Natasha looks directly at me with her fake saccharine smile to deliver the oh so good news. "We're pregnant!"
CHAPTER EIGHT
"Reed told me you were gonna stop by last night, I was looking forward to seeing you!" Evony pulls me into a hug the moment she walks up to me. She hated being called the Luna and thought it was a stupid title and insisted on being called the alpha female of the Blood Moon Pack.
"I know. After dinner, I went out for a run and by the time I got back to my cabin I was exhausted." I hated lying to Evony. She was the best person I knew that was great for my cousin. She also treated me like I was her equal, even though I was several years younger than her. But age didn't matter to her, and I like to think she knows how much I appreciate her for it.
I didn't have the heart to tell her that I didn't stay in the cabin with my pack last night. I wasn't even sure if Lincoln knew that I didn't stay in the cabin, to be honest.
"But look at you! You look amazing! You have that pregnancy glow! Did you bring RJ too?"
"Aww, thank you! And no, not this time. I didn't know how much time I'd have to spend with him on this trip. He was a little put out with me, but he was fine once we told him he'd be staying with Angela and her new baby."
Angela was the beta female of their pack and for the longest her and Garrett, the Beta, were trying to conceive. She's a pretty awesome person to know as well.
"We'll catch up later," Evony says when she notices Alpha Storsant and his mate take their place at the table. Other Alphas and Betas begin to arrive at their assigned places at the table as well. I nod to Evony, but she's already waddling her insanely pregnant stomach over to Reed and Garrett.
"Shame, I'd hoped you would smell like me this morning," Thorne's voice slithers its way into my ear when he steps close to me. I sigh as his breath fans over my ear.
"Fat chance." I reply back curtly. Though the truth is I was grateful to him last night.
After Natasha's divine proclamation, I calmly walked up the stairs and into the new room that Lincoln expected me to stay in. Like I thought, the room reeked of sex amongst the two of them and I opened the window to air it out. It didn't take long for Lincoln and the nauseating pair to retreat to their rooms and when the entire cabin was silent, I threw my bags out the window. There was no way in hell I was staying here. None.
I gathered up my laptop bag and quietly snuck out of the bedroom door. The hallway was dark, and I didn't hear any sounds from down below. I listened carefully for a few more beats, my breath is stagnant in my lungs and it's not until I started moving very quietly towards the steps that I start to breathe. And even then, the breathes were halting.
Hesitantly, I put weight on the stairs one by agonizing one. I'm in the middle of the staircase when the next step started to sound off with a creak. I'm sure that in my head, it was the loudest sound in the house, even though I lifted my foot off of the offended step before it could sound the alarm. However, in reality, it barely made a sound above a whisper. At least that's what I told myself as I skipped over the step and proceeded down the steps.
It's not until I was completely at the bottom step that I sighed with relief. But I knew that I still needed to make it out of the house.
I crept to the front door and slowly turned the knob. Thankfully, the hinges were oiled well enough that the door didn’t creak as I pulled it open. Once the crisp summer’s night air hit me, I carefully closed the door and ran to the side of the house where my bags were.
Ideally, I would have gone to Reed and Evony’s cabin, but I didn't know which one they were in. Plus, knowing Reed, he would have called Lincoln and told him I was with them. I was now beyond frustrated because that meant that I had only one place to go.
I made the trek next door to Thorne’s cabin with all my bags in tow. None of the lights were on in the cabin I just left, however up ahead it seemed like every single light is on. At least I was positive that I wasn’t about to wake everyone up in the cabin.
I gave two solid knocks on the front door; my fist was about to pound out the third knock when the door opens to a man I'd never seen before. He looked at me questionably up and down, lingering much longer than I would have liked on my chest.
"What do you want?" His gruff voice annoyed me more than his lustful looks. How can someone be rude one second after undressing me with their eyes? Gross.
"I'm here to see Alpha Thorne. Tell him it's Kairi." Rude Boy narrowed his eyes at me, this time at my face before taking a look at the bags in my hand.
"Wait here." The door slammed in my face and I raised my eyebrow as the displaced air blew back some of my hair. A heavy sigh escaped as I looked back at the dark cabin I just escaped from. Still no lights, so I had hoped that meant that no one had noticed I had left.
The idea that my brother could be so cold for the sake of me shutting him out, pissed me off. Was I not allowed to have some space from him and his alpha tendencies? And more importantly, did he not realize how hurtful it was for him to command me to do something he could see I had no intention of doing? A small tear dared to escape, and I swiped it away just as the door opened behind me. I expected Rude Boy to be standing at the door, but it was a very shirtless Alpha Thorne that greeted me at the door.
Shirtless.
Muscles.
Good Goddess.
"Kairi. To what do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit?" I looked behind him into the cabin and saw that there was no one else in the hallway.
"I was wondering if you could put me up for the weekend. I can't stay with my brother." I hated this. I felt like a little beggar queen or something.
