Cole's Redemption (Alpha Pack #5)(39)

Kira agreed. “Same for me. I had no clue shifters, vampires, and a whole list of other paranormal creatures were real until I was thrown into the middle of a dangerous situation and my very own wolf came to my rescue.”

“I didn’t know about all that stuff, either,” Rowan put in. “I was looking for my brother, Micah, and found this place. When I saw a bunch of wolves surround me and then turn into naked men, I literally fainted!”

Everyone laughed at that, and Selene found herself truly relaxing for the first time. She was fascinated by each woman’s tale as she told the story of how she met the Pack and her mate and the dangers they battled. But what didn’t escape her notice was that in each of the stories, her father played a prominent role as a strong hero.

She didn’t think they were pumping Nick up on purpose. Everything they said sounded sincere. The battles her father had faced, the dangers, the way he’d protected his men time and again . . . The man sounded larger than life.

Brave. Caring. Too good to be true.

What was the truth? Who was the real Nick Westfall?

“Oh!” Mac’s startled exclamation put everyone on alert.

Melina touched her arm. “What is it?”

“I don’t—oh!” This time she wrapped an arm around her abdomen and grimaced in apparent pain. “I think my water just broke!”

Indeed her maternity pants and the sofa underneath had a spreading stain. Melina rose, calmly giving orders.

“Someone call Noah, tell him to bring a wheelchair.”

“I’ll do it,” Rowan volunteered, then yanked out her cell phone.

“And someone call Kalen,” Melina continued. “He and most of the men are in the rec room playing poker tonight.”

“On it.” Kira took the phone Melina handed her and called Kalen while Melina grilled the other woman, making note of all of her symptoms.

The doctor nodded, her face transforming with a wide smile. “Sounds like we’re having a baby soon!” This drew excited exclamations from around the room, along with congratulations and encouraging words about how she and the baby were going to be fine.

Selene sure hoped so. She was starting to like these women, and Mac was so sweet. Kalen seemed like the perfect mate for her, and Selene had no doubt their baby would be as beautiful as the couple.

In less than five minutes, there was a knock at the door. Noah hurried in with the wheelchair, and they quickly got her situated. Then he wheeled her out, moving briskly but not too fast. The other women were chattering, trailing behind, and Selene accompanied them, caught up in the magic of an impending birth. From what she understood, this would be the compound’s first child. Sounded like the baby would be spoiled, too.

Kalen rounded a corner, followed by his friends, wide-eyed and looking frantic. “Sweetheart! Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she panted. But her voice was small, a little afraid. “I can’t believe it’s actually happening.”

“I’m here, okay?” Taking her hand, he walked beside her chair, murmuring soothing words to his mate.

In the infirmary, Mac and Kalen were whisked back to a room while everyone else had to remain in the waiting area. Zan found Selene and gave her a smile and then a kiss in front of everyone, which pleased her enormously. It further cemented that she was becoming part of something here. It was hard not to like these people.

“Did you have a good time with the ladies?” he asked.

“I did. They made me feel really welcome.”

“I told you.” He looked pleased about this.

“Yes, and you were right. It’s not that I doubted you, but . . .” She shrugged. “If the situation were reversed and a hostile female barged into clan territory gunning for my uncle, she wouldn’t survive the first five minutes. Much less be invited for cocktails.”

“Ah, but they’re sneaky. Did you check to be sure your drink wasn’t laced with something nasty? Kidding,” he said with a laugh when she made a face at him.

She liked that he could joke with her. It made her feel good inside, at peace in a way she hadn’t been in a long, long time.

That feeling lasted until Nick arrived and stood with them to wait on word. As the other team members began to arrive, she took the opportunity to study him.

The first thing she noted was that when he interacted with people, he was nothing like her uncle Damien. Nick was very much their commander, but they were comfortable around him. He was one of them, and they respected him. Damien, however, would’ve been standing on the fringes of the group, holding himself aloof with that stern expression of his.

Nick talked to his men, and they listened. And he listened to them as well. His face showed that he was genuinely interested in what they had to say. His eyes were warm.

And even her uncle always said the eyes never lied.

She was beyond confused as to what to believe. Yesterday, that rogue in the cell had been going after her father, and she knew in her heart he would have died to protect Zan and Jax. At every turn, it seemed she’d been wrong about him.

As luck would have it, he turned his head and made eye contact with her. She tried a smile. It felt strange on her face, to show him any sort of tolerance. He appeared surprised and made his way over to her and Zan.

“How is your bite wound?” she asked.

“Already healed, thanks.”