I went against Brian’s advice. I needed to tell Amanda that way she wouldn’t hate me all day. There was no escaping each other today.

It was already noon. If we didn’t start now, the food wouldn’t be done by the time they all got hungry.

I lightly knocked on their bedroom door. Amanda shot up and started wiping her eyes.

I’m sure I looked guilty, cause I sure felt guilty. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head sniffling. “I’m just being over sensitive. You don’t have to tell me why you’re mad if you don’t want to.”

I sighed and sat down on their bed. “I didn’t mean to be mean to you. And if I should tell anyone why I’m mad, it should be you.”

She nodded and took a deep breath with a little smile. “These hormones drive me absolutely bonkers.”

I smiled. “Hopefully mine won’t drive me crazy.”

She shook her heads, “I’m sure you don’t have crazy hormones like I do.”  She wiped her eyes one last time.

I sighed, “That’s what made me mad.”

She instantly looked confused. “What are you talking about?”

“I just took a pregnancy test.” Amanda’s eyes went the widest I’ve ever seen them. “They were all positive.”

She screamed and launched herself at me. She was a lot faster than I expected her to be. She had me lying flat on my back while she cried on me. “I’m so happy!” She sobbed. “We can have cute little babies together.”

She lifted my shirt despite my protests and kissed the nonexistent bump. “I’ll be such a great aunt!”

Brian entered the room. “Why the screaming?” he sighed when he looked at his wife. “She’s not even showing.”

She just smiled at her husband. “It doesn’t matter. It’s in there.”

“You two should start on dinner. The turkeys will take forever.”

She nodded and pulled me up. “Let’s go cook!”

She was so happy now. One second she was crying because she was sad, then she was crying again because she was happy. I could only cross my fingers that I wouldn’t be as crazy as she is.

Amanda was going to blab her mouth, I just knew it. She was extra bubbly. Whenever the guys would come into the kitchen, they’d look at her probably thinking she was on something.

Hell, I thought she was on something, but I knew what made her so happy.

They just chalked it up to pregnancy hormones. They wouldn’t question the happy Amanda while she was making their dinner.

I just hoped that no one would question what has made her so happy.

Brian came into the kitchen carrying his son. He stopped when he looked at his wife.

He shook his head then looked at me. “Can you guys watch him for a bit?”

I nodded and wiped my hands on a towel. Amanda’s hands were filthy from kneading the crust for her pies.

“He can’t stay in here for a long time.” Amanda looked at her husband. I quickly took Matt and got out of their way.

Her happy switch flipped to snippy.

Brian nodded quickly. “I know. I just need to help set up. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “You better be.”

He nodded and quickly left the room.

She smiled over at me and looked at her son. “You hungry?”

He nodded. I sat him on the counter and grabbed a box of crackers.

“So that was a bit dramatic.” I said with a smile.

She nodded and turned back to her pie project. “He’s more motivated when he thinks I’m mad at him.” She shrugged, “I don’t want Matt in here right now, there’s too much going on.”

She leaned over and kissed his forehead when he whined. He may be small, but he still understood.

Brian was jogging into the kitchen at almost exactly 10 minutes.

“Ready buddy?”

Matt nodded and jumped off the counter to his father. I gasped and went to catch him. Brian rushed over and caught his son.

“What was that?” I asked shocked.

Brian shrugged. “Matt’s new game.”

“Scaring me?”

He threw Matt over his shoulder, earning a squeal from his son. “No. He likes testing how quickly I can run to catch him.”

I shook my head and watched Brian carry his son out of the room.

“They’re awfully cute aren’t they?”

I nodded and went back to the sink, resuming the task of peeling a million potatoes. “They are adorable.” I absolutely hate prep work.

“I can’t wait for the day when all the guys are carrying around their kids.”

“That would be weird. I can’t imagine some of them as fathers.”

She looked down at my stomach before looking back up in my eyes. “They’d be great fathers.”

I sighed, “We’ll see.” I grabbed a knife from the block and started cutting the potatoes into huge chunks.

When we heard the door open, it wasn’t a big deal. It’s not like anyone who happened to be listening would be able to figure out what we were talking about.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m over here today?” A woman’s voice said.

Amanda’s head whipped over to me. Her eyes were wide and she was shaking her head. Her good mood took a deep dive south.

“Yea, Connor let me extend the invitation.” Grayson said sweetly.

I gripped the knife I was holding tightly. He brought his girlfriend here. On the DAY I find out I’m having his freaking kid.

I broke eye contact with Amanda and looked in the direction where I heard them.

“I don’t want to intrude.” I wanted to stab them both in the face.

“Put that knife down.” Connor said from behind me.

I looked over at him. “I’m not going to throw it at them.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Grayson would just catch it.”

“Put it down.” Connor ordered.

I dropped the knife. It clattered on the counter.

I looked over when the happy couple walked into the kitchen.

His hand was on her waist. Rage rolled through my body in intense waves.

Connor cleared his throat. I left the room.

I wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it.

“Someone come with!” I yelled as I walked towards the trees. I wasn’t allowed to go alone, but anywhere was better than here.

I didn’t care that I didn’t have the proper attire to walk through the woods for this time of year. Nothing mattered but getting as far away as quickly as possible.

I didn’t get very far into the woods when someone finally caught up.

I walked for hours, trying to wear off the rage, but it never eased itself.

“What’s wrong?” Chris finally asked with genuine concern in his voice.

I shook my head, I wouldn’t cry.

“You can talk to me Casey.”

“No. I can’t. You’d blab your mouth to Connor.” I said angrily.

