A/N: Thank you guys for the favorites and follows! I can't explain how much these keep me going. I know I may have the characters OOC here but please bear with me. I'm still a budding author trying to get everything down to pat. I don't really have a timeline for this nor do I have an update scheduled since this just floats with me. But what I do know is that I do not own this awesome series. It all belongs to the amazing Patricia Briggs. What I do own is Meridith and Viktor (who you'll find out more on soon!) Thanks for reading and enjoy!
The house was…lovely. Not my cup of tea but lovely. White carpet covered the bottom floor echoing in its brightness. Whoever came up with the idea of having white carpet in a house full of werewolves had to be either very dumb or strong enough to know how to handle large rambunctious teams of people. I wasn't able to see even a bit of blood that should have been there-this was the alpha's house, wasn't it? Someone had to at lease fought with another person around here somewhere. But no, there wasn't so much as a slight color change. Either they had an amazing cleaner or a budget big enough to cover replacements. The carpet looked gaudy enough to be in the thousands if they did.
Looking into the living room I was convinced that this had once been a staged house. The furniture was spaced evenly apart at just the right angle to be close but not too close. I flicked my eyes around the hallway we were walking down taking in the pictures of various people either grinning or grimacing trying to turn away from the camera. A picture of a girl with purple hair and cake all over her face stood out amongst the others. She was laughing with a maniacal grin on her face holding two pieces of cake with a boy standing behind her trying to get them out of her hands. A tattooed woman stood off to the side clutching her stomach as she laughed out loud. Squinting I recognized her as Mercy but with shorter hair.
A snort from my left made me whip my head forward. "I still can't believe the put that one up there," Mercy chuckled. "You should have seen the aftermath of the kitchen. Never again will I leave those two alone with cake and little Sandoval girls running around." Mercy patted my back as she stopped in front of me touching a random point on the wall. "Here lies white chocolate frosting." Shaking her head she started back down the hallway before turning into the kitchen.
Warren laughed loudly, "Oh woe is the wall. White chocolate frosting has tainted its being."
Mercy stuck her head back out from the door way, "Someday we shall avenge it with a new coat of paint." She pounded her fist in the air before going back into the kitchen. She's becoming cooler every minute I'm in her presence, I thought to myself while plodding on after her. She was rummaging in the kitchen pulling out stuff for sandwiches to place on the island. I walked awkwardly half in as the other two wolves began talking in hushed tones amongst themselves. Ben nodded before heading upstairs taking them two at a time while Warren stretched his arms above his head then came into the kitchen. He nodded at me giving a soft smile before pulling out one of the barstools to sit upon. "Mercy what are you doing?"
She looked over her shoulder at us as she ran a tomato underneath the faucet. "Making a sandwich, why?"
"You've washed that same tomato for the past few minutes Mercy." He shook his head as he reached for the fruit bowl in the middle of the island. Taking out two oranges he kept one for himself then handed the other to me. I grabbed a hold of the giant thing feeling as if my hands were dwarfed by the size of it. He rolled it in his hand some before standing up scooting the stool out from under him. "I'm sorry ma'am, here, take a seat," he pulled the stool next to him out before grabbing my bag to place it on the island top. I barely took a step forward before I was lifted up then placed like a kid on the stool. I swore I left one of my shoes behind.
Warren grabbed the orange out of my hand in order to peel it leaving a long peel strand dangling on the end. Mercy had by now placed the sandwich on the island. She had her arms crossed over her chest as she watched him from the corner of her eye head cocked to the side in amusement. I wondered if Warren had ever done anything like this before especially since he didn't look the part of a dotting person. With a wince he handed the orange back to me wiping at his eye with the back of the hand before feeling for the sandwich behind him. He handed it over to me motioning for me to eat.
I just stared at him. I had a weird wolf in front of me who didn't want me to move and was forcing me to eat fruit and sandwiches. I looked at Mercy who had an eyebrow raised at Warren as she held the orange peel between two fingers delicately. Warren sat down staring straight at me until I picked up the sandwich to take a bite. "It's good." I smiled as I reached for the orange. With a nod he turned back around to Mercy before rubbing the back of his neck. "She looked hungry plus her stomach was growling." He shrugged before grabbing the peel from her to throw away.
