41

Tino's POV

I thought it would be Koa leaning over the toilet from a night of drinking. But no. It's me. I'm throwing up and I didn't drink. In fact, Koa is still knocked the fuck out in the bed, snoring loud as ever. But it's now eight in the morning and I have been up since six...leaning over this damn toilet.

This could mean one thing--

'We're fucking pregnant.' Zay chimed in.

'Yeah, no shit.'

'We need to get a test.'

'How are we getting a test? Without Koa and raising suspicion?'

'Call Cynthia. Or Kona. Or even Tay. I'm sure they'd help.'

'Do you even think they are going to be awake? All of them were drinking like animals.'

I groaned as I positioned myself to sit on the floor and lean my head back on the wall. I grab my phone, go through my contacts, and call the first person I had hoped would be awake. The phone rang only twice before her lovely voice came through.

"Good morning, darling. I'm surprised you're up so early." Cynthia chuckled as I took a deep breath. I can't believe I am going to say this. "Oh goddess, what's wrong? I can feel it."

"Cynthia, I need your help." My voice was soft and my head pounding from dehydration.

"Tino...is everything okay?"

"Um...I've been throwing up all morning and I had this feeling already--"

"Oh, my goddess! Tino! Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?"

"Yes..." My voice frayed at the end and I waited for her response but she stayed silent for too long and it was causing me to worry. "Maybe, I don't know. I just need a test."

"You don't need a test, honey. You'll know. I'll even help you. Put your hand on your stomach and take a deep breath. Try to quiet your mind, and you'll feel the baby if it's there."

I set the phone down on the closed toilet seat and did as she said. It took a moment but once I did, I knew what she meant. There wasn't a heartbeat or anything but it was a slight difference in weight. And my senses had changed. But there was a baby there. There was a baby in me.

"Tino? Everything okay?" Cynthia's voice spoke through the speaker but I was stuck. Tears were falling on my face as I sat stunned.

I was pregnant. I was pregnant with Koa's baby. I slowly grabbed the phone and put it to my face and breathed a shaky breath.

"I should go." My voice was a whisper, I was still in shock. Also how the fuck was I going to tell Koa that I was pregnant but I couldn't even tell him I loved him?

"Okay, call me later if you need anything." I hung up the phone and sat it back on the ground. But I didn't move. I just stayed there.

And I supposed I had sat here long enough for Koa to wake up and get worried when he couldn't find me.

"Tino? Where are you?" I couldn't even answer him if I tried.

I heard him walking through the room and finally made his way to the bathroom. He swung the door open and he saw me sitting there. A look of confusion covered his face as he squatted down in front of me. I'm sure I stunk from how much I threw up, plus the tears. I knew I was a mess.

"What's wrong, dolcezza? Tell me I will fix it." I met his gray eyes and a wide smile covered my face as I stared at him.

All the worries immediately left as I looked at the man in front of me. I had nothing to fear when it came to raising a child. Or even giving birth. I had nothing to fear in telling this man I loved him. I had nothing to fear at all because he was here with me.

"Is this--are you?" I could see the worry, thinking I was in another episode, so instead of answering I swung my arms around his neck and pulled him to me. And I couldn't help but sob on his shoulder as he held me. I had never been so happy.

"Koa," I whispered in his ear and took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant." I barely got the words out but Koa heard me. He always heard me. He pulled away and looked down at my face and his eyes were already watering.

"Are you sure?" He whispered and his voice faltered.

"I can feel the baby. They are in there." I pointed to my stomach still in unbelief that an actual child was growing in me.

"Oh fuck...we're going to be dads?" His eyes flickered to my stomach and his hand moved and rested on it softly.

"Yeah, we are." I laughed as the words came out, it sounded ridiculous but this is my life now. Our life now.

"Holy shit." He breathed out. His now wet eyes flickered up to meet mine. "I love you. And I'm not telling you this because you're carrying our pups, but because I do. I love you."

I blame the pregnancy hormones for the way that I start crying yet again. My lip quivers and my cheeks are drenched. Koa Mickaya loves me.

"I love you, so much." I grab his face and bring his lips to mine and I just hold them there. It was sweet and loved filled. That was all I needed at this moment. Him...just him.

"Come on, let's get you off this floor." Koa stood and put his hand out for me to grab, which I did immediately. We walked back to the bed and once we laid down I was buried in his chest and his arms holding me firm.

"We never really discussed kids, so I guess there's no time like the present." Koa chuckled as did I. He grabbed the comforter and buried us in it.

"I would like to have a big family. Like yours. Four or six. It has to be an even number." I rambled off.

"I agree, any preference on gender?"

"Don't care as long as they are healthy and strong. But seeing as they will all most likely be lycans I guess they will be."

"Well, that's not always true." I turned my head to look at him to see what he could be talking about. "Lycans are a dominant trait, but we could also have a werewolf in the mix. As well as a tiger shifter."

