A familiar ring startles me awake in the middle of the night, its persistent ringing has me reaching the bedside table for the house phone.

"Hello," sleep heavy in my voice.

"Hello," Grey's deep voice has me closing my eyes, pulling the covers over my head.

"Hi," smiling into the darkness, it feels nice to hear his voice in the deep night, it's almost like his voice is wrapping around me in an acoustic blanket it strums and vibrates around me.

"I just wanted to say goodnight before I go to bed, make sure you're okay" his voice is quiet, deep and so soothing.

He's been calling me like this late at night since he's been gone just seeing how I'm doing, updating me on Fin's progress with his ascension.

I find it easier to talk with him this way, sleepy and comfortable in my warm bed. We can talk for hours, it's stress-free without the distraction of the day to complicate things. I think the both of us love our late night talks...at first, it was a little awkward but now even the silence has meaning for us.

I'm starting to get comfortable with my feelings towards him, little by little he's changing my mind, my idea of who he is. Everyone see's him as this beast but I can see him without the title, stripped down he's without the need to show dominance...he's perfect.....that's who I like.

"How was your day?" Breathing the words gently out.

"Challenging, we had to make examples of Victoria's beta's and some of her enforcers today," my breath hitches in my throat, those were good males. I could just picture the sight of Fin looking like a King in front of his pack, him immediately dishing out a lethal justice for any perceived challenge.

It would be a time of great unrest for the pack. In the darker days of pack take over the winning Alpha sometimes slaughtered every member of the losing pack, and only keeping the land.

This is the time to rid the pack of all males that even think of offering the slightest thought of resistance to the new Alpha. Any male that does not bow down, tuck tail will be dealt with in the most violent of ways. I could imagine Fin's wolf bathed in the blood of these males, while Victoria is forced to watch and stay silent. She understands that this is the way, she understands what it means to lose an Alpha challenge.

With new leaderships, there is a purge of any signs of descention. There will be challenges for positions, a shuffling of ranking with the combined pack. My gut clenches from the thought of all the blood that's already spilled and will be spilled.

Weed out all the problems, there has to be examples of what happens if you go against the Alpha and I believe those two brothers are showing each and every member what their fate will be like if they step out of line. Again I'm glad that I don't have to witness the horror those examples were made to look like.

"And Victoria, how is she doing?" Part of me doesn't want to hear.

"She's conceded today to Fin publicly in front of her pack," the bile rises again in my throat, I swallow it back down leaving an acidy taste in the back of my throat that slightly burns with its corrosive bite.

The Queen bowing to the new King in front of her pack to witness. I can picture it, her kneeling, head bowed, eyes down...submissive. I wonder how her got her to submit so easily?

His rule is law if you don't agree with his rules then challenge him for the position, it's simple. I have a feeling that after he's done, everyone and everything will fall in line.

"It's bad for her now Meela, half her pack wants to tear her apart the other half already tried. She's being guarded by Fin's betas constantly, she isn't safe...anywhere."

A shiver of fear runs through me for Victoria, her fight is just beginning. The brutality of what is happening over there is gnawing into my bones, I'm glad I was never asked to go.

"How is she handling it?"

There's a pause, "she's keeping up appearances." He doesn't elaborate and maybe I don't want him to.

"What about Fin?" I hear a soft chuckle from him that makes my stomach flutter.

"He was born for this, you should see him. He's everything I knew he'd be." He sounds so proud of Fin, a brothers pride sounding deep into his voice.

He goes on to explain what the dynamics of the bigger pack is. Who's the betas, who are the new enforcers. I close my eyes fully, his voice a lullaby to my body.

"When will you be home?" I question it out to him sleepily. My body wants our mate here with us, my wolf whining in my head.

"Why? does my little wolf miss her Alpha?" He's teasing me.

"No...I miss you, not my Alpha."

He's quiet for a moment only his breathing is heard on the other line of the phone.

