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The Lycanthrope Trilogy: Heart

Chapter 7: Irritation

It's been almost a week since the attack on Klaud and Fou. At this point, everyone knew Klaud was pregnant. Something about it was off though. She snapped at anyone who brought it up and she spent more than half her time with Kanda, the time in which I'm unwelcome. Which irritates me. I mean, I love that they made up and everything, but he's my boyfriend, and I spend more time with Alec than Kanda now. Even worse, I don't think Kanda realizes I'm frustrated with him. Last night, he tried to hold me, but I just turned my back to him and shrugged his arms off me. Klaud's sleeping in her own room though now, so I guess that's good.

Klaud and Winters were one of the few couples in the Order that don't love each other, so Winters never really showed a big interest in the fact that his mate was pregnant. When people congratulated him, he shrugged and said something along the lines of "Business is business." I don't understand how sex is business, but whatever. I'm not going to judge.

I rub Kanda's back as he hurls into the trashcan. "How long did Komui say you would need to stay in bed?"

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and flopped down with his eyes closed. "Four days."

"Will you make it until then?" I joke, but he just glares. It wasn't a playful glare either. I crawl around him and stand from the bed before I turn my heated gaze to his. "Kanda, you're acting like Klaud."

"What are you implying?"

"Geez!" I exclaim and throw my hands in the air. "You're being a jerk! I mean, you always are a jerk, but I'm serious. If you want to hang out with her, fine. Go ahead. But have you forgotten someone?"

He looked confused. "Is someone missing?"

Without another word, I storm out and go to my room.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"You're an idiot."

Kanda nearly jumped before he turned to the ravenette in the floor. He forgot Alec was in the room. "Seems to me that he's the idiot. Why is he so mad?"

Alec stared at the alpha. "Seriously? Other than Shiloh and Allen, have you ever had a boyfriend?"

"Not really," Kanda muttered as he got comfortable.

"Do you realize how much time you've been spending with Klaud for the last week?"

He shrugs. "She's my sister. I've been hanging out with her because she's freaked out about being pregnant."

"Which is normal, and I'm happy she has someone to support her, but you also have a boyfriend."

"Allen is just as important as Klaud, but she needs more attention at this point."

"You give Allen no attention. None."

"Yes, I do. Besides, it's none of your business."

Alec sat up at this. "Number one, Allen's happiness is one of my priorities now. Number two, you hardly talk to him anymore. I've been training him a lot this past week since you couldn't and I bet you didn't know he found a way to create explosions with Light and Shadow."

Kanda paused. "I can't know if he doesn't tell me."

"He doesn't tell you because you never talk to him! You don't speak at dinner, and the rest of the time you're in bed. When he lies down at night, you tell him goodnight and give him a kiss on the cheek. You could be the father who never cared!"

The bluenette doesn't reply and rolls over while Alec did the same.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

Klaud ended up being part of the hunting group. The joy.

"Nice catch, Fou," Klaud said as the Light user set a turkey on the pile of prey. It wasn't much. Her turkey and my opossum, but we were working on it. After another half hour and only Chaoji's squirrel to show for it, I suggest, "We could split up. Two hunting and two foraging."

Fou nods. "You and Klaud have good noses. I'd say the two of you should be able to find some fruit."

Klaud scowls, but says nothing as we head into the deeper part of the forest. As someone who detests silence with a passion, I ask, "So what's your favorite Hollywood Undead song?"

I expected her to ignore me, but she replies, "'Hear Me Now'. What about you?"

I smile. "Tough one. Probably 'Coming Back Down'. 'California' is pretty good, too."

"That's my favorite on the Swan Songs album. Though I think Danny sings better than Deuce."

"Definitely."

She glances at my smile. "For the record, I don't like to talk to you. Kanda wants me to get along with you."

"That's because there is no reason for you to hate me."

"Sure I do."

"My gender and relationship with Kanda is not a reason."

"It is to me."

I pause. "Well, I want to be friends with you."

"Why?" Klaud asks. "I go out of my way to hate you. It's my favorite hobby."

"I don't think that's accurate."

"You know nothing about me."

