-Theo POV-

I shoved another rolled up shirt into the duffel bag, trying hard to ignore the stab of pain that went through my chest as I watched Cassia brush away another tear.

She was doing her best to hide it, I guessed in an attempt to make me not worry about leaving her. Truth was, I was dying inside knowing I couldn't stay to protect her. Hopefully this time apart wouldn't be eons long.

I failed to fight off the thoughts of her growing belly, and how scared I was of such a tiny little thing. She'd stated that it was no more than the size of a blueberry, but the problem it had presented was bigger than everything. I still couldn't actually wrap my head around the fact that we were going to be parents...that I was going to be a dad.

When I had fallen in love with and married Cassia, I had known that she was all I would ever need. I wasn't angry with her over this anymore, and for some reason, I didn't even hate the brat, but I did wonder how life was going to be once it got here.

I had heard from lots of people that babies were inconvenient, and based on when it had been conceived, I could agree with that.

"Here's your jeans." Cassia's sweet voice interrupted my musing. "Thanks." I said, taking the stack from her lightly trembling hands. When I had pushed them into the duffel, I zipped it, and reluctantly turned to face her.

Her beautiful face was flushed pink and tired, and tear tracks marked her cheeks. Her cornflower blue eyes were dark, and reddened by her misery. Her whole being spoke of exhaustion, but I could tell it was more than physical tiredness. She'd been running from this asshole a long time, and now, he'd caught back up and she couldn't run like she'd used to.

Now, she had me and a plethora of friends willing to fight this battle for her. She was also in the early stages of pregnancy, which I know had worn on her since she discovered it.

Looking at her now, I knew there was no one else I would ever love more.

"I suppose this means I'm ready to go." I opened my arms to her, loving how it took her milliseconds to fall into them. She buried her face in my chest before lifting her face to mine. Answering her request, I leaned forward and bestowed a kiss to her soft, salty lips.

"Listen," I told her once the kiss was over, "you are one of the strongest people I've known. You ran for six years and you survived. You made it through a fatal wound," I traced the long, ragged scar from her back, and over her hip to where it ended on her abdomen, "you survived nearly being blown up and crushed," I traced her collarbone, where it had broken from her trial, "and after finding out so many horrible things about me, you not only stuck around, you tied yourself to me in every single way possible."

I took her slender hand in mine and kissed her fingertips, lightly toying with the gold band and blue stoned engagement ring on her third finger.

My nerves were all over the place, but I ignored them, and pressed the flat of my hand against her abdomen. The result of our love and stupidity rested underneath my palm.

"Theo." She gasped lightly, putting her hand on top of mine on her stomach. I glanced at the clock for the thousandth time, and noted with irritation that it was time for me to go.

I gently rubbed my palm over her abdomen again and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I have to go now. Joel is waiting for me outside. I love you. Now, take care of yourself, and nurture our brat. And don't put up with Liam's or Joel's bullshit while I'm gone." I kissed her again. "And you call me if something happens. I'll be here in an instant."

"I will, I promise." She got out around the tightness in her throat. I could tell she was holding back as hard as she could from the way she swallowed every second, "I love you."

I gave her one last, long kiss, then took my duffel bag in hand and walked out the door, leaving my pregnant wife behind to release her sorrow in private.

Liam stood when I entered the den and I met his eyes as we both heard Cassia's first muffled sob. I cleared my throat and spoke, "I mean all that I said Liam. And if something goes wrong, don't depend on them," I threw my head in the direction of Joel and the other cops outside, "to see to her care. If you have to, you take the car and you run away with her."

Liam nodded, sensing my seriousness. I gave him a final nod, took a deep breath and walked out the front door.

Joel stood by the driver side door of his car, smoking one of those unbearable cigarettes. As soon as we were in close quarters, I was going to warn him of what would happen if he smoked another one of those around Cassia.

"Ready?" He asked, dropping the stick onto the ground and stamping it out with the toe of his shoe. I nodded, tossing my bag into the seat of the car and climbing in the back behind him.

He got in also and started the car, backing up and I watched as the little white house grew distant.

"It's going to be a pretty long drive." He stated. "I'm aware." I said.

"That Liam kid seems decent." "He's a pain in the ass. I'm sure you two got along just fine." "As a matter of fact, we did. Maybe he should have gone after her."

I glared at him in the rear view mirror.

"You'd be just as jealous as you are now." I responded. Joel's face grew an angry red. "What did she tell you?" He asked.

"Nothing I don't already know." I growled, leaning forward and keeping eye contact with him in the mirror, "If you stress her out or endanger her because of your stupidity and inability to control yourself, I will cause irreparable bodily damage to you. I don't care what threats of jail time or legal crap you threaten me with."

"Its not like you're threatening me with things I haven't heard before. I have dealt with scarier convicts than you, Guard Dog."

Allowing my anger to show fully, I let my eyes go bright gold for half a second. Joel's face paled and his eyes went large and round.

"Scarier convicts don't have the strength and abilities that I do." I snarled, "I could snap your neck with a twist of my fingers. I will do whatever it takes to protect my wife and child. So I have some friendly suggestions for you."

I could tell that I had his full attention by then.

"Do not smoke around Cassia. Not only does she hate the smell, the side effects can be fatal for the kid. Do not stress her out, it's not good for either of them. Do your job and nothing extra."

