Charleys baby surprise, p.1
Charley's Baby Surprise, page 1
CHARLEY’S BABY SURPRISE: RAFE AND CHARLEY
THE MACCONWOOD PACK TALES 4
C.D. GORRI
CONTENTS
Blurb
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Epilogue
Have you met my Bears?
Beware… Here Be Dragons!
Other Titles by C.D. Gorri
Excerpt from Purrfectly Mated
Excerpt from Wolf Shield: Guardians of Chaos
Excerpt from Grizzly Lover:
About the Author
Charley’s Baby Surprise
Rafe and Charley
A Macconwood Pack Tale 4
by C.D. Gorri
Edited by BookNookNuts
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Copyright 2018, 2021 NJ C.D. Gorri
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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, places, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either part of the author’s imagination and/or used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights are reserved. No part of this book is to be reproduced, scanned, downloaded, printed, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of any materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
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To EA, thanks for waiting!
BLURB
Can Alpha wolf, Rafe Maccon, survive his mate’s pregnancy?
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Charley is adapting to married life in her new home with her husband, Alpha Wolf, Rafe Maccon, and the eight Wolf Guards who live with them. Learning the rules to this new supernatural world isn’t always easy, especially when she finds herself pregnant after just a few weeks of marriage.
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Rafe Maccon never had anyone of his own before. He is determined to love, cherish, and most of all, protect his bride. His mated Wolf instincts go into overdrive once he discovers Charley is pregnant!
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Will Charley cave to Rafe’s demands or will this Alpha learn the meaning of compromise?
PROLOGUE
Six weeks after their wedding…
“Guess what, Rafe?”
“What is it, my sweet Carlotta?”
“We are having a baby!”
Rafe Maccon could not believe his ears. He sat on the edge of his enormous bed as his petite wife emerged from their private bathroom with her long curly hair hanging down her back. She held a small plastic stick in one hand and a box in the other that read Home Pregnancy Kit. She was positively glowing even in her simple cotton nightgown that he found sexy as hell.
Understanding slowly dawned on the Alpha Wolf, and he dropped the bottle of water he’d been drinking. He ignored the sound of liquid splashing on the wood floors as he ran to his mate and lifted her gently off the ground! Pregnant! Must keep safe!
He cradled her to his chest and kissed her temple. She flung her arms around his neck and pulled until his lips met hers. Lips that he kept closed as he tried to absorb the enormity of the situation. Werewolf pregnancies were not easy. True, his Carlotta was a normal, but chances were their child would not be. What did this mean for his beloved mate? Would she be okay?
“A baby?”
“Yes! Can you believe it? A baby of our own! Are you as happy as I am?” She bit her lip as she watched him. What could he do except smile and hold her tight to his chest?
“Carlotta, you are something else, my love,” pride and joy mixed with terror and worry as he sat down on the bed with her cradled in his arms. Precious cargo.
“Isn’t it great?” She laughed and squirmed to straddle him. Normally, this was one of his favorite positions, but he was feeling less enthusiastic as all sorts of fears and worries reared their ugly heads.
“Yes, it’s great news,” Rafe nodded, but his heart was pounding inside his chest.
Pregnancies sometimes things went wrong. Even normal ones. Werewolf pregnancies were unpredictable at best. Physical difficulties of her condition aside, Rafe had other worries.
One enormous issue was his less than stellar childhood. His father, Zev Maccon, was an absolute monster. He’d punished his children and their mother for years until claiming Rafe’s mother had died. He’d only just learned his mother had not abandoned him as he’d thought and furthermore, she was still alive. He had yet to track her down, but they were working on it. That information came from Lt. Matt Larentia, his mother’s first love and the father of his younger sister, Catriona.
The only good thing about his past was that his father was firmly buried there. The dead could not hurt him or his. That didn’t stop Rafe from doubting his ability to overcome such a history. Maybe he wasn’t ready for fatherhood. He’d only just found his mate. Maybe he needed more time alone with her. Too bad, his inner Wolf growled. Ready or not, here comes parenthood.
He smiled at his Carlotta’s physical cues, but he had no idea what his wife was talking about. She was gushing on and on about baby names, clothes, toys, and furniture. She was happy. Deliriously happy judging from the euphoria on her beautiful face. And he was being a dick.
He slid her off his lap to rest beside him as she continued to chatter away. Rafe snuggled her closer, enfolding her in his arms. Mine. Protect.
He breathed in her scent and tried to calm His Wolf who was right there at the forefront of his mind. He listened patiently and tried to remain attentive, but his brain was churning.
“I’ll call one of our Pack physicians to come to the manor as soon as possible to give you a physical examination. You’ve met Dr. Rayne Davis before, right?”
“Sure, at the Christmas ball. And I think your sister mentioned her, but shouldn’t we wait till I’m further along?” Charley sighed against him and nuzzled his arm basking in the joy of becoming a mother for the first time.
