Read Online Chase: Black Bear Outlaws #2 (Mating Fever) by Kenzie Cox - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kenzie Cox
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the right, snuggling in closer, and nudged his arm with my nose.
“You want me to pet you?” He chuckled softly.
I nodded. Most bears would eat the hand off someone who tried to pet them. But after what just happened, I needed him to soothe me.
“You got it, pretty girl. You did well today.”
Maybe I did, and maybe I didn’t. But I was alive, and Stan was on his way to join Ty in lockup. If it was the last time I saw either of them, it would be too soon.
Chapter 8
Chase
T he cold air-conditioning in the hospital room seemed to seep right into my bones. I couldn’t understand how Katrina was handling it, lying there with her hospital gown bunched up just below her covered breasts.
“This is going to be a little cold,” the technician said, holding a tube of goo over her still flat belly.
“Cold I can handle.” Katrina squeezed my hand. “Anything to find out if the little one is okay.”
“Just relax,” she said and turned to push a button on the sonogram machine. “We’ll have your little peanut up on the screen in no time.”
We’d been waiting in the room for over two hours. The doctor had said we needed to wait a while after Katrina’s shift for the baby to settle down before they’d check his or her progress. The shift, they’d said, was harmless in most cases, but because Katrina’s had been brought on out of fear and pain, her risk was higher due to the sudden onset of stress. Stress that could hinder a cub’s ability to thrive.
The wait had been excruciating. With all my angst of never wanting kids, it was clear to me I was full of bullshit. There was nothing more important to me than Katrina and the child she was carrying. I’d already been ready to beg her forgiveness, to get down on my hands and knees and beg her to marry me.
But when she’d called and sounded so off, I’d known something was wrong. There was a feeling deep in my soul that had felt her panic. And then when I’d walked into her office and seen the blood, the chaos, her holding that jackass down, and all I could think about was her and the baby and keeping them safe. With me. Forever. If this appointment didn’t end well—I shook my head, unable to even comprehend such an outcome.
“There we go,” the tech said, smiling and pointing at the screen. “See there? That’s your baby.”
The sound of a steady heartbeat filled the room and instantly settled my nerves.
“And?” Katrina asked expectantly. “Is little Doucet doing okay?”
Little Doucet. The words made me grin down at her like an idiot.
“Little Doucet appears to be just fine,” she said.
Katrina and I both let out a sigh of relief at the same time.
“Healthy heart beat, good movement, development on target with age. It’s all good news, but—,”
“But what?” Katrina sat up straighter and tightened her grip on my fingers. “You said everything looked good.” My girl turned to me, her eyes frantic. “You heard her right? She just said everything looked good.”
I gently caressed the back of her neck, trying to calm her down. “I heard her, love. But let’s give her a chance to explain herself, okay? As your aunt Francie says, let’s not borrow trouble, huh?”
A bit of the panic faded from her eyes. “You spoke to Francie?”
I nodded. “I called her while you were in with the doctor. She said she’d be in the car first thing in the morning. Looks like you’re getting company until she’s sure you’re fine.”
Katrina let out a little groan. “Ugh, okay. But all I want to do is sleep for a week.”
“That’s probably a good plan,” the tech said. “As I started to say earlier, you know shifting can be risky. It appears that the baby is just fine judging by the sonogram. But babies who’ve been party to a traumatic shift sometimes end up having trouble shifting into cubs. It’s something to watch for after they are born. Some grow out of it, some never do.”
“Can’t shift?” Katrina asked.
“Sometimes.
“You want me to pet you?” He chuckled softly.
I nodded. Most bears would eat the hand off someone who tried to pet them. But after what just happened, I needed him to soothe me.
“You got it, pretty girl. You did well today.”
Maybe I did, and maybe I didn’t. But I was alive, and Stan was on his way to join Ty in lockup. If it was the last time I saw either of them, it would be too soon.
Chapter 8
Chase
T he cold air-conditioning in the hospital room seemed to seep right into my bones. I couldn’t understand how Katrina was handling it, lying there with her hospital gown bunched up just below her covered breasts.
“This is going to be a little cold,” the technician said, holding a tube of goo over her still flat belly.
“Cold I can handle.” Katrina squeezed my hand. “Anything to find out if the little one is okay.”
“Just relax,” she said and turned to push a button on the sonogram machine. “We’ll have your little peanut up on the screen in no time.”
We’d been waiting in the room for over two hours. The doctor had said we needed to wait a while after Katrina’s shift for the baby to settle down before they’d check his or her progress. The shift, they’d said, was harmless in most cases, but because Katrina’s had been brought on out of fear and pain, her risk was higher due to the sudden onset of stress. Stress that could hinder a cub’s ability to thrive.
The wait had been excruciating. With all my angst of never wanting kids, it was clear to me I was full of bullshit. There was nothing more important to me than Katrina and the child she was carrying. I’d already been ready to beg her forgiveness, to get down on my hands and knees and beg her to marry me.
But when she’d called and sounded so off, I’d known something was wrong. There was a feeling deep in my soul that had felt her panic. And then when I’d walked into her office and seen the blood, the chaos, her holding that jackass down, and all I could think about was her and the baby and keeping them safe. With me. Forever. If this appointment didn’t end well—I shook my head, unable to even comprehend such an outcome.
“There we go,” the tech said, smiling and pointing at the screen. “See there? That’s your baby.”
The sound of a steady heartbeat filled the room and instantly settled my nerves.
“And?” Katrina asked expectantly. “Is little Doucet doing okay?”
Little Doucet. The words made me grin down at her like an idiot.
“Little Doucet appears to be just fine,” she said.
Katrina and I both let out a sigh of relief at the same time.
“Healthy heart beat, good movement, development on target with age. It’s all good news, but—,”
“But what?” Katrina sat up straighter and tightened her grip on my fingers. “You said everything looked good.” My girl turned to me, her eyes frantic. “You heard her right? She just said everything looked good.”
I gently caressed the back of her neck, trying to calm her down. “I heard her, love. But let’s give her a chance to explain herself, okay? As your aunt Francie says, let’s not borrow trouble, huh?”
A bit of the panic faded from her eyes. “You spoke to Francie?”
I nodded. “I called her while you were in with the doctor. She said she’d be in the car first thing in the morning. Looks like you’re getting company until she’s sure you’re fine.”
Katrina let out a little groan. “Ugh, okay. But all I want to do is sleep for a week.”
“That’s probably a good plan,” the tech said. “As I started to say earlier, you know shifting can be risky. It appears that the baby is just fine judging by the sonogram. But babies who’ve been party to a traumatic shift sometimes end up having trouble shifting into cubs. It’s something to watch for after they are born. Some grow out of it, some never do.”
“Can’t shift?” Katrina asked.
“Sometimes.
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