Chapter Seven
“When I let you stay in my territory, I was expecting you to behave,” Grant Anderson said as he stepped into the living room of his plush penthouse apartment. The Alpha was dressed in a sleeping robe, his hair disheveled and he wore a scowl on his face. “Tell me I’m not going to regret my decision.”
“Sorry for getting you up in the middle of the night, Alpha,” Killian said with a curt bow. “This is Luna Rhoades,” he introduced.
Grant eyed Luna, his eyes immediately drawn to her belly. Luna’s cheeks turned pink. “How do you do?”
He nodded back but didn’t approach her. “Ms. Rhoades,” he acknowledged. “Please sit. Tell me, did you see Killian’s wolf?” Straight to the point. Grant wasn’t Alpha for nothing.
“Y-y-yes,” she stammered. “It…he…saved me from these men who were trying to kidnap me.”
“Dammnit, Killian, other people saw you in Lycan form?” Grant ran his palm down his face. “Nick will deal with that. Dr. Faulkner is on his way to examine Ms. Rhoades. But, you’re sure she’s your True Mate?”
“Yes, Alpha,” Killian confirmed. “Meredith can attest to that.”
“Congratulations.” A petite woman stepped out from the same door Grant came from. Her thick, curly, dark hair flowed in waves down her shoulders, and her green silk robe was wrapped around a large, very pregnant belly.
“Lupa,” Killian greeted the Alpha’s wife. “Apologies for disturbing your sleep.”
“We weren’t sleeping,” Frankie Anderson said in an amused voice that made Grant’s scowl deepen.
“Then I should probably say sorry again,” Killian replied.
“It’s all good. Besides, I was curious.” Frankie’s mismatched blue and green eyes looked at Luna warmly. “Another one,” she exclaimed, moving closer to Luna. “Amazing. May I?”
Luna looked up at the petite woman and nodded. Frankie sat next to her and placed her hand on her belly. “Good…strong…” she said. “Want to feel mine?” Luna nodded and Frankie took her hand and placed it on her bump. “One more month,” Frankie said, rubbing her belly. “One more month and I get to see my baby.”
The door to the suite opened making Luna jump in surprise. An older man wearing a trench coat and holding a medical bag strode in.
“I’m Dr. Tom Faulkner,” he introduced. “You must be Ms. Rhoades. I’m the clan’s official doctor, and I’d like to give you an initial examination. Is that all right?”
Luna nodded. “Of course.”
“Let’s go to the guest room,” Frankie suggested. Dr. Faulkner helped Frankie and Luna up, and then the Lupa led them to the hallway on the other side of the room.
“Well, this is going to complicate things,” Grant said as he walked to liquor cabinet in the corner of the room. He selected a decanter filled with amber liquid and poured two glasses. He handed one to Killian.
“Thanks,” he said, accepting the glass. “It certainly is. I swear, Alpha, I didn’t know she was still pregnant. She told me it was gone." He didn’t want Grant to think Luna was capable of getting rid of a pup. Many Lycans were sensitive about that, especially with their dwindling numbers.
“She lied to you?”
“It was for the baby’s sake,” he assured Grant. “Look, that’s not point. She’s here and so is the baby. I’m going to raise the pup with her.”
“As you should,” Grant replied.
“And she already knows about us, so all we have to do is petition the Council and she can pledge to the Lycans.”
“It sounds simple, but as you know, things with the Lycan High Council have been in chaos, ever since Rodrigo’s treachery came out.” Grant took a sip. “But, I’ll see what I can do. We have to tell them about Luna, though they won’t be happy about all these complications. They’ll want to know where she’s been, who she’s told and if anyone else knows that she’s carrying a True Mate child.”
“What can they do anyway? If—”
“Killian! I got your text. Where is she? Is she all right?”
Meredith materialized out of thin air next to the planter in the corner of the living room with her husband, Daric, right beside her. He looked slightly annoyed, his blue-green eyes piercing right into Killian.
Grant groaned. “Call next time you plan to pop in, okay?”
