© 2014 SilverStream22. All Rights Reserved.

"Congratulations. You're pregnant."

"But I've never had sex!" 

"What bullshit are you guys watching?" Lorena scoffed, plopping herself down the couch next to Iris and I.

"Jane the Virgin." Draver muttered, dropping the bowl of popcorn in my lap as he made his way around the leather sofa. "I wanted to watch Arrow, but noooo. Iris' house- Iris' rules."

Jazz was too busy downing the smoothie that Iris made him to come up with a philosophical comeback to support Draver's stand.

And honestly, I was having the smoothie as well. It was addicting. Who knew avocado and mangoes would make such a spectacular combination?

"Stark and Castor should be back soon." Lorena smiled at the panicked Jane on the television screen, reaching across Iris to grab a handfull of buttery popcorn.

I swallowed heavily and the mention of my mate's name.

What was I thinking?

That pink lemonande must've had some strong Russian vodka mixed in otherwise my sober self would have never allowed Stark to fully claim me as his. 

Hell, what was he thinking? Coming from a guy who said that I wasn't his mate, it was hard to believe that he actually was the one who initiated the mating mark. Unbelievable. 

"What's with the scowl on your face?" Alric frowned, nudging my calf with his elbow. He was sitting between Iris' knees on the floor, blue light pouring from her hands as she worked her healing magic into his shoulders.

"Just thinking." I murmured, handing the bowl of popcorn to Draver and his outstretched arm.

"What are you thinking about- lemons?" he snorted, wincing slightly.

I rolled my eyes and looked behind me when the smell of sugar cookies wafted into the room. Faye walked in the living room with her giant bunny in tow. It was cute to see her stomp about just like how she was during the applesauce fiasco. The kids had stayed overnight...which lead to Stark sleeping near the pool on the roof.

Faye sat next to Draver, putting Mr.Raindrop next to Jazz's feet. Both of them immediately scooched closer, letting her use each of their arms to hold onto. Those Lycans have been really close to her, making sure she was alright ever since yesterday. Draver leaned forward and brushed the crumbs from the corner of her mouth. "Have you been eating sugar cookies again, Faye?" 

She flinched and lowered her head, her grip on their arms becoming slack. "...Maybe."

Jazz jerked her chin up. "Don't lie to us."

She sniffled. "Okay. I have." Draver and Jazz shared a look, one which Faye thought was dissapointment. "But I only had two! Just two!" she cried out. "I promise!"

"Don't torment the poor girl," Lorena said softly. "You know she looks up to you two."

They stiffened, meeting Lorena's gaze with fierce glares.

I flinched back as the staredown between the three of them. Just seeing those silver eyes flare made me queasy.

"Beau!" Faye squealed, wriggling from Draver and Jazz and running to sleepy Beau with ruffled hair who was walking around the kitchen, his head peeking from behind the counter. 

"Oh. Faye, what are you doing up?" he mumbled, patting her head awkwardly.

Draver growled low, leaning back into the leather sofa with a scowl on his face. Jazz looked a bit annoyed as well.

I knitted my brows in confusion, looking back between her and the two brooding Lycans. My eyes widened like saucers. The reactions and their gentleness to her- it all added up.

"Oh God. You guys are pedophiles like Stark!" I blurted, gasping.

Draver blinked, "What do you mean- wait-" he turned to Iris. "Did you tell her?"

Iris rolled her eyes. "Of course I didn't."

"She's our-"

"Cousin." Jazz cut in cooly, levelling his eyes onto the dark brown haired girl who was frolicking around the kitchen, a gentle smile on her face.

"Cousin?" I frowned, glancing at her. "Is she a Lycan then?"

"Of course not. Lycans aren't a genetic thing." Draver snorted.

"Technically they are." Iris butt in. "Lycans can only be a descendant of the first werewolf- however the blessing is only granted to a descendant that the Moon Goddess sees worthy."

"I knew that." I mumbled to myself.

Lorena laughed, standing up to grab the almost empty popcorn bowl from Draver, handing it to Iris after snatching up a handful. 

After hearing Faye's scream, we all looked back to see the little girl shaking in front of a tired and exhausted Stark, who's dark rings under his baggy eyes made him look more pissed off than usual.

