A/N Picture by Maya_2011 !! This one was almost the cover for the book! Love it!

This chapter's a bit short, sorry!

When I woke up I didn't feel fantastic. I felt tired, like I had gotten no sleep or rest.

I sat up and looked around. It didn't matter that it was dark in the room; I could still tell that I wasn't in my room. It actually looked like one of the many guest rooms in the alpha's house.

Had I fallen asleep? Who had taken me up here? Where was my dad? I needed to get home; I had work in the morning.

"Are you intentionally ignoring me?"

The voice made me jump. My eyes instantly landed on the one who had spooked me. It was Mac—Mikko.

I rolled my eyes. "I was kind of hoping yesterday had just been a horrible dream."

He offered a small smile. "Me too."

"Why am I still here?" I ran my hands over my face in an attempt to wake myself up. The clock beside the bed read ten thirty.

"We still need to do some talking." I rolled my eyes. "We need to reach some kind of agreement about everything before I can leave."

"Are you planning on leaving in the morning?"

His handsome features creased in confusion. "It's well past morning. You slept through everything."

The bedside clock didn't offer AM or PM, so I got out of bed. I pulled the cord for the window covering and was instantly blinded by the sun.

I felt instant panic. I had work today! This morning! I couldn't get fired! I had twins to support! I was instantly scrambling for my phone. It wasn't anywhere on the bed. It wasn't on or in the bedside tables. Where had I left that damn thing?

I ran my hands over my body, feeling for the stupid cell phone as my eyes scanned the room.

"What are you panicking over?" Mac—Mikko asked while playing a game on his phone.

"I need to call my work. I can't just flake out of my job!" I started towards the door.

"I have it." I stopped and turned around on the ball of my foot. He extended his leg and lifted his hip to dig into his pocket. His grimace said he was having some problems with his hand since it hardly fit in the pocket. "I already called them. I told them you were having some serious morning sickness today. They understood and sent you well wishes."

He tossed me my phone. While the iPhone was in the air I had a mini-heart attack. Who throws phones these days? They break. Everyone knows that once the screen is cracked you have to buy a whole new phone!

When I caught it I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I shot a glare to the one who put it in danger.

He smirked. "You'd think I just threw a baby at you."

He was too good looking. There should be a rule against having features that could call out to women so well.

"You didn't know that I would've caught it."

He rolled his eyes. "You really want to have a fight over what could have happened, but didn't?"

I pursed my lips, contemplating the risks of slapping that gorgeous smirk right off of his face. My stomach was going to complain about being empty soon. It had been way to long since I had last eaten anything.

"So what am I supposed to call you?" I felt my stomach grumble. I put my hand over it, hoping that it wouldn't get much louder. "Mac or Mikko?"

He shrugged and stood. "Whichever you prefer. I haven't used Mac in a long time; everyone I come across usually calls me Mikko."

"Why didn't you just tell me your name's Mikko then?"

He extended his arms up towards the ceiling in a stretch. "It's easier to go by Mac with people I don't plan on knowing for long." His shirt lifted an inch or two up past his jeans, gluing my eyes there for the seconds he had been showing skin.

Then I realized what he said. He hadn't planned on knowing me for very long. He probably forgot all about me until I called him to meet up with him.

He met me at the door with his lightning fast speed. "When are we going to talk?"

"After I eat something." I hissed and opened the door.

I went down the stairs to the kitchen. I knew that all we had was a one night stand, but it was much more complicated than that. I was going to have his twins. I never wanted to have kids with a guy who just saw me as an opportunity to have a one night stand with.

I wanted my kids to have a family, but right now that looked like it was never going to happen. Yes, there was physical attraction, but I was going to get big. If that's all he saw in me, in a few months he wouldn't like anything about me.

What if I couldn't stand him? What if he was one of the old wolves who had to have control over everything or else they'd go crazy?

I got to the kitchen without Mikko breathing down my neck. Werewolves understood the need to eat. They were always hungry. If Mikko had been there, watching over me while I slept, he would be even hungrier than me.

Someone was angrily throwing things around in the kitchen. I recognized the grumbling immediately, which made me smile.

Nikki looked just as angry as I had imagined. When her eyes landed on me, she literally dropped what she was doing and came over to me.

She didn't always use her speed, but this time she did. She was at me faster than my eyes could track. "Are you okay? Mikko ordered everyone to stay away from you while you were sleeping. I was worried that yesterday had stressed you out too much and the babies were in trouble."

I smiled and hugged her. "I'm sorry. I'm fine. They're fine."

I felt her relief before she rested her face in the crook of my neck. "You know how worried I get." These babies were just as important to me, as they were to Nikki. She probably wouldn't have babies of her own. Once I had these babies, I'd probably be changed into a wolf and never have any more babies.

I couldn't help but laugh a little at her. "I know. I'm sorry I worried you."

She growled and yanked me behind her. "What--?" I looked at who she was growling at and saw Mikko. "Oh."

I rubbed Nikki's arm. "It's fine."

She shook her head. "He thinks he's the ruler of you because he knocked you up."

His eyes narrowed on her. She couldn't meet his eyes because he was a whole lot more dominate than she was. Mikko was more dominate than everyone in this house, excluding his father. "As long as she has my kid in her, I get a say in what she does."

Nikki's mouth dropped at the same time as mine. We were in shock. Who was this guy to just show up an assume control over me like I was his slave...or even his girlfriend?

"We're having a meeting tomorrow morning about this situation." He commanded before he pointed a finger at Nikki. "And you're not allowed to join it."

Her eyes narrowed at the order. I was too shocked to respond to him as he walked away. I couldn't just let him think that I was going to roll over and do as he said.

"You know," Nikki said thoughtfully, "He didn't order me to make sure you were there tomorrow."

I smiled at the thought. "Then maybe we should disappear for a bit."

She smiled and nodded. "I'll get the keys from Mike."

I nodded and went to the front door. No one told us that we had to stay put. No bad guys were coming for me, at least not yet anyway. Mikko needed to learn that I wouldn't be pushed around. He needed to learn that I wasn't going to listen to him unless I agreed with his reasoning.

So I wouldn't go to the little meeting. I'd just miss it, or be a couple of hours late.

Nikki met up with me with a smile. "He didn't even fight me on it."

With the keys in our possession we hit the road. We cruised for a few hours before coming to our favorite spot. The ocean wasn't a big deal to the locals, but when you had to drive for hours to get there, it was the best place in the world.

You knew you were close to the ocean when you could smell the saltiness in the air. Then when your eyes finally set on it, it was simply amazing. It had been so long since we had been here, and we had missed it so much.

Nikki stayed close knowing that if I slipped on a rock and fell in that we'd both be in trouble. I didn't bring any spare clothes and I couldn’t air dry. It wasn't a hot day. It would be a long and miserable process waiting to dry.

I was crouching over a tide pool, looking for life when Nikki scared the shit out of me by faking a push.

She thought it was really funny until I lost my balance trying to retaliate and ended up rump first in a puddle...no… She thought that was funny too.

My phone started ringing while we were eating at a restaurant. The dress hadn't taken a long time to dry, so by the time we were hungry, I was already dry.

It was a number I didn't know, so I showed the screen to Nikki.

She shrugged, "I don't know. Answer it."

I took a sip of water to clear my throat and answered it.

"Where are you?" I had expected Mikko to be mad and call yelling my ear off, but he was surprisingly calm.

"Having dinner with Nikki. As an adult, I am allowed to do that."

"It's almost eleven. You should be here, in bed, asleep."

Nikki snorted, causing her to choke on her drink, which resulted with her having a coughing attack, and me laughing at her expense.

"I don't have a bed time. I don't have to work for two more days."

"You're pregnant. You need rest." He growled.

"Thanks for the news flash." I shot back sarcastically. "I am pregnant, but that doesn't make me disabled."

"Get back to this house right now." Nikki motioned to hang up as his voice took a threatening tone. "Don't make me come looking for you."

I nodded once at her. "You know, we were planning on making this a mini vacation." I said thoughtfully. "And it's useless to throw around orders with me. I'm not a wolf or in a pack, so I'm not bound to do what you say."

"Nik-" I ended the call before he could give her an order.

I smiled at her. "I really think he's learning."

She laughed and we continued eating without worrying about Mikko.

We bought a couple blankets and slept under the stars.