An Unwanted Second Chance (JB Tirado) novel Chapter 91

? Chapter 91

Chapter 91

(税抜)

Penny had made it her mission to make the upcoming luna ceremony the best the pack had ever seen. She had stated that it was necessary that the pack have something to celebrate after everything with the rogues. The elders had requested the ceremony to be done within a week, but Penny had demanded more time for ‘

necessary preparations.‘

She had planned an extravagant dinner that Elva was all too excited to cook. She had forced Riley to look at pages upon pages of centerpieces, color swatches and flower arrangements.

Prior to Riley’s trip, she had forced Riley to go dress shopping, picking out a beautiful dark purple, strapless

mermaid dress that hugged Riley’s figure and complemented her shape. It had been sent for some minor

alterations and the day after Riley had gotten back to the pack, Penny had announced that the dress had

arrived.

That was how Riley found herself in Penny’s sitting room, modeling the dress for Penny, Lana and a sleeping

baby Lily.

“You look amazing.” Lana smiled from her spot on the couch. “Kent’s going to be speechless.

Riley rolled her eyes. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Penny laughed as she walked behind Riley, gathering her hair. “I’m picturing an up–do.”

“Definitely. It will show off her neck and shoulders.” To Riley she added, “You have lovely skin.”

Riley felt Penny’s fingers on the back of her shoulder, brushing lightly. “Tell Kent to lay off the love bites until after the ceremony. You have marks back here.”

Riley flushed slightly, remembering the way Kent had taken her from behind this morning in the shower,

sinking his teeth into her shoulder in the most delightfully painful way.

Penny let go of Riley’s hair, walking back around. “I think light make up,” she said towards Lana. “Nothing too

heavy.”

“It wouldn’t look right if it was too much,” Lana agreed.

“I feel like a doll,” Riley commented.

“Shh… dolls don’t talk,” Penny whispered with a smirk.

Riley rolled her eyes but suddenly felt the world wobble, her stomach rolling with nausea.

“I need to sit,” she muttered, moving towards the couch, sinking down carefully so as to not crease the dress.

Lana frowned. “Are you ok?”

Riley shrugged, closing her eyes. “The last couple days I’ve just felt tired and dizzy and nauseous. I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Do you think you’re getting sick again?”

She shook her head. “Not like before. This is different. It comes and goes, but I’m mostly just tired. I think it might be stress.”

“Like it was last time?” Penny scoffed.

Chapter 91

Lana studied Riley for a long moment. “Could you be pregnant?”

“No.” Riley rolled her eyes.

“When was your last period?”

Riley frowned, trying to remember. “I guess I had one right before I arrived here. So about seven weeks ago.” She looked over at Lana. “But again, I think it’s just stress. That can mess with your period, right?”

“Are you using protection?” Penny raised an eyebrow. “Or taking birth control?”

“Well…” Riley trailed off, her cheeks flushing.

“You do know how you get pregnant, right?” Penny half–laughed.

Riley rolled her eyes again. “I guess there could be a chance, but I don’t think it’s likely. I’m not even sure I

want to have pups.”

“Not wanting them isn’t birth control,” Penny pointed out. “You need to take a test. I have an extra in the bathroom. I’ll grab it after you get changed.”

“Have you and Kent talked about pups at all?” Lana asked gently after Riley had changed.

She shook her head. “It’s not like we’ve had a lot of time to talk about our future together.”

“Kent would be happy.” Penny handed Riley the test. “He’s great with the boys. He loves kids.” She sat down

beside Riley, grabbing her hand. “No matter what, you have him and both of us. Plus Elva would be over the

moon. She has always considered Kent to be like her son, so I know she’ll be there to help.”

“Go upstairs and take the test.” Lana nudged her arm gently. “You can tell us when you’re ready. Either way,

we’ll be here.”

**

Riley sat on the edge of the soaking tub, impatiently watching the seconds crawl by.

