Stronger by Ang Chris
chapter-42

“Charlie and I were trained to lead from young ages, Theo too but he was training to be beta you know so it was different,”

“I didn’t have much training at all if it wasn't for Travis, Steven’s father, I would have been lost. He was very stern but he taught me right from wrong and I could go to him for anything,” Grayson told me with a wistful smile on his face.

“My mother did most of my training, my grandmother helped while they were around, they enjoyed traveling and seeing the monoliths of the old wolves in Europe,”

“Your mother seems to be a very passionate woman, she loves her kids a lot,” He gave me a knowing look.

“She does, I know my father thinks it’s her fault. She’d shield us from the world but that’s not how the world works as you know,” I agreed with him.

“So you’re saying you wouldn’t be the exact same?” Grayson squinted at me accusingly.

“Oh, I would probably be worse, but I would do my best to fight against my instincts and let them fumble so that they could learn to pick themselves up again,” I confessed.

“My mother I–I argue with her of course but she was my whole world. Everything she did, she did for me. She built the pack up enough so we could survive and then she found an alpha to train me, she without knowing built the foundations for all we have,”

“I’m so glad that you had her, you deserve a mother like that,” I was being completely honest. Grayson was flawed as anyone was but he didn’t deserve a loveless life.

He shifted in his seat a little. “I don’t know, sometimes I think after everything I did she still sees me in a bad light, I’m not trying to get you to pity me. I just…”

“As your wife, you are allowed to confide in me,” I teased him. “Perhaps and this is just a thought, you could talk to her?”

He folded his arms and looked away from me. “I don’t really enjoy talking about my feelings,”

“I noticed,” I smirked leaning my head on my hand. “But you’ll feel like this until you do. Talking is what healthy people do,”

“I’m healthy,” he nodded to his very impressive physique.

I laughed, looking away so he wouldn’t see my blushing cheeks. “I mean a healthy relationship. We’re doing much better since we’ve started to talk,” I looked down at the table, my cheeks refusing to cool down.

“You’re very beautiful when you get embarrassed,” he spoke, and I snapped my eyes to his.

“That is not helping!” I turned away again covering my cheeks. His rumbling laugh hit my ears and I felt my stomach flutter.

“So, how is the hive?” He changed the topic mercifully.

“It’s going to be wonderful. We will have plenty of honey and wax. I would like more options for food during the hunts,” I explained.

“I was thinking maybe we should plant more crops next season.”

“We still don’t know the full extent of our needs,” he reminded me. “We might cut down on meat and rely more on crops if we have to.”

“We have a threat, and I don’t like the idea of us having any less margin than we can afford,” I agreed.

Grayson nodded. “That’s what you think, I think you are right. We should be more on edge and ready.”

It had been three days since the trading group went out to replace the source of the intruder's scent.

The idea that this wolf was from the same pack as the sigma that attacked Ella was becoming more and more possible.

Bram called each morning, and he was getting stronger. They had decided to double back for a second and follow the scent less closely.

“They think they are being watched. The scent is so strong that it means someone left it for them. Grayson warned the pack to stay protected, but I think what was coming has made him even more determined to keep the threat at bay.”

I haven’t told anyone that I had dreamed of pups. I wanted to keep my people together. Well, not really my people but my maze. Grayson would need all of our support and I had responsibilities too.

“Elizabeth, we are close to the trials for the pass,” I nodded, and he did not talk me out of my offer to eat lunch with him each day. He wanted us to get closer emotionally so that when the trials came, we could ensure each group will pass with flying colors.” he said, rubbing my back.

Children in our pack at the end of their year of training face a set of trials and exams to pass them into adulthood. Each week Grayson and I would sit and watch each group perform their trials and exams and bestow the results.

The door flew open and a panting Charlotte came in and grabbed onto my arm. “We need you now! She turned and rushed out the door before I could respond.”

“There’s much to do!” I shouted as we followed her.

Mina’s water had broken early. She was due in a week, and it seemed her body was in shock.

Charlotte and I worked together to make sure Mina stayed calm while the baby was delivered. We managed to bring the baby out, but he wasn’t breathing.

“We need to hurry. If she doesn’t get through this…”

“We will make it,” I assured her.

I ran to the next room and found Grayson. “We need to monitor them closely. If anything feels off, you tell me anything?”

Time seemed to slow as we moved between the two rooms and offered prayers for the safe delivery of the baby.

The baby was eventually born healthy, and Mina was also safe. The baby cried and it was a sound that made all of us sigh in relief. I made sure Mina would have lots of breast milk as that would help him get on track.

I sat down, my heart pounding as Marie held her screaming boy. Charlotte cleaned her up and stitched her back together. I felt like it had happened in a matter of seconds.

I loved bringing children into the world but in those moments where you see it all in your hands it feels like I should pass out instead of helping.

A knock sounded at the door and Aarron entered. “The alpha would like to know if the newest member of our pack is healthy?”

“A virus is all he has,” Charlotte nodded to him. “Mother and him are both doing well.”

“I’ll go tell the alpha,” Aarron nodded. “Congratulations, you two.”

“L–let me tell him,” I stood up keeping myself composed as I headed out.

“Luna?” Aarron called after me, but I went straight to Grayson.

I walked through the clinic into the offices of the Keep and straight to the end of the hall where he worked. I barged into his office with Matt sitting beside him.

“Matt, I would like you to leave,” My voice shook as I spoke.

“Ye–yeah, yes Luna,” He shot up, shocked at my stern but shaken demand.

“Annette?” Grayson came over to me quickly as the beta closed the door.

I leaned into him, sobbing.

“The baby didn’t make it?”

“It did. The baby’s fine, Marie is fine, they both are doing well,” I wept again, hitting my head against his hard chest, grabbing fists into his shirt. My body was shaking at the stress I had just endured.

He grabbed me, sitting me down. “I don’t understand. If the baby and Marie are okay, why are you so upset?”

“I COULD HAVE LOST THAT BABY!!” I screeched at him, my emotions gaining on me. My face was no doubt red and blotchy, I felt all control I had bundling itself like a messy ball of string.

He placed his hands on my shoulders. “It’s okay, it’s okay, you did well. They’re both alive. Just breathe and try to calm down, just remind yourself it’s over, everyone’s okay, and you’re here with me,” He wrapped me in his arms, rubbing my back and allowing me to cry into him.

“I had never been in charge of a situation like that, it could have gone so, so wrong,” I whispered, staring blankly ahead.

“You need to give yourself more credit, you kept them both safe, but it’s all over now,” He rubbed my back and wiped the tears from my face.

“It was just so much,” I looked down, my sense starting to return to me, clearing the fog of distress.

“I know,” he leaned me against him, “But you are strong enough to handle anything, that I know,” He kissed my forehead with his velvet, magical lips.

I brought my lips to his, replaceing my way to reality and present time. It was all over, there was a new member of our pack, and I was here in his arms.

“Thank you, Grayson,”