Jane When I wake, my first thought is of my baby.I jerk up in bed, clutching my belly. What happened? I think frantically. I try to take stock of my body. I certainly don’t feel like I’ve just given birth. As if my baby can sense my anxiety, a little kick taps the wall of my uterus. “Oh, thank the Goddess.” I breathe, patting the spot. “Hello angel.”“Jane, you’re awake!” I hadn’t even realized Devon was in the room with me until he spoke.“Devon!” I exclaim, “What happened?”“The doctor said it was pre-term labor, but they were able to stop it.” Devon explains, and when he doesn’t say anymore, I suspect that’s all he knows. It’s not surprising, given what I’ve learned about how strict doctors can be with patient confidentiality.The words ‘pre-term labor’ send a stab of fear through my body. I’m only five months along, that’s too soon for this baby to be born. “Stop it for how long?” I inquire, even realizing my friend probably doesn’t know.Thankfully a doctor swoops in at precise

 EthanI blink my eyes open to bright white lights and the sterile scent of a hospital.It takes a few moments for my senses to focus on the details around me. At first I see only my surgeon’s face hovering above me. Has the surgery not begun yet? I wonder dazedly. I could have sworn I’d already started counting backwards for the anesthesiologist. But when my doctor speaks, there’s a smile in his voice. “Welcome back Ethan. Everything went perfectly. You’ve been asleep for a while, but your family is eager to see you.”My family, I muse, the wheels in my mind turning much too slowly. Does he mean Nina and Matthew? But even as I think these words, my wolf pipes up.I smell Jane. I smell the pups! They’re here! He exclaims.No, they can’t be. It’s not possible. I reply, groaning internally at the pain this simple f

EthanJane notches her chin up defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s nothing, we had a little scare but I’m fine.”“Now why don’t I believe you?” I rumble ominously. I rake my eyes over her body, searching for signs of illness. Her skin is glowing and dewy, and after so many months of horrible morning sickness, her figure has rounded out to be full and lush. The only hint of distress I can decipher are the dark circles under her eyes, but those could easily be the result of traveling with a litter of five year olds and waiting for news of my surgery.“Devon?” I turn to my old friend, praying that he can be trusted to tell me the truth when my wayward mate will not.“It was just a bit of pre-term labor.” Devon explains, shooting a reluctant look at Jane. “The doctor was able to stop it before she got too far along.”“Traitor!” Jane accuses, narrowing her eyes at Devon.“Don’t get mad at him, you should have told me yourself.” I scold, untangling my arm from Paisley and Ril

JaneEthan winces, then kisses me again, long and deep. When he pulls away, I feel tears in my eyes. I already know he hasn’t been swayed by my pleading. “I know it hurts right now, Jane.” He acknowledges, looking truly aggrieved. “It hurts me too. But one day you’ll see that I’m right.” His thumb brushes a stray tear from my cheek. “You were so much better off without me. You built a fragrance empire and raised three amazing pups all by yourself. But a few months with me and you were on my floor, begging to be a slave again.”“That wasn’t because I was with you, it was because I wasn&rsquo

 Ethan“You’re letting them stay?” Nina demands, glaring at me as she wears a hole in the floor, pacing back and forth with the indignant energy of a she-wolf scorned. Unsurprisingly, she was less than amused to learn I decided to allow Jane and the pups to stay with us – though in truth it hadn’t been much of a choice. My mischievous mate forced me between a rock and a hard place, and I wasn’t about to drag her out of the penthouse kicking and screaming.“I can’t just throw them out.&