At the sight of the trembling little girl, he jumped to alertness, stepping back out of the doorway and slamming it shut before Castor could come in.

There was an awkward moment of silence until Lorena and I stood up, making our way over to the door. Draver and Jazz led Faye out of the living room and back down the hallway that was home to the seven girls out of the fifteen kids brought from the daycare.

Lorena opened to door and ushered in Castor, leaving me outside with Stark.

He was leaning against the stair way railing, his body language softer- yet exhausted. 

"We need to talk." he whispered hoarsely. "About last night."

I slammed my eyes shut, trying not to think about it. Was there a limit to my stupidity?

"Right." I agreed, letting out a pained breath that I didn't know I was holding. "Last night was-"

"A mistake." he filled in, startling me when his silver gaze peeked through slightly open lids,

"Yeah..." I murmured quietly. "A big mistake. We're not mates."

Stark shook his head, pushing off from the railing as he made his way over to me. "We are mates. I-I just need time. And marking you was wrong. It was too early. I apologize for misleading you."

We didn't talk for a moment, just revelling in each other's prescence.

He then kissed my forehead, the feeling fleeting yet lingering. "I want you, Katya. Believe me." he muttered. "But...there are complications. Exceptions. I hope you understand."

No! I don't! And I won't ever understand! Why do you label our mating as a mistake? I've come to accept you despite my harsh stereotype over your kind...yet why do you push me away once I get too close?! Why?!

 ~

"Got any sevens?" Faye asked Roland as I passed by the sleepy children. Most of them had gone home, but Faye, Roland and Mallie were still here waiting for their parents.

"Alright guys," Isis yawned, holding open the door for the kids to walk down the hall to the elevators. "Your parents are here."

Draver and Jazz escorted their cousin and her friends outside.

I was surprised to see Castor sitting on the couch, his chest heaving with steady breaths.

"Hey," I whispered, poking his arm.

He stirred in his sleep, groaning slightly. "What?" he stretched out, pairing his sleep-heavy word with a yawn.

"I wanted to ask you something." 

Castor lifted his head, slipping a pillow underneath as he blinked his eyes open. "Yeah?"

I took a deep breath, taking a seat on the the coffee table. "I was wondering...have you found your mate yet?"

His eyes glazed over briefly, a faint smile flickering on his pale pink lips. "Yeah. Elena."

"Did you want her?" I jumped in before he got too caught up in memory lane.

He nodded. "Very much so. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on." he murmured softly.

I faltered, "Was?"

Castor closed his eyes, inhaling through his nose. "She passed away during the seventies. Conflicts between Lycans and vampires were really brewing up back then and they saw it as a perfect opputinity to start dropping the mates that Lycans had that were either human or werewolf."

"Then..." I struggled with my words, my throat closing in at the thought of lossing someone in such a way, having them picked off. "Why doesn't Stark want me?"

He frowned, tapping a finger on his neck. "He marked you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but still." I muttered, shifting awkwardly. "He doesn't want us to be together despite the fact that he won't reject me because of his relationship with the Moon Goddess, and now I can't reject him now that I'm bearing his mark."

"So?" he scoffed, eyes drooping slighlty.

"So what?!" I whisper-yelled. "So what am I supposed to do? We're mates- but that's the all in all end of it. A simple label thrown on aquaintanceship."

"Is that even a word?" he mumbled before slipping back into sleep.

Feeling the familiar tug as well, I let out a frustrated sigh, standing up to ask Lorena and Iris if they had another room for me to crash in.

~

Laying bed was becoming a luxury now.

How long has it been since I unwinded- let myself breath for once without having to look over my shoulder? Not since the night in Sicily, if I remembered correctly. Painful memories flooded through my head, bringing back reminiscents of not so pleasant times.

I rolled on my side, my jaw digging into a hard metal. Pulling back, I reached out and plucked the ring, twirling it around my finger before fitting it back on. I cursed myself for lying through my teeth to Katya, but until I had everything under control- until the threat was diminshed, I couldn't let her know. And I wouldn't.

The last thing she needed to know about was her. 

Kathleen Beauregard.

My wife.