Normally, the Alpha would take that as a cue that his mate wanted him, but he needed to be gentle with her. Absolutely no sex, well, not until the doctor gave the okay. And maybe not even then.
He would do everything he could to protect his mate and their young. His young. A baby! Even if that meant abstaining from her sweet touch. God, help him.
“Oh Rafe, I’m so happy! We are going to be such great parents,” she sighed and snuggled closer.
He wished he could share in her confidence. Not that he doubted his feisty wife would be an amazing mother. Hadn’t she charmed every single one of his Wolf Guard with her beautiful singing voice, her gentle but firm handling of some of their antics, her teasing wit, and her outrageously delicious cooking?
She was perfect. Warm, loving, and braver than any normal he’d ever met. She was not the problem, it was Rafe. Growing up with little to no affection meant he lacked certain skills a father should have.
He didn’t want to disappoint Carlotta, but he also didn’t know if he had it in him to be a dad. One thing was certain, he’d take care of her and the baby. That much, he could do.
“I love you, Carlotta. I’ll protect both of you, I swear it.”
CHAPTER ONE
Late next Fall…
“Seven months!” Charley huffed as she climbed the stairs to the master bedroom she shared with her husband, Alpha Wolf of the Macconwood Pack, Rafe Maccon and, not her favorite person right now. In fact, she found her darling hubby to be nothing if not irritating these last few months!
Her sister-in-law, Cat Maccon Nighthawk smirked as she followed slowly behind Charley. They’d become the best of friends since Charley’s spur of the moment marriage to Rafe. That is, after a few of his adorable, yet felony-inclined Wolf Guard kidnapped her for him! The loveable jerks!
“Oh Charley, I’m sure it hasn’t been that long,” said Tulla Graves with her teasing southern accent. She’d recently married Wolf Guard and resident tech expert, Randall Graves.
Tulla was a welcome addition to the household where Charley had been the only resident normal until her arrival. Her adorable son, Daniel, was at school at the moment, but Charley doted on the gifted little boy as much as anyone else in the household. A good friend and full of tips for the first-time mother, Charley sought her advice time and again. Especially since her husband’s disappearing act. The two women meant a lot to her.
She teared up just thinking of how Cat and Tulla had rallied to support her during the last few months. Especially when one overbearing Wolf refused to allow her to leave the premises alone, deeming it unnecessary exposure to danger. Not that he would take time off his schedule to accompany her anywhere.
In fact, he couldn’t bear to be in the same room with her lately. Today’s shopping trip, unscheduled as it was, was almost called to a halt before Cat and Tulla came to her rescue. As a Wolf Guard herself, Cat insisted Charley would be safe and, if that wasn’t good enough, Tulla had a special cell phone outfitted with a custom tracking app and emergency signal designed by her husband should they need help. My highhanded tyrant of a husband thinks he can ignore me and run my life! Ha!
Not that she would trade her life for anything. Charley might be angry with Rafe, but she loved being a part of the sec
“I swear I’m going to brain your overbearing brother one of these days, Cat! I am so not joking!”
The women stifled their giggles and Charley glared behind her, careful not to lose balance. She held on to the banister and shrugged as Cat stilled her face. Tulla mimicked the pose, showing no hint of mirth. They had insisted on carrying Charley’s purchases upstairs for her, and with all the extra weight she’d been hulking around the past seven months, Charley was not inclined to argue. And boy did she have a lot of purchases!
The three women spent the entire afternoon at the mall and Charley admittedly went a little overboard with her gold card. She couldn’t help it. Retail therapy was a well-known cure for the blues. Just not today. The large meat-lovers pizza and fudge brownie explosion they’d shared for lunch didn’t even make a dent in her feelings of despondency.
Being with Cat, and looking into her clear, ice-blue eyes, had only reminded Charley of Rafe. The two siblings shared the Maccon eye color, but that was it. Where Cat was tall and willowy with blonde hair and a toned build, Rafe was big as a house with rippling muscles and impossibly dark, jet-black hair, with equally dark lashes surrounding his eyes. He was so freaking hot. And she was so freaking hormonal lately that she wanted to laugh, cry, and throw something all at once whenever she thought of him. Which was pretty much every second of the day. Darn him!
Of course, watching Tulla blush every time her husband sent her a text was just as painful to watch. The two of them were as inseparable as she and Rafe had been when they were first married. As newlyweds, it was to be expected, but she couldn’t help but feel jealous. Especially, when Tulla sighed and giggled like a high school student with her first beau. Rafe had sent her one text while she was out: Text me when you are home safe. Not exactly full of love and romance. Sigh.
“What has my darling big brother done now, Charley?”
“It’s more about what he isn’t doing,” she mumbled as she opened the door to their bedroom.
“Uh oh, trouble in paradise, sugar?” Tulla asked.
