“With the three new mates that are now on Base 5, I have a feeling there will be many babies on all the Colony bases soon enough,” I said with some pride. The videos I’d given Warden Egara had begun to work. More Earth women were signing up for the program and requesting to be sent to the Colony. Every woman who arrived was a blessing and a gift to the rest of the warriors. First Base 3, with the arrival of Rachel. Now Base 5. Soon the other bases would see their first brides as well.
“You’ve done good work with Warden Egara,” my mother said. “I heard a single mother with a ten-year old girl just transported to Base 5.”
“What?” I hadn’t heard that, but I wasn’t surprised. The warden was eager to see the warriors here matched, especially now that my stories of life on The Colony were being published—through the Interstellar Brides Program marketing. I sent the warden a new warrior profile and interview every week. The PR for the Colony was better than it had ever been. And the warden had petitioned Earth’s governments to allow single mothers to volunteer. “I want to meet them.”
“Base 5 is on the other side of the planet,” Ryston’s mother reminded me. That was rather far away. But still…
“This baby’s at least the size of Wyatt, if not a ten-year old,” Rachel grumbled, her hand rubbing over her big belly. “I don’t care if it’s a girl or a boy. At this point, I just want it out.”
I laughed, as did the two older mothers around us, the sound of it carrying to the warriors. Rachel’s gasp of pain was barely more than a whisper as she pressed down on her stomach, hard, just beneath her ribs.
Maxim and Tyran turned, dark looks on their faces and dashed over to Rachel. “You are well?”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Mates, I am fine. Your baby likes to play footsies with my ribs.”
“Water?”
“A pillow?”
The mates began listing everything they could possibly get for Rachel. “Boys. Enough. I promise to tell you when it’s time by saying, ‘It’s time.’”
Neither mate liked that answer based on their narrowed eyes, the way Maxim crossed his arms over his chest. Tyran leaned down, scooped up Rachel into his arms as if she were light as a feather and not carrying a watermelon-sized baby.
“Boys? You didn’t call us boys last night,” her mate growled, stalking off toward the entrance to the living quarters. “I believe you referred to me as a god. We will remind you.”
“Ladies,” Maxim bowed to the three of us, gave us a wink, then followed his family. With his quick pace, I judged him to be just as impatient to seduce his mate as his second.
“These warriors are a lusty bunch,” my mother said. I couldn’t help but feel the blush heat my cheeks. I wasn’t getting into this conversation with her, especially since my mate was one of the warriors she was speaking of, and he was definitely lusty.
My birth control shot had worn off and we were hoping for a baby of our own. Kiel was very attentive to this task, last night especially. Perhaps that was why I was so tired today. Instead of joining in on the fun, I was content sitting and watching.
Kiel came over then, dangling Wyatt upside down by his ankles. He carefully dropped him into his grandmother’s lap. “You’re all sweaty,” she told him.
“I was Hunting,” he told her. “An Atlan beast.”
“Did you catch him?” grandma asked, tickling his belly.
“Of course he did. Wyatt is an exceptional Hunter.”
My son glowed at Kiel’s praise and something scared and needy settled in me. I’d been so afraid for my son before, raising him alone, trying to be his everything. I would have done the best I could, but every day I worried that I wasn’t going to be enough. That I’d fail.
Now we had Kiel. I had a mate who adored both me and our son. And Wyatt was his now. I saw my mate’s love for Wyatt in his eyes, in the patience he showed, the way he got down on one knee and looked Wyatt in the eye when he spoke to our son, as if the small boy was the center of his world. As if Wyatt really mattered.
Wyatt’s small chin jutted out in a stubborn look he’d already adopted from his new father and I hid a grin behind my hand. “When I grow up, I’m going to be the best Hunter ever. Right, Daddy?”
“Yes. The very best.”
They began talking then, but I tuned them out, for I only had eyes for Kiel. He stepped close, leaned down so his hands were on the armrests of my outdoor chair. “Hello, mate.”
“Hello,” I whispered back.
“I think the governor and his second have the right idea.”