I step in front of her, much to her irritation. "Look, Klaud, I know why you hate men so much, and if I were in your shoes, I'd probably feel the same way, but I'm nothing like those men. And you're family now, just like the rest of the pack. I understand you're stressed because of the dark dragon and your baby, but―"

"Stop talking about the freaking baby!" she cut. I was taken aback. What kind of mother spoke about their child like that?

"If you think it's a 'freaking baby', why don't you have an abortion?"

She stomped around me. "I swore when I was sixteen that if I ever got pregnant, whether it was my husband's or one of my owner's, I wouldn't abort it or give it up for adoption. I'm not going to treat it like my parents did me."

"If you don't want to 'treat it like your parents did you', why are you talking about it like that?"

Klaud whipped around. "Do you not understand that I'm not ready to have a baby?! I may be thirty-four, but I feel like a twelve-year-old! I'm not supposed to be pregnant!"

"In a month, Lenalee's having a baby, but even if it's her and Lavi's child, everyone in the pack will love it. Why should that be any different with yours?"

"Because no one cares about me!" she shouts, tears in her eyes, but they didn't spill over her lids. "The pack would be better off without me, but I have nowhere to go and I can't leave Kanda!"

"Why would you think no one cares?" I ask, confused.

"I'm selfish and want all of Kanda's attention. It's stupid and…and…."

"Klaud, that doesn't mean nobody cares. Granted, you're a pain in the butt and really annoying, but you can work on that. Everyone loves you. And they'll love your baby. If no one else, Kanda will. Winters, too."

She doesn't reply and continues to walk through the lush forest. I follow a moment later. After a few minutes, we find a thick grove of unicorn berries. Luckily, I expected something like this and had two plastic bags in my pocket. I hand one to Klaud.

I begin to pick the lavender-colored and powder blue berries off the vines, and the blonde joins and says, "Thanks."

I glance at her. "For what? The bag?"

"That, too," she mumbles. "I meant for not hating me back. I'll need support."

I smile, but don't reply.

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

At dinner, everyone seemed lethargic. Klaud's and my contribution to the meal helped a great deal since everyone was hungry, and unicorn berries filled your stomach better than prey. Oh, and did I mention the caffeine in them?

Two minutes later, conversation floated around the table, mostly concerning TV, music, and the recent gossip, though it still confuses me as to why lycanthropes care about a world we're no longer a part of.

"How's your training going?" Kanda asked. I glance at him. "Huh? My training?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, your training. You know, the jumping around to avoid getting hurt and such?"

"I haven't been able to train much lately. Alec has dawn patrol, and I hunt, so by the time we're together, we're either exhausted or it's too late. Why?"

"Just curious," he says.

Alec pokes me and pops a black unicorn berry in his mouth. "Have you ever filled a unicorn berry with Shadow and ate it?"

I shake my head, and he continues, "Try it. It's really good."

I shrug and aimed my Shadow into a pink berry. It slowly shriveled and turned black. I nibble the end. Instead of sweet juice flowing into my mouth, it resembled biting a nut, but with a sour undertone. I exclaim, "Delicious!"

Alec smiles. "Cam taught it to me. He was a Water, and the berries came out really sweet, like cotton candy."

"Why don't you try to freeze one, Kanda?" I ask and turn to the bluenette. He contemplated this for a moment before he said, "You eat it."

I picked up a mint-colored berry and hold it up. Kanda zapped it. It covered in a blue ice coating, and I nearly dropped it from the coldness. I pop it in my mouth. It crunched from the ice, like chewing a snow cone, and it tasted sour then sweet. I smile. "It's like a frozen Sour Patch Kid."

Kanda's face turned smug as he glanced at Alec, who simply stuck his tongue out. I roll my eyes. "Knock it off, guys."

My words went unnoticed, and I swore I saw a spark between them. I growl. "KNOCK IT OFF."

When nothing happens other than everyone else quieting, I yell, "KANDA, ALEC, GET YOUR ARSES IN LINE BEFORE I GET THEM IN LINE FOR YOU!"

My voice echoes around the large room, and the chandelier's glass beads hit one another. Alec directed his gaze to the table, and Kanda did the same, though it took a moment for them to surrender.

I close my eyes and calm myself. Everyone recovered quickly. Once I chilled, I glance at Kanda. "Speaking of knock, I have a question for you."

"What is it?" he replies. He continued to look down.

"Who's the father of―?"

