Picture by SCCourtney!

Mikko was gone when I woke up, and so was the rest of the mess from last night.

Once I made my way downstairs, I finally saw what time it was. The clock in Mikko's guest room had been on the dresser. It was already noon! Starving, I went into the kitchen and stopped when I spotted Eddy as he scoured the cabinets for food.

His head slowly turned towards me.

I looked around the kitchen for anyone. Unfortunately, I was alone with Eddy. I took a slow step back. I knew that Eddy would still have been mad with me.

"You might as well come in. I won't bite." He mumbled pulling out my favorite cereal. He set in on the island. "Well, come on."

I hesitated to walk into the room. "You're still peeved."

He nodded as he got out two bowls and spoons. "I'm more worried about when you tell Mikko what I said. He'll probably knock me around a bit." He jerked his chin to the counter bar. "Sit."

I really didn't want to, but I did. "I haven't told Mikko yet."

He put everything he'd gotten out next to me, but didn’t get too close. "It's not you I'm worried about. My wife will tell her brother what happened." He put milk next to the cereal.

"Doesn't that make you mad?" I carefully asked while reaching for a bowl. I didn't want to make any quick movements around a wolf that wasn't happy with me.

He sat on the stool a space away from me. "Kind of. But I know what I deserve."

I poured my bowl and started eating. "Why did you say what you did?" I really was curious about it.

He shrugged as he stared at his bowl of cereal. "After we broke up, I wasn't expecting you to go out and get pregnant." He looked at me with a small smile. "I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was jealous. There was a small part of me that still considered you mine and when you replaced me with Mikko it made me a little mad."

I shook my head in disbelief. I pushed the bowl away from me; I lost my appetite disgusted with what I was hearing. "You had no right."

He looked back at his bowl. "I know."

"You left me to get in a good standing with Finn. That was your decision and had nothing to do with me."

He nodded. "I know."

I got up and took my dishes to the sink. "You don't get to feel sad or regretful or even unhappy! You got your mate and you got your favor with Finn. You got everything you ever wanted."

He shook his head as his eye shifted to my bump. "Not everything."

I put my hands over my belly in an attempt to block Eddy's view. "That's something to discuss with your mate."

A throat clearing behind me had me whirling around. Mikko was standing in the doorway, blocking me from making a quick escape to Nikki.

"What's going on?" His eyes went over me, checking for any outwards signs of injury. His eyes stayed on my belly, where I still kept my hands. "Do I need to call Albert over?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine. I just need some air."

Mikko switched his gaze towards Eddy. I didn't look over to see if he was squirming. "Alright. Let's go."

He walked past Eddy, keeping his eyes on him. Eddy cowered, tying to stay small and out of the way, when Mikko got close.

Mikko opened the door and held his hand out for me. I tried not to be afraid of Eddy, but I knew that Mikko would pick up on it anyway. I took Mikko's hand and let him lead me wherever he wanted to go.

I didn't really pay attention to where we were going until Mikko stopped. We were in a clearing. I usually wasn't taken to any clearings since they were mostly for the wolves.

It was a beautiful sight. The trees still had frost from the cold temperatures.

"What was going on with you and Eddy?" He asked taking a seat on a fallen tree.

I shrugged, looking over the area. Most of the wonderful vegetation was covered with frost. Any flowers had long ago receded to escape the oncoming cold winter weather. I looked back at Mikko. He was being patient about it, but he looked at me expectantly. "I don't want to talk about it with you."

"If it has anything to do with those kids, I want to know. I don't care if it makes you uncomfortable." I couldn't keep looking him in the eyes. Not when he knew I was hiding something. He probably thought I was hiding an affair or something.

"It's not your problem."

He smirked. "That was very close to a lie."

I rolled my eyes. "Did you bring me out here to give me a lie detector test?"

He shook his head. "I brought you out here for privacy. We're alone. You can lay all your problems on me. I'll help you."

I shook my head and put my hands on my hips. "I can take care of my own problems."

He sighed. "I'm not trying to offend you. I just want to help you. You're stressed out and it affects the pregnancy."

I sighed and shifted my eyes to the sky in an attempt to keep tears from forming in my eyes. I didn't want to be a bad mom already and harm my unborn babies. But I didn't want to share my humiliation with Mikko.

I heard Mikko get up and walk towards me. I knew that he was making noise just so he wouldn't startle me. With a gentle hand on both sides of my face, he tilted my head so I had to look at him. He was so much taller than me that he didn't have to move my head much.

"Trust me enough to take care of the problems that I can. It's the least that I can do since you're giving me my first children." His care felt sincere and heartfelt.

"How's your control today?"

His brows scrunched in confusion. "Afraid I'll go on a rampage?"

I stepped away from him and thankfully he let me go. I wiped away the extra moisture that had collected. "I promised Margaret I wouldn't tell you unless you could control yourself."

