When the Japanese mend broken objects, they exaggerate the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something’s suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful. ~Barbara Bloom

 “You’re babies are healthy and happy.” The doctor wiped away the ultrasound gel and took off her gloves. “Keep up your fluids and eat healthy foods, you need to put on some weight as well to ensure that they both have the nutrients they need for the rest of the pregnancy.”

Nodding I slid off the table and pulled the shirt back down over my stomach. “Thanks, I’ll let you get to your next patient.”

“Oh Rory?” I paused at the door and raised an eyebrow. “Could you try to refrain from acting on your violent emotions and mood swings? Can you go a little easier on the men? Most of the injuries that I’ve gotten in the last few weeks have been caused by you.”

Chuckling darkly I shook my head and stepped out of the infirmary. “No can do, I’ll break all their bones if it makes them move faster or hit harder.”

-

“So how’d the appointment go?” Hunter asked as I lay on his bed ten minutes later, Marti sitting on a beanbag in the corner of the room and Hunter on the floor.

I shrugged and stared at the ceiling. “Apparently I need to start putting on weight.”

“Don’t tell Nick or Alex otherwise they’ll tie you to a chair and shove food down your throat until you got so fat you wouldn’t be able to move.” Hunter warned light-heartedly.

My shoulders shook in silent laughter as I imagined them trying to tie me to a chair. “Firstly, they wouldn’t be able to get me into the chair and secondly, I burn energy so fast that it’s actually impossible for me to get fat.”

“Lucky bitch.” Marti muttered. “Just cause I’m part cat doesn’t mean that I can eat whatever I damn well fucking want.” She continued.

I tilted my head and looked at her as she rubbed her belly, Marti was only a few days ahead of me in her pregnancy, but I was way bigger and honestly I don’t see what she was whining about. “Marti shut up, you’re thin and honestly it would be good if you gained a bit of meat, if you keep complaining I will shove my foot up your ass.” I threatened. “You only have one thing inside you; I have two alpha pups that are already moving around and it’s only going to get worse. I didn’t even want them in the first place!” I snapped agitated. Fucking mood swings.

“Whoa, calm down there luna.” Hunter said calmly.

When I growled and turned my head to glare at him as I sat he held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender. “Stress, anger, grief or any other negative emotion is bad for the babies, try to breathe.”

“If you call me ‘luna’ or ‘alpha female’ one more time I will kill you Hunter.”

“Yes Rory.” He smirked.

“And how do you know all that stuff about negative emotions?” Obviously it was a no brainer that it was bad for the babies but I didn’t expect him to know that.

A boyish grin spread across his face as it turned a shade redder. “I’ve been reading up, we all have, I’m going to be the best uncle.”

I coughed and stared at him. “Well you can have them when they get out. I’m not mothering material and I don’t even want them in the first place.”

He growled and glared at me. “God dammit Rory! It’s not always about you! If you haven’t noticed your mates and over half the compound are so looking forward to their births and all you can say is that ‘you don’t want them’? I bet if you could you’d leave at the first opportunity and have an abortion! Sure, you’re not the person I’d pick to be a mother but you’ll figure it out with the help of your mates, you have more people on your side than you think; but you can’t keep holding everyone at arm’s length and treating them like shit. I mean, you’d happily leave Nick and Alex heartbroken because you’re a selfish bitch!”

I sat there as he yelled at me. Marti was silent until she slowly stood and took my hand, ignoring Hunter.

“How about we go and talk to the alphas, you can train from the sidelines; watch them fight and assess their weaknesses, strengths, do drills, whatever torture you think of.” Marti said standing. “Just because you can’t fight them doesn’t mean that you can’t get them to fight each other.”

I nodded mutely as we walked out.

“Thanks Marti.” I muttered. I walked quietly next to her as Hunter’s words echoed through my head. He was right in a way, I was selfish. I’d kept my family alive, living in pain because I was selfish. It would have been far better to have killed them centuries ago, but I didn’t.

