Dawn was just pulling a pan of cookies from one of her ovens when a scent reached her nose. It was the scent of a werewolf but it was unfamiliar and it was close.

Dawn whirled around and looked at the closed back door that led to the woods behind the bakery. Grange had warned her that someone would be coming soon and though he was not here in the bakery with her, as a matter of fact no one was unless you counted Brie who had gone upstairs to sew, Dawn hoped that he was close enough to know a threat might be near.

The scent was strange. It was a weak scent and yet the longer she scented it, the more familiar it seemed. Her brow scrunched when she realized it wasn’t coming from behind the closed door but instead from inside the room.

Dawn turned in a slow circle but she was alone. She frowned and then gagged as a wave of nausea passed over her. She tossed her pan of cookies onto the counter, covered her mouth with her hand, whimpered and then ran out the back door and lost her breakfast beside the back wall.

She kept her hands braced on her knees and her head lowered as she waited for the sickness to pass. Her legs were shaking and her head was spinning. What was wrong with her? Did wolves get food poisoning? She didn’t think so but then again something was wrong.

And then there was that scent… It had followed her outside and yet as far as Dawn could tell, she was alone.

Dawn leaned her forehead against the cool, shaded, brick wall and then sighed with relief when she caught Grange’s scent, seconds before he wrapped his arms tight around her and pulled her back against him. He kissed the back of her hair and spread his fingers wide to cover her stomach.

“How did you know I was sick?” Dawn whispered and she felt his chest swell as he took a deep breath.

“After what happened with that vampire there is no longer a second that goes by that I don’t know where and how you are.”

“How very overly protective of you.” Dawn replied with a smile and Grange chuckled, his chest rumbling against her back. “Grange, why am I sick? Do werewolves get viruses?”

“No, Dawn. You don’t have a virus.” Dawn turned in his arms and looked up at his face but it was unreadable, though she could smell nervousness and fear both coming off of him in waves.

“Grange, what is going on?” she demanded, laying her hand over her stomach as it rolled once again. Grange took her hand without answering and led her back inside.

He poured some water from a pitcher into a glass and then mixed in some baking soda before handing her the glass.

“What’s this for?” Dawn asked with a frown and Grange pushed it toward her lips.

“It will help your stomach.” he assured her. Dawn sighed and then took a small drink, crinkling her nose at the horrible taste.

“Grange, do you know what’s wrong with me?” she asked before taking another sip because the foul tasting concoction really did seem to be helping her stomach.

Dawn watched his eyes travel up and down the length of her body before settling on her stomach. Dawn sat the glass on the counter and then covered her stomach self-consciously with her arms.

“What are you staring at?” she asked quietly.

“The place where our child is growing.”

Dawn blinked several times as she tried to understand what he had just said. She looked down at her arms crossed over her stomach and licked her trembling bottom lip.

“Child?” she whispered.

“Yes.” Grange replied, though he made no move to come any closer to her, instead he took a step back and leaned against the tiny island in the center of the room. Dawn frowned.

“But you’re not happy.” Grange sighed and shoved his hand through his thick dark hair.

“It‘s not that, love, it’s just….” Before he could finish Brie came into the kitchen and gasped loudly.

“A baby!” she exclaimed as she clapped. “A baby for the alphas! This is wonderful! More memories of my past have been coming back lately and I remember that I worked in the pack nursery. I cared for all the babies. I can’t wait to have another baby to help take care of!”

“Grange isn’t happy.” Dawn stated, feeling a little angry by that fact. Or maybe being with child was affecting her already insane wolf emotions.

“I never said I wasn’t happy.” Grange insisted and Dawn whirled around with tears shining in her blue eyes.

“Yes, but you never said you were either.” she reminded him. Grange stepped forward but stopped when the bakery door opened and they smelled Trig and Farrah enter. Trig came running into the kitchen, took one long sniff, one look at Dawn and then a big grin split his face and he gathered Dawn up into his arms, hugging her tight.

