Kelly swallowed hard, still not sure how to feel about her pregnancy. Thrilled at the new life inside of her, she nonetheless was still getting used to being a Circ with not one, but two mates. And a baby?
“Kelly, we love you. If something’s wrong, you can tell us.” Zack rubbed her shoulders and kissed her cheek, his affection soothing her anxiety.
“Yeah, baby. We’re your mates. Trust us. We love you,” Ace added.
Her beast nudged her to do the right thing, not that Kelly needed much prodding.
Accepting the baby meant accepting this new way of life for all of them. As a Circ. As a woman with two lovers. As a family.
“I’m pregnant,” she blurted, staring from Zack to Ace.
The looks on their faces were priceless. Both men gaped at her, then at each other.
“Ah, uh, are you sure?” Ace asked.
“A baby?” Zack asked at the same time.
Together, their expressions turned to ones of wonder, and her men smiled. “A baby.”
Doc grinned. “Normally, it takes eleven or more days to detect hCG in the system. But because Kelly’s Circ, her hormone levels vary significantly. There’s no mistake. The amount of hCG in her blood confirms it. Kelly’s pregnant.”
“Has to be my kid.” Ace puffed up. “My stuff’s pretty potent.”
Zack rolled his eyes and leaned down to hug Kelly. “As if. Cub, you wish you had my strength. It’s obviously mine.”
“Guys,” Kelly said firmly, tugging them both to face her. “If this thing between us all is going to work, the baby will be ours, no matter who turns out to be the biological father.”
“I know.” Zack sighed. “But if it is Ace’s, he’s going to be a bear to live with after you give birth.”
“Two Bears.” Ace snorted. “It’s Cree. Get it right.”
“Ass.”
“Dick.” Ace glanced at Kelly. “I mean, jerk.”
Kelly laughed and hugged them to her. She knew life with her Circs wouldn’t be easy, but it would never be dull. “You’re both going to have to cut down on that swearing, for the baby’s sake.” She patted her flat belly. “I’m going to have to move out of my house, aren’t I?”
Doc’s smile faded. “I think it best. We’ll beef up security on the compound. I’m not sure if Caitlyn mentioned it, but we’re building a few houses on the property, so you mated pairs, or groups,” he said, looking at the three of them, “can have your own space.”
“Good idea,” Zack and Ace said at the same time.
Doc nodded. “How about we break the news to the others?”
Kelly groaned. “Caitlyn’s going to be impossible about this. She wants to be an aunt, you know.”
“Yeah, well, just think how much shi -- flack -- we’re going to get from the guys about baby furniture and baby clothes.” Ace sighed. “They’ll never look at me the same again.”
“None of us will, you idiot. You’re going to be a dad, not queen of the gay pride parade.” Zack snorted.
Ace flushed. “I’ll give you ‘queen,’ you son of a --”
“Men,” Doc interrupted loudly, trying to hide his smile. “Let’s go on upstairs, okay?”
“Yes. Let’s introduce our new family to the rest of the team.” Kelly held out her hands, and her mates settled her between them.
“Doc, give us a minute, would you?” Zack asked.
“Sure. But don’t make me wait long. I hate holding on to good news.”
Ace waved him away. Once the three of them were alone, Zack spoke. “Kelly, we were teasing. The baby is ours, no matter what.”
“Yeah, ours.” Ace nodded.
“I love you both, so much.” Zack cleared his throat. He leaned close to kiss Kelly fully on the mouth. “My mate.” He turned to Ace, who met him halfway, and kissed him. “My mate.”
“Yeah.” Ace sighed when he broke away. “He’s so damned sexy. Maybe we could make Doc wait a few. It’s been a while, Kel. And I’m feeling a powerful need to bond with you both.”
“In here?” Kelly’s libido roared. She narrowed her gaze, her interest piqued. “Fine.”
“Okay?” Zack blinked. “Don’t you want a bed, candlelight, and rose petals or something? You know, to remember this?”
Kelly slyly smiled. “You’re such a romantic. But I was thinking of something better.”
She quickly moved to the door and locked it, then closed the blinds over the glass windows in the lab, in the event anyone entered the outside hallway. “I have a few fantasies we haven’t gotten around to yet.”
“Oh?” Ace asked, his dark eyes growing darker.
“Yeah.” Kelly dropped the shirt and shorts she’d put on earlier and stood before her mates, proud of her nudity and the effect it had on them. She could feel their beasts fighting to take control and take her. “I want to see my mates fucking. Then I want to play.”
Zack groaned and kissed her hard, his hands tightening over her breasts while Ace dropped his clothes.
“Anything for you, Kelly.” He winked. “Did you have anything particular in mind?”
Ace reached for Zack and pulled him away before she could answer. She watched Ace strip Zack of his clothing, then grind himself against his mate. She grew wet in an instant, heat and desire building as she watched her fantasy come to life. Hard muscles gleamed and the scent of lust and love beckoned.
“That’s just what I had in mind. Except I want to watch every messy, sexy minute of it.”
“Perfect.” Zack and Ace pulled her close and sandwiched her between them, the sensation of belonging and excitement turning her inside out. “You know, Kelly. That rogue was wrong. He wasn’t created for you…”
“We were,” Ace finished, sliding against her back. “And it’s time we showed you once more…”
“What the hell? Doc said you had news for us an hour ago,” Derrick snarled as he paced in the living room. He stopped what he meant to say next, shocked to see Ace and Zack holding hands. In front of everyone. Kelly beamed like a proud parent. Some weird shit going down here, even for Circs. Then he caught the scent of sex in the air and shared a groan with Hale.
Roane and Caitlyn grinned like idiots.
“Everyone, I’d like to announce that Zack, Ace, and I are mates.”
“Yeah, and?” Derrick felt itchy. Since his escape from the three sex fiends hogging his own damned truck, he’d had a hard time forgetting the scent of that blood on Kelly’s gown.
No matter what the others thought, it wasn’t human. Of that he was sure. But it wasn’t quite Circ either, not that he could tell. That scent intrigued him more than it should.
“And we’re having a baby,” Kelly added softly, grabbing his attention once more.
“Holy shit. A baby?” Hale asked.
Caitlyn squealed and hugged Kelly. Ace and Zack beamed proudly, and Derrick didn’t have to ask who the father was. The way their scents joined as one, all three of them would claim this kid. The way it should be, a child protected by its parents, as well as his or her extended family. He grinned with the others as they shared heartfelt congratulations. A baby. How about that?
“Well, I for one am going to teach this kid how to deal.” He hugged Ace and Zack, then kissed Kelly on the mouth with a smack, just to irritate her mates. Ace growled, but Zack shook his head, grinning. “First rule of thumb,” Derrick proclaimed, “is to never bring flowers to a girl. And two, chocolates are the sign of a sap.”
“Ass.” Roane glared. He’d recently wooed Caitlyn with both flowers and chocolates.
“Derrick, you need help.” Hale sighed. “You don’t even know it’s going to be a boy.”
“The odds favor male Circs. But hell, I’ll give you two-to-one it’s a girl, just to shake things up.” Derrick loved betting on a long shot.