“Sorry, Alpha,” Daric huffed in apology. “But Meredith was quite insistent we had to be here now.”
“My niece or nephew’s baby mama was attacked!” Meredith exclaimed. “Of course we had to be here now. Did you kick their asses, Killian?”
“I hurt one of them, but they all got away.”
“Fuck. I’m gonna murder them, then Daric will bring them back to life, then I’m gonna kill them again,” Meredith said, her eyes glowing.
“I cannot bring the dead back to life, min kjære,” Daric pointed out.
“Yeah, well I’m gonna make them bleed. No one hurts my family and gets away with it.”
Grant heaved a heavy sigh. “Anyway, going back to the problem at hand. I think it would be best for Luna if she stayed here in the Enclave. She’ll be protected, have round the clock security, and she’ll be close to the Medical Wing.”
“No,” Killian growled. “She stays with me.” The thought of being away from Luna was making his wolf antsy. She’d been away from them for too long.
“I know the feeling of not wanting to be away from your mate, Killian, especially at this time,” Grant said, glancing to where Frankie had taken Dr. Faulkner and Luna. “But we can’t have her loose around New York. She hasn’t been properly vetted, and we can’t be sure she won’t talk to the press or the police.”
“She won’t,” Killian assured Grant. “I know she won’t. And I won’t let her out of my sight.”
“Why don’t you let ‘her’ make that decision?” Luna said as she walked back into the living room. Her back was straight as a board and her face drawn into a scowl. “I’m not some child. I have my own place, a job, and life.”
“You don’t need to go back to that place,” Killian declared. “I have lots of space and my building is safe. And you never have to work again. I have plenty of money to support you and the baby. You’re coming home with me.”
“I’m going home to my apartment.” Luna put her hands up and stalked over to Killian. She poked his chest. “I’m not taking your money. I know where it came from. Do they know that you’re a thief and liar? That you steal things and sell them for money?”
Killian was silent, but Meredith guffawed. “Yeah, we all do,” she said wryly. “I mean, we did. Me, Killian, Connor, and Quinn. But we’re legit now. Mostly.”
Luna looked at them like they were all insane. “I’m going home.”
“My dear,” Dr. Faulkner said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “As I said, my initial examination of you isn’t enough. You must come to the Medical Wing first thing tomorrow for more tests.”
“Which is why she’ll stay here with us,” Frankie insisted.
“The hell she will!” Killian shouted.
“Killian, don’t yell at my wife,” Grant warned, the air around them suddenly growing thick.
Killian gave Frankie a nod. “Apologies, Lupa, I mean no disrespect. But you understand, right? She should be with her mate.”
Frankie’s blue and green eyes turned to steel. “You may be the father of her child,” she said in an icy voice. “But whether you’re her mate is still debatable. A mate wouldn’t let the mother of his pups get to this state.”
Grant walked over to his wife and put an arm around her shoulder. “It’s all right, sweetheart.”
“Look at her!” Frankie exclaimed, her body shaking. “She’s not healthy. She’s practically starving.”
Frankie’s piercing gaze and cutting words made guilt slash through Killian. The Lupa was right, of course. She nailed it.
“He didn’t know,” Luna spoke up. “I…I hid the baby from him.”
Killian’s head jerked towards her. Why was Luna defending him? She had Frankie Anderson, Lupa of New York and Alpha of New Jersey on her side. She could have Killian tossed out on his ass or worse, yet she chose to make excuses for him. Maybe all hope wasn’t lost and Luna still cared for him.
“Please, Alpha,” Killian said. “Let me take her home. She’ll be safe with me.”
“I already said I’m going home.”
“You can’t let her go.”
“She’ll be okay in the guest room. I’ll make sure she’s okay until the baby is born.”
Everyone was talking at the same time until finally, Meredith put her fingers to her lips and whistled.
“All right, all right, everyone just pipe down!” Meredith put her hands on her hips. “You,” she said to Killian. “You don’t have the right to tell her what to do just because you knocked her up. And you,” she turned to Grant. “You can’t keep her a prisoner here. Because that’s what you’re trying to do, right? Want to put a tracking bracelet on her too?”