“I’m gonna be an uncle!” he exclaimed happily.

“Well at least someone’s happy about it.” Dawn grumbled and Trig frowned over at Brie as he released his hold on Dawn.

“Grange isn’t happy.” Brie filled him in as Farrah stepped into the kitchen as well.

“Dawn is with child.” she stated matter of factly as if no one else knew yet. Grange growled.

“Thank you for that obvious statement and now if you all don’t mind I would like to have a few minutes alone with my mate.”

“That’s not possible right now.” Nickolai stated from the open back door and everyone turned to look at him.

“And why not?” Grange demanded.

“There is a hunter in town.” Nickolai replied simply. “And he’s been asking about all of us.”

“Asking who?” Grange wanted to know as he stepped in front of Dawn. Dawn realized that the entire pack seemed to be forming a circle of sorts around her and she wondered if they realized they were doing it.

“Henry, Gladys, the sheriff… anyone who will listen. Henry found me walking this way and told me.”

“I knew he was in town.” Grange admitted with a sigh. “I guess now I know why.”

“What exactly is a hunter?” Dawn asked and Brie turned to her and seemed to notice how frightened and confused she was. She went to her and took her hand.

“An immortal that hunts immortals and kills them. Usually they are hired to hunt cruel or evil immortals.”

“Like a bounty hunter?” Dawn asked and Brie nodded.

“Yes, exactly like that.”

“And the hunter is probably here looking for you and Farrah.” It was Brie’s turn to shiver with fear and Dawn squeezed her hand comfortingly. “No one is going to take you and Farrah away from us.”

“Of course not.” Nickolai agreed. “Which is why we need to go deal with this hunter now.” Grange nodded his agreement.

“Farrah, get Brie and Dawn back to the cabin. Trig, Nickolai, come with me.” he ordered.

“What? But we need to talk, Grange!” Dawn exclaimed and Grange nodded.

“Yes we do but first I must see to this. Get to the cabin and stay there. For once in your life just do as I tell you.” Without giving Dawn time to reply, Grange strode from the bakery with Trig and Nickolai on his heels.

“You are going to have some major ass kissing to do later.” Trig informed him and Grange grunted.

“At least her ass will be alive to kiss.”

***

“Am I going to have a puppy?” Dawn asked Brie as they rode in the cart toward home. Farrah was riding beside them on horseback and kept circling around and watching all directions.

“A puppy?” Brie asked distractedly. Dawn nodded, hoping to make conversation and distract Brie from her fear. Everyone knew that this hunter had more than likely been hired by Faugrimm. Faugrimm must have found where Brie and Farrah were and was coming for them. Farrah seemed eager for a fight, freedom had given her bravery she hadn’t had as a prisoner, but Brie was clearly very scared.

“Yes, is my baby going to have fur?” This seemed to snap Brie from her thoughts and she laughed lightly as she shook her head, her thick red curls bouncing around her shoulders.

“No, of course not.” she promised Dawn. “A natural born werewolf doesn’t shift until they reach maturity, usually around the age of sixteen. But werewolf children are usually a bit more hyperactive and mischievous than mortal children.”

“Well at least I’ll have an entire pack to help keep an eye on it.” Dawn sighed as she laid her hand on her stomach. Then she frowned. “What about Farrah and Trig. What will their children look like?”

“Judging by my own physical beauty and Trig’s boyish good looks, I’d say they will be rather attractive.” Farrah replied seriously. It was clear that she was simply stated what she saw as facts instead of bragging about her own beauty.

“I’m sure they’ll be cute but what about once they start shifting. Will they be werelions or werewolves?” Dawn asked with a laugh. Brie shrugged.

“I really don’t know. Anytime two different were creatures have mated before their children will show the characteristics of one or the other from birth and then at maturity they shift into whatever creature feels natural. Though some end up being able to shift into both.”

Silence fell over them and then Dawn sniffled.

“What’s wrong?” Brie asked and Dawn shrugged.

