Chapter 7

CATALINA

Lucifer eventually demanded that we leave the kitchen so it could be cleaned, ushering us into the living room. As the guys conversed with each other, I found myself lost in my own thoughts. Leaning in the doorway, I stared straight ahead, not really seeing anything.

Who was the father? If I was pregnant, would Nick be able to tell? Would the other guys be mad and want nothing to do with the baby? I flinched at the thought.

I knew it wasn’t possible for the baby to belong to Lucifer or Jayden. But they didn’t even make up half of my mates. The other half were all bachelors. I couldn’t imagine just one of my mates loving my kid and the others ignoring it. The thought upset me tremendously.

“You don’t have to worry about that,” a warm voice said from next to me. I knew it was Mateo without looking over. He was the calmest of all my mates and always the voice of reason. I knew he was replying to what he heard in my thoughts.

“What makes you think that?” I asked, stepping closer and pressing my back against his chest. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he pulled me closer.

“Look at them,” he whispered. “There’s not a single male in this room that doesn’t care deeply for you.”

I took in the room for the first time. Lucien sat on the couch while Kol stood in front of him, his hands moving animatedly as he told a story. Sebastian leaned on the arm of the couch, glaring at them both.

“And the baby will be a piece of you no matter who the father is. And any piece of you is worth loving in our eyes,” he finished.

My eyes watered at his words. I turned around in his arms, wrapping my arms around him. “I love you.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. But I wouldn’t take them back because it was the truth.

His arms tightened. “I’ve loved you since I watched you doodle on your notes,” he said. I sniffed, a laugh bubbling out of me.

“I do not doodle on my notes!” All eyes fell to me at my outburst. Luckily, Nick and Lucifer chose that moment to walk in.

“Come to the couch, Catalina,” Lucifer ordered. I was too nervous to argue with him as I shuffled over to the couch. I plopped down next to Lucien, looking up at Nick. My eyes took in his silver hair and piercings. Oh, how I’d missed him.

“Hi, stranger,” I greeted.

Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss on my lips. “I hear my little wolf might be pregnant.” A small smile lit up his perfect features.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been told.”

Lucien growled in annoyance next to me. “Get on with it, half-breed,” he snapped. I pinched his leg.

Nick sighed, placing a hand on my stomach. A faint green glow started to illuminate his hand. Though I could see that something was happening, I felt nothing.

No more than twenty seconds went by before he stepped back. “You’re pregnant.” I stiffened at the confirmation. Holy shit, this was real.

“And who’s the father?” Lucien demanded.

“All of us.” My head snapped up in confusion.

“What?”

He shrugged. “Well, not all of us, just those you’ve been intimate with. I can sense a bit of all of our essence inside the fetus, though it’s too early to tell if it’s a boy or a girl.”

Lucifer nodded. “Just as I thought.” I wanted to ask if he was upset, but again Kol did that shadow flame thing.

“What the hell is wrong with him?” Lucien demanded, tucking me into his side. Mateo reached out to Kol, placing a hand where I thought his shoulder was. The flames dispatched, leaving a tear-faced Kol. Mateo pulled him into a hug.

I smiled at the sight, my big bad demon mate crying at the news of me being pregnant.

Nick shifted in front of me, gaining my attention. “Do you mind if we talk alone?”

“I mind,” Lucien answered before I could.

“Good thing I wasn’t talking to you, mutt.” Holding a hand out to me, he helped me from the couch.

“You know, this baby will technically be a mutt and a half-breed,” I pointed out to them both. Lucien looked shocked as if he didn’t realize that, while Nick smiled.

“And I’m okay with that.” I led him from the living room and up to my room. This conversation would have to be quick. I doubted my mates would allow me to be away for long after finding out I was pregnant.

I instructed him to sit on the bed, then I sat next to him. “Where have you been?” I asked softly. He sighed, and that’s when I noticed the bags underneath his eyes.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” he said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. All I wanted to do was wrap him up in my arms and never let go.

“Since my father has officially been declared dead, I’ve had to take over as the new king.”

My mouth opened in shock. “What? Why?”

“I’m next in line as his only heir.” I cringed. I never thought about the consequences of killing the Fae king. Of course, with Nick being the prince, he’d have to take over once his father died.

“I’ve been trying to calm the Fae of my kingdom. But they’re out for blood. They want to know who killed the king and how I intend to make them pay.” Now I understood why he was exhausted. He’d been lying to a group of people that expected him to lead and care for them.

“I’m sorry, Nick, this is all my fault.” I put him in this position. I made him become someone he wasn’t ready to be.

“You know that’s not true, little wolf. My father was trying to kill you. You only defended yourself.” Grabbing my arm, he pulled me to him, forcing me to maneuver myself until I was straddling him.

“Yeah, but I could’ve stopped Lucifer from killing him. We could’ve kept him as a prisoner.” So far, two of my mate’s fathers had died because of me. Was I destined to kill all their fathers? So far, I wasn’t a good daughter-in-law.

Nick chuckled. “Maybe you’re only destined to kill the evil fathers.” I punched him in the arm.

“Our kid is going to know me as a father killer.” I pouted. His eyes brightened at the mention of me being pregnant again.

“Say that again,” he mumbled, moving his face closer.

“Our kid—” His lips pressed against mine, cutting my words off. The feel of his lips against mine was familiar yet different. It had been so long since I felt them, since I felt ~him~.

I pushed myself forward, destroying any space between us. I brought my arms up, wrapping them around his neck to pull him closer. I felt him smile against my lips.

He gripped me around the waist, and suddenly I felt us moving. The softness of my mattress hit my back as he laid me down softly. I gazed up at him as he stared down at me.

His eyes were full of emotion, too many for me to focus on one. “I’ve missed you, little wolf,” he said, leaning in to kiss me.

Before I could deepen the kiss, he broke it off, choosing to trail kisses down my neck instead. “I wonder how quiet you can be?”

“Why would I need to be quiet?” My back arched when he bit down on a sensitive spot, making him chuckle.

“Because.” His kisses continued lower. He stopped at my nipple, flicking a tongue against it through my shirt. I bit my lips, thanking whatever higher power that I had decided to go braless.

“I’m going to show you how a king worships his queen.” Before I could react, he stripped me of my bottoms and underwear.