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-ONE MONTH LATER-
"You stupid Old Wolf!"
The vase crashed over his head, and Charles was suddenly glad for Anna's terrible aim. He had come home to his mate in distress. Not knowing what was wrong, Brother Wolf had informed him it was best to hide until her anger cooled. Two hours later, and still she remained furious.
He held his hands in front of him. "Are you going to tell me what this is about, or continue to ruin furniture."
Anna stalked toward him, poking a finger in his chest, hard.
"I told you this would happen, but you were all 'no, we must trust the spirits.' And I was all, 'maybe the spriirt should mind their own business' and you were all 'the spiritis ensure our destiny, we are their business,' and I agreed."
Charles fought to not laugh as his mate waved her arms comically as she retold their past conversations.
He waited for her to continue, "Well, you're freaking spirits can go screw themselves! Bran broke her heart."
Brother wolf perked at that, it was ture, Charles had trusted the spirits to guide his father down the path, but as Charles grew to care for Piper, sitting by as their relationship neared implosion had been difficult.
"What happened?" he asked, alert.
Anna threw her arms up, "You know what happened! Bran left her! and now she's not eating, not sleeping, she's been throwing up for weeks."
"Who told you, that?"
"Van just called in a state, He thinks she'd dying."
Piper was strong, Charles knew she'd survive the break, he was sure she would. When his father had returned they had been surprised at how closed off he'd been. Lately, he hadn't spoken much to his da'. Like Piper, Bran refused to answer the phone. When he did ermerge from wherever he'd hidden himself, Bran had been crisp, gotten the job done and then crawled back into complete isolation. Charles had been worried about him, just as Anna had been worried about Piper. Since Bran's return Anna had been calling her friend, or more accurately, her friend's Alpha daily. Piper's lack of appetite and insomnia were already a known thing. Charles, however, had not known about the vomiting.
Anna waved a finger at him, again. "You fix this, Charles or so help me god!"
He winced as she stormed away, slamming the door. Charles remarked at how persuasive his mate could be when upset.
-TWO MONTHS LATER-
Brady strolled the halls of the manor, chuckling at the old wolf's face when he'd awoken to his laces tied together. Van was easily pranked, and there was no lengths Brady would go to in order to make Piper smile.
The reminder of the woman made his change directions through the house, making his way toward the study in which she spent most of her time.
Music drifted out from the room, the door was slightly cracked open, light spilling into the cold marble floor that always made Brady cringe in the morning.
He pushed open the door, ready to re-tell how he'd left Van, expecting an easy smile from her. His stomach dropped as he spotted her lying on the floor, her arms thrown out helplessly at her side.
"Pipe!" he rushed toward her, her eyes were closed, but he felt a pulse in her neck, like Michael had taught him. "VAN!" he bellowed. He shook her, trying to wake her. She looked pale, close to death. His heart raced.
"VAN!" he called again.
The Alpha charged in the room. "What happened?" he demanded. His voice was in such a growly state that Brady nearly backed away. The last year of Michael's beasts stories surface, making Brady hover, more over Piper.
"Get back, boy," he made a shooing motion. Brady didn't move. "I'm not going to hurt her!" Slightly more trusting, Brady edged backward, not letting her hand go.
Van watched the boy, who was protecivly holding Pipers hand. It had been a seemless transition for him. The boy had at first only trusted Piper, skirting around the others without care. Eventually, he had warmed up to the group. Van could tell he cared for Piper. Whether he saw her as a sisterly or motherly figure, Van was unsure. He was sure, however, that Piper considered him hers. The boy wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.
The Doctor, Robert Dodge, tsked as he bent over Piper. "She's too thin." He had already listened for breathing, repositioned her to be more comfortable and now began to poke and prod at various points.
"She's lost her appetite, she wont eat any of her favorites, eggs, bread, chips."
The man lifted her shirt, ignoring Brady's complaints. Van held back his own protective instincts as he watched the pack doctor put together his two hands, poking deeply into her stomach.
"Well, of course she wont," the Doctor chuckled, "she needs meat."
Van's instincts ran haywire. Frantically, he recalled the importance of protien to humans. He knew is was vital. Hell, he should have shoved some steak down her face. Wolves, often, required more wolves, maybe humans did too.
"Well, I guess I could've tried that. She just keeps saying she's not hungry."
The wirey man nodded, "sometimes that happens, it's the energy exchange."
"What energy exchange?"
"What's he talking about!" The kid demanded.
Dodge looked confused, "Between her," he explained, "and the baby."
"Holy shit," Brady said, mimicking Van's own thoughts.
The words shut Van down. His eyes rounded in both shock and understanding. The sickness, the change in appetite, this fatigue. Piper wasn't just heartbroken, she was pregnant.
"You didn't know?" the man hedged.
"You got Pipe pregnant!" the boy accused.
"No, I just, didn't put it together."
