A/N: The longest chapter, because this particular meeting kind of grew in my mind. The ending surprised me... I was going to go with the other option, but realized that I really couldn't. So, we get the slightly better ending. Note: Swearing and mild violence. Laura is an awesome person.
Places like New York City were filled with hidden gems. Some were discovered and exploited and others were hidden like dirty secrets, whispered about over coffee and in shared through private emails. Laura had been given a map and a murmured, "For memories," from Justin with a significant nod. The map lead her to a place that served the best greasy spoon burgers she'd ever tasted, and after her first trip, Laura was determined to drag Derek there at the first opportunity.
The thing about eating burgers was that it left Laura wanting to run, so she did the New York thing. She ran in Central Park, picking trails that were less taken to keep people from noticing if her control slipped, and then she ran. It felt good to run, the steady pace, the wind, the trees. For a few minutes she could pretend she was back in Beacon Hills.
"Let go of me!"
Laura skidded to a halt and stared around the deserted park. Cruel laughter surrounded her and Laura spun before spotting a turn off that was even less used than her own path. Laura sprinted down the path as a girl screamed. She turned a corner and got a lung full of breeze, warning her of the three werewolves ahead of her, two males who just smelt vicious and cruel, and a female, terrified and submissive. She heard the sound of flesh catching something soft but solid and the girl shrieked again.
Laura didn't even try to prevent the change as she raced into the clearing. She tackled one of the two males, beta by their scent with a snarl, knocking him back and away from his prey. She pivoted to face the other beta and growled at him. The beta shifted partly and growled back. Laura met his eyes and snarled louder, sending him back and away.
"Who do you think you are, bitch?" The second beta demanded.
"Alpha Laura Hale of Staten Island," Laura replied coldly. "You'll forgive me for interfering but I was told that Manhattan was a place where wolves were never harassed."
"She's just an Omega," the beta said, "who cares?"
Laura looked at the girl, taking in her dark hair, skin, and eyes. Then she noted the way the girl curled up, protecting a slightly protruding belly. A faint sniff and she knew what the girl protected. "That is a pregnant woman, you asshat son of a bitch," Laura yelled. "You have no right to touch her." Laura felt the girl touch her ankle for a moment, then grip it tighter with a firm grip, "You violate the rules, Betas. Run to your Alphas and pray you never meet me again. I know your face and I know your stench. If I ever see you attempting to harm any woman again, save in a case of war or self defense, I will shred you and leave you to your Alphas' mercy." She let loose then, not the snarl from before, but a stronger one, with all the weight and authority of a Hale Alpha, the legacy she had earned from her mother.
"Remember," she called after the fleeing Betas, "Alpha Laura Hale from Staten Island. I look forward to hearing from your Alphas."
Laura turned to the girl, "Are you all right?"
"I don't know," the girl said, "my stomach."
Laura felt her heart skip a bit as she knelt down, "Here," she took the girls hand in her own and pulled off some of the pain.
"Here now, what's this?"
Laura turned to find to police officers coming up. One was a were, but the other was not. "She was mugged," Laura said, "I ran them off, but she's hurt."
The younger officer, the human, nodded, "What did they look like?"
"Between six foot and six two, built like a pair of brick walls," Laura said, "both wore black t-shirts and blue jeans, and steel toed boots."
"And you ran them off," the human said.
Laura smiled at him, "My dad was a cop, sir. He was very big on learning how to defend myself, and when I proved to have a habit of tackling bullies to protect my little brother, he taught me how to do that as well."
The human nodded, "Did you notice hair and eye colors?"
"Brunette, one had brown eyes and a road rash from me hitting him," Laura replied, "the other had hetrochromia, brown and blue."
"I'll go see what I can find," the human said.
"Please," the girl gasped.
Laura turned, "Are you okay?" She asked again.
"Something," the girl gasped and curled around her stomach, "something's wrong, my baby…"
"An ambulance is coming," the werewolf said, "how far along are you?"
"Seven," the girl said and her eyes flashed. "Alpha."
"Easy," Laura said, kneeling to take the girl's hand. "I'm Laura, okay." She turned to the other cop, "Any help she needs, I'll pay for."
"You're," the werewolf said.
"Laura Hale," Laura replied, "my brother and I just moved to Staten Island. Yes, I'm an Alpha. I'm also a decent person who thinks that kicking anyone, much less a pregnant woman is reprehensible."
The werewolf nodded as his radio crackled. Laura didn't understand, but the werewolf sighed, "It may take a bit," he said, "we're kind of off the beaten path."
"I'm not leaving her," Laura said.
"I need to take your full statement then."
Laura began to talk, alternating between pulling pain from the girl and answering the werewolf cop, John Porter's questions. Laura even admitted to giving the betas her name to report to their Alphas.
"That's a lot of concern for an Omega," John said cautiously.
Laura snorted, "Well, she doesn't have to be." Laura looked at the girl, "You don't have to be an Omega. Not if you don't want to be."
The girl smiled, "I'm Petra," she panted before groaning around her belly.
"We'll discuss everything later," Laura decided as she heard the sounds of people approaching. "For now, though, consider yourself a beta."
Derek met Laura outside the small, private hospital that catered to werewolves. "Are you all right?" He demanded as he barreled into her.
"Yes," Laura said, hugging him back. "I may have expanded the pack."
"You may have?" Derek asked, leaning back to look at her for a long moment.
"That's up to Petra," Laura replied, "but at the least, we're going to have a few houseguests. Come and meet them." She led Derek up to Petra's private room on the maternity ward. The young woman, also eighteen, was gently holding her twins. "Petra, this is my brother Derek, my beta. Derek, this is Petra and her daughters, Melody and Hope."