Make A Wish (Dandelion #1) (20 page)

The sun rose, beautiful vibrant hues illuminating the newly lit sky. I woke with such ebullience. My spirits were high and I felt like the day had endless possibilities. It was still early, so I called on my wolf hearing to check on her. Juliette was still peacefully snoring downstairs.

I hopped in and out of the shower, dressing in my usual attire of a leather jacket and black pants. Today instead of the white shirts that I frequently chose, I wore a light blue one that I’ve been told brought out the golden specks in my eyes.

I walked silently into the kitchen and began to prepare one of the very first meals for my baby mama. I was still trying to wrap my head around my impending fatherhood, but I wouldn’t lie and say it wasn’t something that excited me. It was something that I had always wanted—a family of my very own—but I just wasn’t sure how a human girl fit into that picture.

My wolf hearing picked up Juliette stirring from her sleep, just as I began piling bacon, eggs, potatoes, and a stack of pancakes on a large plate. I poured a glass of orange juice and carried the items out to where she sat, rubbing her eyes.

“Morning.” I smiled a big smile at her, thinking how incredibly cute she looked when she first woke up in the morning.

“Gosh, Beau. No need to spoil me. How am I gonna eat all this?”

“I’m sure you’ll manage now that you’re ‘eating for two’,” I teased, loving how her laugh made my heart beat just a tad faster.

“I’m gonna head over to meet with Harlow, a close family friend who works here on the reservation as the doctor. I think she may have some insight into your test results. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to at least ask. I’ll be back shortly. In the meantime, enjoy your breakfast. Also, the bathroom is upstairs to the left. There are towels in the cabinet in the hall, in case you’re wanting to shower. Make yourself at home.” I winked before leaving.

***

I walked down the road towards Harlow’s place, thinking about the test results Juliette and I had looked at the night before. They made some sense but, at the same time, they made no sense at all. I sincerely hoped that she could give me some additional insight into all the medical mumbo jumbo that Jules and I hadn’t been able to understand.

Between Juliette’s and the baby’s results, it was hard to differentiate the differences. The results were almost identical. I was werewolf, so there should have been werewolf somewhere in the baby’s DNA, but either I wasn’t seeing it or I was completely missing it altogether.

That’s where Doc Harlow came into play. She was the packs wise-woman, so to speak, having over 30 collegiate degrees in varying fields and going for her 31
st
. She was technically seventy-three years old, but looked to be in her thirties due to the werewolf side of her prolonging the aging.

I walked straight into Harlow’s study without knocking or making my presence known.

“Morning, Alpha.” She bowed her head out of respect to me, though I was well aware that she was one of the few that was more dominant than I.

“Harlow.” I nodded back. “I have some medical studies for you to look at. I browsed over it vaguely last night but it wasn’t making much sense to me.”

“Yes, Alpha. Show me what you have.” Her big grey eyes scanned the stack of papers I’d set before her.

“I might as well tell you since it’s bound to get out sooner than later, but I am going to be a father.”

“Congratulations, Sir. That is exciting news for the pack!”

“Thank you. I’m still surprised, but I’m excited too. However, my baby’s mother is human. She was recently abducted and was, for lack of better words, used as a guinea pig. These are hers and the baby’s test results, but when I looked over them, there weren’t many differences.”

“I see.”

“Since I myself am only half werewolf, I figured you’d have much more knowledge about situations like this.”

“I will see what I can do, Alpha. I will let you know what I find.”

“Thank you, Harlow. I truly appreciate all your help.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” She smiled before getting straight to work.

***

Juliette came out of the bathroom, her hair dripping wet but pulled into a side braid. She wore the same clothes she’d been wearing before, but still looked just as cute.

Her eyes widened when she saw me watching her before her beautiful face broke into a smile. She was clearly just as happy to see me as I was to see her.

“How was breakfast?”

“It was yummy. Even the baby thought so.”

“Baby. Wow. It’s still so weird to think that I’m gonna be a dad,” I admitted to her, in awe over the entire situation.

“I know exactly what you mean. I’ve known about it for what, four months? Five months? However long, and it still kind of amazes me to think about. It’s even stranger feeling him or her move around in there. Almost like a sea monkey.”

I noted her glow and twinkling eyes. This baby—our baby—made her really happy, and that made me happy. When I looked at her swollen stomach, I didn’t cringe out of fear of the future. I was proud. There was a baby in there that we created together. It was kind of magical.

“What are you thinking about?” Juliette asked, knowing fully well that I was staring at her entire body quite obviously.

“Nothing.”

“Pwease tell me,” she pleaded, walking over to me and giving me her best puppy dog eyes, her hands clasped tightly under her chin.

“If you insist…” I smiled at her wickedly. “I was thinking how incredible it is, that with only one special night we’ve created this.” My hand dropped down and rubbed across the front of her belly.