"Breaking ranks from your brother before you even considered my proposal? Is this an indication of a sinking ship?" I wanted to punch the amused look off of Thorne's face. But that would involve touching him. And his shirtless body. Goddess get a grip.
"We just got into an argument. Of the brother-sister variety. Nothing to do with the pack, so no, this is not an indictment on my brother's leadership skills. Can I stay here or not?"
Thorne looked like he was thinking it over, and even looked at the cabin. He opened his mouth to probably say something lewd before I stopped him.
"I'll sleep on the couch, I don't care. Just please?" I begged.
"Make a decision here and now."
"What seriously?" I asked but Thorne wasn't budging. I pulled my top lip between my teeth as I considered the possibility. I was wholly on board with the idea. My role as an alpha female would not change, just packs. Of course, I don't know how similarly or differently Willowhaven is from Stoneforest, but it can't be too different. "Fine, umm. There's just one thing I think you should know before you make a final decision," I tell him cryptically.
Thorne didn't say anything, he just stood there waiting for me to continue speaking. But I was in a tough place. As much as I wanted to say yes to him, I had to protect my child. What if I never say a word about my pregnancy and he's one of those wolves that can't adopt another's child? He'd try to kill my baby before he or she was born. I couldn't risk it. I wouldn't risk it. I had to tell him, so he didn't think I was trapping him.
"Umm, well as it turns out, I'm pregnant." Thorne's eyes widened at my revelation but there was nothing in his face that gave away what he was feeling or thinking. I was left to flounder in the air like a fish out of water. "There was a moment with my mat- uhh, with Julien and we were interrupted before we uhhh. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I'd hoped nothing would come of it, but somehow it did. And now, I'm pregnant. So, I can understand if you no longer want me by your side as a mate. But if you could let me stay here for the weekend, and transfer to your pack once all of this is over that would be great." I was only halfway through my explanation when I realized that I had started crying again. I tried not to feel weak, but the emotions were just overwhelming.
"Come in," Thorne simply said as he stepped aside in the doorway to let me in. As soon as I crossed the threshold, he held his hand
out for my bags and closed the door. The layout was the same as the one assigned to Willowhaven, including the furniture. Thorne was silent as he led me up the stairs. I had tried to protest and reiterated that the couch was fine. But Thorne only said, “I’m not putting a pregnant female on the couch.”
He opened the door to the alpha suite and I really started to protest again but Thorne dropped my bags on the bed and grabbed a spare blanket from the closet.
“We’ll talk more tomorrow,” was all he said before leaving me standing in the room alone. I didn’t know what any of this meant but sleep was calling me desperately.
I changed out of my dress and into an oversized t-shirt before climbing into bed. I set the alarm on my phone to wake me up earlier than normal. I know Thorne had said that we would speak tomorrow, but I had no intention on being near him, at least in the morning surrounded by his team.
And now after all of the avoidance that I had managed to pull this morning, including leaving the cabin while everyone was still sleep, Thorne managed to walk up straight behind me. I groan when I see that his chair was next to mine. Apparently, cabin assignments were also conducive to the seating arrangements for the summit. Great.
“You know, I don’t know why you thought that, I took my shower in the morning.”
“Yes. I do seem to recall an empty bed when I walked upstairs this morning. Any particular reason you didn't want to talk today?”
“I want no part in your games Thorne. Just, when we do finally talk, just give it to me straight.” Three elders from the Council walk in behind Alpha Storsant and choose the seats that were at the front of the room. Alpha Storsant stands and speaks to them, but it is obvious that the meeting is going to commence soon.
I look around the rotunda and finally spot my brother and Julien walk in. Lincoln looks absolutely pissed again as he makes his way to me, but one look at the way Natasha is dressed, I’m not sure if he’s mad at me, Julien, or Natasha. Knowing him, probably all three.
Natasha is wearing a low-cut bondage dress, in royal blue. Not only is its low cut leaving her cleavage embarrassingly visible, but it’s also very, very short. My only question was whether or not Julien told her the dress code before we left Willowhaven.
My hands unconsciously smooth out my own dress, a two toned, red and black dress. The top half of the dress was a deep red with cap sleeves, while the skirt was black. I adorned the waist with a skinny tan belt.
"You were gone again." My brother’s voice rings loudly in my head through our mind link. When I don’t make a move or signal that I’m going to answer him, Lincoln stews beside me as I open my laptop for notes. I don’t look at him as I prepare a new document in preparation for the meeting to begin. To the right of me, Thorne sits and the amused smirk of his is irritating. Ugh, between him, my brother, and Julien, every male in my life currently are too frustrating.
“Before we begin,” Alpha Storsant speaks up for the first time since we’ve been in the room. “The Elders from the Council has something that needs to take precedence to the agenda. After Elder Casper’s announcement, we will begin as planned.”