Dodge chuckled, leaning across her to slap Van's shoulder, "Congrats, old boy."
"No, I-" Van began, but realized he shouldn't tell the gossipy wolf he wasn't the father. Dumbly, he realized Bran must be. Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
The doc continued to frown at him and Van rememberd what he'd spoken, "I just meant, that these type of pregnancies can be dangerous, I'm just worried about her."
Brady turned pale, "What do you mean?"
Dodge nodded, ignoring Kid. "Yes, human-Alpha pregnancies are tricky, aren't they." He surveyed her body like it was a math problem, "the stronger the pup, the less chance the mother will survive delivery." He glanced toward Van, "Evolution is a bitch, huh?"
"Oh my god," Kid mumbled, gripping her hand tighter.
Van agreed, realizing the chanced of Piper surviving this were dwindling quickly to none because, as far as he knew, every woman who'd beared Bran's child, had died in delivery.
-THREE MONTHS LATER-
Piper rubbed absently at her swollen stomach, humming a lullaby. Kid sat across from her, doing some type of math homework. Despite, being homeschooled by a pack teacher, Kid seemed to always have homework. Piper marveled at how smart he was. He was especially gifted with math. She was proud of him.
Her fingers splayed over her stomach and she absently wondered if she would feel this proud, this protective over her own child. She decided she would.
Piper spent many nights doing this, wondering how he or she would turn out. She imagined a smile blonde haired boy as a trickster, setting traps for his uncle Tag and insisting that his father was the most fierce Alpha around.
Another image, of a sandy haired girl came to mind. She would have her father wrapped around her finger and she would be a malstorm of both calculation and wit.
Of course, the thoughts of fathers, made her think of Bran. Bran didn't know he was going to be a father, in fact, Piper wasn't even sure he knew she was pregnant.
She had sworn Van and everyone else who knew to complete secrecy about her condition. In fact, she may or may not have held Van at gunpoint to procure the agreement.
As it was, only Van, Brady and a few within the Detroit pack, including the bushy-haired Doctor had realized she was with child. It wasn't until last month that she had finally found the courage to tell Tag and Anna.
Tag had called her, just like any other day. He had asked her whether the rumor was true and Piper had for the first time in months, been honest with him. Yes, she was pregnant.
He had sounded confused, asking who the father was. At first she gave silence, before finally answering Van. Tag had only exclaimed, "Sure it is," before peppering her with teasing about how terrible of a mother she'd make. She replied that he himself would make a twice worse godfather to which he'd promptly started sniffling and asking her if she was sure.
Anna's call had been next, to which Piper had been forced to tell the entire truth. She admitted that Van wasn't the father but he had offered to coparent. Anna understood, saying how hard it would be alone. However, Anna decidedly left out the obvious danger Piper was in. Both women knew the delivery would be hard, perhaps even fatal.
Both had also agreed to tell no one.
Piper was optimistic, however. Since the moment Van had told her about the baby growing inside her and overwhelming awe and thankfulness had uplifted her. She had never felt so good, so right. Only the lingering thoughts that two important people were missing kept her from being on cloud nine.
Mac's absence cut her like a blade. All over again, she realized what his death meant, that he would never share these important experiences with her, that he would never meet his neice or nephew. The realization hurt, but it was nothing compared to Bran's dissapearence.
Bran had told her it wasn't the right time. She had opened her heart, laid it out for him, with all it's twistedness and imperfections right there, and Bran had pushed her away. Piper had been devastated, but at time elapsed, she became even more upset that he was missing this, that he didn't care enough to witness the growth of his child.
Clearly, his duty to the wolves was more important.
"You're thinking about him again," Brady said quietly. Piper didn't realize he'd stopped working, he was now staring at her, from him seat beside the table. Of course, The kid knew who the father was. He had been there after Bran left. He had been one of the people holding onto her as she cried, supporting her and caring for her when she should be doing so for him.
"You're right, I am." They didn't speak of Bran often, but from time to time, Brady would catch her in thoughts of him. He had said something about noticing some look on her face.
Instead of letting it drop, like he usually did, Brady suggested, "Maybe you should just tell him."
Piper had fought with the idea long enough, she had decided and that was that. "He has enough to worry about, he doesn't want this."
"You don't know that unless you tell him."
"His duty is to his wolves, not us."
The boy grew quiet, a vunerable expression on his face, after a moment, he asked, " What's going to happen when you have it?"
Piper was confused. Brady was pretty notorious about not planning for the future. Anytime she'd bring the issue up, he'd mumble something about beating a dead horse and leave.
"We'll stay here, or get a place of our own," she turned toward the small tree in the yard, "Maybe somewhere in the woods,"
Brady nodded, "What about me?"
"Who do you think 'we' is?"
He shrugged, "I just thought, with you and the baby."
"That what? I was going to leave you?"
"I guess," he replied sheepishly.
"Kid , I told you. You're stuck with me. I love ya."
