Jaded Hearts
Chapter 30

Matt

“Are you alright, baby?

Taylor had been sitting on the counter, motionless for the last few minutes since I had read the test results to her. She hadn’t moved an inch or said a single word in that time, and I was beginning to worry. When tears spilled over her lids and ran down her face, I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap.

“Don’t worry, Taylor. I promise we can do this, and you’ll be a great mother. Please don’t be sad, darling.”

She shook her head and wiped her face. “I’m not sad. I’m happy. I’m so happy, Matt. I can’t believe it. I’m actually going to have a baby … with you. I have a tiny little piece of you in here,” she said, placing her hand on her stomach.

I let out a sigh of relief. She wanted this as much as I did. “Thank goodness! Obviously, I was going to follow your lead here, but I’m so relieved that you’re not upset.”

“Why would I be? I’m an adult in a committed and stable relationship with the man I love. This is the best news ever.”

“I should probably meet your parents soon, huh? I’ve proposed to their daughter and knocked her up.… They may not be too receptive to me now.”

“Yeah, Dad’s going to go lose his mind, but my mom is more chill. She’ll calm him down. I’d like to call them now if it’s alright. I’ve always been close with my mom. I kinda want to share this with her.”

“Are you sure? I thought you wanted me to talk to your dad first.”

“I did, but things are different. Just trust me.” She walked back to the room and pulled out her laptop.

“Video call?”

“Yep. We talk all the time, but it’s been a little over a week since I last called, and I haven’t seen them in a few months. I want to see their face when I tell them.”

“Alright, let’s do this.” I sat next to her and helped her connect to the WiFi.

“It’s still early morning back home, so my mom should be up getting ready for work. Let’s see if we can catch her.” Taylor made the call, and a few seconds later, her mom picked up on the other end.

“Hey, Tay-Tay! How are you, baby girl?”

“Mom? Where are you? Come in front of the computer so I can see you.”

“I’m a little busy, baby. I’m running late. Is it important?”

“Very.”

I heard all the commotion in the background stop, and soon, the screen was filled with her worried face. She looked identical to Taylor, except she didn’t have her green eyes. Her eyes were a deep brown. A few streaks of gray mixed throughout her hair, which was pulled back in a long, sleek ponytail.

“What’s the matter, Taylor? Are you alright? Has Drew found you? Are you hurt, baby?”

Hearing the fear she had in regards to Drew made my b***d boil. A small growl escaped my lips, but Taylor quickly shushed me. It was then that Taylor’s mother noticed me sitting there.

“No, Mom. I’m fine, and I’m not hurt. It’s the exact opposite, actually.”

“Well, well, well. Who is that handsome young man beside you, Tay-Tay?”

“Mom! Stop calling me that, please.”

“I will not. Now introduce us.”

“Mom, this is Matthew Stone, the guy I told you I’ve been dating. Matt, this is my mother, Nancy Adams.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Nancy. I see where Taylor gets her good looks from.”

“Aren’t you sweet? So, what’s the deal with you and my little girl?”

“Mom—”

“Hush, girl. I’m talking to Matthew.”

“Well, Taylor and I have been dating for six months now, and she’s grown to mean everything to me. We’ve had an interesting couple of weeks, and Taylor felt it was time for us to meet.”

“Uh huh. So, why are you on my computer and not on my couch right now?”

“Because we’re in Sicily right now, visiting my family, and in a couple of days, we’ll be in Rome for an important business meeting.”

“You got a new job, Tay?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m Matt’s assistant at Black Enterprises now.” Nancy nodded her head and looked between the two of our faces.

“So, you’ve been dating for over six months, but you decided, just now, to video chat when you were on the other side of the world because you had to tell me something important. Right now?”

Taylor nodded her head and squeezed my hand. “Yes, ma’am. Is Dad there? I’d like to tell you both at the same time if I can.”

“Taylor Rain Adams, you’re either engaged or pregnant. Just spit it out, which one is it?”

“Uhmmm, both?”

Nancy’s face froze, and for a moment, I thought we had a bad connection until her eyes flicked over to mine. “You got my baby pregnant, Matthew?”

“Yes, ma’am, I did.”