He sighed. “As long as it’s not endangering the pack, then I don’t have to tell Connor anything.”

“He’ll ask you, then you’ll have to tell him.”

Chris sighed, “You need to talk about what’s bothering you.”

“No I don’t.”

“Is it Grayson’s relationship with Miranda?” I shot a dirty look at him. He shook his head. “It’s not going to be this horrible forever.”

“What does that mean? Do I just get over it?”

Chris shook his head. “No. You’re supposed to get pissed off. Then you’ll feel better. Maybe then you can move on.”

“It’s way too late to just move on.” I grumbled as I continued to climb up a steep hill.

“You can’t let Grayson get to you like this. He’s the one who came home with a girlfriend.”

“I wish I could hurt him.”

Chris chuckled. “We’ve all wished that once or twice.”

I made it to the top of the hill only to see trees, trees and more trees.

I felt the temperature drop. “What time is it?”

Chris shrugged, “Past dinner time.”

“Maybe when we get back that bitch will be gone?”

Chris smiled at me. “I like the little spiteful you. It’s kind of cute.”

I tried to swat him, but he dodged smiling more.

“Maybe you just need to hit something to make you feel better.” I nodded. That sounded great. “I’ll tape Grayson’s face to the punching bag, then you can have at it.”

I nodded, “That sounds like a great idea.”

“Can we go home now?”

I nodded. “At my speed though.”

He nodded, “Alright.”

It was dark when we got back to the house. I could hear shouts coming from inside the house.

“It looks like they didn’t miss us.” I mumbled rubbing my arms. I was cold now that I wasn’t so angry.

Chris shrugged, “I don’t care if they missed us. They just better have left us food.”

He opened the sliding glass door and let me go in first. He followed me into the kitchen. Amanda was crouching in front of the oven. Her eyebrows were creased in worry.

“Pie not turning out right?” I asked trying to sound normal.

She jumped and looked up at me. Once she stood up, she ran over and hugged me. “Where’d you run off too? I’ve been so worried!”

I sighed, “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t be here.”

She nodded and rubbed my arms with her warm hands. “You’re so cold!”

She let me go then swatted Chris. “You shouldn’t have let her stay out there so late. It’s supposed to snow soon!”

He shrugged, “What am I supposed to do? If I offered she would’ve bitten my head off.”

Chris snuck past Amanda and opened the fridge. He looked so happy when he pulled out 4 plates of food.

Amanda got out a container. “Brian put this together for you.” Her smug smiled told me that something was off.

I opened it and groaned. Everything was portioned out. Looked over at Chris’ plates. He had piles of the good stuff.

“I want those plates.”

Amanda smiled. “Better grab some now before he comes in.”

Chris stood in front of the microwave, watching it spin round and round with his food. I felt bad for keeping him out for so long.

The oven started beeping. Amanda quickly went over and pulled out two pies with a huge smile on her face.

“Is one of those an apple?”

She nodded. “Of course!”

I ate all the food Brian portioned for me. I even stole quite a bit of Chris’ food since he had lots of it.

Then I ate a huge slice of pie. No one bothered us while we were eating.

This thanksgiving sucked, but there was always next year.

I was absolutely stuffed when I tried to kick open the door to my room. It didn’t work. I looked at the knob. It was new. I smiled. Someone fixed my door.

So I couldn’t be lazy anymore.

When the door opened, I noticed a dark figure in my room.

“Who’s that?” I asked casually. It was probably one of the guys just trying to freak me out. I wouldn’t let them scare me.

I stepped into the room and flicked the light switch. This guy was dressed from head to toe in black. He had a ski mask on.

“Who are you?” Now I was a little concerned. My thoughts immediately went to Stephan’s warning.

Then I saw their hand tighten around a small knife. The guys wouldn’t take this so far, this wasn’t a joke.

This person was here to kill me.

There was no flight or fight option here. This masked killer had to be a werewolf. There was no way a human would be able to get into this house without anyone noticing. I’d have to hold this guy off until help arrived.

I took a step out of my room.

“Get in here, or I’ll kill your little friends.”

“You wouldn’t get close to anyone.”

Then he ran at me. He was so slow. I could easily dodge him. This guy couldn’t be a werewolf. He had to be a dumbass human.

“Guys!” I yelled. I could hold this retard off long enough for one of the guys to come.

I didn’t have to wait long. Grayson came in through my open window as the guy came for me again.

“What in hell…” Grayson said as he took in the situation.            

The intruder’s eyes grew wide when he saw Grayson. I mean, who just shows up wearing no shirt? Grayson knocked the guy out and threw him over his shoulder.

The blade clattered to the ground.

“What was this about?” Grayson hissed.

“Why were you climbing through my window?” I retorted.

He readjusted the man. “I caught his scent while I was outside.”

“Oh, when you got back from taking your girlfriend home?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yes.”

Then he carried the man out my door.

“Lock your windows.” Grayson hollered from down the hall.

I just rolled my eyes and picked up the dagger. Why would a human break into this house and try to kill me? I saw a bag on my bed, full of my jewelry and anything he thought he could sell.

I’d interrupted his robbery. My luck had to be the worst in the world.

The next morning I was told that there had been a string of robberies all over town. None of the pack houses had been hit. This guy hit our house because it was huge. There had to be a lot of stuff to steal. The retard should’ve robbed us while we were all gone.

Connor turned the intruder in that night. He didn’t even slap him around. He just wanted the intruder off of our property. The cops didn’t even bother coming to the house to make a report. Whatever Connor said answered all their questions.