"why, love?" he asked. "why are you back to tear out my heart?"

she smiled. "it's got nothing to do with you. i want our kid to know its father, and when it first changes into a wildcat, he or she will need someone who knows what to do standing by."

liam stopped. "kid?"

"a little half-shifter boy or girl. i don't know which; haven't had an ultrasound yet."

"ultrasound..."

kim laughed in true mirth. "you knocked me up, liam morrissey. now you have to live with the consequences."

connor came running out of the house, whooped, and punched the air. "kim's pregnant! woo-hoo!" he hurtled toward kim, caught her in a hug and swung her off her feet. "i'm going to be a cousin!"

connor's shouting drew people outside. glory emerged first, sauntering down her porch stairs, her tight leopard-print pants startling. dylan strolled out behind her. he'd moved in with glory the day after kim left, further emptying the house.

"did i hear that right?" glory called. "you're up the spout?"

kim drew a breath once connor finally put her down. "confirmed by my gynecologist last week."

liam kept wiping his hands on the rag. "i thought you took contraceptives."

"i was coming up on the end of my dose, and we had a lot of sex, liam, if you recall. and maybe shifter sperm are livelier than human's."

"shite," liam said around the lump in his throat.

more neighbors emerged onto front porches, and ellison came around from his backyard, shirtless, his jeans covered with dirt and grass stains. when ellison understood what was going on, he put his hands on his hips, threw back his head, and howled. answering howls came from up and down the street.

great. how long before the news reached the other side of shiftertown? five minutes? two?

"i'm staying, liam," kim said. "whether you like it or not."

"gods." liam threw down the oily rag and caught kim in his arms, damn the stains. he crushed kim against him, lips finding her hair, her face, her mouth. "i love you, kim. don't ever leave me."

"that's the idea."

"i need you."

she rubbed his cheek. "i know."

liam had driven her away to keep her safe, most of all from himself. but having her in his arms again, smelling her, tasting her, hearing her voice-it broke him, defeated the beast inside him. the feral in him crumpled as surely as fergus had crumpled under the guardian's sword.

liam held her tighter. "you're all mine."

"you betcha."

liam touched his forehead to hers. "i love you so damn much."

kim grinned at him. "and i adore you."

liam gave her a long, heartfelt kiss. she got into it, sliding her arms around him to cup his butt, snaking her fingers into his back pockets. she was a loving, warm, sexy woman. how'd he get so damn lucky?

liam eased back from the kiss, licking the light bruise he'd already put on her lip. he'd learn how to be gentle with her, tender. and then he'd be wild. the sparkle in her eyes told him she wanted it both ways.

as soon as he raised his head, they were hit by the family. first connor, still shouting, throwing his arms around both liam and kim. then sean, laughing, catching liam in a bear hug, rubbing kim's shoulders and kissing her cheek.

dylan, his eyes full, holding liam hard, then kim. kim gasped when glory flung her arms around her, squeezing her.

"you did good, kid," she said.

and then ellison, whooping and howling like the lupine he was, jerking liam off his feet in a rough embrace. "you virile shit, you. taking the best woman for yourself."

"watch it," glory said.

ellison draped his arms around connor and sean. "this calls for a beer." he started with them for the house, his way of leaving liam and kim tactfully alone. glory followed, after a look at dylan.

"seamus," connor was saying. "patrick, maybe?"

"what are you talking about?" ellison asked him.

"names for the wee one. eoghan, maybe?"

"give the kid a break. who the hell could spell that?"

the house swallowed them. dylan put his hands on kim's and liam's shoulders. "the goddess bless you both." he kissed kim's forehead. "thank you, kim."

he smiled and walked away. liam watched him, his heart full.

"is he thanking me for getting pregnant?" kim asked. "it wasn't difficult, with all the sex we kept having. you did as much as i did."

liam pulled her against him again. she belonged there, felt so right fitted to him. "he meant for coming back to us. for keeping us a family."

"that wasn't difficult, either." she gave him a smile. "you're wrong about where i belong, liam. this is the kind of family i had before my brother died, one of warmth and laughter, of knowing the house was full every night. it's what i've been looking for in the last decade or so, even when i didn't know it." kim looked up at him, her blue eyes full of love. "i belong right here. with you."

she'd break his heart all right. or maybe she'd finally heal it. liam pulled her close, his lips meeting hers.

damn, kissing the human way was good. how could he have never liked it before?

because he'd never done it with kim before.

kim caught his lower lip between her teeth, and liam felt the front of his jeans get unbearably tight. he murmured in her ear, "do you think we can make it upstairs?"

"i'm all for trying." her gaze turned sultry. "besides, they're shouting so much, they'll cover up all the noise i plan to make."

liam squeezed her, growling. "i love you, woman."

"good to know."

they did make it past the mob and up the stairs. dylan saw them go, but he only smiled quietly and turned away.

the door closed, the lock locked. clothes came off, and liam had kim naked against him. his heart was whole, his brain clear, and his body melting with desire. kim's smile put him over the top.

"love you, liam," she whispered.

"always," liam said brokenly. "i'll love you forever."

they had strong, bed-shaking, wet, and sweaty sex that drowned out even the revelry downstairs.

liam's brother, nephew, friends, and every member of his clan never let them hear the end of it.