Page 120 of Bad Witch

Shit. “Where’s Temp?”

Glindy yowled, then trotted out the door.

Snatching up my running shorts, I pulled them on, slid my prosthesis into place, then strode out of the bedroom and into the living area of the cottage. No Temp.

I jogged outside and caught sight of Glinda heading for the moat. I rushed along the pier after her, then came to an abrupt halt.

My mate was in the water, on her back. Her eyes were closed, her arms spread wide, and resting on Manny, who was beneath her, and apparently holding her up. She swished her hands through the water, and sighed contentedly.

I’d been about to roar her name, instead, I released a relieved breath. The cottage was safe, nothing could breach the wards here, but it didn’t stop me from worrying, and that had only gotten worse since she’d gotten pregnant.

“Whatcha doing down there, peaches?” I asked. Her face and rounded belly were the only parts of her not submerged.

She squinted up at me, against the morning sun, and smiled. “I was hot, so I came out here, and because I’m so tired, Manny let me rest on his back.”

I crossed my arms, my heart rate still not quite back to normal. “You didn’t think a cold bath would’ve been better?”

She gave Manny’s huge head a rub. “No.”

My female was going to be the death of me. The pregnancy was more than enough to have the beast in full-on overprotective mode, add on the fact that Temp was still the Matilda, and I was constantly in a state of near freak-out.

Unfortunately, her job didn’t just stop because she was carrying a pup in her belly. I got it, there were witches who still needed her, and with the state the city was in, there’d been an increase of dark magic users, but still, that didn’t mean I had to like it. An apprentice would be good about now, to take some of the load, but it was also the last thing we wanted. An apprentice would mean Temp would lose her immortality, at least when the new Matilda was fully trained up. Lucifer was still reluctant to hand out immortality willy-nilly, his words, and until he allowed all hounds to have their mates for eternity, we were stuck. I had no idea why he was so reluctant, but I planned to do whatever it took to convince him.

So for now, my pregnant mate would continue to attend risky rescues, while I hoped like fuck the fates didn’t throw her intended apprentice in her path just yet. The only thing saving my sanity was since she got pregnant, she’d allowed me to go with her on Matilda business.

“I think I’m ready to get out now,” she said.

“I think that’s a good idea. Let’s get you dried off and fed, yeah?”

She nodded as Manny carried her to the edge of the moat, then raised her out of the water, so I could easily lift her into my arms. The river monster and I had come to a truce about a month after I moved in here. It hadn’t been easy, I wasn’t a fan of any water-dwelling creatures, and for good reason, but Manny had eventually been won over by extra meat, and head scratches.

Tempest wrapped her arms around my neck as I carried her back towards the cottage. “The Matildas told me the sex of the baby last night,” she said.

I stopped. “They can tell?”

She nodded. “They’re very excited. This is the first baby our coven’s ever had.” She bit her lip. “Do you want to know?”

I didn’t care what we had, as long as our pup was healthy, but still excitement filled me. I grinned, wide. “Yeah, I do.”

She beamed. “We’re having a girl. A daughter.”

Warmth swirled behind my chest. Besides Violet, and Zari, all my mated brothers had sons.

“Are you happy?” she asked.

“So fucking happy, peaches.” No, it was more than that. Pure joy filled me. “And if she’s anything like her mother, I’m going to have my fucking hands full.”

Her smile widened. “The Matildas told me something else.”

“Yeah?”

She gently rubbed her belly. “The fates told them that our little girl will be the next Matilda.”

I froze. “What?”

“When she comes of age, of course.”

I wasn’t sure how to feel, worried, relieved. Tempest would be safe, would be immortal until our daughter came of age. But our daughter would one day be forced to face pure evil. I couldn’t allow myself to think about that now, though. At least now we had time, time to make sure our pup was prepared for what was to come, and time to convince Lucifer to do what he already should have done.