“How long will you keep me?" I asked.
You shrugged. "Forever, of course.”
― Lucy Christopher, Stolen: A Letter to My Captor
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It was the third time since three early this morning, that I was puking my guts out. Probably along with my intestines and God knows what other organ; sorry, biology was never my best subject.
When I felt warm familiar hands against my scalp, pulling my hair back and brushing the stray strands that were stuck to my damp forehead, I groaned.
"Don't watch...go out.." I gasped out.
My mate shushed me gently and and patted my tushy. Which meant 'I'm not going anywhere, just keep throwing your internal organs out' in my mate's language.
Dammit.
When I was all puked-out I washed my mouth clean and leaned back against my mate, his warmth was a comfort to me even in my gross state. I was breathing a little hard and was more than a little confused.
Why was I vomiting like a crazy college chick with a hangover?
Nathan turned me around and the sight of him stole my breath away. Even though I knew every pore on his face like the back of my hand.
Hard chiseled lines made his jaw that were clenched tightly and his hair remained a ruffled black mess, from the number of times he'd run his hands through them. His warm breath caressed my damp cheek as his glowing green eyes flashed.
Unbelievably, my mate (now husband) had grown taller, while I'd remained...well the same. I had to really look up now to meet his eyes. I often grumbled about my height (of rather the lack of) but Nathan would lean down and press his lips to mine and say "Your height is perfect," then he would grin and I would know he's going to say something dirty, and as if on cue he would add "Besides, it makes things interesting in bed."
I remember blushing so red in response to that statement, that Nathan had laughed hard enough to make me want to smack him with an apple.
Yeah. I was still the Apple Throwing Ninja. In my defence, he deserved it. Besides, most of the time he ducks anyway, so if anything my anger issues are well, moot.
"That's the third time today and the fifth time this week." Nathan murmured, concern a stark presence in his eyes.
I sighed. "I probably caught a bug."
He shook his head.
"You never fall ill, baby. The only time you puke is when you've gone on an overload. Besides you have my Mark on you, it'll heal you through the bond if you're sick."
He ran his thumb over my lower lip and his worry beat at me like strong wind against sails.
I rubbed my hands over his upper arms that were thick (thicker) and tensed, like he was ready for an attack.
"I'm fine." I said. Because I was. The nausea has passed and I felt fine.
He rubbed his hands down my back and I could feel his tiger pushing at him for control.
I raised on tiptoe (for the number of times I'd done this, I might as well be a ballet dancer) and smacked a kiss on his lips.
"I'm hungry." I said, grinning.
Nathan rolled his eyes. "You're going to eat us out of house and home." He said while turning to walk out of the bathroom.
"Not before you do, darling." I called back in a sing song voice as I shut the door behind him because my bladder needed to empty itself.
Once I finished relieving myself, I washed my hands and face, stretched and open the door, automatically sending out my senses to detect where Nathan was because this house was big enough for you to get lost in...while you held a map in your hand. I mean what-
I stopped dead. My eyes widened in shock as I grasped at what I'd just discovered.
Jesus Christ. How could I have been so blind?
"Nathan-" I gasped out barely more than a whisper.
"Indy?" Nathan's muffled voice came (a little worried) from the kitchen which was where he was. That tiger cooked better than I did.
Three seconds later he was in front of me and pressing his hands to my cheek, forehead, down my back before bending to look at me.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
I looked down at where my hands were pressed against my stomach.
"Baby what's wrong? Why are-"
"Nathan," I whispered urgently, still looking down at my hands.
He placed his hands on my cheek, tilting my head up to look at him.
"Tell me what's wrong." He insisted, his eyes glowing brightly, his tiger restless.
"Nathan," I stressed looking meaningfully down at my hands.
He shook his head, confused "Is your stomach hurting? Wh-?"
"You doofus," I said laughing through the tears that I hadn't realized had started to spill from my lashes.
He rubbed his thumb against my cheek, catching the tears before the fell. I caught hold of his hands and folded them onto my stomach.
"Nathan..." I breathed as his eyes lit up with understanding.
They widened and turned black for a second before dissolving back to a bright green. He tilted his head to the right (a very animalistic move) like he was trying to listen to something.
