Pregnant With His Liger Baby

Sylvie gasped. “Do you really think it will be that bad?”

“It’s not just the two of you I’m worried about,” she said with a frown. “It’s—well, the collectors. If they learn about your daughter’s birth, it’s difficult to say what they would do. Your little family might be much better off on your own.”

“I see,” she nodded. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“You know, we could always just terminate,” she suggested. “I know it’s not a happy thought, but under these circumstances—”

“Doctor O’Dell, I thank you to never mention that idea again,” Sylvie cut her off. “I love Micah, and if I’ve been blessed with the ability to reproduce with him, I’m proud to do so. No matter what.”

“I admire your courage, Sylvie Paws,” she said solemnly. “You’re going to need it to get through this.”

*****

“Pregnant?” Micah repeated for the third time, his expression more stunned than anything else. He was shaking his head like he couldn’t quite wrap it around the idea. “But how?”

“Dr. O’Dell would like me to bring you to the Community Center to discuss that very thing,” she explained. “She thinks that maybe we should stay there for now, until we can think how to deal with repercussions this might cause.”

Micah nodded. “Repercussions,” he repeated. “Oh, there’s bound to be a few of those. Scientists, fellow shifters, collectors—they’re all going to want a piece of us. But the one good thing about this is, we’ll finally get to be together, won’t we? I mean, you won’t have to return home. I could hold you all night and all day, and nobody will have a thing to say about it.”

“I will,” she chuckled.

Micah grinned wickedly. “Would you, now?” he teased. “And what, exactly, would you have to say?”

“Hurray!”

They laid together for a time, until the sun had become red in the horizon, and then they reluctantly got out of their bed and dressed again. They walked together back to the Community Center and joined Dr. O’Dell there.

“Well, I wondered when you two would get around to showing up,” she grinned. “Congratulations, Micah, I had no idea you’d been mating this year. Now I know why.”

“Yeah, well—” he said with a blush, shrugging. “Actually, this is more than just a casual thing, Dr. O’Dell. I intend to stay with Sylvie for life.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet!” she gasped. “I thought it might be something like that. I mean, why else would you two have taken such a risk to be together?”

“That’s very true,” he agreed, brushing his knuckles along Sylvie’s chin. “And so far, most of that risk has been taken by her. I’ll want to do everything I can to take some of that pressure away from her now that we can be together at last.”

“Of course, Micah,” she nodded. “And has Sylvie told you all of my concerns? I’ve already begun to discreetly look for a place to hide the two of you away.”

“There’s always the possibility the baby wouldn’t look different enough for anyone to know,” Sylvie pointed out.

“No, sweetie, don’t you know what ligers look like? She’ll look nothing at all like either breed,” said Dr. O’Dell. “It will only be obvious to anyone who sees her, once she’s born.”

“And you’re sure of the gender?” Micah asked curiously.

“Of course I am,” she nodded. “There’s no doubt.”

“Then if my mate agrees,” said Micah with a huge grin from getting to say those words, “I think we’d like to name our daughter Ilana. After you.”

“How very sweet,” she said with a blush. “I really don’t know what to say.”

“You mentioned we’d be staying here now,” said Sylvie then. “Could you send for my mother, and speak to her right away? She’ll want to see that everything is okay. You understand, my brother David only recently has gone away. It may be hard for her to lose me so soon after that.”

“I understand, Sylvie,” she said. “Don’t worry, I’ll show you two to a room, and then take the all-terrain out there just as soon as you’re settled in. And remember, tiger form just as soon as you’re there, young miss, and stay in it as much as you can from now on. We’re going to make sure little Ilana can have her birthday.”