He rolled his eyes. "My sister has a flare for the dramatic. Why don't you tell me what it is now?"

"Alright," I said in a sigh. I told Mikko about shooting Jorge first. I told him about what Nikki had told me about Eddy while I explained the shooting. Then he made me tell him about what had happened in the kitchen.

Mikko wasn't exactly happy when we walked back to the alpha’s house. When we got there, the house was in full swing. Margaret was in the kitchen with Nikki as they cooked very late breakfast for the pack. Both of their smiles dropped when they saw Mikko and I come back into the house.

"Take her home," he said to Nikki as he very briskly made his way up the stairs. It looked like he was going to go to the alpha’s office.

Nikki and Margaret stared at me when Mikko left their sight. "What happened?"

I sat down on the bar stool feeling exhausted. "He walked in on Eddy and me having a little confrontation." Margaret chewed on her bottom lip in worry. "He trapped me into telling him. He didn't get too mad." I tried to soothe her anxiety.

"It's when my brother is silent that he needs to be watched out for," she warned. "No one can go around disrespecting you, because in turn, it disrespects Mikko. Eddy's not a very dominate wolf. It's insulting to my brother."

"We're not together." I didn't understand why it would matter so much to him.

Nikki looked at Margaret. "She's right." Nikki agreed with Margaret as she came over to me. "You're under Mikko's protection from now until you die. Everyone knows that you don't mess with the Madill's and what is theirs."

I rubbed a hand over my belly. "If everyone knows that then why does Mikko insist that I leave? If the Madill's have such a reputation I should be safe here."

Margaret shook her head. "You're not. This pack has a few strong members, but Mikko has a lot more enemies that are stronger and much more devious."

I rested my face in my hands. "I'm so tired and I've only been up for an hour."

Nikki smiled and patted my back. "Let's get you home so you can rest in your own bed."

"What about Dad? Do you think I could visit him first?"

Nikki took out her cell. "I'll ask."

I got up and helped Margaret while Nikki walked out of the room to talk to whoever was working at the infirmary right now.

I wasn't allowed to go visit my dad, which made my anger towards Mikko rise. How could he have hurt my dad when he had just been standing up for me?

Nikki and I hung out on my couch until Mike came for his mate. Unfortunately, Mike left Mikko there with me. Just seeing Mikko made me feel exhausted, so I went up to my room and promptly fell asleep.

----

The next morning I wasn't alone when I woke up. Of course I wasn't alone. This werewolf had no sense of boundaries. I pushed him away from me, but he woke up before I could dump him onto the ground.

"Good morning," he said with a smile. It was obvious in his voice that he had been awake for a while.

I groaned and turned away from him. "Why are you watching me sleep?"

"You're cute when you sleep. You're not trying to kill someone." He teased.

I cuddled up with my pillow. "Well don't push your luck then."

"We're leaving tomorrow morning."

I looked over at him. "I haven't agreed to go anywhere with you."

He nodded. "We're didn't include you."

I didn't know how I felt about that. "And where has this sudden change of heart come from?"

He smiled mischievously. "This pack is going to get some more protection. There's always going to be someone around for you."

I sat up and rubbed my hands over my tired face. "Won't that make it obvious that something's going on in this pack?"

He shrugged. "There is something going on. I'm not keen on leaving you here, but I can't convince you to go somewhere safe. Unfortunately, I can't drag you back to my home since you would fuss and fight me the entire time."

"I don't want to be followed around everywhere I go. I still have a job and a life here." I really didn't want to have someone around all the time!

"Either you're going to deal with the guards, or you're coming with me. Those are your two options."

I sighed. "I don't like those. I need more choices."

He got out of my bed. "I don't care. You have a decision to make, but we both know what you're going to pick."

He quickly got dressed and left my room as I thought about it. I needed a few weeks, maybe even a few months to decide what I was going to do about this. Could I just pick up and move my life?

At least Mikko wasn't going to hound me over it anymore. I took a shower and got ready for the day. I actually had to work for a few hours this afternoon. Since I was going to be taking maternity leave, I needed to have a money reserve in the bank in case there was an emergency.

Mikko was eating breakfast when I walked into the kitchen. There were pancakes, eggs, bacon and toasted English muffins waiting for me. At least the man knew how to make breakfast.

"Eat." He ordered.

I grabbed a plate and served myself before sitting across from Mikko. "Am I going to be allowed to see my father today?"

He nodded. "When you're finished with your job today there will be someone to take you to the alpha's house so you could see your father."

I looked down at my food. It was Mikko's fault my father wasn't here right now. I needed to talk to my father to make sure he didn't hate me. I missed talking to him and just hanging out with him. We'd been on such a rocky road lately that I wasn't sure what each day would bring.

Mikko dropped me off at work and pointed to another car in the parking lot. That was my ride home. A pack member was waiting for me in there. I had been babysat while I worked.