“And you asked her to marry you?”

“Yes, ma’am, I did that as well.”

“I take it you have a good job if you work for Black Enterprises and can afford an assistant and business trips to Italy. You’re going to take care of my little girl, right? She will not be hurt again, in any way. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, I understand. I’d never hurt her or this child she’s carrying. And whoever tries will not like what happens to them.”

Nancy held eye contact with me for a few seconds longer before she nodded her head. “Good. When you two get back here, I want to meet him properly, Taylor.”

“Yes, ma’am. We’ll come visit next weekend.”

“Okay. I’m very happy for the two of you. Matthew, you’ve returned the smile to my child’s face that that devil worked so hard to destroy. I thank God for you, and I gladly welcome you to our family.”

“Thank you, Nancy, I truly appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Now I’ve got to go; I’m already late. Call me tomorrow, and we can talk a little more. And Matt, make her eat spinach. She hates it, but it’ll be good for that grandbaby of mine.” Nancy then hopped up and went back to rushing around out of the view of the camera.

“Bye, Mom!”

“Girl, hang up this call and go do something with yourself. Bye!” Taylor shut her laptop and fell back on the bed.

“That wasn’t bad at all. Your mom seems pretty cool.”

“She is. Hopefully, Dad will follow suit.”

I looked at my phone and realized that it would be time for dinner soon. “Come on, tesoro. I want to introduce you to the rest of the family and get you and my little one fed.”

“Please don’t make me eat spinach. That s**t’s gross.”

I smiled and pulled her to her feet and into a hug. “Sorry, angel. If it’s good for you and the baby, then it’s going on your plate. It’s only five months—just remember that while you’re eating it.”

* * *

I took her through the house and introduced her to all my cousins and their families who had come out for dinner. Nonna had invited everyone to meet Taylor, so it was a lot of faces and names thrown at her at once. When we finally reached the kitchen, I pulled out a chair for her and made her take a seat while I got her a glass of water. Nonna was putting the finishing touches on the food before it would be time to sit down to eat.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart? Did the tea help you relax?” she asked while pulling a loaf of bread from the oven.

“It did. Thank you so much, Nonna. That was one of the best naps ever. Matt opened the terrace doors, and the breeze was like heaven.”

“I’m glad to hear it. And naps will be your best friend for the next few months. Your body is making an entirely new person, and a wolf at that. Don’t be afraid to slow down and take a break whenever you feel the need.”

Taylor took the glass I handed her and took a huge gulp. She then looked over to Nonna curiously. “How did you know? Matt and I knew that it was a possibility, but you were so sure. How?”

Nonna laughed and shrugged her tiny shoulders. “I didn’t know, really. Giana put me up to it. She said there was mention of a pregnancy at her anniversary party, but then you two firmly denied it. She wanted to see if I could get the truth out of you.”

“But we weren’t pregnant then; I was telling Mom the truth,” I said.

“Well, you know your mother. She’ll push and push until she gets what she wants. When are you two going to tell her?”

“I’ll go see her when we get home next week. If I tell her now, she’ll just call every day to see if I’m making sure Taylor gets enough rest, or water, or vitamin C. I just want a few more days of peace before that starts up.”

“Agreed. Grab this platter, Matteo, and take it to the table. It’s time for dinner.”

I walked over to the counter and silently laughed. Nonna had the same thoughts that Nancy did in regard to the food. In addition to the manicotti, spaghetti, baked chicken, veal parmesan, and everything else she’d made, she also had a huge platter of baked gnocchi with spinach and prosciutto, as well as sautéed spinach with garlic.

Taylor was not going to be happy.

“Is there anything I can help you with, Nonna?” Taylor asked, standing from her seat to place her empty glass in the sink.

“Just follow Matteo and have a seat. All you need to do is eat now.”

She followed me to the dining room, which was already full of people. I placed the platter on the table, then took my seat beside her.

“Your family is huge, Matt. There are at least fifty people here.”

“Yeah, not all cousins, though. Some are just really close family friends.”

The rest of the food was brought out, and once Nonna took her place, we all began to dig in. Taylor was looking around to figure out what she’d try first when Nonna put a big scoop of the sautéed spinach and the gnocchi on her plate.

