Jaded Hearts
Chapter 14

Matt

When I woke up the next morning, I felt Taylor’s body resting next to mine and was happy to feel that she was no longer sweaty and hot. The heat had broken sooner than we’d anticipated.

Thank the Moon Goddess.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy taking her back to back to back for the last two days, because I did. What I didn’t enjoy was how her face would distort in pain when the heat would flare, or how uncomfortable she was, or her exhausted and sore body. I’m glad that part was over for her and could now recover.

I checked my phone and saw that I had plenty of time to make it to training, so I hopped in the shower and quickly got dressed. Before I left, I kissed Taylor on the head and let her know I was leaving. She didn’t care one way or the other, just stretched across the bed and shoved my now-vacant pillows under her head. I couldn’t help but smile.

Alexi, Kade, and Xander were already down at the training grounds when I arrived and looked surprised to see me. “What are you doing here? You’re still cleared to be out another day,” Xander said.

“Taylor’s good now. The heat broke early, so I left her to sleep while I got back to my routine.”

“Nice. So, do you know what day it is?” Kade asked.

I looked at my phone because I really didn’t know what day it was. “Tuesday?”

“Well, yes, but what’s the date?”

“May 6. So what?” Then I thought about it.

“Oh! It’s your birthday. Happy birthday, man. Twenty-four looks good on you.”

He flashed me a huge smile. Kade loved birthdays and celebrating them. He always had something crazy planned, and every year was stranger than the last.

“So, what’s the plan tonight? Please don’t say matching tattoos or some s**t like that.”

“Dinner party,” he simply said.

“That sounds cool,” Alexi chimed in.

“It’s not just a dinner party,” I replied flatly, looking Kade in the eye. “It’s never just a dinner party with him.”

“I’ve reached an age in life where I’m ready to settle down and leave my wild ways behind me.”

Xander scoffed, “Bullshit!” He knew better than anyone that Kade was not the “settling down” type.

“I said it’s a dinner party, and that’s it. We’ll get dressed up and go to Fleur de Lune. Tell the ladies.” He walked off towards the circle where the teams were warming up.

“He wouldn’t ruin Alaia’s restaurant with an illegal underground werebear fight or something like that, would he?” I asked Xander.

“If it were any other restaurant, I wouldn’t put it past him. But he knows how much Alaia loves this place, so I guess we’re having a nice, quiet dinner party.”

* * *

After training, I dragged myself to the room. Alaia’s energy boost had worn off after our “warm-up” of ten miles and two hundred push-ups and sit-ups each. There was seriously something wrong with our trainer, Henry.

I took my second shower of the day to wash all the sweat and dirt off and walked into the room to replace Taylor just waking up. “Good morning, gorgeous. How do you feel?”

She stretched and let out a small yawn. “I feel great. My muscles are still sore, and I’m sure I won’t walk straight for at least a week, but besides that, I’m good. I thought I had one more day.”

I sat beside her and pulled her into my lap. “Looks like someone decided you’d had enough. You did so well, sweetheart. You took every single inch and stroke I gave you like a champ. Maybe we should do it all over again just to celebrate.”

I kissed the tip of her nose, which made her giggle. “That’s sweet, but I’ll take a raincheck. I haven’t seen the sun or other people in days. I’d like to change that.”

“Then grab a quick shower, and we can go down for breakfast. Oh, and we need to go shopping. Kade’s having a dinner party tonight for his birthday, and I want to buy you a dress.”

“That sounds nice. Where is it?”

“Alaia’s restaurant.”

“Yum. Those mashed potatoes were insane! I’m in.” She stood on shaky legs and made her way to the bathroom for her shower.

Watching her go, I made a mental note to get her flats for tonight. There was no way she could walk in heels after what we’d been doing the last two days.

* * *

We were downstairs with the family twenty minutes later, talking and laughing over the usual hordes of food.

“Kade, do you want any decorations or a theme for tonight?” Alaia asked.

“Nope. Nothing fancy. I just want a quiet dinner with you guys.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll believe it when I see it. You never do simple and quiet,” I stated.