Work gave me a nice break from all the drama going on around me. It was nice to just focus on work and the problems of others. It was like life was perfectly fine and there was nothing I had to worry about but the well care of my patients.

When I got out of work I went to the car Mikko had pointed out earlier. I didn't recognize the wolf in the car on the ride home. This guy had to be part of the group that Mikko wanted to protect me. The man didn't look like he was in the mood to have a conversation, so I kept quiet as he drove. It was late and dark outside. I was ready for bed. These past few days had been very draining.

When we got to the pack house I was nervous to see my dad. I didn't wait for the man to get out of the car before I quickly made my way into the pack house. I opened the front door to see my dad sitting in the living room. He looked normal...but he didn't get up when I walked in. Which meant that he was either still very mad at me, or that it still hurt to move around. It was probably a mix of the two.

I didn't run towards the group he was sitting with. They would've heard me come into the house. I leaned over the back of the couch and wrapped my arms around his neck. I was so relieved that he was healing so well. I never wanted my dad to be hurt. This whole situation was never supposed to happen and it seemed like it would only bring more problems and drama.

He patted my arm with his hand. "I'm fine. I'm not even sore anymore." My nodding head rubbed against his. "Don't worry about me. Come sit down."

I let go of him and walked around the couch to sit down. I did notice some discoloration on Eddy's face as he sat next to his wife, careful not to look in my direction. From the look of it, Mikko had smacked him around a bit.

There was a movie on the TV screen. I curled up next to my dad and fell asleep watching the movie that had been playing. Before I knew it I was being loaded into a car. When it wasn't my dad's I was confused.

"Where's my dad going?" I asked waking up a bit more at the realization.

"He's going to a meeting for the patrols tonight." Mikko said as he held open the door.

"But he's healing."

Mikko shook his head. "Not anymore. He's healed enough to resume his duties."

I sighed and got into the car. I was too tired to have a useless argument.

When we got to my house, I didn't wait for Mikko to follow me. I went to my room and closed the door.

It had been a long day. Too long and too complicated. How was I supposed to get through the next few months if it felt like I wouldn't get through the day?

A light knock at my door kept me from sleeping. I pulled the blankets up over my bare legs. It had to be my dad, back from his meeting, so I told him to come in.

I immediately noticed that the silhouette wasn't that of my fathers. I quickly sat up and turned on the lamp next to my bed, all the while the figure got closer. I knew it was a man. He was too strong built to be a woman.

I let out a partially relieved sigh when I recognized Mikko's face.

"Are you trying to scare me to death?"

He smirked and shook his head. "Of course not sweetheart."

"What are you doing here?"

In response, he moved the blankets away from the other side of my bed.

I shook my head when I realized what he was doing. "You're not staying in here tonight!"

He took off his sweater and shirt together with a smirk. "And you think you can stop me?" He threw the shirt at me, which I caught before it could wrap around my head. "Plus, your father is on patrols tonight." He undid his jeans. It took everything I had not to let my eyes roam all over him. His body really was amazing. "And you're not going to be left alone."

I rolled my eyes and kept my gaze away from him. "I would’ve been fine."

He tugged off his pants and sat on my bed. "Humor me then."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "There's a couch downstairs that you should sleep on."

He chuckled as he made himself comfortable next to me. "Not going to happen. I'm not eager of the idea of your father walking in on me when I'm in my skivvies."

"And what makes you think that won't happen now?" I looked over at him. He was lying on his side, facing me, looking awfully content with my pillow.

"I'll know when he comes in the house. I'll have a few more seconds to throw on some pants."

I sighed. There would be no point in fighting him. If I left the room he'd just follow me anyway. "Want me to get you some shorts or pajama bottoms?"

"You're not going to get away from me."

"I know." I snapped irately. "I was just trying to be nice." He didn't even know me. Did he think I was stupid enough to actually try to run away from him? I turned and gave him my back. "But fuck you, now."

His arm wrapped around my rib cage, pulling me back. I gripped the side of my mattress in an attempt to resist him.

"Don't touch me," I hissed.

He chuckled and pulled until my fingers slipped and I couldn’t stop him from pulling me against him.

"You go from irritated to furious in a heartbeat. It must be all those extra hormones." He mused.

I tried to turn and smack him, but he held me so closely and tightly enough that I couldn't turn to get a better angle. But that didn't stop me from smacking him.

"Alright." He chuckled. "Enough abuse. Go to sleep."

I huffed unhappily. "Let me go."

I felt him shift behind me.

"And why would I do that?" He whispered in my ear. I could feel the heat of his breathing against my neck. I felt my heart rate spike. "I've got you right -" he placed a tender kiss on my neck, "- where I want you."

He nibbled on my earlobe, eliciting a moan from me. I couldn't help it. It had been months since I slept with Mikko, or anyone else for that matter, and I was apparently very sensitive to his touch due to the extra hormones coursing through me.

It was safe to say that we didn't argue for the rest of the night.