He was right when he said that I would leave at the first opportunity, but he was wrong in saying that I would kill the babies inside me. Although I didn’t want them, Alex and Nick did, so no matter what happened to me they would have two fathers who loved them; even if they never grew up with a mother.

We reached the door to Nightingale’s office. I rolled my eyes as Marti raised her hand to knock. The door was partially soundproof so I doubt that he’d hear her timid knock.

Pushing open the door I walked in with Marti trailing behind me. I stopped, staring in amusement at the sight of the alphas who were all crowded around a stunning woman holding a baby bundled in a beautiful quilt. Nightingale stood behind her, watching both the woman and child with complete love and adoration in his eyes. It was sickening.

I cleared my throat and rolled my eyes when they all growled and created a protective barrier in front of the woman, the queen.  

“Oh hello.” She said happily, taking a step forward to greet us. Her voice was melodic and calm with a thick Irish accent, her big almost grey eyes shone with happiness and her dirty blonde hair looked like silk. The queen was a truly beautiful woman.

Before she could take another step she was grabbed by her mate and spun behind him along with their baby. “Riley, you keep away from this woman.” He warned.

The slap of skin echoed and I realised that she’d slapped his back. “Oh no you don’t Drew, don’t you dare go all protective alpha male on me and Matt!” She exclaimed, sidestepped him and handing the baby, Matt, to a man I’ve never seen before. Upon closer inspection there were five unfamiliar men standing near the Queen; maybe her guards?

As she made a motion to hug me I held out a hand and gently stopped her. “It would be best if you didn’t do that.”

She looked confused as I took a step back and looked over her shoulder at Nightingale who looked like he wanted to drive a knife through me.

Riley waved her hand at her husband and smiled. “Oh ignore him, he’s just overprotective.” She said smiling.

Drew took a step forward and grabbed her waist, pulling her back to his chest and inhaling her scent, pressing his face into her hair.

Her eyes went vacant and I could tell that he was warning her about me as all colour drained from her face and she went ridged. As her eyes cleared she watched me with terrified eyes.

“Your mate has good sense to be weary of me and protective of you.” I warned her.

I was surprised when I felt small arms wrap around me and rub my back. I resisted the urge to throw her off me, knowing that it would result in a fight. “Everybody deserves a second chance. You’ve done nothing to make me doubt your intentions and I’m truly sorry that my mate,” She turned and shot a mock glare at the king. “Treated you like a piece of dirt underneath his shoe.”

I felt the babies move around in my belly and Riley jumped back in shock. “Are you alright?”

I shrugged and lifted the oversized shirt of Hunter’s I’d borrowed. “Just feeling a little pregnant.”

“I remember when I was pregnant with Matt, I felt like a beached whale! How far along are you?” She asked, placing a hand just underneath my bellybutton where the pair of jeans I wore fit snugly on my hips. I had a small bump, despite being a sixth of the way there with twins.

“Two months with twins.” I said in an uninterested tone, lowering the plain cotton navy shirt of Hunters as Riley withdrew her small hand from my stomach.

“No flipping way!” She lifted my shirt again and bent down to look at my stomach. “Twins! Two alpha pups could not fit in there! Are you sure it’s not just one? You’re barely showing!”

I shook my head and as gently as I could, pushed her away. “They’re hiding under my ribs, I probably wouldn’t have known I was pregnant until I went into labour if my scent hadn’t changed.”

She shuddered at the thought of labour and walked over to the man cradling her son who was looking down at him affectionately like a family member would. “Don’t even get me started on labour, worse pain I’ve ever felt; not even anything Paul had done could compare.”  Growls sounded throughout the room at the mention of this ‘Paul’ and Riley looked haunted.

Nick and Alex walked to stand beside me as Matthias reached Marti and pulled her against him as he caressed her pregnant belly. “How was the scan my love?” Nick asked, cradling me against him like Matthias did to Marti, sniffing my hair and stroking my sides.

I pulled away and turned around to glare at them both, growling lowly. “I have to eat more and stop sending the men into the infirmary.” I growled, before realising my mistake. Way to go Rory, for an assassin you sure are careless and mouthy right now.