"None of your concern."

"Your attitude means it's not Winters."

"Will you please leave it alone?"

I wanted to stare at my lap as I said it, but I forced myself to keep an even gaze at him. "Are you?"

"Am I what?" he asked dumbly.

"Don't play dumb and tell me the truth. Are you the father of Klaud's baby?"

When he looked up at me and registered the question, Kanda's eyes grew with horror and he shouted aloud, "WHAT?!"

A moment later, he vomited into the trashcan beside his seat, but as I stood and rubbed his back, I noticed it consisted of more than Shadow poison. Klaud appeared on his other side. "Are you okay, Brother?"

He nodded. "I'm fine. Just…ugh…."

He retched into the trashcan again, and this time, even less Shadow poison came out than vomit. I say, "I'm sorry, Kanda. I didn't think…I didn't think you had…."

"Stop," he muttered through his labored breathing. "Just stop. No, I'm not the father."

At this, Klaud slapped a hand over her mouth and ran out of the room with cheetah feet. My eyes trail after her fleeting form. "I didn't mean to upset the two of you; I was just curious. I'm sorry."

"Why would you even consider that? I already told you that it's like incest," Kanda said once he had stopped vomiting. I sit again and can't help but notice how silent the room was. "I know…I just…I…."

Fou interrupts, "Whatever the case may be, who is the father? That's what I want to know."

Murmurs of agreement broke out around the table. Lavi says, "Everyone knows you know, Yuu."

"Don't call me that, Baka Usagi!" Kanda growled.

"You're changing the topic," I point out. He muttered to no one in particular, "That's because it's not any of your business."

"We have a right to know! She's our pack mate, too!" Lenalee protested. Kanda replied, "Exactly. She's your pack mate; she's my sister. There's a difference."

Alma rolled his eyes. "The trashy ho probably got knocked up by some guy in a club. Doesn't surprise me."

Kanda barked at Alma. Actually barked. His eyes flashed yellow and blue and his canines grew. "Don't you dare talk about her like that!"

The short-haired boy stood and glared at Kanda. "I'll talk about her any way I dang well please."

Kanda and I both opened our mouths, but it was Alec who spoke first. "Alma, chill out. Keep your opinions to yourself if it's going to hurt someone else and others will do the same."

Alma glanced at Alec. "What would you know of it?!"

"Not much, but enough to know that hate isn't the way to get through life. Life's too short."

Instead of replying, Alma storms out of the room. I look at Kanda. His eyes and teeth were normal again, though I could see the heat in the cobalt depths.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"So I assume you are wondering why I brought you here tonight?" a man asked. He had a top hat, glasses, elongated ears, and a Cheshire cat smile with pointed teeth.

A girl with spiky blue hair propped her feet on the coffee table. "Lord Millennium, of course we do! I'm super bored as it is!"

"Such a whiney girl you are, Road," a man sitting next to the girl said, his top hat tipped over his golden eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I am," Road owned.

On the couch across from them, a long-haired blonde boy rolled his eyes. "Jasdero's bored, too!"

"Me, three," another boy muttered as he ran his hand through his short, black hair. "Why doesn't Lulubell have to deal with this?"

"Because she's undercover," said the man next to Road. Next to Jasdero, the other boy said, "It's still not fair, Tyki."

"Life's not fair, Devit. Do I need to remind you that you got to drink a human last week?"

Devit's mouth watered. "No, you don't. He was delicious."

"Anyways," Lord Millennium interrupted, "I called you here for a meeting."

"Jasdero figured that much," Jasdero mumbled and doodled on his dark-skinned arm with a Sharpie.

Lord Millennium ignored him. "He has discovered a new lycanthrope. And he's like Walker. More elements are developing as well."

Devit said, "I thought it was a 'she'."

"I thought it was a 'he'," Road said. Tyki rolled his eyes. "It. It's an 'it'."

"Well, 'it' needs to get better information," Devit commented.

"'It' can only do so much without being suspected," Tyki replied.

Road asked, "Does it really matter?"

"Pretty!" Jasdero exclaimed. He continued to scribble on his arm with the Sharpie with his tongue stuck out in concentration.

Author Note: I hope you enjoyed! I tried to make it interesting, but it feels like a filler to me. Regardless, please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW!