Gabe narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you try carrying a baby for nine months and then see how you feel?"

"Three," Shott corrected Gabe. "You're carrying a shifter's cub. Your gestational period is only three months."

Gabe gaped at the man. "You're shitting me."

"Welcome to the wonderful world of shifters," Shott said as he stood. "But don't look at me, I'm only human. I learned all the stuff from the bear shifters around me." Shott placed his hands on the table and leaned forward. "But T-Rex and I were kept in the dark for years. We had no clue that we were working with bear shifters, men we counted on to have our backs. So I know what it's like to be pissed. But you have to ask yourself if your relationship with Legend is worth throwing away because he was too scared to tell you the truth."

That didn't mean that Gabe had to forgive Legend right away. Let the man squirm. Maybe he'll think twice before withholding the truth from Gabe again.

Gabe hadn't shown up for the movie last night. By the time Legend came back upstairs, his mate was fast asleep. When he woke this morning, Gabe was already out of bed and gone.

Something had to give. Legend couldn't take the rift between them any longer. He walked into the bedroom and slammed the door behind him. Gabe turned and glared at him.

"Okay, beat my ass. Yell, throw things at me, do something other than ignore me." Legend had always been a man in control. That was until he met Gabe Summerville. He didn't like feeling shunned by his very own mate. It was driving Legend insane.

Gabe shrugged as he headed toward the bathroom. "I'm sorry, but I don't throw tantrums."

"Goddamn it, Gabe. Don't walk away from me. We need to settle this."

"Settle this." Gabe flipped Legend off.

Growling, Legend closed the distance and picked Gabe up, carrying him to the bed where he deposited his mate. "Look, I know I fucked up. But we can't continue to go on like this."

Gabe scrambled to his feet and shot the finger at Legend. "My life is permanently changed because of your withholding. I'm sorry if it is taking a while for me to get over the fact that you knocked me up without my knowledge."

"Calm down," Legend said.

"You flipped the bitch switch in me. So sit down and buckle up for the ride." Gabe sat down in the chair on the other side of the room, tilting his head back, staring at the ceiling. "All I wanted was a say in this."

Legend squatted in front of his mate into Gabe's hands in his. "If I could go back in time and warn you of what could happen, I would. I would do things the right way. But it's done and all I'm asking is that you forgive me and we move on from here. I'm sorry, Gabe. I should have told you."

Gabe swallowed as he lowered his head and gazed at Legend. The man's pale-blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Please don't ever hide anything from me again. I don't care how scared you are to tell me. I don't care how bad the news is."

"I promise," Legend said. "Will you please consider making Bear County your home, making my home yours?"

That worried Legend the most. Gabe was furious with him and had the capability to go home to his father, taking Legend's child with him. Legend wasn't willing to lose his mate or cub. He wasn't sure what he would do if Gabe walked away from him.

Before Gabe could give him an answer, Legend skimmed his hands over Gabe's thighs. "God, you're beautiful." Legend's voice was whiskey rough, dark and hungry. Shudders of pleasure were tearing through him as he felt Gabe's muscles ease, relax, and welcome Legend's touch.

"Legend. What are you doing to me?"

Instead of answering Gabe, Legend stood and disrobed. The heavy width of his cock rose proud and flush along his stomach. Gabe stood as well, removed his clothing, and then palmed his own cock, giving the heated flesh a few slow strokes.

"Oh yeah," Legend breathed out roughly, his eyes narrowing on Gabe now. "Is that how you like it, sweetness? Slow and easy?"

A teasing smile curled Gabe's lips. With his thumb and forefinger, he swiped at the bulbous head, his breath catching as his eyes stayed locked on Legend.

"Shall I do that for you?" Legend whispered. "Perhaps while you show me other things you might like?"

Legend moved Gabe until his mate was sitting in the chair once again. He lowered himself to his knees and then gazed up into the man's pale-blue eyes. "Show me, Gabe," he growled. "Show me what you want, baby."

Gabe stared at him, their eyes locking, as his mate stroked himself a little more before saying, "Suck me."

"So beautiful," Legend breathed out roughly. "Don't stop playing with yourself." He lowered his head and lapped at the pre-cum flowing from the head of Gabe's cock. Pleasure was racing through him, excitement sizzling through his nerve endings as Legend licked over Gabe's fingers. The pleasure was incredible. It was exquisite, the pleasure whipping through Legend's system and sending his nerve endings rioting for more.

Legend swallowed inches of Gabe's cock, his tongue stroking, dipping into the slick slit before returning to play at Gabe's fingers. Gabe's hips writhed beneath Legend's touch. His mate's head turned, Gabe's lips parting, his tongue licking along his lower lip as he watched what Legend was doing.

Gabe's fist pumped faster and a hard groan tore from Legend's chest. He lifted his head, his tongue touching the head of Gabe's cock, licking over it, tasting it.

Excitement was racing through Legend's bloodstream, pounding in his heart. He couldn't survive this. He was going to die from the intensity of the sensations, from the need to be buried deep inside Gabe's ass.

But this was Gabe's night. Whatever his mate wanted, Legend would deliver.

"I need you," Gabe whispered as he arched his back and scooted closer to Legend's body. "Please."

"You don't ever have to beg," Legend said. "I'm yours. I'll always be yours." He stood and moved across the room to grab the lube from the nightstand drawer. Legend returned to Gabe and lubed his fingers. He drove two fingers deep into Gabe's ass before swallowing Gabe's cock down his throat.

Gabe's expression twisted into lines of tormented pleasure as he squirmed in the chair. Legend scissored his fingers, stretching Gabe, driving the man to the edge of sanity. When he could no longer take it, Legend lubed his cock and then pulled Gabe closer until the man's ass was hanging off the chair.

"Spread your legs for me," Legend commanded. "Show me that you want me."

Hooking his hands under his knees, Gabe spread himself wide. Legend moved until he was lined up perfectly and then drove his cock deep inside Gabe's body.

"Legend," Gabe moaned, his hips shifting and ass clenching.

"Fucking good," Legend groaned. "Fuck me, sweetness. Stop teasing the hell out of me."

Ecstasy began to pound inside Legend when Gabe began to move. Legend scooped the man up, twisted, and then took a seat, his mate straddling him.

"That's it, baby," Legend groaned, his fingers bunching on Gabe's ass, pulling the rounded flesh apart as his mate rode him. Gabe's eyes flared open as his fingers gripped Legend's shoulders. Heavy-eyed and intense, Legend watched Gabe with increasing hunger. Gabe took Legend's cock deeper as his mate's head lolled to the side, exposing his creamy-white shoulder.

Legend couldn't resist. His canines elongated and then he struck, sinking his teeth deep. Gabe cried out as he fell forward, panting. Legend grabbed Gabe's hips and took over, plowing deep inside the man's body.

"Legend." His name was a plea, a cry of such incredible pleasure that Legend thrust faster, giving his mate what he was begging for. Gabe shattered around him, his cock exploding between them. The man's voice echoed in the bedroom as Legend slid his canines free and roared his release.

Breathing heavily, Gabe collapsed against him, shudders racing through the man's body as aftershocks of pleasure continued to pulse through Legend.

"I'll stay," Gabe said between hard pants. "I'll stay with you."

Legend caressed his hand through Gabe's short blond strands. "Do you forgive me?"

Gabe pressed a kiss right over Legend's heart. "Yes. But don't ever hide anything from me again."

Legend didn't intend to. He never wanted to know what it was like to lose his mate. "I promise."

Chapter Eleven.

The following evening, Gabe stood on the back porch and stared at the white-capped mountains. How could he not love this place? It was picturesque and a good place to raise a family. The sky was lit with brilliant colors as the sun slowly sank in the sky.

When his father called to say all was clear, Gabe would tell him that he was staying in Bear County. This was his home now and Legend was his life.

Although Gabe felt sorry for Stripper. The man had finally agreed to wear boxers in the house and was walking as if his rash had only gotten worse. The poor guy. The rash had to be psychological in origin, because from what Legend had told him, Stripper was fine with clothing when they were on missions, though the guy complained the whole time.

Legend walked outside, dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a tank top. He was barefoot and smiling. "Nice night."

Gabe nodded. "It's beautiful out here."

"I'm glad you've decided to stay." He leaned his hands on the railing and gazed over the sweeping landscape. Gabe gazed out as well. It truly was a place of promise for him. Growing up in the city, Gabe loved when his parents had taken him to their summer cabin in Montana every year for their vacation. He could remember the streams and the fishing. He also remembered the campfires. It had been a special time for him, and he wanted his child to have memories he or she would cherish, as well.

"I'm still getting used to being here," Legend admitted. "I've never stayed in one place for very long."

"How come?" Gabe asked.

"Military brat." Legend smiled. "Dad always had us moving. Even after I joined the service, I was always shuffling around. And after that, I never really settled in one place."

"Very unstable," Gabe teased. "How long do you plan on staying in Bear County?"

Legend turned and his amber eyes were filled with wistfulness with a touch of something wholesome and warm. "I plan to lay down roots here. The guys want to start a cattle ranch."

Gabe chuckled. "Do they know anything about ranching?"

Legend grinned. "Not a damn thing. But T-Rex tells me that the Triple-B is willing to help and can send some men to train us."

"Sounds promising. I guess it's never too late to switch careers." Which was something Gabe planned on doing. He no longer wanted to work in a bank. He liked the outdoors too much. He had already thought about what he was going to do. He'd have to talk things over with his father because he wanted the man's input, but Gabe was pretty confident that he could become a freelance retirement consultant.

The job would allow him to work from home while he tended to his child and mate. The more he thought about becoming a parent, the more he liked the idea. He just wasn't sure how much he would like carrying the babe. He'd seen pregnant women and they looked uncomfortable in their last trimester.

"You never told me how you feel about having a family," he said to Legend.

The man fully turned and pulled Gabe into his arms. Legend placed a gentle kiss on Gabe's neck. He smelled of spice and clean soap, and the fragrance was quickly becoming one of Gabe's favorites. "I've always wanted a big one. I grew up with a large family and now I want one of my own."

"How large?" Gabe asked. "Don't forget, you won't be the one carrying the children."

Legend's hand smoothed over Gabe's flat belly. "As many as you'll give me, sweetness."

Gabe blushed as Legend continued to stroke his stomach as if Gabe were already showing. "Let's work on the first one and then we'll go from there."

"And after that, we can practice on the second one." Legend's lips trailed over Gabe's neck, making him shiver as his mate held him close. Gabe sighed at the attention Legend was giving him. He would never grow tired of this.

Legend released Gabe and glanced around. It was the same look Legend had outside that motel room when he thought someone was watching them.

"What is it?" Something whizzed past Gabe's ear, making the strands of his hair dance slightly. He wasn't sure what it was but suddenly Legend had him on the ground, covering Gabe with his body. "Was that a bullet?" Gabe nearly shrieked the question.

His heart was thundering in his chest as Legend scrambled to get the back door open. He grabbed Gabe by his arm and tried to haul him inside, but another whizzing sound had Legend throwing Gabe back to the porch floor.

"Sam!" Legend shouted as he tucked Gabe's head under his massive chest.

Sam appeared in the doorway.

"Get down!" Legend said. "Someone is shooting at us."

Sam dropped into a crouch and then slipped back inside the house. Gabe thought the man had abandoned them until he returned seconds later, a rifle in his hands. He dropped to the floor and glanced through the scope of his weapon. Gabe thought for sure Sam would be shot. The man was in the doorway, in plain sight. But Sam began to fire as Legend grabbed Gabe and shoved him inside.

Gabe stumbled and then hit the kitchen floor. The house seemed to come alive. He could see Colton and T-Rex heading his way, rifles gripped firmly in their hands. Legend made it inside and then grabbed Gabe under his arm.

"Get into the communications room. There aren't any windows in there."

"But what about you?" Gabe had a sense of dej vu. Hadn't he gone through this at home? Hadn't he worried about his father getting hurt?

"I was trained for this," Legend said. "Now get into the room."

Gabe rushed to his feet and hurried down the hallway. But before he could make it to the communications room, the living room window shattered and a hail of bullets littered the wall. Gabe dropped to his side and covered his head. The only thing between him and the window was the couch.

Stripper shot out of the communications room and crouched down, inching his way toward Gabe. "Scoot closer to me," he said. The man was wearing his boxers, but it seemed he'd forgotten that he had a rash because his moves were filled with precision as he made his way to Gabe.

"They're firing at the back of the house, too," Gabe said as he slid across the floor to reach Stripper. "We're surrounded."

Stripper nodded but his eyes had turned cold and flat. "Been in worse situations."

Gabe couldn't wrap his mind around anything worse than having the house shot up by men bent on killing him.

He didn't want to know what situations had been worse than this. He wasn't sure he could handle it.

"You're our number-one priority and, rest assured, we won't let anything happen to you." Stripper grabbed Gabe's upper arm and pulled Gabe the rest of the way toward him before placing himself between Gabe and the window.

Gone was the fun-loving guy who battled his online adversaries and cursed up a storm. The man before him was lethal, his face drawn tight, and not an ounce of mercy in his eyes.

Legend came barreling through the living room, firing his weapon at the window before he grabbed Gabe from the floor and practically slung him into the communications room. His mate then dropped to the floor next to Stripper as they guarded the room Gabe was in.

This was unreal. Gabe curled up on the floor close to the doorway, watching Legend and Stripper vigilantly protect him. Gabe wanted to scream for whoever was shooting up the house to stop, to leave them alone. He had a feeling it was the same men who were after his father.

Legend's moves were precise as he crawled over to the living room window. He stayed low as he glanced quickly out the window and then ducked back down when a hail of bullets came flying through.

"Legend!" Gabe shouted, as if his voice alone could stop his mate from being harmed.

"I'm okay," Legend called out to Gabe. "Just stay where you are. Don't come out."

There was no way to get out of this. There couldn't be. The house was surrounded and everyone was pinned down. The men who had come after Gabe would turn this house into Swiss cheese and they would all be dead.