“Well then my love we will raid the kitchen and you shall relax, no more strenuous activities for you, no more gym and no more early mornings.” Nick said while Alex was oddly silent.

I growled in frustration and clenched my fists. One more order and I’ll punch you Nick, one more, go on do it. I dare you.  I chanted in my head. “Oh I’m sorry,” I said angrily, standing with my hands on my hips. “I don’t remember asking you how to look after myself. I did it just fine for seven hundred years, I think I can manage without you ordering me around.” I said angrily.

“Oh but you really didn’t look after yourself did you mate?,” Alex sneered, choosing that moment to butt in. “I nearly killed you when you were twenty, you’ve been stabbed, shot, poisoned, whipped, punched, kicked,” He paused and smiled coldly at me. “I honestly don’t call that taking care of yourself.  I’d call that trying to get killed.”

I snarled and launched myself at him, wanting to break all his bones again and so much more. I aimed to punch him in the face when I was grabbed by the second Knight twin who pinned me against the wall.

 “I don’t get it,” I heard Riley whisper to Nightingale. “Why is she trying to attack her mates?” She asked confused.

“Well you see Rory is a nut job and honestly I think that she just likes fighting with them both. She’s just plain violent, psychopathic and downright crazy.” He answered, drawing her closer.

“A hot piece of crazy.” One of the men next to Riley butted in.

I growled and flipped him off as I heard Matthias chuckle. “Rory’s a hormonal, violent, angry piece of crazy. Broken a lot of my bones, she’s a crazy bitch.”

“Nick back off.” I told him, shoving him off me, ignoring Matthias.

 “Isn’t calling her a bitch a bit insulting?” Riley asked leaning her hips against the desk.

“Rory is a bitch; she’s one of the few females able to shift.” Nightingale explained as Riley nodded and started humming to her son, the sound just as melodic as her normal voice.

“So why did you barge in here anyway?” Nightingale asked, sitting in a chair next to his wife.

“I want to discuss training with you and the alphas.” Holding my hand up as Alex growled and shook his head. “I’ll sit on the side and give them tips on how to improve, just because I won’t be taking the hits doesn’t mean I won’t deal them though.” I threatened.

Nightingale gestured for me to continue so I explained my plan to him.

“I’ll watch them spar and tell them what to improve, their weaknesses, their strengths, their opponents’ weaknesses and strengths. Basically exactly what I was doing before, except they won’t be fighting me,”

“Hold back up, back up. You fought the enforcers? Did they hurt you?” Riley asked concerned.

Smirking I nodded. “I kicked their asses; none of them could lay a hand on me.” Directing my attention back to Nightingale I continued. “I’ll be more like a drill sergeant, less involved in the physical demonstrations. I’ll be using new drills to boost strength, fitness and agility as well as senses.”

He looked over to the other alphas and at their nods he seemed pleased. “Go ahead Tannin. If you can get them to listen to you, then I’ll give you free reign.”

-

I turned as my name was shouted and was surprised to see that Riley was swiftly walking towards me. I contemplated turning and walking away but she seemed determined to ask something of me. “Yes… your majesty?” I added as an afterthought.

She waved her hand and shook her head. “My name is Riley, I want to ask you about training, I’ve only got a few minutes before the boys panic since I told them I needed to go to the loo since I felt my period starting early.”

I looked around at the empty hallway, listening for any angry male wolfs. “And, why are you looking for me? Your mate would probably order my execution if he found you alone with me, the hunter.” I clarified.

She shook her head and grabbed my hand. I wasn’t comfortable with the physical interaction but I didn’t pull away and offend her. Nightingale already hated me without having to hurt his mate’s feelings. Diplomacy is a spy’s best friend, though I didn’t use it often.

“I need this conversation to be private, I need your help.” She dragged me inside Hunter’s room and shut the door, taking a seat on the bed. Looking me in the eye I could see how serious she was and I was interested to see what she wanted.

“I want you to train me; I want you to teach me how to defend myself.”