AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I could handle the tension if it wasn’t directed at me.
“The pack doesn’t.” She answered. “They’re beginning to see how important you are. You’re the light for them now that they’ve gotten over the shock of it all. The beacon of hope, you know, that they can be happy too.”
I stared at her, shocked. “Are you serious? I thought you all still... hated me.”
Mikayla sighed and shifted the baby from one breast to the other. I took that moment to carefully stand up and take down a box of biscuits from the shelf that I’d made yesterday. “I put the fresh raspberry jam from your mom in these.”
Cooking without magic was way tougher, but I was getting used to it.
“Thanks.” She said, taking one straight away. “I never hated you, Monique. I just... I can’t explain to you how I’ve felt over the past decade. My whole life actually. Being the last female born... I thought I’d broken the pack, or something. Then to watch my brother, and all the men around him not find their fated mate. And those that mated outside the pack... what happened to all those women.”
She shuddered as though the thoughts alone still tormented her.
I’d heard the stories of the ones that had died. “I can’t even imagine. I’m sorry.”
She grabbed another biscuit. “I thought I’d be the one to fix everything, you know? Have a daughter, give my pack hope for a future. But it wasn’t meant to be.”
I nodded along with her, with no idea how to comfort her. I reached for something true instead, and changed the subject. “Well, I want to thank you for showing up for me these past few weeks. I was ready to get in Xander’s truck and just head to Canada, probably never to return.”
Mikayla laughed and wiped at the tears that slid down her cheeks. “I can imagine! Our pack can be pretty bull-headed. But I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Me too.” It had been a hard choice to stay, but with Xander’s promise to turn everything around, I’d given it another shot, and it had been so worth the risk. “Plus, I don’t really like the idea of travelling and being sick all the time.”
It wouldn’t have been fun. Car rides and vomiting. Visiting strange, new places and not being able to eat without feeling sick. I would have ruined the vacation for everyone.
“Yeah, definitely.” She agreed. “Second trimester is the time to travel, if you still want a vacation then.”
Second trimester was only a month or so away. I could wait that long.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I said, and got up to make myself another cup of tea. Afterall, I’d lost most of the first one in the sink.
Mikayla left soon after so I had a nap to regain some energy, then walked over to the new house with a basket full of sandwiches and fruit for my men.
“Hey guys.” I called out as I approached.
Michael stepped out into the sunlight to smile at me, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He looked healthier and happier than I’d seen him in ages. “Hey sweetheart. We weren’t expecting you.”
I shrugged. “Felt like bringing lunch to you for a change.”
Xander hopped off the roof and Kyle joined us from whatever he was doing inside.
“I hear there’s a town meeting this afternoon,” I said as the guys began to eat the food I’d brought. “Are we all going?”
Xander froze with a sandwich halfway to his mouth, his teeth bared and ready to bite.
I stared at him and tried not to laugh at his shock. “Is that look because you didn’t know about it either?”
“Ah...”
“We were thinking of going,” Kyle admitted. “But we weren’t sure if you’d want to go.”
I twisted around to look at him. “You mean, you didn’t know if you wanted me there or not.”
“Well, a hundred angry men isn’t exactly a stress-free environment for you, sweetheart.” Michael added, his face shining with good health.
He’d been working on the house every day with the wolves, building his strength and endurance. And in the evening, he meditated, in the forest outside our cottage. He was keeping his magic close, ready for a fight. I just knew it.
Then I realized what he’d said and glared at them in turn. “You’re all in on this!”