He looked hopeful at that, "really?"
"Yes. Besides, " Piper chuckled, "I'm not turning away a free babysitter!"
Brady rolled his eyes, "You're not that funny, Pipe."
She laughed, "Sure I am! Everyone thinks so!"
After a moment, with his eyes shining, he declared, "You're going to make a really good mother, Pipe."
She smiled, marveling at how she already felt like one to this teenager. Saying so would only embarrass him, so instead Piper said, "You're going to be a pretty great big brother, yourself."
He smiled and a tiny kick answered her declaration. Piper couldn't help but wonder whether her little bug agreed.
-ONE MONTH LATER-
"This is Bran." He answered lifelessly.
"Hullo Bran," Tag chirped. His friend's unhappiness conflicted him. A part of him hoped the old bastard would come to realize his mistake. It was time for him to get on his knees and beg her to take him back. What he was doing was wrong. It suddenly became his responsibility to make him see.
"How's the vacation?" Bran had left Aspen Creek a month ago. The official word was he was camping in the northern mountains, hunting rouges that have been living too close to their territory. Unofficially, Charles had confided he worried Bran had gone rouge, himself. For most of his absence, Bran had abandoned his phone. However, Anna had frantically called Tag earlier, saying Bran was returning tomorrow, information she'd received from Bran himself. The timing was altogether ridiculous or perhaps it was fate. The old wolf wasn't sure.
"It's over. I'm coming back."
Perhaps Bran was malvoient. The timing was just too perfect. "And why is that, Bran?"
"Because I'm done out here?" the man asked, puzzled.
"Is that so…"
"What's going on, Tag?"
"I just find it quite a coincidence, is all. Coming back the day she arrives."
Tag listened intently to the Marrok's next words, he heard the true confusion in them, "Let's stop this game, and you can tell me who you're talking about."
He sighed, assuming those spooky powers of Brans were responsible for knowing when to return.
"Piper is visiting tomorrow," for good measure he added, "finally."
He heard a whoosh of breath and could hear the tenseness in his friend's voice, "I wasn't aware."
Maybe he wasn't Tag realized. Maybe it was the spirits or maybe it was fate. Despite, not knowing, and despite wanting the old wolf to come to his sense, Tag rethought about springing this on Piper.
"Well, now you are," Tag scrubbed a hand over his face, "Maybe you should stay away, Bran."
The Alpha didn't speak. When he did, his voice was stern. "I appreciate your concern but I'm coming back."
"Bran, she only agreed because she knew you weren't here."
"Well, I will be. I didn't plan it, but It's probably for the best we speak."
"The-," Tag cleared his throat, wondering whether the Alpha knew, surely he hadn't been that secluded. It wasn't well known, however. Unless Anna, Charles, himself or Van told Bran, there was no way he would. Before his "vacation" the Alpha had barely even spoken to an outside source.
"Bran, Piper is pregnant."
This time, the growl was audiable, loud. "What?" he demanded.
Despite, being on the phone, Tag dropped his eyes, mostly out of habbit.
"Shes. Pregnant?"
"Yes," Van winced.
"How pregnant?" The fury and confusion in Bran's voice was clear.
Tag knew that this answer mattered, Anna had told him as much. He subtracted two months, "She's six months, along."
Dead silence met the other end, then a crash of something. Tag smiled, thinking the old wolf deserved a bit of needling. "Does that anger you, Bran?"
"OF COURSE IT DOES. HOW COULD SHE-"
"What?" he hedged, "Move on from a man who didn't love her enough to try."
Bran sounded hoarse, broken. "Of course, I did! I just needed time. The spirits told me-"
He grew angry, at his friend.
"The spirits don't mean shit. Piper didn't deserve how you treated her."
"I didn't mean to. I love her. Who's," his voice cracked, "Who's the father."
He didn't want to lie. Instead, he said, "Van will be here with her tomorrow."
A growl broke through, and then something muffled. "Just leave her alone, Bran. You weren't brave enough to be with her."
"I was! That's why I was coming back. I was going after her!"
That stopped Tag, "Why did it take you so long, why now?"
"I've been fighting it. Trying to be a good leader. I can't even be in a place that holds her memoreies. That's why I left."
Tag sighed, after all, Piper wasn't really with Van. She didn't ove the man. He knew she wanted Bran to be part of their child's life. Besides, if Bran was present, the delivery may go smoother.
"Being a good leader is important Bran, it's what you've been doing for centuries," he sighed, remembering how differently the man had been before Piper, "But being a good man is more important. And being a good man means being good to yourself. Go tell her you love her."
"She's having Van's child."
"It doesn't matter how terribly you've messed this up. If you care about her, you deserve to try. Beg her if you have to."
"I wont do that to Van."
"Then you deserve you're unhappiness," Tag said, before hanging up the phone.
Its a bit rough, but i just needed to post it. i will gloss over soon.
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