Isabella knocks lightly on the door and pushes it open slowly, she couldn't help but feel completely split in half - in one mind she felt hungry for more information about her history, the blood that ran through her veins but oppositely she wanted to run away from it, run back into Hunter's arms and pretend like nothing had ever happened, how easy that would be.

"Jackson?" Isabella whispered everything looked dark but she heard whispering. Flicking on the light she noticed Jackson and Molly fling themselves apart instantly blushing 

"Thank God you're clothed" Isabella giggled holding onto her large stomach but the laughter turns into pools of tears in her eyes that she fights back, she wanted Hunter more than anything but she angrily told herself to suck it up, he knew where to find her.

"Sorry Isabella" Jackson mutters blushing furiously

"Oh don't worry about it, you're mates who have just found each other - I could've walked into something a lot more embarrassing" Isabella grins as they both blush an even deeper red colour. Isabella's eyes go towards the shut door that leads into the kitchen, only just realising that Alexander was clearly not there

"He's sat in the kitchen reading a book - too scared to be around us he said" Molly giggles softly as she snuggles up to Jackson's arm.... is he flexing his muscles!?

"I'll leave you love-birds to it" Isabella grins again but forcefully this time as she feels a flash of jealousy rushing through her veins.

-

Walking into the kitchen, Alexander looks up and smiles softly at Isabella and she couldn't help but smile back, this was her father, the man that made 50% of her - she shared his blood, his genes and his determination to live even in the worst of circumstances.

"Hey you," he says closing his book to stand up, his long arms wrap Isabella in an awkward hug, her first hug with her father... well that she remembered anyway.

As if reading Isabella's thoughts Alexander holds her at arms lengths and drinks her in "When you were returned to us at night, I would hold you in my arms for hours, your fingers would wrap around one of mine and you had the tightest grip I had ever felt in such a young baby and I was so full of love but I was hurting so much too"

"What those people did..." Isabella starts a stray tear slipping out of her eye but Alexander wipes it away before helping her into one of the seats at the table before he sits down on the opposite side of the table 

"I've accepted my past now Isabella, Betty would have too if she had been given the opportunity - we wouldn't want you, our daughter upset because of this" Alexander explains with a now sad smile

"But you were taken from me, I was taken from you... my mother was killed and I have spent all my life thinking I wasn't wanted" Isabella sighs angrily further tears dripping slowly from my eyes 

"Don't cry, my darling girl" Alexander whispers placing his hand on top of mine and squeezing slightly but feeling him jump makes Isabella look up, she notices him looking at the door and when Isabella follows his gaze, her heart leaps

"Hunter" Isabella breathes, any other words she tried to speak got caught in her throat at the simple sight of her mate "You came" she manages to splutter out 

"Of course I did," Hunter says smiling softly, yet Isabella can see it is strained but chooses to ignore it, she also noticed the side eye he was giving Jackson - who couldn't even bring himself to look at his Alpha.

"Hunter...." Isabella starts, even her soft voice was enough to catch and hold his attention "This is my father, Alexander"

Both men stand exactly where they are not moving an inch, Alexander because he is stood in front of his King and was scared of disrespecting him and Hunter because as always he was untrusting. Isabella took matters into her own hands and walked over to Hunter, she took his hand into her own and pulled him gently towards her father was ever so slightly shaking from nerves.

 "Hey" Hunter mutters in a un-Hunter way making Isabella furrow her eyebrows in confusion

"You majesty" Alexander replies bowing his head in a sign of respect

"You can just call me King....." an awkward silence fills the room before Hunter lets out an awkward laugh "That was meant to be a joke... ha... Call me Hunter"

Alexander barks out a laugh to be polite but awkwardness fills the air like thick smoke as Hunter rubs the back of his neck looking around the room not really knowing what to do with himself 

"Let's just get down to business so we know what's going on," Hunter says finally, Isabella can see him slipping into his own business mode, the one he knows how to play best but she didn't take too kindly to her life being called business 

-

After being filled in with the information that Isabella had been carrying around about hers and her fathers past Hunter can't help but feel like the worst mate in the world. There was no doubt he still wished she had told him about her planned adventure before she went looking for it but Hunter was only feeling a fraction of how Isabella must have been feeling so to know she had been dealing with that alone, he just wanted to wrap her up in his arms and never let go.