"Fucking tiger?" I sat up quickly and looked at him. I have heard of it a few times, but they are a rarity. But I never understood how they came to be.

"When Lycan and werewolf genes merge rather than give up. They create a tiger, which is crazy fucking strong. In stature and shifted form." I searched Koa's eyes to see if he was lying but there was nothing but truth in them. "Tigers are also different in their temperament. But we don't need to worry about it. It's super rare that it happens. Especially in the first child of a Lycan and werewolf couple."

I nodded and laid back down, finally feeling some kind of reassurance. As long as I didn't keep popping out Tigers, I'd be okay. I don't think I would though. My luck isn't that fucking bad.

"Okay so if we have a boy, what should we name them?" I asked Koa, trying to get the idea of a tiger in my stomach out of my head.

"I like the names Ambrose, Ezra, Eliezar, and Sloan."

"Oh I like those, they're different." Koa hummed in agreeance. "For girls, I like Brooklyn, Delaney, and Whitney. And Florence."

"I like those too. How would we ever pick?"

"I guess we just have to have eight kids. I mean we have the space." Koa and I laughed it off, knowing that the possibility of that many children was low. I couldn't handle having that many.

"How long do pregnancies last?" I should have done my research but I was too nervous to accept the fact that this was real and it was happening.

"It depends on what kind of shifter we have cooking. A werewolf would be seven months. Lycan would be five. And a Tiger would be three."

I better not be pregnant with a tiger or I swear to the goddess. THREE MONTHS? Five months is okay...but THREE?

"I can feel your nerves, dolcezza. But I'm telling you it's rare. We don't need to worry." I sighed a shaky breath trying to calm my nerves.

"I guess we have to tell everyone now. And move...soon."

Our reality was now very present, and extremely real. Now that I am pregnant I have to get everything in order here. I don't want to be dealing with hormones while trying to move two hours away from home. And we still had to tell our parents, and Victoria, which was going to be a problem all on its own.

I was already getting stressed just from thinking about all the shit we had yet to do.

"We will take things one day at a time. Today why don't we just relax, and we can pick out what room will go to our firstborn? And we can tell the family later tonight at dinner. Then when we leave tomorrow, we can start packing and figure out the next steps." Koa soothingly rubbed my back and I took a deep breath.

I had nothing to worry about. I was with Koa. And knowing that I was with him, I knew everything was going to be okay.

"Let's go pick a room."

****

The dining room filled with chatter all the Mickayas plus Vincent were at my house. All talking over each other as usual. I cooked so much food for everyone, all authentic Italian of course. But seeing as I would have a little one running around soon I needed to get better at my cooking skills.

Once I sat down for the final bowl of pasta, I sat next to Koa and he grabbed my hand immediately. And I was finally able to join the conversation.

"Cristoff was so fucked this morning, hurling his guts out," Khelani spoke, with Cristoff beside her with a soft smile.

"I don't think I have ever drank so much. I kept losing." Cristoff rarely talked but when he did...I wanted to sew his mouth shut.

"Everyone got so sloppy last night, especially Dad," Kendall added in and pointed to Channing who had a look of surprise on his face.

"Oh, I was not!" Channing yelled but his bright face said it all. He knew he was.

"Tino, this looks great," Tay said next to me, grabbing my attention.

"Thanks. I just hope it tastes good. I haven't cooked like this since my Nonna passed away." I chuckled lightly. But even the thought of my Nonna warmed my heart. I missed her so. And I can only imagine what she would think of where I am today.

"Alright alright, everyone quiet down, please. We have something we want to say." Koa spoke getting the attention of everyone at the table. Vincent looked at me quickly with a look on his face but I stayed silent.

"All of you know, except for mom and dad. But Tino has decided to officially move here with me, relinquish his title, and become the Luna." Both Channing and Cynthia's faces lit up with a smile at the news.

"So no merger? We are all staying?" Channing asked.

"We are all staying," I reassured him and let out a breath.

"Thank goddess! I love our house too much." Shit if I had a house like theirs I wouldn't want to merge either.

"But that's not all, we have something we want to share." Koa squeezed my hand as his eyes went to mine. "We are pregnant."

The room was dead silent. But just for a moment, before everyone started cheering and asking thousands of questions. Some being:

Are you serious?

How far along?

I'm going to be an Aunt?

Are you ready for it?

Many I didn't feel like answering, or at least not right now. Because the truth is that no, I was not ready. Two I have no idea how far along I am. It had been a week and two days since we mated. Which in itself is slightly crazy to think about that is until I remember most mates are already pregnant after one month of being together.

So Koa and I's timeline is very...very far behind.

"Okay everyone, let's not pester them with questions. Let's just enjoy dinner and be grateful that our family is expanding." Channing spoke up with a smile. And I gave him an appreciative nod.

Everyone went back to talking about how the rest of the game went and I couldn't help but sit back and watch with a smile. This was my life now. This was my family.

I loved it.