“Try these, dear, you’ll like them. And if you don’t, the baby still will.”

Taylor turned to me in shock, looking like I had betrayed her. “I didn’t say a word, tesoro. Just try it. It might surprise you.”

She blew out a breath and took a bite of the gnocchi. Her face was scrunched up like she was waiting for a disgusting taste to resister, but when that didn’t happen, her look turned to one of surprise.

“What do you think?” I asked.

She took another bite, then tried the sautéed spinach. “This can’t be spinach. This is so good … too good.” She put another fork full in her mouth and m****d.

“You like it?”

“This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted, Nonna. I love it.”

My nonna’s face lit up at the compliment, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Where is Nonno?” I asked, looking for my grandfather, who I hadn’t seen all day.

“He’ll be here tonight. He was called to an alpha meeting for the pack that he couldn’t miss.”

I stopped eating and put my fork down. “An alpha meeting? But Nonno isn’t an alpha.”

“Well, no, not anymore. But when he was, he was well-respected. Your uncle Franky often consults him on big, important matters.”

“Wait, Uncle Franky? He’s an alpha?”

“Yes, Matteo. Why are you so surprised?”

“Well, Mom never talked about her life in the pack before she met Dad. She just always told us that you and Nonno ran the vineyard. That was it.”

“Ah! Giana! I will skin that girl when I see her next. You are from Alpha stock, Matteo. Your father was a Gamma, and it makes sense that you would follow in his path, but there’s also Alpha b***d in your veins.”

Hearing her words, things began to click into place for me. I was a Gamma, but I was always one of the strongest fighters in the pack. I could sometimes even beat Xander when sparring, which always shocked us all. But we all trained like Alphas, so I equated my skill and strength to that.

Then I turned Taylor in less than eight hours. That was unheard of for a Gamma. But for a Gamma with Alpha b***d, it made more sense. “Why wouldn’t she tell me this, Nonna? Why keep it a secret?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she didn’t want to overshadow your father’s position. Who knows? Whatever it is, I’m sure she did what she felt was right for you boys.”

Taylor reached over and took my hand. “Are you alright, baby?”

“I’m just confused, sweetheart, but I’m okay. Finish your dinner.”

“You sure?”

“I’m positive. Don’t worry about me. I’ll talk to my mom and figure this out after we’re done here.”

“Okay.” Taylor went back to her meal and chatting with the family. She blended with them all so well, and it was beautiful to see. It was clear that she was made to be mine.

* * *

After dinner was over, I took Taylor to the room so she could take a nice bath. When she was settled in, I stepped onto the terrace and pulled out my phone to call my mom. She picked up after just one ring.

“Matthew! How are you, sweetie? Is Taylor having a good time with the family?”

“Hi, Mom, we’re good. And yes, Taylor and the family are having a great time. You’d think they had known each other for years.”

“I’m so happy to hear that. Where is she? Can I talk to her?”

“She’s in the bath, Mom, but I called to ask you something.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that Nonno was an Alpha? That you are an Alpha’s daughter, or that I have Alpha b***d?”

She went silent on the other end of the line.

“Mom? I know you’re still there. So why?”

“It was a decision your father and I made after we found each other. He comes from a long line of gammas, and his destined mate was a higher rank than him. We didn’t want our children to feel slighted or confused by their position in the pack, so we raised you boys as gammas. We didn’t know if the Alpha b***d would be dominant enough to affect your strength and abilities and didn’t see a need to tell you about it just in case those traits were dormant.”

“Why didn’t you tell me when I took over for Dad? Or when you saw how strong I was?”

“I didn’t think it mattered anymore. You were happy with your position, and you were so good at it. There was no need to rock the boat. Are you angry with me, my love?”

Was I angry? She had kept a huge secret about who I was and had no intention of ever telling me. But she didn’t do it to hurt me. “No, I’m not angry, Mom. I was just confused and needed the truth. Thank you for finally telling me.”