"I'll come back, I'll leave now," saying those words with seriousness, the sleepiness leaving the tone of his voice.

"No, I just miss you that's all, it's a funny feeling you're giving me. I just never thought I could miss you, but I do." My eyes are heavy with the need to sleep.

"I miss you too Meela, I'll be home soon. How are you feeling?" He sounds concerned and that makes me feel good that someone's concerned about me.

"I'm fine, it wasn't that bad, nothing I couldn't handle." I try to sound believable, knowing what I'm saying is a lie.

My eyes open with the guilt of keeping my secret from him, I just don't even want to believe it myself. I think if I don't acknowledge it, that maybe it will go away. Pretend that no Future in my nest exists, that I'm not that female that gets pregnant with only having been mated one time.

I take a deep breath, but I just can't get my words out. Remembering how my heat just stopped progressing, I knew...deep down I just knew but I refused to admit it. The idea that I could be with a Future inside me started to whisper inside my head, with each clue, I kept denying it making excuses.

Trying to fool myself that it was impossible to be pregnant....I drank the tea.

When I didn't need to be sedated that feeling of dread slammed into my consciousness shaking my denial violently but still I made excuses...until there was no blood at the change of the full moon, then I knew. The finality of it has left me with conflicting feelings.

"Grey," I want to tell him but every time I go to tell him it's like my throat squeezes shut, preventing me from saying the words. If I speak it out loud then it's real, I just want to live in my dream for a little while longer.

"Say it, what's been bothering you I can tell something's wrong?" He's trying to coax out my words but my lips close shut.

"It's nothing...it's late." The tone of my voice shakes slightly trying to hold the sob in.

My hormones are out of whack. One minute I'm crying with the heavy weight I feel on my shoulders, the unshared burden weighing me down so I can't even think clearly, then those feelings of wonder sneaking their way in. I put my hands on my lower belly trying to feel any change, curious to see what my Future will be.

Our choice created this consequence and I'm trying really hard to come to grips with it. He'll know eventually, he'll be able to smell our small

That's when he'll become a protector, never will he allow me out of his sight. His wolf will think I'm too vulnerable without him around. It's an ingrained instinct to stay close to a pregnant mate.

I rub my fingertips over my belly absently without even realizing it. Already the pull of motherhood is on me, my wolf is a crazed beast. If someone gets too close or any perceived threat she threatens to take over and deal in blood with the offender.

Twice Thomas had to pull Sophie away from me in the pack house, her wolf somehow perceives me as a great threat to their pup. She's delusional with this perceived idea that some how I'll ruin this for her. That what she wants most will be taken away again and it's made her paranoid. Thomas actually had to use force with her, that didn't sit well with me.

The next time I'm going to need to put her down myself exert my will over her until her wolf concedes fully. I don't see it going well for her, a mother wolf is more deadly than a mother grizzly but I have to wait until the northerner gets back to be my strength so he can hold Thomas back.

"Meela, are you sleeping?"

"Hmm" I'm lost in my own thought, not really paying attention, half sleeping.

"I want you to come home soon," inflection of sound coming out lazily, tiredly. 

"I'll see you soon."

"Good night," hanging the phone up I close my eyes snuggling into the covers, with guilts chains clenching around my neck tightly.

The days pass slowly, I feel nauseated constantly....I've had an aversion to food, only able to handle small amounts of fruit and water...even my holy coffee is bitter and acid tasting.

Constantly tired I can't get enough sleep, I can lay in bed all day and still have this overwhelming sense of not resting.

That's how he finds me wrapped up in the covers.

The bed dips with the weight of him, I feel his arms snake around me, pulling my back into his chest.

My body instantly stiffens then it relaxes with the warmness of him the closeness of him. He nuzzles into my neck, lips pressed firmly against my skin. The heat of his touch sending exquisite delight through my body.

"Wake up," he whispers into my ear.

"You're back, why didn't you tell me you were coming today?"

