The car ride was a bit of a long one which meant Vera was spending most of it sleeping. It blew his mind how quickly time had flown as they came into March and the last stretch of waiting on Theo. It was also nice that his parents were renting out a whole lodge for the weekend so they could host a baby shower for Vera. She still didn't feel like she belonged but at least his mother was trying. He was also excited for Vera to finally meet his sisters since unlike his parents Hamish did have a close relationship with them both. After all his older sister had been his childhood guardian and best friend while his younger sister, well she was the baby of the family so Hamish naturally was protective of her. Things weren't any better that Vera had also undid her link to the babies powers. After far too many times feeling a wolfish rage around acolyte's using magic around her she felt the risk wasn't worth it now. So here they were, back to square one and Vera without her powers. Eventually he would need to talk to Alyssa about getting them back.

As he drove up the long driveway to the lodge he could see some of his family was already there. Carefully he reached over to wake up Vera, rubbing her shoulder lightly. "Hey sleeping beauty, you want to wake up?"

Vera groaned swatting his hand away before opening her eyes and sounding a bit groggy, "Where are we?" She sat up a little more in her seat and looked up at the big rustic looking lodge. "Oh, we're here, it's about time." Sitting up more Vera looked at the clock, "You drive like an old lady Hamish."

"The roads were icy." He argued with her despite the fact they were in an SUV with four wheel drive that could handle icy roads. It really had more to do with the fact that Hamish had wanted to let Vera nap as long as possible since her sleep was more often than not disrupted by their daughter training to be a star athlete in every sport known and unknown to man. Her favorite time to train was between three in the morning until five too. "Plus you looked so peaceful sleeping."

"That's because I actually got to sleep." Vera winced a little feeling a cramp down in her lower back. "Though it's not as comfortable as sleeping in bed." Once Hamish pulled up to the front of the lodge to unpack their things Vera unbuckled herself. "Calm down."

"What? I am calm." Hamish was a bit confused.

"Not you, Theo."

Hamish reached over putting his hand on her belly until he could feel the little kicks from his daughter. He'd remembered the first time he'd felt it, he had been cuddling Vera in bed and it felt a little more like their kid was trying to get him to uncuddle her. He knew eventually as they kept up their sexytime routine's eventually Theo would become traumatized. "So cute."

"Yes, it's so cute how she drop kicks my bladder which reminds me I really have to go." Hamish unlocked the door knowing now wasn't really the time for chivalry.

"I'll get the bags." Hamish opened his own door and opened the back of the SUV to get out their luggage. They packed lightly since it was only two days but Vera had to bring extra sheets and blankets because she was weird about hotel sheets. Vera vanished inside the lodge and for his family's sake he hoped none of them ran into her right now. Hamish wheeled the suitcases into the lodge looking around until he went towards the front desk. "Did you happen to see which way my partner went?" Dammit, he hated that word too. Made it sound like they were two beat cops rather than a couple romantically involved with each other. Just because Randal kept referring to Vera as his wife now a days Hamish was almost tempted to call her that as well. The guy just pointed down one of the halls to which Hamish thanked him and went down the hall running into his mother outside of the restrooms.

"Hamish my dear." She hugged him as he stood there still trying to drag both suitcases around on their wheels. "Where is your….where is Vera?"

He nodded towards the bathroom door. "It was a very long drive."

"I'll wait then." She paused and fixed Hamish's hair. "You look wonderful Hamish, you have so much color in your face. You aren't drinking as much as you used to."

"Not really, we don't keep a lot of alcohol in the house since Vera can't drink anything."

"Maybe she's good for something then." That hit Hamish in the chest, she was good for everything. She was a bad influence sometimes though. Once Vera came out of the bathroom looking far more alert she reached for her suitcase only to have Hamish keep it away.

"I don't think so Vera. I've got it."

"Come on, I'm pregnant not crippled."

"It's cute when you think you are going to get things your way."

His mother cleared her throat looking between them and their little flirtatious exchange. "I can show you two to your rooms then."

Vera raised a finger looking a little confused, "Rooms?" She licked her lips and looked back up at Hamish. "I mean, I'd rather just stay in your room."

"I didn't want to assume you two were still together."

"Oh." Vera replied. "I'd say we are more together."

"Regardless Hamish's father is a bit old fashioned. He doesn't believe in unwed couples sharing a room."

Vera and Hamish both spoke almost in perfect tandem. "It's a bit late for that." They looked at each other slightly amused. It nearly seemed like it was planned out, they really were spending a lot of time together. "Actually in general I'd just like to stick with him, we sleep together all the time." Vera stopped looking at his mother and catching her breath in the back of her throat. "I mean like…"

"She knows what you mean Vera." Hamish rested a hand on her back though they did the other thing a lot too.

She clearly didn't like it but whatever, it wasn't her life now was it. Vera and Hamish followed her just as Vera grabbed her own bag from him and started dragging it faster walking ahead of him. When they approached the door and his mother pulled out the key card to open it a small boy around the age of five came running down the hall towards him. "Uncle Hamish." The kid practically tackled Hamish making him huff and drop his suitcase to the ground so he could catch him. "Do you want to go swim in the pool later? There is an indoor pool."

"Sure, just let me get settled in first okay?"

The boy looked over at Vera and smiled up at her. "Hello, are you uncle Hamish's wife?"

"Uh...no she's my girlfriend." He really hated that term but it was one that the kid understood. "This is Vera."

Vera offered her hand to him which meant he shook it with an overly exaggerated exuberance. "Nice to meet you." He looked back at Hamish. "Whoa she's really pretty." Hamish could hear his mother open the door behind them as he picked up his bag again and turned to Vera laughing a little.

"Oh, yeah she knows that." Once inside the room he leaned his bag up against the wall before going to Vera and helping her take off her jacket.

"Well, I'll leave you two to get settled in. It's good to see you again Vera."

Once she walked out of the room Vera leaned back from Hamish a little. "She hates me."

"It's only because I love you." Hamish picked up Vera making her flinch and throw and arm around his neck. "She is overly protective of me."

"So am I." Vera paused as Hamished kissed her. "And I am overly protective of what she likes to refer to as our bastard."

"Happy accident." Even that phrase didn't fit their daughter though because an accident suggested she was something they didn't want or wished they could take back. "No, she's a surprise. Not a happy accident but rather just a very unexpected surprise." Hamish set her down on the bed and laid down next to her. "Vera, she's a miracle."

"Oh I wouldn't go that far."

"Really? Because you two should both be dead right now. Miracles happen sometimes and I think Theo is one of them." Vera and Theo should have died by Alpha's hands. They might have even both died by his hand but somehow you couldn't just snuff out a light that wanted to burn as bright as Theo did. "Do you want to come with me down to the pool with the kids? I'm sure Gavin would like to see you again and I bet my sister will be bringing down Leo as well."

"I don't know, I really wouldn't go swimming."

"That's okay, you can just hang out and talk to my sister then. She's going to love you. At least there is someone who will make you feel like you fit into the family. My other sister isn't coming until tomorrow since she can't bring her boyfriend. My parents hate him."

"I'm starting to see a pattern. Do they hate your other sister's husband?"

"Honestly? No, he's a lawyer, my dad loves him."

"And I'm a chancellor." What the hell did Vera have to do to win any respect in this family? It didn't matter to her but she certainly didn't want to be raising her baby in a family that didn't like her for some stupid reason.