He just shrugged and said, “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see then.”

“What about a cake? My roommate’s a pastry chef. I’m sure she can make you anything you’d want if I ask her now,” Taylor offered.

Kade’s eyes lit up at hearing that. “You think she can make me a German chocolate cake? That would be perfect.”

“Yep. I don’t see why not. I’ll call her now and make sure.” Taylor stepped away from the table to make the call while we continued to eat and discuss tonight. When she came back, she had a huge smile on her face.

“Morgan says she’ll make you the best German chocolate you’ve ever had … if she gets an invite to the party. She’s been wanting to eat at Fleur de Lune since it opened, but we both figured that paying rent was the priority.”

“Of course, she can come,” Alaia said. “I’ll call now and add her name to the list.”

When Taylor sat back down, I leaned over and pulled her face to mine for a deep k**s.

“Wow. What’s that for?”

“Thank you for doing that for him. You really didn’t have to.”

“He’s your family, so he’s my family.”

* * *

Taylor

Matt had to do a few hours of work after breakfast, so I hung out with Alaia and the babies. She was so easygoing, and I could easily see us becoming close friends.

“I’m glad to see you’re up and about so soon, Taylor. When I’m in heat, it’s for a full seventy-two hours straight. Afterwards, Alexi and Xander are the last things on earth I want to see.”

“I haven’t gotten there yet. I miss Matt already, and it’s maybe been thirty minutes.”

Seeing an opening, Alex crawled over to me, giggling and drooling the entire way. I quickly picked him up and kissed his fat little cheeks. “What a little charmer. He’s going to be trouble when he gets older for sure.”

“Yeah, I can see that. Xayden will probably be my quiet, studious boy while Alex will be the wild lady’s man.”

Xayden sat on the floor, playing with his toy, oblivious to the world around him. He and his brother couldn’t have been any more different. And what was fast becoming our ritual, Alex wrapped a chubby hand around a lock of my hair, snuggled up into my chest, and quickly fell asleep.

“Oh my god, Alaia. I think I’m in love.”

She winked. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

We talked for a little while more before I went up with her to the nursery to put the babies down for their naps. Seeing them in their little beds so sweet and peaceful made me wonder if I could be pregnant. I had been taking my pills religiously until a few days ago … Maybe I would get a little more time to get used to being the girlfriend of a wolf before adding being a mother to a wolf to the list as well. Or would the baby be human?

“Alaia, can I ask you something?”

“Ask away.”

“When Matt and I decide to have babies, will they be human or werewolves?”

“I can’t really say. I’d say you have a fifty-fifty shot of getting one or the other. Maybe the baby’s human with wolf traits like speed, strength, etc. Or it could be mostly a wolf, but maybe it can’t shift. It’s hard to tell, but because Matt’s such a high-ranking wolf, I wouldn’t make any bets on the baby being human. His genes will dominate for sure.”

“Thinking back, I never imagined that my children would be shapeshifting wolves. How will I even carry a wolf baby, let alone give birth to one?”

Alaia looked serious for a moment, then turned to me. “For a human, it’s very dangerous to bear a wolf child. They are much bigger than the average human newborn, and since your body isn’t made for them, it really takes a toll. Labor can be deadly brutal.”

“Wow. They don’t teach this in any anatomy class I ever took.”

“I just want you to know your options. Matt’s never been happier since he found you, and I don’t want something that should be a beautiful moment for the two of you to turn tragic.”

“So, what are my options? Possibly have a wolf baby and get torn apart during labor, or just never have any kids with the man I love? Both options suck.”

“They do,” she nodded. “But although it’s highly likely, there’s no guarantee that a child you two made would be a wolf. Then there’s the final option.”

“What else could there be? A surrogate?”

“Nope. You could have Matt turn you into a werewolf.”

* * *

Matt came and got me after he was done working, and we were off to replace my dress for tonight. I had been deep in thought since talking with Alaia. Could he really turn me? Did I want him to?

“What’s wrong, tesoro? Are you nervous about being outside the house with Drew still around?”

Hearing his voice snapped me back to the present, and I shook my head. “No, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“The way you’re pulling on your bottom l*p says otherwise, so tell me.”

