Best Friends (New Species Book 15) Read online

  Mary turned her face away and stared at Lash. His hold on her hand tightened. She smiled. Doc Ali gently took her hand in one of her gloved ones, ran a wet swab over her index fingertip, and did what she’d warned. It didn’t really hurt more than a second.

  “I’m fine,” Mary assured Lash again.

  He was watching every move the doctor made. “How long until you know?”

  Doc Alli put a tiny round bandage over the top of Mary’s finger. “Not long. Especially if you noticed a change in her scent.” The doctor moved away, carrying something that kind of looked like one of the over-the-counter pregnancy tests Mary had seen commercials for. It was a plastic strip with a small window. It was placed on the counter, and then the doctor removed her gloves, tossing them away.

  Doc Alli leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. “I know waiting is hard. Let’s give it a few minutes.”

  “I know what it will tell us.” Lash smiled.

  Doc Alli opened her mouth, but then closed it. Mary noticed that worried look on the other woman’s face again.

  “What is it? Just spit it out. He’s not going to attack you.” Mary tightened her hold on Lash.

  The blonde doctor met her gaze. “He’s a Wild Zone, and I asked about him after I knew he was bringing you in. He hasn’t been around many human women. A change in your scent might not mean pregnancy. It could be that you’re about to ovulate or start your period. I mean, he probably is right, but there’s a small chance…”

  “Okay. That makes sense.” Mary slid off the exam table and hugged her arms around Lash’s waist.

  “I want a cub.”

  “I know you do, lion man. It’s fine any way this turns out. If not this time, there’s always next month. It just means we’ll have to have even more sex than we’ve been having.”

  He hugged her back.

  Doc Alli pushed off the counter. “Let’s cross our fingers.” She did that and spun around, staring at the end of the stick. Then she turned, her face serious.

  Mary’s heart plummeted. Lash was going to be disappointed.

  Doc Alli suddenly winked. “Congratulations! You’re having a cub!”

  Lash picked Mary up, burying his face in her neck, and hugged her tight. “We’re having a cub.”

  Mary blinked back tears. She was going to have a baby with Lash. She never been happier.

  He finally put her down and grinned at the doctor. “Can we see our cub inside my mate?”

  “You sure can. I had the ultrasound ready in the next room, all set up, just in case. We’ll sit down afterward to talk about your care, what to expect, and set up regular appointments.”

  * * * * *

  Lash scooped Mary into his arms and followed the blonde human doctor into another room. He lay Mary flat on another exam bed, as instructed, and kept close to her.

  He was having a cub with his mate. It was a dream come true. He wanted to roar his joy and go tell everyone.

  “I’m going to pull up your shirt and put on this gel, Mary. It’s a little cold but it will warm up fast,” the doctor warned, saying something else, but Lash ignored her.

  He gazed down at his smiling mate.

  He remembered when he’d heard the vent creaking from above, and he’d hidden, thinking humans were about to attack him in his domain. Then some of the joints holding part of the vent had popped free, dropping Mary onto the mats.

  That moment had changed his life for the better.

  He leaned down and kissed her forehead, distracting her from whatever her and the doctor were talking about. Mary met his gaze and smiled.

  “I love you, mate.”

  “I love you too, Lash.”

  “Ready to see your baby?” The doctor reminded them that they weren’t alone.

  Lash kept close to Mary’s face and lifted his gaze to where the doctor was pointing at the screen. She had put on a glove and ran some strange object over his mate’s bared stomach. None of it made sense to him. The screen didn’t show a baby, but shadows instead.

  “Okay,” Doc Alli said quietly. “I’m going to press a bit here to get a better look.” She paused moving the hand that gripped the device. “There we go. I can see him. He looks perfect. I’m guessing you’re about four weeks along.”

  Lash couldn’t see his cub. The screen was still confusing him. He glanced at Mary to find her smiling big, tears in her eyes.

  “Do you see our cub?”

  The doctor spoke instead of Mary. “Hang on. I’m going to take a still shot. Some people have a hard time making these out.” Doc Alli removed the device seconds later and pulled the machine forward to face them more.

  Then she pointed to the screen. “This right here is his head.”

  She outlined the shape of his cub’s body with her finger, and Lash felt overwhelming joy. “I see it now.”

  “We really need to get one of the fancier models that Homeland has up there. Their imaging is amazing compared to these basic models. This one can pick up heartbeats, though. Would you like to hear that?”

  “Yes!” He nodded at the doctor.

  Doc Alli picked up the device and pressed it to Mary’s stomach, using her other hand to tap at the machine. “Get ready. Baby heartbeats, especially Species, are fast.”

  Then the most wonderful sound he’d ever heard filled the room.

  His gaze locked with Mary’s.

  “That’s our baby.”

  “It is.” Tears filled his eyes. “Thank you for being my mate.”

  Mary reached up and caressed his cheek. “I guess it’s a day for amazing things to happen. We’re officially a family, and you said thank you.”

  He laughed, kissing his mate.

  About the Author

  NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

  I'm a full-time wife, mother, and author. I've been lucky enough to have spent over two decades with the love of my life and look forward to many, many more years with Mr. Laurann. I'm addicted to iced coffee, the occasional candy bar (or two), and trying to get at least five hours of sleep at night.

  I love to write all kinds of stories. I think the best part about writing is the fact that real life is always uncertain, always tossing things at us that we have no control over, but when writing you can make sure there's always a happy ending. I love that about being an author. My favorite part is when I sit down at my computer desk, put on my headphones to listen to loud music to block out everything around me, so I can create worlds in front of me.

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