Three sets of footsteps sounded on the stairs as Ben along with two other wolves made their way into the kitchen. One man was on the phone slightly smaller than the other, younger looking really, but he was older than me. He wore blue jeans with the ends hemmed up and an old Zoolander T-shirt. His blonde hair was cropped short enough to look like he belonged behind the counter of a fast food joint. I sniffed the air, pizza? Yeah, he'd look like he would make pizza. I flicked my eyes down to his hands taking in the calluses on them. Lots of pizza dough. I felt a slight tingle on the left of my face which made me turn my gaze up. Another man was leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed over his chest. So this was the infamous Adam Hauptman who managed to get his whole pack kidnapped.
The wolf bared her teeth at him in my mind. She wasn't so much impressed with the situation as she was with the air of authority surrounding him. He reeked of loss so strongly she had to fight to stay in her seat to not curl up next to him as a way of comfort. While the little "pack" she had been in during her time with the white coats was dysfunctional it still gave her that pack flavor. My flicked back to Viktor's insane smile the first time he had killed another wolf in front of me. He had laughed during the first half hour then wouldn't stop crying for the rest of the night. I killed my brother, he whispered to me, I can still feel him here.
"Samuel just got off of work; he should be here within twenty minutes with his supply kit." The man that had been talking on the phone placed it on the island before nodding to Adam. "I don't really understand what's going on here so please someone explain it to me. Mercy you said Robert called you on this one?" He started pacing slowly where he stood a contemplating expression on his face. Mercy had scooted over next to Adam were she sat next on the countertop. Adam kept watch on her out of the corner of his eye as she swung her legs lazily.
"Yes. He said that he just came back from a run when he got scent of her. Managed to get her to go with him to a restraunt but she chickened out at the last minute. He left her there then called the house. I answered since you and Adam were still having a go at the feast so I sent a message to Warren who happened to be on that side of town. He got a hold of her before me and Ben could get out there. She started running and Warren gave chase. We managed to catch her but she was just freaking out. It was like-"
"Don't talk as if I'm not here." I interrupted her. The tension had become too unbearable, Adam's eyes were still on me as he breathed silently through his nose. Deep breaths that made his nostrils flare. The guy pacing paused midstride to look at me as well. "I didn't mean to get him in any trouble I just wanted to go unnoticed. I'm so sorry please don't be mad at Robert." I looked up to the man who was staring at me with an unreadable expression. He slowly walked up to me before stopping a few feet away. Behind me I heard Adam shift as he pushed away from the counter top.
"Why were you holding a gun loaded with silver bullets in your purse then?" His voice sounded like it could move mountains as he questioned me. I readjusted myself on the stool before swiveling halfway around to answer him with the other guy in my eyesight. My hands dropped to land in my lap with the arms caging my stomach gently. Since I stepped in this house I had been wracked with nerves torn between trying to stand strong and protecting my unborn child. Gnawing on my lip I answered, "Robert gave it to me. I refused to go anywhere with him in his big rig so he let me hold it just in case he did something that felt threatening to me. Not to sound rude or anything but you guys are not the friendliest of bunch. I heard what you did to that anti-fae guy and the group that captured you. Forgive me if I wanted to stay in the shadows instead of being dragged into something unpleasant."
"For someone so new to our world you sure do know a lot about our recent events. Where are you from if you don't mind me asking?" I felt the blanket of energy pull over me again like a net. The wolf snapped her jaws at it growling as moved away from it. Warren placed his hand on my shoulder giving it a little squeeze of assurance as I bit my lip trying to distract myself from the feeling. I shrugged out from under him crossing my ankles, "please don't do that it makes me feel sick."
"Do what?" Adam asked me as he narrowed his eyes on my face. I looked at his chin before snapping my head in the other guys direction, "That. It's unnerving and makes me feel sick." I shuddered as I pulled the jacket closed around me tighter before standing. "Mercy do you have a restroom I could use? I really need to pee." Little hitchhikers definitely moving around in there now. I thought as the faint butterfly feeling flickered around my lower stomach. Mercy nodded as she jumped off from the counter before leading me down the hallway to the hallway bathroom. "Hot's on the left and colds on the right," she pointed out before leaving me alone. I uttered a quiet thank you before shutting the door. When I was done I washed my hands relishing in the soft scented soap. My nose still was having trouble recognizing obvious smells but when it came to little things like this I was fine. As I turned to leave I paused mouth slightly open before outright grinning. There, previously hidden by the folds of my dresses skirt was my belly button barely poking out from under the dress.
I left the bathroom walking slowly as the sound of another hushed conversation reached my ears.