“Are you telling your Alpha what to do?” Grant asked incredulously.
“I’m not done!” Meredith held up her hand. “Lupa,” she said to Frankie. “Thank you for your generous offer, but I think it would be best if Luna were somewhere safe, where she can feel more normal and at home.”
“And that would be?”
“Why, with me of course!” Meredith said cheerfully. “Where else? We’re practically family.”
“No way. She’s coming home with me,” Killian argued.
“I think staying with Meredith makes perfect sense,” Frankie nodded in agreement. “You can bring her back here for her full examination tomorrow.”
“I can protect her,” Killian interjected. “She’ll be safe with me.”
“Oh please, Killian,” Meredith said. “Where could she possibly be safer than with two Lycans, a warlock, and dragon?”
“A what and what?” Luna asked, her eyes darting back and forth between Meredith and Killian.
“I’ll explain later,” Meredith said, patting her head. “It’s settled then. Daric, let’s go. Bye everyone, see you in the morning!”
Meredith grabbed Luna’s arm and they disappeared before anyone could protest.
“Fucking Meredith,” Killian and Grant said at the same time.
Dr. Faulkner looked amused and Frankie laughed. “Good luck to you,” she said to Killian. “But trust me,” she added, patting her belly and giving Grant a warm look. “It’s all worth it.”
***
Luna heaved a gasp as the coldness that gripped her body slowly ebbed away. She blinked a couple of times and then opened her eyes. She was standing in the middle of a cavernous living room, decorated lushly in warm shades of olive, blue and brown. A large leather sectional sofa was in one corner in front of a sixty inch HDTV screen. There was also a ten foot tall stuffed unicorn with a golden horn in the corner, grinning at her. Where was she?
“Welcome home,” Meredith said. “Our home, I mean.”
“I hope you’ll be comfortable,” the man standing next to her said. He had been at the penthouse but didn’t speak. The man was tall and handsome, with long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. Eyes like the clear ocean looked back at her. “I’m Daric.”
“He’s my baby daddy,” Meredith said proudly.
“Husband,” Daric corrected.
“Aww, of course, honey. You’re my number one.” She gave his butt a playful squeeze, and he rolled his eyes then smiled warmly at her.
Luna watched them, pushing the envy deep down. Not that she begrudged Meredith and Daric, but she knew a loving relationship like theirs was something she would never have.
“So, Luna, are you hungry?” Meredith’s eyes lit up. “What am I saying, of course, you are. You both are,” she laughed, looking at her belly.
She blushed. Frankie had mentioned something about having an unusual appetite when they were pregnant with…what did she say? Something about a mate. The kindly old doctor commented that she was underweight for someone in her state, to which she’d blurted out that she just didn’t have a lot of money for extra food. Frankie had looked livid and Luna was scared that the other woman would give birth right then and there. She didn’t tell her why she was broke, but Frankie was smart enough to figure it out on her own.
Truthfully, she should have been more resistant. Werewolves were real. They were living right under everyone’s noses and everyone she met tonight was one, except for Meredith’s husband. But he had magical powers. What else was real? Werebears? Mermaids? Her mind was reeling with the possibilities. Lycans were real, and she was carrying one of them.
Meredith had led her to the kitchen, made her sit on one of the stools around the counter, and proceeded to take out various plastic containers. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you healthy soon enough.”
“You don’t have to do this.” But Luna’s eyes grew wide when Meredith began to lay out the food. Bread, cold cuts, pastries, pasta, half of a roasted chicken, some ham. Her stomach grumbled loudly and she blushed.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” Daric soothed. “We’re all used to pregnant mates and their appetites.”
“Thank you for letting me stay,” she replied. Luna didn’t want to impose, but after her kidnapping attempt, she was scared of being alone.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he stated. “And it makes Meredith happy.”
“And you don’t have to stay up with me for my two a.m. feedings,” Meredith said wryly.
