Everyone settled down, though an odd atmosphere remained, a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Pregnancies were ticking time bombs as far as I could tell.
I cleared my throat, glancing from one face to another. “Robbie will be happy to not be the youngest around anymore.”
Perdita grinned. “Knowing him, he’ll hope for a girl in case his thunder gets stolen. I haven’t told him yet. Not until I’m further along.”
“But you’ve told your father,” Byron said. “Gotten his advice?”
“Yes,” she said. “He’s nervous, of course, but he’s happy with the ultrasound and all that. Call him granddad as soon as you see him, and watch his reaction.”
Byron laughed and raised his glass. “To grandchildren. I’m looking forward to a new little one running around.”
Amelia kept staring at me in a way that made me uncomfortable. “Speaking of the baby, you’ll be eighteen soon, right? Will you be moving out?”
“Of course not.” Nathan, Perdita, and even Byron chimed in together.
Amelia blinked, taken aback. “I thought you two would want some space to be a family. Isn’t it time he moved on?” She glanced at Byron. “He can even stay with us, right?”
“Dorian’s our family,” Perdita said curtly. “Any child of mine will call him brother. You know this, Amelia.”
“I thought things might change now he’s practically an adult,” she said. “He might want to move on. A baby could cramp his style.”
“I don’t have a style,” I said in bewilderment, which only sent Nathan into a laughing fit.
"You’re all insane,” Amelia grumbled under her breath, though her eyes were smiling.
“Between the baby, and the community taking over the shed, we won’t get a moment to rest.” Byron’s smile grew. “We can redecorate this house, too, go all out.”
Perdita made a face. “I don’t want to make a fuss. Let’s keep it low-key.”
Nathan glanced at her. “The pack has to hear about it at some point. Maybe while they’re fussing over the townie influx.”
She considered that for a moment. “If it helps, Byron, you can tell them. But I don’t want them overreacting about it. The last thing I need is for everyone to treat me as though I’m made of glass.”
The alpha nodded obediently. If only the pack could see him now.
Most of the pack hated the idea of sharing space with the townies. They all pitched in to help make the meeting shed more habitable, but half of them complained at every step of the way.
I kept busy, listening to the remarks being made as I worked. They made the townies sound like some sort of invasive species, and I grew tired of hearing the same nonsense over and over.
I was helping Jorge and his older brother, Pavel, who lived in town. I thought they would at least be open to the changes, but Pavel’s complaints were never-ending.
“Enough,” Jorge said at last. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about. You’ve had more townie girlfriends than pack.”
Pavel smirked. “Townie girls are only good for one thing. Right, Dorian?”
Blood rushed to my head. I stood up straight and met Pavel’s amused gaze though I had to look up to do it. “What did you just say?”
“What’ll you do about it, pup?”
Jorge stepped between us with a bored sigh.
“Dorian!” Byron barked.
His voice broke through the burning anger before Pavel flattened me. I shot one last glare Pavel’s way before sulkily approaching Byron.
“Work over here now.” Byron paused his conversation long enough to give me direction, then launched back into a discussion with an older member of the pack.
“Nothing good comes of strangers hanging around,” the elderly man told him, leaning on a sweeping brush. As far as I could tell, the discussion only served to keep him too busy to do any work. He always limped around and claimed to have arthritis but still ended up in the middle of everything.