"So how formal is this dinner?" I ask Mira and Chloe as I leaf through my closet, frowning at my limited options.

"Well, you're not being formally announced..." Chloe trails off, purses her lips, and taps her chin as she considers my question. "But, you are the Queen and all these people can talk about."

I groan, flopping down on the nearest chair. After Chris checked on me, he left me to get ready while he took care of the rest of his work for the day so we'd have the rest of the night after dinner free.

Unfortunately, he failed to explain what I'm walking into.

"So next step above sweats and yoga pants, but not dress?" Chloe shrugs.

"Welp, then we've got a problem," I sigh, pulling my shirt tight and revealing my budding baby bump. Everything happened so fast, I hadn't really thought about new clothes and I'm no longer able to fit into my jeans and my now-tighter shirts will likely rat me out too. I've been covering up in Chris' hoodies to be safe.

"Well, shit," Mira says with a frown. She walks over and pokes me in the belly, making me growl. "How far along are you anyways?" The way she cocks her head, eyes locked on my belly like it's a second head only sours my mood further.

"Stop that," I snap, slapping her hand away. What little optimism I had managed to rustle up for this dinner has quickly dissipated, leaving me feeling like a petulant child.

"Well fuck, I don't know anything about babies!" Mira huffs, still staring at my stomach. "So they grow that fast? 'Cause you're noticeably bigger and it's only been like a week."

I groan and drop my head backwards on the headrest, silently cursing any deity that will listen. Pregnancy wasn't something I had planned on, I was on the most effective birth control... but with the human dose, not wolf strength, the hormone suppression was not very effective.

Every time I start to get a bit more comfortable with the idea of an entire being cooking in me, something happens to make me insecure once more.

"Really?!" Chloe snaps, physically pushing Mira away and rolling her dark eyes. She mutters under her breath and dives into the closet, eventually emerging with black leggings and a classy, silver-grey oversized knit sweater. The cut will hang below my butt and has a scoop neck for decent ventilation. "This will do. We'll just have to go shopping for some new clothes later."

Slipping off to the bathroom, I change, pulling on a simple white cami underneath and pause, looking in the mirror. Mira must have given me a complex because my lower abdomen is noticeably bloated and swollen, making my already thicker physique even curvier.

'Our pup is strong!' Ember puffs up in pride.

'It ought to be, the parasite is sucking me dry,' I chide, earning a growl. 'What?! All I do is eat and sleep and I'm totally drained...'

She has nothing to say to that, I know she's frustrated with how rundown we've felt. Ember longs to run with Cyrus and get back into training, both of which are on the no-go list for now. I've been warned that sparing is off the table until after I give birth, shifting is a bare minimum, and no strenuous activity. Even that concession was like pulling teeth with Doc, I'm sure given the chance he'd put me on bed rest forever.

"You good?" Chloe asks, peeking in the cracked door.

I just shrug, unsure of what to say. Nothing is wrong with me but my emotions are being a bitch again, leaving me uncertain and cranky. She walks in, grabs a hairbrush from the counter, and starts brushing out my long light brown tresses.

"When I found out I was pregnant, I cried for a solid week," she states, working methodically through my hair. "I was young, eighteen, and had been accepted into a prestigious healer apprenticeship, literally a dream come true, but everything changed."

I hang on her every word as she slowly opens up. Chloe has said very little about her life before the day that Dimitri's pack came and slaughtered her pack and family, taking her prisoner. Not being a stranger to trauma, I've respected her boundaries and never pushed, so this candid moment means all that much more.

"My mate was of course over the moon," she huffs with a sad smile, her eyes glistening with the far away look of being lost in a memory. "But I struggled for a long time. I'd dreamed about being a healer and helping people since I was a little girl... Everything I had done up till then was with that goal in mind."

She sighs, coming back into focus and reaches for a hair tie. Absent-mindedly she starts to French braid my hair, adding fancy twists. I sit silently, absorbing every bit she tells me, painting her in a new light.

"I fell into a depression. My family was thrilled I was pregnant, my mate was proud as a peacock, heck, even our Alpha made a point to congratulate us, multiple times... And I felt like shit. What's worse, is that I felt so guilty because pregnancy is supposed to be happy, right? Everyone wishes you well and everything, but no one talked to me," she admits, the guilt and pain written clearly across her face.

"What changed?" I whisper, eyes locked on hers.

"One day I was laying in bed, having a bad day and I felt him kick," she says as a sad smile takes hold. "It sounds corny, but it's true... like flipping on a light switch. He became real and I knew he needed me... It's hard to explain, but you'll know it."

Tears prick the corners of my eyes and my chest tightens as I listen to her. Chloe's own grief for her lost mate and child hits me hard in my emotional state and I have to wipe my eyes to see straight. She gives my shoulders a squeeze and flashes me a reassuring smile.

"I didn't tell you this to make you feel bad Jess," she murmurs. "I've mourned their loss and found happiness with Jude. I told you this so you'd cut yourself some slack and to let you know that you're not alone and I understand."

"Thanks," I whisper, turning and wrapping her up in a big hug. She rubs my back and holds me tight. Her nurturing energy surrounds me and lifts my spirits.

"Better?" She asks, pulling back and holding me at arm's length.

"Yep," I say with a smile. "Chloe? Knowing what you know now... Would you do it again?"

"Have a child?" She asks, furrowing her brows. Instantly, I regret asking but before I can apologize she waves me off. "Yes. Actually we've been talking about it a lot and Jude would love to start a family if I want to... There was a time I didn't think I would ever have that again, but then Jude saw me that day and everything I thought I knew went out the window."

