Hawke's eyes narrowed as Lily ran from the cabin and he heard her footsteps heading for the outhouse. He rose from the table, where he had been sharpening his knives and walked over to the stove. He sat the pan of eggs on the counter to keep them from burning and grabbed two plates from the counter.

He wondered if maybe he should have doctor Mason come back out and give Lily another check up. The last three days she had been getting sick every morning.

The last three days had been the most trying of Hawke's life. He had gotten to know Lily even more and everything he learned about her just made him want her more. She had an innocence and vulnerability about her that made him want to shelter and protect her but at the same time she had an inner strength and spirit that made him respect her.

She made him smile and that in itself was not easy and having her here with him made him realize just how lonely his life had been the last fourteen years alone.

The hard part of the last three days was keeping a handle on his desire for her. He had never wanted anything more than he wanted to take her into his arms and touch her, taste her, feel her soft skin against his own. Memories of her naked body haunted him and filled him with a nearly out of control desire for her. He knew that soon he would have to deal with his feelings for her but right now he wanted to give her body time to heal.

He heard her coming back toward the door as he was setting the plates of eggs and fresh baked biscuits on the table.

"Sorry I burnt the eggs! I'll make more." Lily said quickly and then she stopped short and stared when she saw the plates of food on the table.

"They did not burn." Hawke replied. He pulled back a chair and motioned for her to sit down.

"Thank you for saving breakfast." Lily said as Hawke sat down across from her.

"You act surprised." Hawke said raising a brow. Lily shrugged and picked at her eggs with her fork.

"Nathan would have let them burn…" Lily stopped talking when she felt Hawke's eyes on her. She looked over at him and he shook his head.

"I am not Nathan."

"No you are not." she replied. They ate in silence and Lily thought about the last three days. She was confused by Hawke. He was always asking her if she needed anything and doing his best to make her comfortable. He pulled out chairs for her and he held her hand gently when they took evening walks. There were times when the look in his eyes as he gazed at her caused her heart to stop beating…. She had never had a man look at her that way before and she was smart enough to know what it meant.

Hawke wanted her… He looked for any excuse for their hands to brush together or to gently touch her shoulders and hair and his touch would always linger. She wanted him just as much but she was scared. She was a married woman, even though her husband was a monster, and she was pregnant with Nathan's child. Would Hawke still look at her the same if he knew that Nathan's baby grew inside her belly?

"You seem to be getting stronger. We will go to town today and send word to you sister." Hawke said as he finished eating and pushed his plate away. Lily snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.

"That would be good. Though I'm not sure where to send her to keep her safe."

"Tell her to come here." Hawke replied as he stood and grabbed both of their plates.

"Here?" Lily asked.

"Yes. I told you I would protect her."

"Hawke, I cannot stay here with you much longer. Now that I am feeling better I must return home and Allie will not be safe at my home once Nathan returns."

"Saa!" Hawke said harshly as he turned to face her. "You will not return to that man." Lily stood and met his intense gaze. She could tell he was angry but she was not afraid of him. She did not think she had anything to fear from Hawke.

"Hawke, he is my husband." Lily said sadly. "I have no choice."

"You do not love him." Hawke reminded her. "And he does not love you. You will not go back to that house or to that man."

"Are you telling me what I can and cannot do now?" Lily demanded and Hawke nodded.

"Yes. You are not safe with him and I will do what I must to keep you safe."

"Even make me stay here against my will?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"If you stay here, naakiiwa, it will not be against your will." he closed the distance between them in two long strides and ran a gentle finger down her cheek. "No you will choose to stay with me because your feelings for me are the same as mine for you." Lily felt her knees buckle and Hawke's arm wrapped tight around, pulling her body flush against his.

"And what are your feelings?" Lily asked, though she wasn't sure how she managed to speak with her heart beating so fast. Hawke's eyes softened as he looked down at her. Lily felt so small and fragile wrapped in his big strong arms. Her head came only to his chest and she had to tilt her head to look up into his eyes.

"You are naakiiwa. You are my woman." he said. Lily could hear the possessive tone in his voice but instead of scaring her, it melted her. Her body became liquid fire against his. He was lowering his firm lips to hers when a wave of familiar nausea washed over and she remembered what was growing inside of her.

Her eyes filled with tears as she realized the impossibility of her situation. She loved Hawke and she wanted nothing more then to be his woman but surely he would not want her once he knew about the baby… He was an amazing man but no man would want to raise another man's son.