Then he dropped to his knees and pressed his left ear to my abdomen. I rub the remaining tears from my lashes and press my fingers into Nathan's hair, taking pleasure in being here with him...with his baby.
"Nate.." I murmured.
"You're pregnant." He said, looking up at me with awe filled green eyes.
I nodded, slowly.
"We're pregnant." I corrected, gently.
His eyes snapped to meet mine before he was standing and had me against him with his lips pressed firmly against mine, his hands running down my back in a familiar petting gesture.
"I want a girl, who looks and loves like her mother." He whispered fiercely against my lips.
"I want a boy, who's as strong and perfect as his father." I said back.
Nathan's hand had come to rest on my stomach and he was looking down at my stomach with amazement and I could already feel the love that was growing in him for his child. Our child. I placed my hand over his.
"How did you find out?" His lashed swept up to consider me with gently glowing green eyes.
I smiled. "When I sent my Empathic senses out to find out where you were, I sensed a presence other than yours. Funnily, the presence was coming from me... from in me." I said.
Then Nathan's expression turned serious.
"I want you to know," he started and I'd already guessed what this was about, but I let him go ahead with what he wanted to say "I won't let anything harm our baby. Not even me. I wo-"
I pressed two fingers to his lips, because I knew. I understood.
"I know." I said. His tiger settled for a few seconds before I felt quakes shudder through his body.
"Let him out, it's okay." I said looking into Nathan's eyes. He flashed me a smirk that made my blood rush, before the change took place.
In the place of a beautiful man was now a magnificent, large white tiger with green eyes that matched his other half.
He immediately moved forward to butt his head against me.
Marking me.
The territorial cat.
I shook my head and kneeled down before him, he placed one large paw on my knee and nuzzled against me. I laughed and ran my hand through his fur, the way I knew he liked.
I leaned back against the wall with Nathan leaning heavily against me, as I pet him till he purred and tilted his head and shut his eyes.
Sometime later they snapped open and he growled, prowling up to walk away from me. He was heading to the door.
I took a deep breath in and realized (super sense of smell and all) that Grey had come over to see us. I smiled as I walked behind my mate who was all growly growly at the door.
I rolled my eyes "He's your second in command. Shut up."
Nathan threw me a look that said 'he's not mated', while I opened the door and smiled at Grey who had also grown taller (sigh).
Grey who had his hands held up in a 'I'm of no harm' way when he spied Nathan in tiger form.
Grey moved away from me as soon as he entered and Nathan's green eyes followed our guest like he was prey.
Suddenly, Grey's eyes snapped to meet mine.
"You're pregnant!" He said.
I grinned while Nathan let out a low grunt-like sound that sounded like he was real smug. Hell, I would be too.
He'd gotten me preggers despite me being on the shot. When Nathan and I first started having sex, my tiger soon found that he hated condoms (he called them mean little fudgers) and we decided that we'd consult a doctor on the best way to stay safe. We went with the shot. We'd also been warned that no contraceptive was a hundred percent.
However, it wasn't like we didn't want kids at all, so we were more than happy to be pregnant now.
"Congratulations!" Grey said.
Nathan shifted right there and my eyes widened. I pulled off the jean that I'd folded and kept in strategic places for situations like this.
He looked back at me with a lazy smirk before stepping into it while I shamelessly watched. Grey snickered and I took off the lamp shade next to me, and threw it at him. He ducked and it rolled away. I stared down at it with a betrayed expression. It was supposed to have hit the mark.
Grey slapped Nathan's back.
"Duuude. This calls for a celebration." He said, excited.
Natha nodded. "It does. We'll come into the village tomorrow." He said.
Nathan and I lived a few miles away from the small pretty village that most of the Pack lived in.
"What about today?" Grey asked, as I came to stand next to Nathan and wound my fingers with his.
"Today, Indy and I are getting an appointment with Dr. Rogers." Nathan said.
I grumbled and Nathan threw me a 'don't even start' expression.
I don't like going to the doctor's. The morose, sick Markers are always left over and they affect me.
I sat down near the kitchen counter and pouted while the men went over some Pack stuff and then spoke about their Business (Stripe & Co). Stripe & Co sort of had their hands in all kinds of pies (is that the right reference?). I know they are into Agriculture, Real Estate, Publishing and maybe even Construction.