"Isabella told me something about her giving birth is dangerous, why?" Hunter buts in, his hand on Isabella's thigh tightens through nerves slightly but not enough to hurt her 

"I don't know what will happen, Betty managed childbirth of a child whose father was not her mate but we were both unaffected by silver and yet the second child was also not with her mate but the father was affected by silver... she was also so tired, she had no fight in her anymore. I can't say why it happened but yes, Isabella you could be in danger" Alexander explains with a sorrowful look in his eyes that he couldn't provide more answers for the daughter he had dreamed about for so long.

"So how do we plan for this if we don't even know what we're fighting against?" Jackson asks, he and Molly had joined the table and while Hunter still felt anger bubbling in his stomach every time he looked at him, Hunter knew it was a good question.

Hunter couldn't stay angry at Isabella, she was his mate and nobody came above her. There was no way that anything she did would be enough to change the level of love he had for it and so knowing there was a second party involved, in this case, Jackson, it was easy for Hunter to transfer all the anger over to him even if there was a small voice in the back of his head saying it was unfair and Jackson - although should've told Hunter what was going on, had been roped into the plan by his queen. It was the thought of Isabella or the babies getting injured on this endeavor that caused the hurt which turned into anger in Hunter, he didn't know what he would do without them.

"I don't have any definite answers... I wish I did for all of you, especially you, my darling girl" Alexander says softly scooping Isabella's hands into his that had been resting on top of the table.

"So we go into this blind" Hunter scoffs anger filling him up like a balloon fills up with air 

"This isn't a battle or war Hunter," Isabella says, she takes one of her hands out of Alexander's and places it on the side of Hunter's stubbly cheek "This is two babies... our babies and we have to get them into the world one way or another and we'll do it together, with you by my side we can do anything"

"That is the only thing I can suggest" Alexander starts, everyone listens to him closely hoping that his advice would be solid and helpful, even Isabella listened as despite her bravardo act, she was completely terrified of what her life would become in a matter of weeks, 2 more to be exact... she wasn't ready to die

"What is it?" Hunter asks impatiently

"No stress... be a team, work together so Isabella's body isn't under any extra strain - if we give it one task to do which is getting those babies out it may have a better outcome. No emotional hurt, no anger and like I said, no stress" Alexander shrugs with sad eyes that he couldn't help more 

"Oh that's useful" Hunter mutters but quickly shuts his mouth when Isabella shoots him a glare

"My mate is the King of all wolves, I am the Queen of wolves... I'm not sure how stress-free I can be but I will try and as for working as a team... I know we can do that, all of us. Not just me and Hunter but also you Jackson and Molly... and even you Alexander" Isabella smiles softly trying to ignore the shaking in her voice 

"For you, I will do anything. You're one of my closest friends Isabella and you too Hunter despite everything but you're also my King and Queen and I will do anything to make sure everything goes as smooth as possible" Jackson says, he slides of his chair and lands down beside Hunter's knee.

"What are you doing?" Hunter hisses a blush raising on his cheeks

"I'm sorry for going behind your back Hunter and I will do whatever it takes for you to forgive me" Jackson says in the most sincere voice he could muster, he looks up at Hunter through his eyelashes nervously

Isabella barges in Hunter with her shoulder before raising her eyebrows expectantly, a smile growing on her face when Hunter's hand reaches out and rests on Jackson's strong shoulder.

"I forgive you Jackson" Hunter says,  Isabella knew it wasn't as easy as that - nobody ever got his forgiveness instantly but this was the right path that they needed to be on.