"I just left, I couldn't stand to be away anymore. Fin's fine now and Victoria is....she'll be fine."

Turning my body around facing him, looking into his eyes...His knuckles graze my cheek "I want to tell you I've missed you but I'm going to miss our talks at night as well."

Smiling to him, "I liked our talks too!" I really mean what I said... I loved it, the sincerity of our words, our truths whispered out late in the night for our ears only has me eyeing him in a new way.

I'm the one to initiate it, pressing my lips to his, very gentle and quick before pulling away, the heat in my face brings a flush to my skin.

He doesn't press for more, he just wraps me up in his arms holding me. I inhale his scent, the feel of his strength against my body...he's the Iron that I'm wrapping around, molding to willingly.

"Come let's eat, I haven't had anything all day." I groan not really wanting to get up but I do.

Thomas and Sophie are there sitting at the table when we enter the kitchen. I can see her bristle slightly until she gets herself under control. It's an internal struggle she's having a fight for dominance against her own wolf. Thomas puts a hand on her back trying to calm her down.

"Have you eaten Meela, can I make you something?"

"No, I already ate," my stomach rolls on itself just thinking about food.

I watch as he throws together some sandwiches and I have to keep from gagging with the smell of the meat he's using.

Making our way to the table Sophie can't help but eye me, I can feel it, the subtle undercurrent in her stare. I just breathe out, trying to understand her point of view, trying not to react.

Sitting closer to Grey, pulling my chair closer, putting a hand on his thigh. I'm trying to breath slow calming myself.

He looks at me with a worried expression, "are you ok?"

 "I'm ok" I watch him take a bite of his sandwich then pull a piece from it giving me some. I take it and nibble the edges as I listen to him talk with Thomas. The flip of my stomach is evident as I visibly gag on the sandwich. It doesn't escape the eyes of Sophie, now she's really taking in my appearance.

How tired I look, some weight loss, the need to be close to the Northerner. It's like watching her put the puzzle pieces together, my actions over the last weeks. I see when the light bulb clicks on in her mind...she knows. Her eyes grow big, then glaze over as Thomas stops talking, looking at me...

Watching horrified as Thomas puts his hand on Grey's shoulder smiling from ear to ear.

Grey"s look of surprise then confusion, looking at his brother.

"Congrats brother," as Thomas's hand squeezes his shoulder, giving him his best smile.

I breath out a breathe staring at Sophie, trying to control my actions, the need in me to act is overwhelming but I breathe it out. Relaxing my shoulders closing my eyes...thinking.

"What's going on?" he doesn't like the idea of him not knowing something. You can hear it in the subtle shift of his voice, the way his posture stiffens.

Thomas is confused looking between Grey and me. I look at Sophie without looking away, my resolve almost gone, fingers twitching with the need to put her in her place.

Her wolf can sense it, the growing tension in the air is thick, her wolf trying to come out with the need to protect Sophie.

Thomas stands to place a hand on her shoulder....I continue to stare not backing down from her, showing her I'm not afraid that this time it's different I have my strength beside me.

"Sophie," Grey growls out, seeing her aggression towards me. Thomas put's his body between Sophie and Grey.

"She's pregnant," Sophie says the words out loud, those words that I haven't even said out loud.

The Northerner turns to me and really looks at me, taking in everything...

"Why didn't you tell me?" a look of hurt flashes across his face.

"I wanted to tell you in person," my head snaps to Sophie with a look of disgust on it.

Standing slowly sliding my chair away from me, Thomas's muscle shifting, flexing...ready.

"Sophie...stop, you need to calm down, I don't want to hurt you, not in your condition but I will," I say it with restraint. I'm giving her a choice, I want to yell and scream at her but I don't. I can see that her fear of losing the baby has her in a gripping madness that's made her unstable. Her canines descend as her body starts to shift.

I feel Greys hand on my shoulder, "do what you must."

Lunging over the table and settle our fight once and for all...with teeth.