WINTER'S MATE: FATED ON ICE Chapter 71: Baby Name

Chapter 62 - Baby Na

Rosie

Jude’s fingers worked through the last section of my hair with practiced gentleness, and I couldn’t help the soft groan of contentnt that escaped my lips. He’d been doing my hair religiously ever since that intense mont during his rut, and honestly, I wasn’t complaining one bit.

I absolutely loved it. How his hands were always gentle on my scalp, his touch careful and tender, and the way his fingers worked through the strands made tingles run down my spine! It was intimate, this simple act of him doing my hair.

I’d even caught him one night sitting on the couch watching so YouTube tutorials of different hairstyles. And when he noticed staring, he just looked up and gave him that boyish smile of his and said he couldn’t wait to try so of the new styles he was learning on .

My heart lted, and I smiled at this new hobby he’d picked up.

Well, n could have hobbies too. There was nothing that said hairstyling was only for won.

But speaking of hobbies, Jude had also recently picked up the art of knitting, which had been the most surprising of all. I still rembered vividly the day he’d co ho carrying bags full of different yarn and knitting pins, looking determined.

I was shocked and imdiately asked him what all of that was for, unable to imagine what my hockey-playing alpha mate wanted with knitting supplies.

He then explained that he’d overheard so pregnant won talking in the waiting room when I was with the doctor about how they felt closer to their babies while knitting little clothes for them. So he’d approached them after my appointnt and asked them to teach him the basics, and then he’d co ho and start watching countless YouTube tutorial videos.

I’d just stood there staring at him with my mouth hanging open in complete shock.

Even as the actual mother carrying this baby hadn’t picked up any special pregnancy hobbies or crafts, and I’d felt oddly beaten to it by my mate. But Jude had just kissed softly and told not to worry while he flicked my forehead affectionately, saying he could do all the crafting for both of us.

And I’d slumped my shoulders in amused defeat and settled beside him on the couch to watch him knit, marveling on how he could move so delicately with the pin and yarn.

My man had already knitted so many things over the past few weeks. The soft warm beanie currently sitting on my head was made by mine truly.

Now I sat curled up on the couch, watching him focus intently on knitting yet another tiny sweater for our baby whose na we still hadn’t decided on yet. I had this hunch deep in my gut that the baby was going to be a boy. But Jude kept insisting he wanted a girl.

I smiled rembering the conversation where he’d given all these reasons why having a daughter would be better than having a son but later conceded that a child was a child, whether boy or girl, and he’d love them exactly the sa way with his whole heart regardless of gender.

I couldn’t keep up with him sotis, couldn’t keep up with how much love he had to give and how thoughtful he was about everything.

I turned my attention back to my phone and scrolled through various online baby stores, shopping for more things to add to the nursery we’d been carefully designing together to welco our newborn. The mont was coming sooner rather than later even though we still had months to go. I was already five months pregnant now.

The pack doctors had been scrutinizing my condition even more carefully than before, running tests and doing ultrasounds every couple of weeks to monitor the baby’s developnt. They’d told us that the baby still hadn’t ford completely yet, that the growth seed to be following a more human pregnancy tiline.

Well, whatever happened would happen. For now I was just enjoying picking out adorable items for my baby.

I paused mid-scroll when I saw one particularly beautiful baby’s dress. It was in a pink color with delicate white lace trim and tiny embroidered flowers along the neckline. It was absolutely beautiful, and I found myself staring at it.

"Jude," I called softly.

Jude imdiately raised his head from his knitting, his furrowed brow smoothing out, and that little tongue he darted out between his lips in concentration quickly disappearing as he gave his complete and undivided attention like he always did whenever I spoke.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he responded, and the gentle warmth in his voice made my chest skip with how much I loved this man.

"I’m thinking we really need to figure out what we’re going to na our baby," I said, setting my phone down in my lap. "We can’t just keep calling him ’baby’ and letting him fight with your motorcycle for the na Baby."

Jude chuckled at that, and the rich sound sent pleasant shivers running through my entire body. Then his brow furrowed again. "Sincerely, I haven’t really thought about it much yet," he admitted. "I know we should have, but every ti I try to think of nas, nothing feels quite right."

"Oh," I trailed off because I understood exactly what he ant. Children’s nas were supposed to have deep aning and significance and were supposed to be chosen with careful thought and consideration before officially naming a child. It wasn’t sothing to take lightly.

"Do you have any suggestions?" he asked.

I humd thoughtfully while my mind raced through various possibilities. Then suddenly my eyes lit up as an idea struck . "We can call him Snow!" I said excitedly and clapped my hands together. "Like as a temporary nickna until we co up with his real official na."

"Snow?" Jude tilted his head adorably.

"Yes!" I said, warming up to the idea as I explained. "Think about it. We t when snowflakes were drizzling down from the sky—our first ti evolved around it. " I shrugged and then continued. "And rember that dream about the puppy? His fur looked exactly like the snow, pure and beautiful."

Jude’s entire expression softened as he listened to explain, and then he smiled. "Let’s call him Snow, then," he said decisively. "That’s absolutely perfect, sweetheart."

"Are you sure?" I asked because I wanted to make certain he actually liked it and wasn’t just agreeing because I’d suggested it. "We don’t have to if you don’t—"

"Yes, sweetheart, I’m completely sure," he said firmly and dropped the knitting work to lean over and peck my forehead tenderly. "Snow is a perfect na for our little one.”

I smiled and felt warmth bloom in my chest at his easy agreent. Then a heavy silence descended between us as I started fidgeting with my hands nervously, twisting my fingers together in my lap. Of course Jude noticed imdiately.

"What’s wrong, sweetheart?" he asked gently, his hand coming to rest over both of mine to stop their anxious movent.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to voice the question that had been weighing on my mind for weeks now. "I know we already agreed to have the wedding after the baby is born..." I trailed off. "But I wanted to ask if... if I could invite my parents to it."

Jude just stared at with those kind, understanding eyes and pulled to his side in a gentle one-ard hug. "There’s absolutely no need to ask for my permission, sweetheart," he said softly. "They’re your parents. If you want them there at our wedding, then I don’t mind at all. And if you decide you don’t want them there, then I won’t mind that either. The choice is completely and entirely yours to make. I’ll support whatever you decide."

I felt my eyes imdiately sting with tears that threatened to spill over because this man, this incredible, wonderful man, always knew exactly what to say. He always had this way with words that cald all my anxieties down and made feel supported and loved.

"Thank you," I whispered and dropped a kiss against his jaw.

But he imdiately frowned and gently tilted my chin up so I was looking directly into his eyes. "We said no thank you’s and no I’m sorry’s between us, sweetheart," he whispered. "Rember?"

I smiled and pecked his jaw again in response, and he released this low, rumbling purring sound from deep in his chest that vibrated against my side where I was pressed against him.

Now it remains how I was going to invite my parents, and I found myself desperately hoping at least they would be welcoming and kind to Jude and little Snow even if they couldn’t manage to be welcoming to .