The pregnancy test rested on the vanity beside her appearing totally innocent and yet it felt like a ticking

time bomb. In two minutes, her entire life might detonate.

She heard the sound of the bedroom door opening and cringed.

Of all the moments for Kent to come home, why now?

“Riley? Are you in there?” His knuckles rapped lightly against the door.

“Yep,” she called, trying, and failing, to sound normal.

“Everything okay?”

“Yep.”

A heavy pause filled the space between them before she heard the rattle of the handle.

Riley dropped her head into her hands. Of course he knew she was lying. He could probably feel the panic pouring off her through the mate bond.

“Open the door, Riley,” Kent said, his voice low and strained.

“Not right now, Kent.”

“At least tell me what’s wrong!

< Chapter 91

‘Just…just give me one more minute, okay?”

Another long, tense silence, then the sound of his retreating footsteps.

She exhaled shakily, turning back toward the sink.

The longest minute of her life finally ticked by. Riley stood, every limb heavy, and approached the vanity. She

forced herself to look at the test.

Her heart slammed into her throat.

Footsteps thundered back toward the door.

“Riley? What’s wrong?” The handle jiggled, the door rattled under his hand.

“Riley!” he barked, pounding on the wood.

She flinched, then grabbed the doorknob and wrenched the door open. Kent nearly fell inside, catching

himself against the frame before reaching for her shoulders, scanning her face with frantic eyes.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Wordlessly, Riley pulled free, crossed the bathroom, and grabbed the test from the vanity. She placed it into

his hands, barely breathing.

Kent stared down at it, his brow furrowed. “A plus sign is positive, right?” he asked hoarsely.

“Yes,” she whispered.

His eyes snapped up to hers. “You’re pregnant?”

She nodded once, stiffly.

For a moment, Kent just stared. Then a wide, brilliant smile broke across his face. He let out a laugh,

scooped Riley up, and spun her around the bathroom, his joy radiating from him.

“This is incredible!” he crowed, setting her down carefully. “We’re going to…” He stopped, catching the look on

her face.

“Oh.” His hands fell away from her. He stepped back. “You’re… not excited.”

“I’m…” Riley turned, searching the room as if the right words might materialize from the air. Finally, she pushed past him into the bedroom.

Kent followed, his steps softer now.

He sat down beside her on the edge of the bed.

“We never really talked about pups,” he said carefully. “Do you… even want them?”

Riley dragged a hand through her hair. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Growing up, I always thought I would. It was part of the dream. But after my rejection…” Her voice faltered. “Everything changed. I didn’t want to raise a pup alone. I didn’t want a chosen mate. I told myself it wasn’t in the cards for me. I stopped hoping. And then…” She shook her head. “I never planned for this. For you. For all of this.”

Kent stayed silent, giving her space.

“I’m still adjusting,” she said quietly. “To you. To the pack. To belonging again. It’s a lot. And now…” She looked down at her flat stomach, as if expecting to see some sign of the upheaval growing inside her. “I don’t

3/4

< Chapter 91

even know how to feel.”

+8 Points >

Kent reached for her hand. His grip was warm, steady. “I know this hasn’t been easy for you,” he said. “It’s been a lot. Fast. And I know it’s different for me. I already had a pack, a home. You’ve had to rebuild everything from the ground up. But Riley…” He squeezed her hand. “I love you. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what.”

Her throat tightened. She smiled at him, small but real. “I love you too.”

He smiled back, though there was tension still lingering in his frame. “So what do you want to do?” he asked softly.

Riley hesitated for a long moment, then finally said, almost in a whisper, “I want to have a pup with you.” She looked down, blinking rapidly. “I’m just terrified.”

Kent let out a breath that sounded like a laugh, full of relief. “Me too,” he said. “But we can be terrified

together.”

He leaned forward, resting his forehead lightly against hers, and Riley closed her eyes, letting herself breathe

him in, letting herself hope, maybe for the first time in a very long while.

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