Zeke jerked his chin in my direction. “Tane went over to check in with Kace now that he’s back in town and smelled it on her. Since it’s still early morning, we’re probably the first to know.”
“That’s awesome! Our baby will have a built-in best friend.” Allegra’s gaze slid to Calliope. “Now we just need to find your hunky shifter so you won’t be too far behind us.”
“Um.” Calliope’s hazel eyes widened, and her teeth scraped against her plump bottom lip.
“No need to look any further,” I growled as I rounded the table and lifted her off her chair. “She’s mine.”
3
Calliope
“I was right! Not finding the guy for you was because you’re a cat person!” Allegra shrieked as Tane cradled me against his chest.
“A cat person, huh?” Tane asked, his brown eyes full of humor. His hold on me tightened before he turned and headed to the front of the house.
My cheeks filled with heat as I nodded. “Yeah, Allegra was trying to make me feel better about not being someone’s mate like her and Larissa. Right before you guys came in, she was joking around about how it must be because I’ve always been more into cats than dogs since most of the shifters in town are wolves.”
He nodded, and a lock of his blond hair fell on his forehead. “She might’ve been joking, but it makes sense to me.”
“It does?” I asked as he yanked the door open