Which reminds me of Nathan in a suit. He always dressed formal for Business Meetings, being the CEO and all that. There's nothing I love more than to watch him all dressed up. I find it very sexy. I think this is because I've only ever seen him in black ...and black.
I was a teacher/councillor at AISB which wasn't very far away actually.
Nathan would often tell me I don't need to work at all. Usually that conversation ended with a dented apple and a lot of making up.
I love working with children. And I wouldn't stop. Not because Nathan thinks I need to. Please.
Nathan also says he's going to buy AISB. Of course he is (insert eye roll). He likes control. Especially control over knowing where I am and what I'm doing. Funnily, I don't mind him buying AISB. We met there, we lived and loved there...I would love for it to be ours.
"Baby.." Nathan murmured, his hands caressing my cheek.
I blinked and snapped my gaze up to meet Nathan's.
"Yeah..?" I asked.
"What's wrong?" He asked, one hand dropping to my stomach in concern.
I shook my head. "I just don't want to go to hospital. There's always so much of.."
"Sadness?" Nathan finished.
I nodded, pouty.
He grinned, tabbing my chin.
"Fine. We'll get Dr. Rogers here." He said.
My eyes widened. "Can we even do that?" I asked.
He turned to smile at me.
"I can do that." He said then turned back to the stove.
I grumbled at his 'I am man. I am the law.' then grumbled some more when I realized he didn't have a shirt on.
"Put on a damn shirt." I grumbled, walking up to him and sliding onto the counter near him.
He stilled, looked at me, relaxed and continued making...pancakes!
"I bet it's a boy." I say, just to watch him smile. And he does, while flipping the pancake. Is it wrong that he looks so hot while cooking?
He flicked me a glance.
"Bet it's a girl." He said.
I raised an eyebrow, then stilled, realizing this was my change to pounce.
"What are you willing to bet on?" I asked.
"What do you want?" he asked, looking at me with a serious expression but had a mischevious glint in his eye.
I pulled at his belt loop and wrapped my hands around his neck.
"Reply to your mother's letters." I said.
The smile on my mate's face dropped and he sighed, taking hold of my cheeks.
"Baby... anything but that." he said, looking at me with sad green eyes.
"It's real. Her remorse is very real, Nate. I can tell. She's left traces of it all over each letter." I say, desperately trying to get him to hear me.
He dropped his hands to grip the counter on either side of my thighs. He lowered his head so that our foreheads pressed against each other.
His mother had found her mate during an inter-Pack meet. Her mate had never married and had immediately asked Nathan permission to court her and take her back with him to his Pack.
Nathan had accepted their union without a second thought. He'd never thought to punish her or make her suffer for what she'd done to him. That wasn't his style.
Ever since then, she'd been repenting everything she had ever done to her son. Clearly her mating had made her a better person. She must've felt what it was like to want to kill to protect the people you love.
She'd called several times and he never took the call. I also know she's tried reaching him in office. She's tried me on my cell and she's explained to me how she feels. She cried so hard, my heart hurt for her. I'd suggested she tried sending him letters and I'd told her I'd try my best to get him to read them. I have all Jean's letters with me and I may have nudged at Nathan about reading them, but I hadn't outright pushed the matter until now.
"It's either that or nothing," I said, before smirking and adding under my breath "unless your chicken."
He reared back in shock.
I threw him a smirk.
"Deal." He said immediately.
"Deal." I said.
God forbid you say anything that wounds their over-inflated ego's. Snort.
Boys are so eaaasy.
I smiled before scowling and hopping off the counter and tapping Nathan's tushy.
"Now get to work, wench! I'm hungry." I said.
He threw his head back and laughed and I grinned as I walked away to pick up Nathan's phone that had started to ring.
"Hello?" I said into the phone, wondering if I should've answered with a 'Mrs. Stripe here' or something like that since he's known to receive business calls at all hours. He never minded me answering his calls, so I didn't mind in the least being the snoopy brat that I was.
"Indigo Stripe. You are in so much trouble."
Crap.
"Sara! Heyyy. Guess what?" I asked turning to throw Nathan a 'I'm so dead' expression to which he smirked.
"You're pregnant, you whore." She growled into the phone.
"Okay. First of, I'd like to point out how-"
"Don't you dare start correcting me when you're the one in the wrong. When did you find out?"