"Warren what's going on with you?" Mercy questioned.
"Nothing," he answered her.
"Bullshit," Ben called back, "Sorry, Adam, it just slipped. You've been watching her like a hawk the entire time we have been around her. Anyone that came in here could tell you're downright mother henning her." A deep growl sounded. Ben cackled in retaliation letting the sound echo throughout the kitchen. "What's got you all interested in her now? It can't be that you want her, no not when you have Kyle."
"Watch where you're heading Brit. Can't any of you guys tell by now? Adam you have had to at least notice it by now-Bran I'm pretty sure you do since Sam's coming out here and all."
"I have my suspicions, Warren, but I won't jump to conclusions until I at least hear it from her mouth. From the way things are progressing I'll never find out if she is or not." Adam replied back quietly.
"So she's pregnant?" Mercy asked. I heard drawers being pulled open rapidly. "How the hell did I miss that one? How can you guys tell? She's not showing as far as I can tell. I mean she's snappy but I feel like it's her personality normally. How did you know that Christie was pregnant with Jessie?"
"She took a pregnancy test then called me at work. Not much razzle dazzle there honestly."
"Um, excuse me, are you lost?" I jumped surprised at getting caught eavesdropping in on the conversation. I quickly recognized the girl from the picture Mercy had showed me on the wall as the one standing right behind me. Her hair was a mauve green this time parted at the side in a short bob. She wore an ugly sweater with a tacky knitted "Ugly Sweater Contest Winner" across the front. She had a black knee length skirt on with jail stripped leggings and-which I had wanted even when I was younger-a pair of beauty and the beast slippers. I smiled gently at her before shaking my head, "no, I was just trying to get back into the kitchen.
She grinned back at me as she looked down at my stomach. Her mouth and eyes widened before she placed her hand on my stomach, "aww, how far along are you?" She asked innocently as her hand began to roam the span of my stomach. When she touched the right side I shuddered at the feeling. "Sorry I get a little bit too excited when it comes to baby bellies. I can take you back to the kitchen if you want me to. What's your name by the way?"
"It's Meridith but you can call me Meri. Since you look like you're about to explode here," I grabbed her hand again before placing it against my right side again softly. Her eyes lit up as she felt the baby turn for a few seconds until finally stopping near my spine. "I'm five months pregnant. My little hitchhiker just started to roam around a few nights ago. It's my miracle since not a lot of wolves are able to hold on this long." Jesse pulled her hand away from me then as she stared down the hallway, "Bran, I didn't know you were still here."
A voice clearing from behind me had me turning once again. How I managed not to get dizzy in this house had me amazed. I was waiting for morning sickness to hit me again at any time. So that is his name, the wolf straightened her posture as she observed him. He feels like the king of wolves to me, I finished her sentence, calm yet strong in his ways. Brans calm face was overshadowed by a sadness I could not explain. It was there tinging the air like Adam's had pulling me in like it had before only without the blanketing feeling.
"So that's why you're so shielded off from us. Do you know what you're having?" He walked slowly up to me as if knowing now to be careful around me. "Such a precious and rare thing, no wonder Warren was taken by you so suddenly-any wolf would feel the deep need to protect you now." His voice had taken a soft lilting quality as he grasped my hand running the pad of his thumb over my hand. "A true treasure." His eyes were shadowed as his mind roamed whatever it was he was experiencing. I knew this look as well. Without sudden thought I pulled on his arm giving into the urge for closeness as the wolf cried out to him.
He gave a soft growl of protest for a moment before the stiffness in his body eased a bit. Like with Jesse I guided his hand to my stomach forcing my own nerves to be still. Besides Warren the last person to do this was Viktor and even he had done so in a threatening manner holding this baby hostage. He had shook much like Bran was doing so now, in rage lost to memories long ago. But here was Bran simply trying to relive something that was tormenting him. His hand shook for but a few seconds until I opened up to him. My bracelet thrummed as I pressed my temple against his ear while his forehead rested on my shoulder. "In time Marrok you shall meet. For now this babe I entrust into your care. Should I fail when the time comes please protect it from those that mean it harm," I felt his breath hitch at my intrusion as I stepped back away from. His eyes glowed, the being behind them looking on in curiosity before he stepped away towards the door.
I saw Jesse staring at me bewildered before I blushed and looked down again to the floor. "Hormones," I muttered then headed back to the kitchen for the unfinished orange.