The pallor in his face began to go back to red. "I've heard of people, of things, like you." He ground out, "And you impregnated her. What if this thing kills her."

"It won't." I said back.

I was a creation, an experiment. My supernatural genes couldn't be passed down. I was human before I became a Chimera, and Cassia was human, so the brat would be normal.

"How would you know?!" He screamed angrily. "Because I'm smarter than you." I replied, "I know all there is about myself, my wife and now my kid. I'm well aware of the way you feel about her, and I'm telling you to cut it out. Not only is it not going to change anything, it's only going to make me want to kill you. For your sake and the sake of my kid's future, I suggest you get past it."

"I'd like to be able to say the same thing to you." He grumbled.

-Cassia POV-

Once my tears had finally subsided, I ducked into the bathroom to wash my face.

It was embarrassing that Liam had more than likely heard the entire show. I hoped this baby was worth every ounce of emotional ride I was having to endure.

Once I had dried my sore skin, I emerged from the bathroom, and sought Liam. I found him nestled into the couch, watching a random sports channel.

"Hey." I said, sitting down on the adjacent couch. "Hey," He replied, turning toward me, "are you alright?" "Yeah, I will be. Just have to get used to it...and there is another reason. One you should know about."

Liam's look turned from open to worried.

"It's nothing bad, just...unplanned." I assured him. "What are you talking about?" He asked. "You said I smelled off, remember?" I began.

"Yeah, and you still do, no offense." "None taken, it doesn't surprise me. Anyway...what I am about to tell you will probably be shocking, and I would really like it if you didn't insult Theo."

"What the hell do you mean?" He asked incredulously.

I sighed, "Um, well...Theo and I are...kind of going to be parents."

"Parents?!" He asked, a stunned expression on his face, "You mean like you...like you're...?" "Pregnant?" I finished for him, trying to stifle a smile.

"THEO is going to be a dad?" Liam asked, like he couldn't wrap his head around it, and I couldn't blame him, because I could hardly believe it either. "Yes." I answered, unable to keep the grin off my face.

Realization began to dawn on his face. "That's why he laid out so many ground rules." He guessed. "Yes. I am not sure if it was obvious, but Joel has a crush. I met Joel when I was sixteen, right after I had been taken from my house. I didn't return his feelings, but he...well, let's just say he's a little jealous."

Liam scoffed, but answered, "I won't let him do anything stupid to you, but you really should talk it out." "I plan to, but it won't end how he wants, and I didn't want to do it around Theo. One thing my darling tends to do is lose his temper easily."

"Who, Theo? Never." Liam said, making both of us smile. "I am actually quite worried for Joel over the ride. They'll be together for an entire evening..." "Theo isn't stupid enough to kill him with this all going on, or at least I hope."

I giggled, then got up and sat down beside him. "They've been on bad ground since we met up for our first home. I got sick. That's when Melissa came to check on me...and confirm my pregnancy."

He nodded, surely recalling Melissa leaving to come here.

I let some of my worry slip through to alert him, then reached out and placed my hand in his. "I'm scared, Liam." I told him, "There is so much wrong going on right now. It could end so bad for all of us."

"I have to confess," he replied, squeezing my hand gently, "that this is certainly not a fun position." "It's all my fault." I said, withdrawing my hand from his to rub my eyes in tiredness.

"No, it isn't." He sighed after a pause, "I also have something to tell you, before I chicken out."

"What is it?"

"I met up with Damian at one point."

I came up off of the couch violently, staring at him, and he stood as well. "Liam, no, you...you could have been killed!" I yelled finally.

"But I wasn't." He reminded me, "However, he gave me a severe ass beating. I think he knows that I have something to do with you."

I felt tears sting my eyes. "Aw c'mon, Cass, I wasn't telling you this to upset you..." He said, coming forth to hug me, but I hit him in the shoulder. "You can't so stupid stuff like that! Next time you might not be so lucky! How could you think this wouldn't upset me?!"

"Calm down," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders, "I promise to be more careful. Of course, with me here watching you, there won't be another interlude, but I thought you should know."

"Liam...if we lost you...don't you know what that would do to me? You're the brother I never had...if my actual brother had...if he had-" I couldn't finish that thought.

"I was tracking him," he explained, "I thought maybe I could get the jump on him. I have an exceptional hate for wendigos...no offense." He grinned. "You're not funny," I warned around my grin, "and why do you hate them so much?"

"Sean Walcott was the reason I was turned into a wolf. He was about to kill me...and Scott saved me, but it could only save me by biting me."

"...So, I am still tied to it." I said.

"Only by blood. And I am not sorry that I am what I am, it's just a bad memory. But hey, enough of this serious talk. It's tiring me out. I had a long journey today, I've been overwhelmed with the news of your pregnancy..."

"You've been overwhelmed?!" I shouted in playful outrage, "I'm actually carrying it! And I had to tell Theo!"

Liam's burst of laughter made me feel so much better on so many levels.

For now, we would enjoy the evening and see what tomorrow would bring.

**I hope you're enjoying my story! Thank you so much for reading, and I apologize once more for the crazy schedule. A full time job really cuts into your writing schedule XD I hope you all have amazing days!**