She handed Luna a croissant and she eagerly took it, taking a huge bite. “Oh my God, this is amazing! Reminds me of the croissants I had when I went to this conference in Paris.”
“We brought them back a few days ago,” Meredith said. “Daric can pick you up some freshly-baked ones in the morning.”
“Er…that’s okay,” Luna stammered. Right. Daric apparently had the ability to travel halfway across the world in a second. “This is still good.” She finished the whole thing and then accepted a loaded plate from Meredith.
“I’ll leave you girls to your feast,” Daric said. He leaned down and kissed Meredith on the cheek then walked towards the steps that led up to a lofted bedroom.
“I just texted Jade. That’s my best friend and neighbor. She’s hungry, too and will be right up,” Meredith said through a mouthful of apple pie. “Oh, I hear the front door. That’s her. Don’t worry, you’ll love Jade. She’s sweet.”
A few moments later, a petite brunette walked into the loft. She was pretty, with long brown hair that was tied back in a messy braid. As she approached them, she let out a sleepy yawn and rubbed her pregnant belly.
“Oh wow, is everyone around here pregnant?” Luna belatedly slapped her hand over her mouth. It was rude of her, but she couldn’t help it. Who the heck wasn’t knocked up?
The brunette laughed and held out her hand. “I’m Jade. Jade Cross.” Jade had a soft, posh voice with a slight English accent. Up close, she was even prettier, with her light green eyes and creamy rosy skin.
“Luna Rhoades,” she replied, shaking the other woman’s hand.
“How far along are you?” Jade asked as she sat down next to Meredith and began to pile her plate with food.
“Um, about four months? I’m not sure. I haven’t been to a doctor.”
“Well, when was the first time you and Killian had sex?"
Jade gave her friend a warning look and Luna bit her lip as her eyes dropped to the floor.
Meredith rolled her eyes. “Oh, c’mon. I don’t want to hear the details. Eww, gross. But if you can narrow it down then you can figure out the due date. I’m sure Dr. Faulkner will ask you tomorrow.”
“Did he ask you?” Jade inquired.
“No, but I told him anyway,” Meredith said.
“Er…” Luna’s brows knitted.
“Oh, sorry,” Meredith sighed. “I forgot you don’t know anything about True Mates, yet. Let me give you the rundown.”
“I’m a doctor,” Jade said. “I should explain it to her.”
“Well, I tell it better. Here,” she shoved an egg tart in the pretty Lycan’s mouth. “We just got these in Hong Kong. They’re still warm.”
Jade tried to protest through a mouthful of pastry, but Meredith shushed her. “So, where do I begin? Lycans, as you know, exist. We have wolves living inside of us and sometimes we let them out to have a little bit of fun. Don’t worry, we’re all in full control of our wolves and sworn to secrecy, never to reveal ourselves to the general public.”
“Right,” Luna said. She got that part.
“Lycans also have an infertility problem. Not, you know,” she made a gesture with her index finger, crooking it down and whistling a sad tune. “Trust me. Or I’m sure you know, am I right?”
Luna blushed. No, Killian never had problems performing in the bedroom. If anything, he was always in the mood.
“Get on with it,” Jade grumbled as she swallowed the last bit of egg custard.
“Yes, yes,” Meredith said rolling her eyes. “See, Lycans can’t always have kids. It’s very hard for couples to conceive and those who do rarely have more than one. Also, if a Lycan were to mate with a human, they always have a human kid. Now, apparently, one exception is the True Mates. True Mates always conceive the first time they boink without condoms. Even if you’re on birth control.”
“So why don’t Lycans just have kids with their True Mates?” Luna asked.
“Well, no one really knows how to find their True Mates,” Meredith replied. “You just kind of find each other.”
“And there weren’t a lot of those types of pairing. Until now,” Jade said, rubbing her belly.
“Yeah, after like, a million years—”
“Decades,” Jade corrected.
“Right. True Mate pairings weren’t common. In fact, no one’s had a True Mate for at least a generation. Until about…oh, over a year ago? That’s when it started. Since then, True Mate pairings have been popping up. Like Daric and me.”