Charley just grunted. She was beyond frustrated with her big, gorgeous husband. Her hormones must be really out of whack if she wanted to throttle him one minute and lick him from head to toe the next. Not that she could do that even if she wanted. The jerk refused to touch her!
Her OB/GYN and Pack doctor, Dr. Rayne Davis gave them “the okay” to resume normal sexual activity months ago. Still, Rafe insisted they exercise caution. To keep you both safe, Carlotta. Charley was patient with him those first few weeks. New father jitters, she’d said. They’d get through them together, only they hadn’t.
Not that she regretted her pregnancy, she was more than thrilled to be having his baby. And even without the intimacy of sex, those first few months were a dream. He’d pampered her with special little gifts and delectable treats to satisfy her cravings. He’d kiss her and hold her. He even stayed up with her when, as luck would have it, she got night sickness instead of morning sickness. But even after all that passed, he refused her. No matter how she tried to seduce him. She had thought he was just being overprotective, but now she was scared it was something else.
Think of the baby. She did. Often. Happy as she was to be a first-time mother, Charley was seriously struggling lately to keep that happiness afloat. Especially with Rafe’s increasingly chilly attitude towards her. As if that wasn’t enough, she had other things on her mind, concerns, and fears that she found herself facing alone. Should she breastfeed? Cloth diapers or disposable? Natural childbirth or epidural? And what was the deal with pacifiers?
She sighed disgustedly and kicked off her flats. Could things get any worse? Her ankles were swollen, her stomach was huge, and her back was killing her after being on her feet all day.
“Charley, maybe he’s just scared,” Tulla began as they entered the master bedroom.
“No way! He’s the Alpha, Tulla. He eats bad guys for breakfast!”
“True, but you can’t possibly doubt his love,” she replied.
“No, he loves me, I know. But it’s like a fondness or something. It’s, it’s different now,” she choked back her tears, determined to retain some pride, “I think he’s just not attracted to me anymore.”
“Oh, Charley! No-” Cat said.
“It’s true, he finds me repulsive,” she couldn’t stem the tears after she spoke the last few words in a defeated voice she hardly recognized as her own. She barely registered Cat’s panicked gaze at Tulla who wrapped her arms around Charley and murmured soothing words that did nothing to heal her bruised heart.
He finds me revolting. It was the only reason Charley could think of that made sense. Maybe Rafe couldn’t stand how big she’d become? Not that she could blame him, she was a freaking blimp. But it’s not my fault, she wanted to shout!
She did everything the doctor told her too. She watched what she ate. Plenty of clean protein and fresh veggies. Okay, she indulged in the occasional pizza and brownie ice cream sundae but come on! Sometimes, it was necessary.
She exercised regularly, walking for thirty minutes every day outdoors when the weather allowed or on the state-of-the-art treadmill in the Macconwood Manor gym. Sometimes she even swam in their heated indoor pool. Charley looked down at her enormous belly as she moved out of Tulla’s embrace to the bed she shared with her husband.
Well, used to share with him, she thought sadly. It had been months since he’d slept with her. Of course, he blamed it on work. Being the Alpha was not an easy job, and he’d been busy tracking their elusive enemy, the rogue Wolf, Skoll.
Skoll was a thorn in Rafe’s side, but Charley was sort of beholden to him. After all, he was the catalyst that sent Rafe’s Wolves looking for a mate for their Alpha. Skoll had thought to challenge Rafe’s ascension to Alpha by bringing up an old Pack law that stated he needed to be married to retain the position. Too much of a coward to challenge Rafe outright, he’d used devious methods to threaten the security of the Macconwood Pack.
Okay, so maybe Charley wasn’t beholden to him. He was a serious jerk! Especially after he tried to have Cat kidnapped just weeks after Charley and Rafe married. Yeah, she could understand why Rafe wanted him found and dealt with. Then there was the ongoing search for Rafe’s and Cat’s mother, who he’d recently discovered was still alive. Yeah, her husband had a lot on his plate. But what about me, his wife? Surely, he would feel better if he leaned on her, confided in her, even just a little bit. Like he used to.
“He doesn’t even sleep in here anymore. Sometimes, I feel like we’re not married at all.”
“What? That’s not like him to leave you alone,” Tulla looked concerned as she started emptying the shopping bags. Cat moved to sit next to Charley.
“Oh, I’m not alone. Every single night, one of the other Guards is outside my door. Keeping watch. I feel like the whole damn house knows every time I get up to pee. Which, unfortunately, is very, very often.”
Charley sighed. Her tall, beautiful sister-in-law put a toned arm around her back and gave her a squeeze. Charley couldn’t help it; the unspoken sympathy made her start crying again. There was nothing she could do to stop the sobs, and with both women on either side of her, she found she didn’t want to. They’d understand.
Finding Rafe had been like a dream come true for her. Well, once you got past the whole kidnapping thing at the beginning of their relationship. She smiled through tears as she recalled that night.