“Grange isn’t happy. We never really talked about having children…. Though we didn’t exactly do anything to prevent it either.”

“Dawn, surely you know how wrong you are?” Brie questioned though she seemed to be uncomfortable questioning the alpha female in such a way. Dawn frowned.

“Why?”

“You know how much Grange loves you. He just has a lot on his mind right now. Give him time to get all of this sorted out and then I’m sure he’ll show you just how happy he is that you are carrying his child.”

Dawn nodded and felt foolish. It was these crazy, emotional, pregnant wolf emotions that were driving her completely insane.

***

“Hello, Brendon. I hear you’ve been asking about me.” Grange growled as he sat down on the bench next to the hunter he had met before. Brendon grinned, pushed back his stetson hat, stretched out his long legs and crossed his ankles. His green eyes shone with amusement as he smiled and his cheeks crinkled.

“Nice to see you again, Grange. It’s been awhile.” Nickolai and Trig had positioned themselves across the road on the mercantile porch while Grange and Brendon were on the bench beside the stage office.

“Fifteen years I believe. What brings you back to my town?” Brendon sighed and folded his hands over his lean stomach.

“I was hired to come find out all I could about a werewolf who was starting a pack and kidnapping pets from an elf. Said elf is camping about twenty miles from your cabin.”

“All in a days work, I suppose.” Grange said with a nod and Brendon chuckled as he squinted into the sun.

“Yeah.”

“So what did these fine townsfolk have to say about me?”

“That you are a good man. You help out those who need it while keeping mostly to yourself and you’ve just recently starting collecting people at your house the way some people collect old coins.”

“I have a mate now.” Grange replied and Brendon nodded.

“I noticed. I caught a couple glances of her today. She’s real pretty, Grange. I’d say you’re proud.”

“Very proud.” Grange agreed. Brendon was the closest thing to a friend that Grange had had before Trig and Nickolai had come along. Grange liked Brendon and the fondness was returned. “I’m gonna be a dad too.”

“Good for you, Grange! I’ll drink to that.” Brendon said as he pulled a small flask from his pocket and took a swig. He held it out to Grange who shook his head. “Things sure have changed.” Brendon said with a click of his tongue. “You’re mated, gonna be a pa, you’re an alpha with a pack…. And there is a crazy ass elf who wants you dead because he says you kidnapped his pets.”

“I didn’t kidnap anybody.” Grange replied. “They just kinda showed up here.”

“I know you didn’t kidnap anybody. Hell you ain’t that type. You were always a loner so I know damn well you wouldn’t force folks to come be around you all the time.” Brendon stated with a chuckle. “I’m guessing those are two members of your pack over there?” he added as he gave a small wave.

Nickolai raised a brow but Trig waved back. Grange nodded.

“Yes. Trig and Nickolai. They are mated to your employers so called pets.”

“Isn’t one of those pets a werelion?” Brendon asked with a frown and Grange nodded.

“Yep.”

“Weird.”

“Yep.”

“How is Faugrimm hiding his scent if he’s this close to my cabin?”

“Wind and rain.” Brendon replied and Grange growled.

“Elves…” he ground out.

“So what do you want me to do, Grange?” Brendon asked. “I took the job so that he wouldn’t hire anyone else but you know damn well that I ain’t gonna kill you.” Grange grinned. Brendon was one of the very few that he would trust with not only his own life but his mates and unborn pups as well.

“You couldn’t kill me if you tried.” he countered and Brendon laughed.

“Probably not.”

“Go back to Faugrimm. Send his men to my cabin and my pack and I will be ready. This is going to end now.”

“He has his younger brother, a vampire and two wolves with him.” Brendon warned.

“Yes and I have myself, a trained warrior, a loyal beta, a slightly insane werelion and a mate and child to fight for.”

“You have me too.” Brendon added and Grange nodded.

“That crazy ass elf isn’t going to harm my pack.”