She pulled out of his arms and ran from the cabin in tears. She ran as quickly as she could down the path to the lake and then she fell to her knees on the rocks and sobbed into her hands.

888

Wolf had been lying in the sun beside the lake enjoying the smells of the warm spring morning and watching a butterfly dancing around on the breeze when the female had come running to his favorite rocks and fallen to the ground. She was making a strange sound as her body shook and he could smell her sadness.

He didn't think that she had noticed him and so stood and stretched out his legs before walking to her and pressing his nose against her arm. She looked at him and then threw her arms around his neck and began making those noises against his fur.

Wolf stiffened at first, unsure of what to think about the contact but then he realized that it seemed to be helping her and so he stood still and let her touch him. He would do anything for the alpha's mate. She was nice and she was always sneaking him meat when the alpha was not home.

"What am I going to do Wolf?" she said and though Wolf could not understand her, he could tell by the tone of her words that she was very sad and distressed. "I love him so much but there is no way he will feel the same, not once he learns my secret."

Wolf's eyes fell on the alpha who was standing several feet behind the female and staring down at her. Wolf could smell his confusion and he realized that even the alpha was unsure of what to think of the females odd behavior. Wolf decided right then that he never wanted a mate. Female's were clearly a little crazy.

"There is no secret you could have that would make me turn away from you, naakiiwa." Lily jumped away from Wolf at the sound of Hawke's voice. She had not even heard him approaching her and she rose to her feet and turned. She used her hands to try to dry her face and Hawke felt a pain in his heart at the sight of her tears. He never wanted her to cry. She was too beautiful when she smiled to ever let tears and sadness come to her face.

"You will feel differently when you know what my secret is." she said sadly. Hawke shook his head and walked toward her, stopping less than a foot away and laying his hand on her cheek.

"Nothing will make me turn away from you, Lily, and do you know why?" When Lily didn't answer he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and then pressed his lips against her ear.

"Because kitsiikakomimmo." he whispered. "I love you." Lily trembled at the feel of his warm breath against her skin and his words made her heart swell.

"Is that what that word means?" she asked. Hawke pulled his head away so he could look in her eyes.

"Yes. I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you, Lily. I do not care what a piece of paper says… You are mine and I am yours."

"I cannot believe this is happening… I never thought I would find someone who truly loved me. But, Hawke, you will not love me once you know.. No man would still love me."

"If you have not noticed, I am not a normal man. You cannot judge me or predict my reaction based on other men. I vow to you that nothing will ever change how I feel about you and nothing will make me turn away from you." Lily took a deep breath and before she had time to change her mind about telling him she quickly said,

"I am pregnant, Hawke. I am having Nathan's baby." She watched his face hoping to judge his reaction but he was good at masking his emotions and she could not read his face.

Hawke's mind was racing… A baby? He had not been expecting this and it scared him. Not because it was Nathan's baby but because having a baby had killed his mother. What if he lost Lily so soon after finding her? He could never live without her again.. Not after the last few days.

Lily took his silence to mean that she was right and she pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest hoping to block her heart from the pain as she fought back fresh tears.

"Just please take me to town so I can send word to my sister and then I'll go back home and never ask you for anything again."

"I will not let you go back to him." Hawke replied. Lily sighed with frustration.

"Hawke, I am having his baby…"

"You do not love Nathan and he does not love you."

"No but he is my only choice. No other man will want me."

"I want you." Hawke said stepping closer to her and laying his big hand on her still flat stomach. "This baby was not made with love but he or she will be raised with love. I will love and raise this child as if it is my own blood, because it is a part of you." Lily's eyes widened with disbelief and she shook her head.

"Hawke, I would never ask you for that." Hawke smiled and ran his hand through her thick brown hair.

"I know you would not but I will do it without hesitation. From this day on that baby is mine." Lily began crying again and Hawke pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight, rubbing gentle circles on her back with his hands. He loved hugging her… She fit so perfectly in his arms.

"Now let's get to town and send a message to your sister and I want you to see Doctor Mason." Hawke said pulling away and putting his hand back on her belly. Lily smiled and covered his hand with hers.

"You are the best and most amazing man I know." Lily said raising her other hand to his smooth cheek.

"When we get to town, you are sure to see that not very many people share your feelings."

A/N: No new translations in this chapter but i'll put them anyway

Naakiiwa- My woman

Saa- No

Kitsiikakomimmo- I love you