“Oh… Is that all?” A small pink stain filled her cheeks as she turned her head away from me, giving me free reign to chuckle at her reaction. As she began walking down the stairs, I heard her mutter one word, ‘Guys,’ which only had me laughing even harder.

SAYLOR

“Knock, knock, knock! Coming in whether you want me to or not!” I popped my head into the door, my light brown hair styled in absolute perfection. “Hope you’re all decent!”

“Oh shut it, Say.”

“Geez. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” I said with a smirk making its way to my lips.

“Actually, I slept really well... AND alone. In case you’re about to imply anything else.”

“I wasn’t, actually, but now you gave me no choice. Must I point out that you can’t technically have slept alone if you have a munchkin growing inside of you?”

“Oh God, Saylor.”

Beau stood off to the side silently cracking up at us, which frequently happens when outsiders peek in on the ‘Jules and Say’ show.

“What? You said you slept alone, I was just pointing out how inaccurate that statement was. Don’t hate the player, hate the game, baby!”

“After almost sixteen years of friendship—” She turned to Beau with a slight eye roll. “I’ll never understand her.”

“You know what I haven’t told you yet?” I jumped in, ignoring Jules’ little jab completely. “We have new posse members to join to our rag tag team of shenanigan makers.”

“Oh no,” Juliette and Beau said at the same time.

“It’s great, isn’t it?” I bounced up and down with excitement. “I always wanted a posse of trouble makers, but Jules was just the only one brave enough to join.”

“
Or
too afraid to quit,” Juliette chimed in.

“Psht. Don’t lie to yourself, Pregzilla.”

“I give up!” Juliette threw her hands in the air before stomping back up stairs.

“Where you going? Don’t leave me. Just remember you love me!”

“Can’t
Pregzilla
pee in peace? This baby is killing my bladder,” Jules hollered back at me before slamming the bathroom door.

“Geez. Why’s she in such a grumpy mood?” I turned and asked Beau, who took a few minutes to compose himself before responding.

“She actually wasn’t like that till you got here.”

“Huh. Interesting. I must have upped my game or that baby is making her extra moody—normally it takes me twenty minutes to irritate her before she storms off in a fit of frustration.” I cackled wickedly while rubbing my hands together.

“Speaking of the baby.” Beau cleared his throat. “Why didn’t you tell me? I spent weeks with you and we became friends. Not once did you ever mention it. It would have been good to know.”

“Beau, please. Don’t get started on this, okay? It wasn’t my secret to tell, and frankly, I was still contemplating murdering you in your sleep.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Maybe not, but Jules and I have always been Hoes before Bros. Even with her kidnapped, I wasn’t about to break our girl code. Not even for her baby daddy.”

Beau nodded at me, but I could tell that he completely disagreed. “Then I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree then.”

“Pregzilla entering the room, hide all the knives. She may lose it,” Juliette said as she rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me before pulling me into a hug. “What am I gonna do with you?”

“Uh… Love me unconditionally, Jules. Just love me!” I said in my best theatrical voice as we pulled apart.

“Did you bring it?”

“Uhh… I actually had it the whole time.”

“Please tell me you didn’t read it,” Juliette begged as she sat down on the couch.

“If I said that, I’d be lying and you know me. I’m not a liar.”

“Damn you, Say. Those were personal. Only one person was ever meant to read them.”

“I’m sorry, okay? I came across it when Eve, Griffin, and I searched your place. I was missing you, and reading those helped me feel closer to you.” I reached into my bag and pulled out the floral notebook then handed it over to Jules.

“It’s okay, Say. I love you, but please, next time… Keep your nosy nose to yourself.” She winked, easing the worry that my face no doubt wore. “And I’m stoked to meet the new shenanigan makers. You sure they’re ready to be in our posse?” Juliette asked, doubt lacing her every word.

“Eve is totes ready. Griffin, on the other hand, may need some mentoring, but I’ll whip him into shape in no time.” I giggled maniacally. “Unfortunately, work beckons. Don’t worry though, I’ll be backkk!” I said as I walked out the door.

JULIETTE

“I swear, she gotten crazier since you got back,” Beau said.

“Yeah? She’s one of the most mentally disturbed people I know, but she’s fun.” I shrugged, pulling out the plain notepad I’d been using.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, uh… You’ll think it’s stupid.” I blushed but didn’t elaborate. I then started copying the letters I’d written during my abduction into the pretty floral journal I’d originally intended for my little one.

“I don’t judge, Jules. You’ll come to learn that about me.”

My eyes scanned his face and I saw only sincerity. I believed every word.

“It’s… Well… It’s a journal that I started when I found out I was pregnant.” I brought my hand instinctively to my stomach and looked straight into his eyes while I spoke. “It’s letters that I’ve written to our child. About me. You. Updates about any changes that I’ve experienced during the pregnancy. Hopes and fears for the future, that kind of thing.”