I forgot how well this man knew me. I’d never be able to hide anything from him. “I was talking with Alaia, and she told me something that’s been bothering me, that’s all.”

He pulled the car over and gave me a worried look. “Baby, please tell me what it is. It’s got you upset, and I don’t like that.”

Maybe telling him would make me feel better. He could give me more details about the whole process. “Babies.”

He just looked at me with a blank stare. “Babies?”

“Yes, babies. I’m just a human. How can I carry your super humongous wolf babies and push them out without them ripping me apart?”

“Ohhhhh, right. Well, there’s no guarantee they will be—”

“Stop. You know they’ll be wolves. You’re a Gamma, a high-ranking dominant werewolf. Why would your children be any different?”

He sat back and closed his eyes. He was just then realizing the trouble we could be in, mating a human woman with a wolf.

“And what if I’m pregnant now? I don’t want to die giving birth to a child right when my life’s starting to finally go right.”

“You’re not going to die, sweetheart. We won’t let that happen. And maybe you’re not pregnant. We don’t know.”

“You can turn me,” I whispered.

“What did you say?”

I could see it in his eyes that he heard me. Maybe he didn’t want to, but he did. “Alaia said you could do it. Could you?”

“Why would she tell you that?”

“Because it’s something I needed to know. Now answer the question, please. Could you do it?”

“I … I guess, but I’ve never done it before, and it’s dangerous. Turning you could kill you. I won’t be responsible for killing you.”

“How does it work?”

Matt just shook his head. He refused to look at me anymore, so he just stared out the windshield and gripped the steering wheel.

“Matt, please. I just want to know.” I touched his arm. “You brought me into your world, and I’m trying to do everything I can to be a part of it and be the mate you deserve. One you can be proud of.”

“I’m already proud of you, Taylor. You don’t have to change who you are; you’re perfect.”

“But I’m not enough.”

He started to protest, but I cut him off. “I’m weaker than you; I can’t defend myself as well. So, if you’re ever away from me, you’ll always be worried about my safety. I can’t heal the way you can, I may not be able to bare your children, and I won’t live as long as you will. Don’t werewolves live to be in their hundreds? I’m lucky if I make it to seventy.”

“We’re a long way away from seventy, and I don’t mind any of those things. All of them make you who you are. I love you so much the way you are.”

“And I love you, so I want to be with you for as long as I can. I don’t want anything to take me away, so please, baby, just tell me how it works. I’m not asking you to do it, at least not now. I just want to know how it’s done.”

He heaved out a breath and let his head fall back on the headrest. “I’d bite you. Hard. Most likely on your marking spot. And a small amount of what I guess you would call venom, and a mixture of my DNA, would enter your bloodstream. It takes a few hours for it to fully mix with your b***d, and once it does, you’ll get really sick. Your body will think you’ve got an infection or virus and try to fight it off. Fever, chills, vomiting, it would be like your worst flu times ten.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad. Is that it?”

“You’ll be hungry but won’t be able to eat; thirsty, but you can’t drink. Your body will be far more exhausted than you were in heat, but sleep won’t bring relief. My werewolf DNA will break yours down, and it’ll feel like acid running in your veins. You’ll scream, babe, but it’ll be all you can do. And when you lose your voice, and your throat is too raw to make any more sound, you’ll just scream silently.” Matt closed his eyes, and his voice dropped to barely a whisper before adding, “And I won’t be able to help. I wouldn’t have any way to make you feel a shred of relief. I’d just have to sit there and watch the woman I love die, hoping that she’d be reborn.”

“How long does it take?”

“With my rank and bloodline, maybe a day and a half. Now, can we please stop talking about this? I just want to go spoil you and buy you nice things.”

I smiled at him. I had no doubt that this was the sweetest man ever created. “Okay. Just one more question, though. If I asked you to turn me, would you? Would you go through all of that and watch me suffer if I asked you to?”

He took my hand and kissed my palm before he placed it on his cheek and leaned into it. “I’d do anything for you, tesoro, but I don’t know if I could do that.”