Chapter 171

Olivia

A soft breeze caressed my face as I stepped onto the porch, carrying a tray.

The scent of the flowers blooming on the bushes on either side of the steps mingled with the sound of the birds chirping in the eaves above, creating a calming atmosphere. In the distance, the vibrant hues of the garden seemed to dance, mirroring the peace inside of my heart. Clint was whistling to himself as he paced back and forth amongst the hedges, clipping overgrown branches and pruning the hydrangea bushes.

I found Nathan sitting on the swinging bench, his eyes closed, a peaceful expression on his face—a far cry from the delirious and wild look in his eyes from the paint fumes earlier. He looked so content, so at home, and my heart swelled with gratitude for having him back in my life.

“Hey there,” I called out softly, not wanting to startle him, carrying a tray with a sandwich and a cup of steaming tea. “I brought you something to eat.”

His eyes fluttered open, and a warm smile spread across his face as he took in the sight of the food. “You spoil me, Liv.”

I chuckled, setting the tray down on the table beside him. “Only because you deserve it. I can’t believe what you did with the nursery. It’s truly magical, even though you almost passed out from the fumes.”

Nathan waved his hand dismissively, but his eyes twinkled with pride. “It was nothing, really. I wanted to do something special for you—and for the baby, obviously.”

I paused, the word ‘baby’ echoing in my mind, resonating with something deep within me. My hand unconsciously drifted to my stomach, where the life… or lives inside of me were growing.

Nathan’s eyes narrowed, studying me. “What is it, Liv?”

I took a deep breath, finding courage in his gaze. “I really do hope it’s a girl, you know. But lately, I’ve been getting feelings that it might be more than that.”

He blinked, confusion painting his features. “More than that? What do you mean?”

I settled into the chair next to him, searching for the right words to describe the swirling emotions and sensations within me. “I just have a gut feeling that it’s not just one baby, but two.”

The silence stretched between us as Nathan processed my words, his eyes widening with surprise. “Two? But wouldn’t the doctor tell you if it was two instead of one?”

I shook my head, a soft smile playing on my lips. “I explicitly told the doctor not to say anything other than that the life or lives inside of me are healthy. I want it all to be a surprise.”

Nathan’s brow furrowed, and he ran a hand through his hair, his mind grappling with the information. “But Liv, that could cause a lot of confusion in the long run. We’ll need the right supplies if there's going to be more than one kid.”

I reached out, taking his hand in mine, feeling the warmth and strength that always seemed to emanate from him. “It won’t matter to me, Nathan. I’ll make it work. Whether it’s one or two or even more, I know I’ll be fine.”

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine, and I saw the moment he accepted my conviction, the uncertainty replaced by determination.

“You really are something else, Olivia,” he said, his voice filled with admiration. “I’ve never met anyone quite like you.”

I blushed, the compliment warming me from the inside. “Well, I’ve never met anyone quite like you either. Thank you, again, for painting the nursery. It means the world to me.”

He squeezed my hand, his eyes filled with sincerity. “Anything for you, Liv. And don’t worry about tomorrow; I’ll put together the furniture.”

We fell into a comfortable silence, watching the clouds scud past while Nathan ate his sandwich, the world around us fading away. The only thing that mattered was the connection between us, the understanding that had grown and deepened over time.

Eventually, Nathan broke the silence, his voice tinged with curiosity. “You know, I’ve been talking with my wolf about you,” he said quietly.

“Oh?” I asked, feeling my heart catch in my throat. “What… about me?”

Nathan shrugged. “It’s silly,” he said, “but he thinks he’s been sensing your wolf lately.”

At Nathan’s words, I practically felt the world stop. I didn’t know what to say… should I tell him that yes, I had been sensing my wolf? Or should I wait and see what would happen, so as not to get anyone’s hopes up? If I kissed him to find out if we were mates, then I wanted it to feel real, at least for him.

“Oh,” I said, swallowing. “That’s… interesting.”

Nathan cocked his head. “You haven’t felt anything?” he asked gently, taking a sip of his tea.

I paused for another moment, praying that he couldn’t see the trepidation in my eyes. Finally, resolving to keep it to myself for now, I shook my head and forced a weak smile.

“No,” I lied. “I haven’t felt anything.”

Nathan nodded slowly, a somewhat solemn look on his face. “I figured as much,” he said after a moment of hesitation. “I told him that it’s highly unlikely after your wolf has been dormant for almost ten years. He must have been imagining things.”

“Yeah,” I replied, quickly looking away. “He must have been.”

…

That night, I could hardly sleep again. After hours of tossing and turning and feeling the ache in my back from the pregnancy, I found myself slipping out of bed and making my way downstairs to peek into the nursery.

Flicking the light on, I smiled and felt a sense of calmness wash over me as I looked around.

Figures of cartoonish elephants, cats, dogs, giraffes, and other animals danced across the walls. They weren’t expertly drawn by any stretch of the imagination, but they were perfect to me. I found myself leaning closer to inspect each and every one, the smile growing on my face as I imagined by child—or children—growing up in this room, admiring the animals just as I was now.

I imagined how I would tell them all about how Nathan carefully painted each one, nearly passing out in the process. How his face was filled with glee when I opened the door. How his eyes danced with love as he held his paintbrush up like a trophy, showing off his handiwork.

At that moment, I felt a pang of something in my chest.

Just nine months prior, I had been pining away for Ryan, for my ex who never wanted anything to do with my baby. I had laid awake crying at night, crying over the father who my children would never get the chance to know. At that time, it felt so horrible, to imagine my baby growing up with a father who didn’t want them.

And now, I didn’t care about any of that. Because Ryan was never the father of my child. If anyone was, it was Nathan. He had been there, from the beginning, regardless of the circumstances.

And regardless of what happened between us—regardless of whether we turned out to be mates, friends, or something else—I would tell my children that Nathan was their father, through and through.