“I hate elves.” Brendon shivered and Grange sighed.

“Me too.”

***

Faugrimm’s long thin legs carried him quickly across the leaf strewn forest floor as he paced at the edge of camp. His long wool coat whipped around his ankles and his long, white, rain-soaked hair clung to his gaunt cheeks and thin shoulders.

He was angry. No he was beyond angry. He was seething. Fuming. His scouts had found Puppet and the cat. Both of them had somehow ended up in a newly claimed territory that belonged to a wolf that Faugrimm had never heard of before.

How exactly a wolf had been able to start a pack so close to Faugrimm’s stronghold without him knowing Faugrimm did not know. It was probably because Faugrimm did not care much what went on in the outside world just so long as he remained unbothered with his pets.

Now this wolf was interfering with that. His two favorite pets were with him and Faugrimm would get revenge.

“Sir, we’re simply waiting on orders.” Faurgrimm stopped his pacing and turned to see his four loyal men watching him. Faugrimm wished he had a bigger army but something about chaining and beating prisoners caused their loyalty to waver once they were outside the dungeon walls.

Faugrimm ran his tongue over his pointy teeth and studied his men. A vampire, two lone wolves and his younger brother. There was also a hunter among them, though he was being paid well for his assistance and was not a man that Faugrimm knew anything about.

Those four men were loyal to him and the only men Faugrimm trusted outside of the stronghold. Yes he had guards and men he’d left behind but he did not trust those outside those walls.

“It’s worse than we thought, brother.” his younger brother Beechum said with a sigh. “It seems that Puppet has been reunited with her mate.”

“What?!” Faugrimm demanded, a clap of thunder sounding overhead from the intensity of his anger. It was only thanks to his ability to control the weather around him that Faugrimm had managed to stay this close to the wolves without them knowing he was here. He had kept this rainstorm going above his camp for two long days to hide their scents, though he was beginning to grow weary from the effort.

“That bitches father told me that her mate was dead!”

“Well he lied to you then, brother, because Brendon was able to talk to members of the town and trust me when we say that Puppet has found her long lost mate. And so has Farrah.” Brendon was the hunter and the only member of Faugrimm’s group that he could send wandering into the town without Puppet or Farrah recognizing his scent.

“Who is mated to my Farrah?” Faugrimm demanded, deciding that this day could not get any worse.

“One of the alpha’s betas. A younger wolf named Trig.” Faurgimm’s teeth ground together with enough force to cause him pain and he quickly pulled his sword and placed it at his youngest brothers throat. Beechum swallowed hard, his throat bobbing.

“I want these wolves dead! And I want my pets returned to me!” Faugrimm glanced over at the hunter, Brendon, when he held up his hand. “What?” he snapped.

“The entire pack stays together in that cabin. We can attack them there and take them all at once.” Faugrimm nodded and tapped his long nailed finger against his chin for several moments before removing his sword from his brothers neck and sliding it back in its scabbard.

“Dracon stays with me.” Faugrimm said, motioning at the vampire. “You wolves and Brendon will accompany Beechum and kill that worthless pack and bring my pets back to me alive. I want to be the one that causes their hearts to stop beating after their treachery.”

“Wait now!” Brendon cut in. “You never said you were gonna kill these women. You said you loved them and they were kidnapped.”

“You dare question me?!” Faugrimm roared. “You are being well compensated for your service to me and I expect you to do as I say without question. Or perhaps you would like to see what happens to those that dare go against me?” Faugrimm asked as his brother Beechum grinned and leaned toward Brendon. Brendon shook his head.

“That’s alright. I’m your hunter, bought and paid for.” he assured Faugrimm with a wink and then he and the wolves followed Beechum into the woods. It would be up to Beechum to keep the wind blowing against their faces to hide their scents from the pack they were hunting.

Faugrimm watched them disappear and felt a thrill of excitement course through him. Soon, very soon, he would feel Puppet’s body writhing beneath his own again before he cut off her traitorous head.