TWO MONTHS LATER....


    Katie


    | spotted Quinn at a back table of the cafe.


    Her blonde pixie cut was hard to miss.


    She waved me over, and | waddled toward the table, squeezing into the booth with some difficulty.


    By now | was very pregnant and the anxiety that | had woken with every day since arriving here had started to morph into


    excitement for my pup’s arrival.


    Adele had been so patient with me in getting me limated to my new home.


    And as it turned out, her weird scent had meant something after all.


    She was a rogue shifter, banished from traditional Pds for some infraction or another.Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Specific crimes weren’t usually discussed, but it was widely recognized that for most rogues, especially she-wolves, the


    punishment did not fit the crime.


    But the Council took any chance they could get to flex their power.


    “Go ds, you''re about to pop!” Quinn eximed.


    I''d met her only a few weeks ago, once I''d started venturing out into the town.


    Her bubbly personality and infectious smile feltfortingly familiar, and | was drawn to her instantly.


    We''d been meeting here a couple of times a week ever since.


    “| know, I’m f ucking huge.”


    Sheughed.


    “l only have a few weeks left,” | said, rubbing my belly out of habit.


    “How do you feel about raising the pup in Stillwood?”


    That was the name of the rogue town | was living in.


    | still didn’t know exactly how I’d ended up there, but once | realized howid back the lifestyle was and how kind the people


    were, it kind of stopped mattering


    They all asked after me and my baby, chattering excitedly about the little one’s arrival.


    It felt like one big family


    “Honestly?” | shrugged. “I’m happy | can’t think of a better ce to do it, since..”


    I


    | trailed off, and Quinn reached out her hand for mine


    | took it gratefully.


    “Since you still don’t know who the father is?”


    Inodded, swallowing hard.


    Adele had sworn up and down she didn’t know, either, that I’de to them pregnant at the clinic, but I’d never quite shaken off


    the feeling that she knew more than she let on.


    By now | had a little cottage of my own, and | didn’t see her as much.


    We spoke in passing here and there, but | got the feeling she was happy to be free of all my incessant questions about who |


    was and where | came from.


    “I''m still lucky, all things considered.” | squeezed Quinn’s hand. “I''ve got all of you here to support me, and my pregnancy’s been


    smooth sailing so far.”


    “Thank the go ds for that,” she said, taking a big gulp of coffee.


    “Oh!” she suddenly cried. “Have you given any more thought to my mom''s job offer?”


    Quinn’s mother was the head teacher of the school in Stillwood.


    Just like her daughter, she was vivacious, curious, and incredibly kind.


    The first time we met, she told me she could just tell I''d be a wonderful mother and probably a kick-as s


    teacher, too.


    It made me feel seen in a way | hadn''t since... Well, since | could ever remember.


    | felt like a real person with a real ce in the world, instead of some random character plopped down in the middle of gods


    knew where for go ds knew what reason.


    “| have considered it,” | told Quinn. “Once the baby is here, I''ll probably take her up on the offer. | could even bring my pup to


    work with me.”


    “It would be so perfect. We could even...”


    But Quinn trailed off as she looked over her shoulder at someone.


    Her eyes went wide and she wiggled her eyebrows.


    “Your man is over there,” she said slyly.


    | turned around as inconspicuously as | could with my giant belly.


    My face went hot the second | saw him.


    “So..” There was a teasing lilt to Quinn''s voice. “Are you gonna go on that date with my brother yet or what?”