Forbidden Fruit

Grilling and Excitement

Alex's POV

I open the door as I wipe my hands on my hand towel, a permanent smile on my face since the picnic two days ago. On the other side of the door are our two best friends Cody and James. "Hey, you guys!" I greet moving aside so they can come in. In their hands are grocery bags full of food for us to grill and eat today and my mouth waters at the steak I smell from one of the bags.

James walks through the door with a small Cody behind him gripping onto his arm. "Hey, Alex, how's it going?" He asks and I close the door and turn back towards the couple.

"I'm doing great actually. I wanted to talk to Cody for a moment if that's cool." I tell him and though I see Cody tense in whats probably fear, James only nods his head giving me a knowing look.

"Sure, Chloe's in the kitchen?" He asks, taking the only bag Cody has in his hands and I nod. He gives his Mate a quick kiss on the forehead before he turns and heads towards the kitchen.

"Come here, Cody." I tell him softly, throwing my hand towel over my shoulder. He hesitantly walks towards me and I open my arms and fold him into a hug much to his surprise.

"I'm so sorry, bean. I know how hard this much be for you." I tell him, frowning as I remember all the times James called me in a panic because Cody would slip into a depressive episode over not being able to have his own baby like he wanted so bad. I feel him relax into my arms and hug me back tightly and I let him.

After a minute or so he leans back and he's wiping his tears off his face in relief and pain that's shining in his eyes. "You're not mad at me?" He asks me and I smile and shake my head.

"Not at all. I'm proud of you for keeping such a big secret from the two of us to help Chloe come to terms with it." I tell him and he smiles brightly at me. We begin to head towards the kitchen before a thought occurs to me. "How does Jessie feel about all of this?"

Cody snorts and his hands flutter about until they settle on his small hips. "The stupid wolf is already thinking of hunting trips to take your kid on. He's convinced it's a boy. He keeps trying to get Sloan pregnant but James keeps telling us all no." He tells me with a roll of his eyes and I laugh.

The idea of James waddling around with a baby is hilarious. The surely dominant man with a submissive wolf has always been the funniest contradiction to me. We enter the kitchen, both of us laughing as we walk in. Cody immediately goes towards his Mate and snuggles up against him, James looking over his head to look at me, his gaze questioning, and I nod my head in assurance before giving him a smile.

I round the counter and come to where Chloe is seated at the island, his book placed face down on the table as he takes his time in cutting up some fruit for a salad. I stand behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, my palms finding his stomach as they have been for the past few days in wonder.

     I kiss the side of his head which he leans into before I look at James. "You ready to throw everything in the grill?" I ask him and his eyes light up in excitement.

      He's about to answer before he hesitates and looks down at Cody. "You want to stay in here with Chloe?" Cody's reaction is immediate a large smile and a heavy nod that makes me chuckle, though it's my pup that answers James' question.

"Of course he wants to stay in here with me, you Tops are boring." He tells us, not looking up form his task though his lips twitch up in a smile he thinks we don't see. I nip at his ear, my tongue coming to snake out, making him shiver while Cody giggles at the insult and pulls softly out of James' grasp to sits down at the table across from him.