There is some shuffling of papers and voices as the remaining wolves take their seats as Elder Casper stands up to address the room. My fingers await on the keyboard to take dictation for our review when we get home. As soon as all of the attention is clearly focused on him, Elder Casper begins to speak.
“There are several reports coming in that the European packs are uniting to come out to the public. Some of these European packs are indicating that they are being hunted by a witch and are hoping to gain support of the humans. They are looking to the packs in the other continents to form a united front. It has always been our position to never expose ourselves to the public, however, rumors are some rogues are looking to upset the establishment by working for this witch. If that happens, there’s no telling what the rogues will reveal. Those with vendettas may work with the government to get vengeance for their former alphas. The implications could be disastrous."
“What do they hope to gain from that?” I muse. “Going public with the humans isn’t going to protect them from a witch, all that would do is cause the humans to panic and hunt down witches and shifters alike. And if a witch is so bent on destroying shifters, why is she working with rogues? How confident are you in these reports?”
“Is the witch community aware that they have a rogue witch on their hands? Why is this something that the wolves have to deal with? I say let them take care of it, leave the wolves out of it.” A Beta I wasn't familiar with asked from the row behind me. Everyone in attendance turned their attention back to the Elder for the answer.
"Yes, you are correct young Kairi, these are two separate events and humans will never be able to protect anyone, least of all themselves once a witch has turned their sights on them. At this time, it's just speculation, but in regard to why they would like to go public we suspect that a growing number of their true mates have been human." Wow, that's somewhat huge. From what I know of our history, wolves rarely find humans to be their true mates. However, some wolves who chose the sciences as their profession, performed studies and found that humans who were true mates to wolves had a latent shifter gene. Though they would never be able to gain the ability to shift, as long as that human mated with another shifter, their offspring would be able to shift.
Oddly enough, wolves who mated with full-blooded humans always resulted in children who could not shift.
I'm still in my bubble of wonderment when I hear Evony's voice cut through my fog.
"Is there a way we can get ahead of this in case the European packs go forward with this agenda?" I smiled sweetly as Evony had stood up from her chair and was rubbing her stomach in a soothing circle. I remember that Evony had aspirations of working in the United Nations. But that was before she found Reed. I could already see the cogs in her brain turning with thoughts.
"Do you have something to propose?"
"I think we should have a Public Relations team in place in case something happens. Say the packs decide not to oust us for whatever reason. Who's to say something else won't come up in the future?" There was a twinkle in Evony's eye and everyone could see it. This was her element. "However, with a team already in place, we can already have our spin on things to calm the public's fears. Each pack should have a spokesperson or correspondent that has skills in public speaking, or personable people skills that could act as a liaison for their region. However, we won't push the need to go public until we no longer have a choice.
"And I'd like to be the one that heads up the initiative. I can do any training if necessary, give talking points," I have a feeling that Evony could have continued to speak so passionately about something she felt deeply for, but Reed put a stop to it and got her to sit down. Evony looks up bashfully as the rest of us look on amusingly.
"That is an excellent idea. Please put together a proposal and forward it to me so that I can talk it over with the rest of the council." Elder Casper smiles down at Evony, but not in a condescending way though. He was genuinely intrigued by her idea. And frankly, it was a damn good one. Werewolves were always in the prime of our lives, our bodies were lean and strong with zero ounces of body fat. Anyone of us would be appealing, appearance wise, to the general public. Our beauty could be a sort of illusion of proof that there is no need to be afraid of us.
I think as long as none of the alphas were the ones to go on live television, it would be kind of cool for someone to speak with the best interests of the packs in mind. Not that the alphas couldn't do it themselves, but I can already feel the headache that would cause us if someone asked the wrong question and pissed him off. An alpha's temper is nothing to be trifled with and definitely something that should never been seen by people who would be looking for anything to put werewolves on the hook.
Elder Casper claps his hands and his eyes roam around the room, never faltering his gaze from the dozens of alphas gathered here today. "Well, I've taken up
enough of your time. I'll let you get back to the summit." He turns his attention to Alpha Storsant, "I trust you will have a copy of the proceedings forwarded to the council?"
Alpha Storsant nods, and without another word or acknowledgement Elder Casper walks out of the meeting room.
"Now, let's begin with roll."
CHAPTER NINE
I can’t even begin to figure out how I’m taking notes about this meeting. The air conditioning of the room is circulating all of the scents of everyone in the meeting, but the only one I can discern is Julien’s. My heart feels like it’s constantly breaking, and I can’t help but wonder if he can feel any ounce of my pain. Or is he too distracted by Natasha?
On top of that, I keep getting distracted by the two alphas on either side of me. On my left, is my brother who keeps trying to bore holes in the side of my head as I type up the minutes of the meeting. There is the possibility that he’s reading what I’m typing to make sure it’s accurate.
I’m seriously functioning on auto-pilot here.
The Rejection (Luna of the Pack Series) Page 8