But that was all right with Ahm. He had a family he needed to get to know and a mate to keep him busy.
* * * *
Bryce and Ahm sat in Dr. Sheehan’s office, waiting for the results. Ahm kept fidgeting around, his eyes flickering toward the door.
“Oh, no. If I have to wait, so do you.”
“I have no idea what you are talking—”
“My, my, my,” Maverick said as he walked into the office. Bryce rolled his eyes. The timber wolf alpha was the last person he wanted Ahm to run into. “It seems Papa Smurf is going to have a little Smurfling.” His eyes were filled with amusement as he leaned against the frame of the door.
Ahm didn’t get mad. His mate didn’t jump up and threaten Maverick’s life like Bryce thought he would. There was an evil glimmer in Ahm’s eyes as he gazed at the towering man in the doorway. “And I hear you are going to be a grandpa. Kind of detracts from your badass persona, don’t you think?”
Maverick stiffened and then straightened, his grey eyes filling with annoyance. “I’m still the big bad wolf, Smurf.”
Ahm chuckled. “Whatever every you say, grandpa.”
“No picking on my patients,” Dr. Sheehan said as he walked into the office, shooing Maverick away. He closed the door and turned. “Looks like you’re going to be parents.”
Bryce couldn’t have stopped the grin that spread across his face if he tried. He just wasn’t expecting Ahm to look like he was going to pass out. The elf leaned against the exam table with one hand, stress lines appearing around his eyes. “Are you sure? How?”
“Have a seat and I’ll explain the birds and the bees to you,” Dr. Sheehan teased. “This might take a while, though.”
Ahm narrowed his eyes, the fierce warrior appearing in his expression. “I know how. I meant how can I get…” Ahm shook his head.
“You know I’ve been studying your blood work since I found the vampiric markers and rare blood type. I think with the combination of your asexual genes and being one of Christian’s descendants, it was a given.” Dr. Sheehan held up his hand when Ahm opened his mouth to say something. “I know your elders reversed the ability for males to reproduce, but it seems Christian’s gene trumped whatever they did.”
“Gee, I’ll have to remember to send him a thank-you card.”
Bryce wrapped his arms around his sulking mate. He knew this was a mind-blowing deal for Ahm. His mate would get used to the idea of being pregnant. “Ah, come on, my little sip of pink champagne. It isn’t that bad.”
Ahm glanced at Bryce as if he had lost his mind. “Your what?”
“I’ll see you in a month for an exam,” Dr. Sheehan said as he chuckled and left the two alone.
“I–I’m a leader. I destroy things, fight alongside my brethren, and kick some serious ass. What do I know about carrying a child? Why can’t you carry the babe? Why does it have to be me? Why am I the one who has to—” Bryce captured Ahm’s lips, stopping the babbling protests as he slipped his tongue inside Ahm’s moist mouth.
“Just shut up,” he whispered into Ahm’s mouth. “Let’s go home and celebrate.”
Ahm pushed at Bryce’s chest. “That’s how we got into this mess in the first place.”
Wrapping his mate’s long and beautiful hair around his fist, Bryce gave a tug, watching as Ahm began to pant. “It isn’t like we have to worry about you getting pregnant. Now, take us home, my little shot of whiskey.”
Ahm shimmered them into their bedroom and Bryce immediately began stripping his mate down. He kept kissing the mark on Ahm’s neck, his hands a flurry as he tossed aside the last of Ahm’s clothes.
A sound he never thought to hear rushed out of Ahm’s throat when he picked his mate up and gently tossed him on the bed. Ahm had yelped.
“Oh, yeah,” Bryce said as he undressed. “You know I’m about to lay it on you.” His cock thickened when Ahm’s tongue snaked out, running across his lower lip. But as sexy as the look was, nothing compared to the impressive cock jutting from a nest of snow-white hair. The sight was breathtaking.
A course of lust shot through Bryce’s groin, making his dick throb with his heartbeat as Ahm lay back, spread his legs, and palmed his balls in his hand.
Crawling onto the bed, Bryce gazed down at what his mate was doing, but then his eyes lifted to look at Ahm’s slightly swollen abdomen. It was the most breathtaking sight he had ever seen. His gut clenched at the idea that he had almost lost Ahm. The man had kept his scent hidden for years, denying them both. But now that he had the handsome man in his bed, his life, and in his very heart, he wasn’t going to miss one day of showing the Shadow elf how much he meant to Bryce.