I remember that day well. Jude had found his second chance mate among Dimitri's collared females and seeing her like that drove him insane, to the point he challenged the Alpha for her. In the end, Dimitri agreed to the challenge but only if I fought him, thinking I would be an easy defeat. That match was anything but easy, though in the end I won, it cost me dearly.

If Willow hadn't been there and a powerful healer, I would have died on the spot, I have no doubt of that.

"For what it's worth, I think you guys make a great family with lots of love to give... If you have a child, it will want for nothing, of that I'm sure," I say with the utmost sincerity.

I've only known Jude for just under a year, but he is the kindest man and without him my life would have been a lot different. Watching him with Ethan and the kids at the market I have no doubt he will be a great father. He's mentioned wanting a family before, something that was denied to him and his slain mate when they were younger.

"Likewise," she winks, heading out.

My hands once again roam my swollen stomach, feeling the fullness. I still find wrapping my head around being a mother difficult. I know I have Ethan, so I already am but he's grown, not a helpless baby. Knowing I'll have endless support doesn't erase my fears that I'll fuck this up.

"Come on gremlin," I grumble, looking at my belly. "Let's get you some food before you sap anything more from me."

'Gremlin is a step up from parasite...' Ember muses, perking up and filling with hope.

'It's still my parasite,' I huff, trying to bring her back down to reality but the damn animal just sits there smugly smiling. 'What?!'

'You said my parasite... you're coming around,' she snickers.

I push her to the back of my mind and head out, joining Mira and Chloe in my bedroom and follow them out towards the dining hall. They idly chat but the closer we get the less Mira talks, leaving Chloe to carry the conversation as I was barely contributing. Looking at her, her blue-green eyes shift uneasily and she shrinks in on herself, trying not to be noticed.

'You good?' I link her, starting to really worry about the change in her demeanor. Mira is one of the feistiest women I know, possibly more so than Sara. To see her trying to hide in plain sight sends up endless red flags.

'Define good?' She cheekily replies with pursed lips.

'If dinner makes you this uncomfortable, you don't have to come,' I offer, feeling guilty for pushing her into it. At the time I had no idea her discomfort was this bad.

'No, I'm here for it...' she trails off stubbornly.

'Maybe they'll be too busy picking on me to bother you?' I offer with a small chuckle. Deep down I'm hoping she's overreacting but I dread that she's not.

'Remember when I warned you wolves and witches don't mix?' She sighs. 'This is a prime example.'

'Since when are you such a pushover?!' I challenge, raising a brow.

'Excuse me?!' she snaps, stopping and glaring at me.

'I remember stories of a psycho witch taking on a Principal Alpha, Beta and Delta like it was no big deal... Yet you're scared of some relics? The King and Queen have your back not to mention your crazy ass mate,' I chide. 'Don't let that playboy smile fool you, that man was a force to be reckoned with before he had a mate to go all cave man over.'

"Did you really just call me a psycho in your pep talk?!" She gasps aloud. Chloe snorts out a laugh before throwing her hand over her mouth. "Name calling aside, I missed you this week."

Her eyes swim with hope and appreciation as she smiles, linking her arms with ours and walking through the dining room doors with her head held high, like a boss.

Our triumphant moment is cut short as the energy in the room sucks the air out. The three couples seated stare at us with confused and bored expressions. Two of the couples look to be in their fifties with the third early forties. Eventually, the man at the end of the table speaks, not really looking at us. He radiates the most power, making him likely the Beta. He's got a seasoned warrior look to him that I'm sure in his day was a force to be reckoned with, but now his brown eyes look tired and his chestnut locks are more grey then brown.

"Omega and pack members eat in the main hall, this is a private dining room," Barron clips, turning his attention back to some papers near him. His quick dismissal irks me instantly, knowing it's also an insult, as he no doubt knows the Beta and Gamma females I'm with.

"Are-"

My insult is cut off instantly as the door on the other side of the room slams shut, making everyone jump. Chris, Jace, and Jude are glaring at him, clearly having heard his comment and taking it the same way as I did.

"You will address my pack members with more respect than that from here on out!" Chris growls, taking powerful steps over to the table. His temper has his powerful aura unleashed, stifling the room under his dominance.

Barron raises a brow, lifting his gaze from his reports but seemingly unaffected by Chris' outburst. "No disrespect was intended, we just do things a certain way, and having the help dine with us-"

"The help?!" Chris snaps. Barron turns to look at us once more, where I see the light of recognition flicker in his eyes, but not an ounce of remorse. "My Beta female, Gamma Female, and mate are not the help."

"Shit," the curly black-haired man to his left mutters, palming his forehead. His caramel skin and amber eyes are a stark contrast to the pale-skinned brunette sitting next to him. "Forgive us Highness, we are not our normal selves." His surprise and embarrassment feels sincere so I let the mistaken identity drop, not wanting to have a fight started over me.

"No worries," I dismiss, "Not like we had a chance to formally introduce ourselves. Just Jess is good though, please no titles..." The man laughs and nods, relaxing a bit.

"Do over?" he asks with a hopeful smile. "I'm Evans, the previous Gamma and this is my mate Leah." He gestures to the blue-eyed woman seated to his right. "Barron you've already met and his mate Rebecca and Merrick, our Delta and his mate Jenna."

"Nice to finally meet everyone," I reply diplomatically, walking over to Chris, eager to calm him down.

The moment my skin touches his I feel his tension relent, instantly reeling in his temper. Chris turns his attention to me, instantly softening, offering me a warm smile before guiding me to sit at the opposite end of the table. He takes the head seat after pulling out the chair on his left for me, Jace and Mira sit to his right with Jude and Chloe beside me. An uneasy silence settles over the table and stretches on painfully.

"Sorry we're late," a familiar irritating voice calls from behind me. The sound grates on my nerves, making me roll my eyes back in frustration.

You've got to be kidding me!