Meta Gods War 3 by B. Miles (the ebook reader txt) 📕

Felin snorted. “I wouldn’t be so sure. Plus, she’s terrifying. If she wants to make your life harder—”

Cam held up a hand. “Enough of this,” he said. “It’s happening. There’s nothing we can do about it. I’m going to train as many men as I can, and they’re going to train as many as they can, until we have a force strong enough that can defend itself against the gods.”

Felin shrugged and lounged back again. “Whatever you say,” she said.

Miuri gave him a long, concerned look. It made Cam angry, but he forced himself to stay calm. He reached for the breathing techniques his father taught him and slowly kept his center in place. She shook her head and stood, one hand covering her breasts.

“We love you, Cam,” she said. “I just hope you’re being careful.”

“I am,” he said.

She nodded and walked back to the bedroom. She shut the door behind her and lamplight glowed around its edges. Cam stared at the door, his heart beating fast. Miuri had never scolded him before, nor had she ever suggested that he might be doing something for the wrong reasons. It set him on edge to have Miuri suggest that he might be making a bad decision, but it was too late to turn back and change things, the training had already begun and the villages had already sent their shaman.

It was only a matter of time, then.

“Don’t worry about her,” Felin said. “She’ll come around. She’s a little wary of power, I think it’s an Elf thing.”

Cam tilted his head and smiled at Felin. “You’re not?”

“I’m a wolf. My whole life is built around power. You either have it, and you’re top of the pack, or you don’t, and you’re nothing at all.” She sighed and draped her arms over the arm of the couch.

Cam smiled and knelt down beside her. He kissed her lips gently, kissed her neck, her breasts, her stomach. He felt a pulse between his legs again as Felin purred, and he thought he knew the perfect thing to take his mind off Miuri.

The front door rattled then opened just as Cam’s mouth reached Felin’s belly button.

Key came stomping in. She closed the door behind her and leaned her practice spear against the table. Cam stood as Key pulled open the window and shoved her head outside, breathing the fresh air. Felin frowned at her and sat up on one elbow.

“Uh, hey Key,” Cam said.

Key nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned. “Oh,” she said, blinking. “I didn’t see you.”

“What’s the matter?” Felin asked.

“Nothing.” Key shook her head. “Looks like you two are busy. I can leave you alone.”

“You could join,” Felin said.

Key shook her head and took a few steps toward the door.

“Wait.” Cam grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his waist. Felin groaned and flopped back down on the couch.

“Just when it was getting good,” she muttered.

Cam caught up with Key just as she stepped out into the hall. He gently took her arm to stop her from running off. She lingered as Cam shut the door behind him.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “You’re upset.”

“It’s nothing.” She stared at the ground. Cam tried to meet her eye, but she turned away. “It’s really nothing, okay? I just need a little time to process.”

“Process what?”

“Nothing.” She pulled her arm away. “Can I just go?”

“Key,” Cam said. “You can talk to me. I don’t need another one of you angry with me today.”

She grunted and looked at the door. “Felin doesn’t seem too mad.”

“Miuri,” Cam said, waving a hand at the rooms. “Not happy about my deal with Galla and the Lordship.”

“Galla told me about that,” Key said.

“Why don’t you just talk to me?” Cam asked. “Maybe I can help.”

She finally looked at him. Her eyes sparkled with tears, which took him by surprise. Key was the strongest person he knew, and he couldn’t imagine something that might bring her to tears, especially not since the defeat of the wolves.

He stepped forward and touched her cheek. Her jaw clenched and her body stiffened, and he pulled his hand away like she was an angry dog about to bite.

“Key?” he asked.

“I didn’t mean it,” she said. “It was an accident, okay?”

“What was?”

She chewed her lip. “I’m pregnant.”

Cam took a step back. Surprise flushed through him. Key wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself tightly.

“You’re… pregnant?”

She nodded, staring at the ground. “It must have happened before the battle,” she said. “I don’t know which time. I didn’t realize, but then I missed my cycle, and I spoke to some women here, and…” She trailed off, blinking rapidly.

“That’s amazing,” Cam said with a laugh. “That’s so amazing. Key, you’re pregnant! This is prefect!”

She looked up. “What?”

Cam laughed as joy rushed over him. He threw his arms around her and pulled her against him. He laughed again and hugged her hard.

“You’re pregnant,” he said. “We’re going to have a baby. We’re going to have a family!”

“Cam—”

“This is perfect,” he said. “Oh, Urspirit, this is perfect. I love you so much, and this baby’s going to have so many moms, and be so loved, and—”

“Cam!” Key pushed him back and stared at him. “Cam, you promised me something, and you haven’t lived up to that promise yet.”

He blinked at her. “I’m sorry. What did I promise?”

She clenched her jaw. “Don’t make me say it, you asshole. I feel pathetic enough as it is.”

He gaped and tried to think… then realized.

She was pregnant, and they weren’t married.

It was an old-fashioned idea about families. Women were supposed to be married when they got pregnant. Plenty of men and women fucked without getting married, but once babies were involved, it was simply expected. Family units were important, and to have a baby without a family was looked down on.

Cam hadn’t thought about it. They had their family, and this baby would be loved more than any baby could hope to be.

But she was right. He had promised to