"This morning. When did you find out I found out?" I asked.
"Five seconds ago! Actually seven seconds ago. I lost two precious seconds in dialing your phone, before remembering you never have your phone on you. So I called your husband."
I winced. She was right. I never have my phone on me.
Nathan snorted. "Yeah, it's either out of charge or out of sight."
I tossed him a scowl before replying into the phone.
"Who told you?"
"Grey called and told Jeff, who called and told me. He's also mad at at you by the way."
Grey told them. Made sense. Him and Jeff had actually hit it off really well as they'd both gotten into Criminal Law.
Sara, still my best friend, had her own cosmetics store and was doing well. She also had a daughter named Flora, who was now three and very loud, so naturally I adored her.
"Tell me I know before Ruby." She grumbled.
Ruby and I had got along really well after her mother went into depression over the weight she'd suddenly put on a few years after Remy's birth and I was able help to pull her through and sometimes even take care of Remy when needed.
"We haven't really told anyone. Grey found out. Apparently he's spreading the word." I said, looking at Nathan who raised an eyebrow at my last statement.
Sara huffed.
"Fine. Congratulations by the way!"
I laughed. "I was wondering if we'd even get to that part."
"Oh ha ha. So what's your mate doing?" she asked.
"What all responsible male mates do. He's cooking."
That incited a laugh from her since I knew that same thing happened in her house too.
Our Shifter mates were just naturally good at cooking.
Saved us a lot of work.
I was standing near the counter in front of the kitchen where we eat, with my back to Nathan who was still pancaking away (I presumed), when a plate slid in front of me and arms slid around me.
Clearly he was done pancaking.
As Sara and I continued our conversation about nothing and everthing, my mate would place slices of pancake in my mouth and I would chew and speak at the same time like a Neanderthal with no table manners because I just didn't care.
The next call went to my parents who were overjoyed. They were flying in very soon. I knew I was going to have go expect a lot of coddling (not that I needed it, my mate coddled me enough) lots of offers for baby names from our Pack mates (since the celebration was tomorrow), gifts (yay!) And God knows what else. Awesome.
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--
Late evening time Dr. Rogers came home. She confirmed that I was pregnant (not that I had a doubt since my impatient mate had gotten me a pregnancy test and made me pee on a stick, as the doctor wasn't coming fast enough for him) and congratulated the both of us. Nathan was all puffed up and I couldn't stop laughing as I imagined him look like a proud puffed up hen. You know? Big body? Small legs? Running around.
He didn't appreciate the analogy at all, though.
That night when I fell asleep with my hands on my stomach and my head on Nathan's arm, life was perfect. In the literal, figurative, (whatever other way), sense and I couldn't ask for anything else.
Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of night and realize I'd woken up because Nathan's arm wasn't under me and he was facing away. So I would tug on his arm and like clockwork he would turn and I would lie on him, his hand resting on my stomach and mine on his.
I know that we would probably face problems and obstacles in the years to. come, like for example how many of our Pack mates were still yet to find their mates and this were to go on for too long we might face the danger of them turning rogue. Also, I needed to work on Jean and Nathan's broken relationship, maybe I'd use the baby as leverage; say that I don't want our baby to grow up without knowing his/her grandmother...yeah. That may work.
I could totally not win/lose the bet. Not that I care since both of us would love the child no matter its gender.
But whatever may come, we'll be ready for it, because together we were stronger.
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THE END.
It's over guys. That was Nathan and Indy's story and this is how it ends. I'm a sucker for happy endings and cliche shit and clearly this story is proof. Anyway, thank you everyone who was with me in this journey from Start to Stop, especially my best friend (RoshiniSakura) who was a pillar of support. I'm sure she'd love me for adding that she reminds me of Artemis (the Greek God) even if I don't believe it. So, this is for you, you remind me of Artemis (even if you can't walk on a flat surface without finding something to trip on). Also, everyone who has ever given my book a chance/vote/comment, thank you so much. You inspire me to write (by which I mean it's like a kick in the butt to get to work every time someone says update or that they like my story) so thank you too. That's it, I guess. Oh. Also, thank you everyone who was patient while I took my time to update (bad me). That's it. I'm going to stop typing now. Yeah. Stopping. In a minute. Now.