There was a lot of information processing in her head, but Luna tried to keep up. “So, wait. Daric’s not a human or Lycan, though, right?”
Meredith shook her head. “Nuh-uh. He’s a warlock.”
“They exist, too?”
“Yup. Warlocks and witches, though they don’t usually like us much.”
“Are there other creatures like you? I mean—werebears? Werelions? How about vampires?”
Meredith chortled. “No. No. And eww, no.”
“So just wolves, huh?”
“And dragons. Well, one dragon,” Jade said. “My mate is a dragon, but Sebastian’s one of a kind. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it some other time.”
“Right.” Wolves and Dragons—check. She took a piece of chicken breast and stuffed it into her mouth, contemplating everything she had heard.
“Don’t worry, Luna, it’ll all be okay,” Meredith assured her. “Your baby will be fine. Remember what I told you? We’re invincible. We can get stabbed, shot, poisoned…”
“Thrown off a cliff,” Jade reminded her.
“Oh yeah, that was a good one,” Meredith chuckled. “Anyway, nothing can harm you or the baby while you’re pregnant.”
Luna gasped. “I was in an accident the other day. A hit and run.”
“Yeah, good thing you were preggers then,” Meredith said. “Of course, the downside is that sonograms don’t work on us. We don’t know the sex of the baby until they’re born.” She rubbed her belly. “I’ve been praying for a girl. I saw the cutest Ariel onesie the other day, and I bought it. I’ve been keeping it from Daric because I think he knows it’ll be a boy,” she pouted.
“Well, I’m glad to know that,” Luna said, managing a smile.
“So, can I ask you something?” Meredith said in a small voice.
“Sure.”
“About Killian.”
“Oh.” Her hand trembled, and she nearly dropped the glass she was holding. “Um…”
“I don’t want to be nosy…” Jade guffawed and Meredith elbowed her. “But…I think Killian is still in love with you. Do you love him?”
Luna went quiet. Did she ever love him? Or was what she felt because they were somehow thrown together by magic, fate, biology, or whatever was behind True Mates?
“Killian hasn’t been the same since he came to New York. When our dad died, he was devastated of course, we all were. But it’s been months, and he hasn’t even shown any signs of being his old self. And now I know that’s because of you.”
“Wait. Your dad died?” Guilt and sadness washed over her. Killian. Who was with him when his father died? Did someone help him through the grief? No, she shouldn’t think of such things. She hated him. But a small, unacknowledged part of her was aching for him.
“Our adoptive father. Archie took Killian, Quinn, Connor, and me in when we were orphaned. Anyway,” Meredith continued. “I know he hurt you and left you to fend for yourself. But he’s a good guy and we could always count on him to do the right thing. He’s our big brother, our leader, and he’s always put everyone’s interests ahead of his own.” Meredith looked at Luna with pleading eyes. “I think…if you give him a chance, he can be a good mate and a good father.”
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked defensively.
“Because I miss the old Killian,” Meredith murmured. “The one who used to make me laugh. Who could charm the pants off anyone and didn’t take things so seriously. I miss that light in his eyes.”
Luna didn’t know what to say. Killian did seem different. She knew what Meredith was talking about though. He used to have this mischievous sparkle in his eyes that could make anyone smile. “I don’t know, Meredith. I need time.”
“Think about it, will you? Because something tells me, he’s not going to let you go easy.”
She placed a hand on her stomach. “You mean, our baby.” Maybe that’s what he really wanted. His Lycan child.
Meredith let out a sigh. “Think what you like, but he may surprise you.”
Luna pushed her empty plate away from her, finally full. “Thank you for the meal.”
“You can have anything you want in the house, okay? Don’t worry, we have plenty more. Now, let me show you to your room. We’re still renovating and haven’t figured out the final layout, so don’t worry if you wake up and there’s a wall somewhere that didn’t have one before. It’s perfectly normal.”
Somehow, Luna knew that her definition of perfectly normal was about to change.