“You’re welcome, honey, and I’m sorry I kept it from you for so long. But maybe all the times I told you that ‘you’re stronger than you know’ was just my way of dropping the hint.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “Sure, we’ll go with that if you want. I’ve got to check on Taylor and get ready for bed. I can ask her to call you tomorrow if you want.”

“Please do. I love her so much already. She’s such a sweet girl, and I really hope you marry her soon.”

Ah, what the hell? I could share one bit of news with her. We’d told Nancy, so it was only fair to tell my mom too. “Well, actually, I proposed to her today.”

She loudly gasped into the phone. She was always so dramatic. “What did she say?”

“She said yes. Taylor agreed to marry me.”

When she started screaming on the other end of the line, I quickly pulled the phone from my ear. “James, Matthew proposed! Our boy is finally getting married!! Get your a*s down here. Did you hear what I just said?!”

Wow. I was glad I was on the other side of the globe right now. “Mom. Mom! Stop yelling for a minute.”

“Sorry! I’m just so excited. I know of a beautiful venue here you can look at when you get home. Have you set a date?”

“No. We haven’t even been engaged a full twenty-four hours. We can go over the details tomorrow, okay? I need to go now.”

“Okay, don’t forget to call. And tell my new daughter congratulations. Oh, I’m so happy for you two. And the grandchildren! Oh!”

Yeah, I wasn’t opening that can of worms tonight.

“I love you, Mom. Have a good day, alright?”

“You too, baby. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

I hung up with her, then headed into the bathroom where Taylor was. I stood in the doorway and just watched her. She was lying back in the tub with thick bubbles up to her neck. Her eyes were closed, and I could see she was rubbing small circles on her perfectly toned stomach.

I felt my breath catch when the realization hit me. My child was growing in there. I had created life with this woman and would soon be a father. I walked over and kneeled beside her, placing my hand on her stomach as well. When she lifted her head, and those green orbs landed on me, I couldn’t help but smile.

“There’s a baby in here, tesoro.”

“Is it just now hitting you?”

“I guess so. It’s amazing and terrifying at the same time.” I stared down in awe. Soon she would have a small belly, then a full, round stomach. Every day our baby would grow a little bigger and stronger. This was the best thing that had ever happened to me, after replaceing Taylor, of course.

“I understand the feeling all too well. So, how’s Giana? Did she explain what’s going on to you?”

“She’s good. I told her about the proposal, and she’s probably already started planning. But I kept the little one here a secret for now. We can tell her when we get home.”

She reached up and touched my face. “Matt? Did she explain your bloodline to you and why she never told you?”

“She did. I guess I understand her reasoning for what she did. She and my father didn’t know how we would turn out, so they figured if we were abnormally strong and powerful Gammas, that would be better than possibly weak Alphas.”

“So, what does this mean? Are you supposed to be Alpha now?”

I sat back on the floor and crossed my legs at my ankles. “Nah. I’m a great Gamma, and I’m happy to serve under Xander. I’d never want to take his position. I could challenge another alpha for their title and pack, though … that’s a possibility. But I don’t see why I ever would. So, for now, we’ll keep things how they are. Are you alright with that?”

“Matt, this is about you. I’m very new to this world, so I can’t dictate what path you’re meant to take. I’ll just be there to support you either way.”

“Thank you, baby, but it’s nothing for us to worry about now. Are you done with your bath? Your water is getting cool, and I wouldn’t want you to get sick.”

“Do wolves get sick?”

I thought about it and realized I’d never been sick before. “I guess not, but I don’t want to take any chances. You’re a newborn, and you’re pregnant, so come on out.”

She pushed herself up and stepped out into the large fluffy towel I was holding out for her. “Go lay down, and I’ll be right out. I’m going to grab a shower before I come join you.”

There had been some serious revelations dropped in my lap today, and they were all bouncing around in my head. Oddly though, I wasn’t stressed over them. I was raised and trained by the best, which made me my best. So, as I washed the day off, I forced my mind to shut down. I wasn’t any different now than I was yesterday.

Sure, I was engaged now with a baby on the way, but that wouldn’t change how I lived my life. I’d still love Taylor every second of every day like it was my last. Our baby would get that same devotion, and I’d proudly serve as Gamma to Blue Moon pack.

I wouldn’t let this change me.