Stronger by Ang Chris
Chapter 69

I had been in the kitchen peeling off the skins of tomatoes to make sauce and can them.

One second I was fine and the next.

“Elizebeth!” My voice was harsh goddess knows what my face looked like but she knew what to do.

She grabbed me I felt her hands that was the last thing I remember before the black.

I

I think I was down long. I woke up up in the same kitchen. James was by my side somehow red in theface the

second he knew I was okay he took off goddess knows where.

Elizebeth sat me up and gave me water after a while she checked my heart rate.

“Aarron is on his way with a wheelchair Luna,” she told me.

True enough her mate came and helped me in the chair. Elizebeth was blank faced beside him but herfingers twisted together behind her back.

I was wheeled in and put on a table he took my blood pressure, my temperature, he listened to myheart and lungs.

“I don’t understand you’re fine…” he stoped and turned to me slowly realization dawning on him.“Would you mind. taking a urine test Luna?”

I gulped. “You need to get an ultrasound machine,”

I knew he knew and I wanted my baby checked out. He walked out of the room a scathing glance to hiswife slamming the door.

Elizebeth flinched at the sound. She lout a long sigh of air, but kept any personal worries inside.

“You need to drink more Luna,” she handed me a glass. “The alpha will be here soon I’m sure hopefullythe babe is fine and he will calm down soon,” she nodded starting off.

“He’ll be angry no matter what,” I shook my head. Grayson will be furious I fainted but I cleaned mynerves telling myself over and over again that it was a common symptom in early pregnancy to faint.

Still I placed a hand to my stomach praying my pup was alright safe and sound in my womb,

Aarron returned with the machine and I laid back so he could look at the baby.

Not quick enough the heartbeat hit my ears and my baby was on the screen.

“Your baby is perfectly fine, it was just a symptom of pregnancy your hormones cause your bloodpressure to drop. It 1 had known you were pergiant than i would have been prepared and so wouldyou, however it seems at least someone was aware,” he ground out another glance to his wife.

“She answered my wishes. As her Luna she obeyed my command of secrecy and that of her Alphas. Ihad my child.

looked after by Charlotte-”

“Charlotte!” He scoffed.

Before I could berate him for being disrempel and anide the doors burst open.

I popped up. “I’m alright. I’m fine.” I told him smiling and beckoning for him to come and hold me toprovoit to him.

“It’s a common side effect of pregnancy. She and the baby are fine,”

Grayson swallowed and looked down at him. Show me he moved over to me k*ssing my head andrubbing my hip.

I saw the relief finally hit him at the thrumming sound of the heartbeat that all important signal our childwas healthy.

“She’s pregnant?” Leon burst in the room. “Well done Gym!” He clapped Grayson on the back.

Yes well done. Keeping this information from your wife’s penicam, and the attending physician thatshould be seeibb to the heirs health.” Aarron slow clapped.

Grayson narrowed his eyes. “That’s not an appropriate tone, Dein,” is wine went low. “You’readdressing me and my wife your Luna. You should do so with respect,”

Yes. Alpha,” Aarron got up and stormed out.

Elizabeth moved to go after him but minded her position as my guard and stayed.

“Go Elizabeth Grayson is here I have no better protection than him.” I did her.

“Thank you my Luna,” she bowed her head to me and ran off after her mane..

rogance in the men of science,” Grayson mumbled shaking his head..

I noticed then the blue hue to his night cheek. “What happened!?” I grabbed his jaw and hinught hisface to mine for

inspection

“Goddess be,” he stumbled as I wrenched him forward. “Your brother was worried about you so theanty reasonable course of action avas of course to blame me,”

I ordered them out of the room and dressed in fury

“LAMES” I screecfund.

Leon and Grayson covered the cast and I left hunting down my little brother, may mate walking wascheppu burtured for

I found him with Charte parking up the mess of Grayson’s office door,

“You attackon?” I growin

ass for a betone cocking has jaw upale. “You’re uver worked. It’s his fault Ny doing this to

“No James. It’s not! I’m pregnant you selfish ass!” I screamed. “I love you with all my heart but youbeating up my husband the father of my baby and attacking him every chance you get will not helpme,” I was so sick of his childish petulant behavior. “Stop pretending this because you care about me.You’re agitated and uncontrollable for all your own reasons I’m your sister not an excuse,”

“Do not come near me until this baby is born I need to keep calm and you’re only going to disrupt that,”I narrowed my eyes at him and left.

I huffed and walked away, I was upset, I was tired, my boobs were hurting, and I was starving. Beingpregnant didn’t mean I got to take my ire out on the towels though so I made my way to my house.

“Yo undo whatever you need to do to get that kid in shape I am so tired of it. Especially him acting likehe’s defending me when al legs doing is complicating things when they’re complicated enough and Iam already so exhausted 1

don’t-

“Netta breathe!” Grayson grabbed me by my shoulders. “You need to go home and rest. Do you realizehow lucky we are you didn’t hit your head or worse,” he pulled me to him.

I felt bad for not being mindful of his feelings but I was so frustrated with the way things were I wasn’table to do it.

“I want you in bed please,” he asked me his voice wavered for half a second.

“I agree,” I told him glad to go and rest for a second.

“Elizebeth will make you whatever you want. I do believe though we will have to tell the pack tonight,”he rubbed my cheek.

That I knew. I had passed out in front of 20 women, they’d all be wondering what was wrong with me,no more hiding. It was a couple of weeks early but we didn’t have much of a choice.

Grayson wakes me home and got me into bed my b*dy releasing the exhaustion and I felt myself driftoff without realizing it.2

I dreamt of a forest again this tiny little bolt of black and brown fur dancing ahead of me. I ran after itand just as I reached him he disappeared I turned and a river formed behind me. I looked across andas the River grew Enzo and this mystery pup watched me howling for me.

I woke up my eyes flashing awake.

“Luna?” Elizebeth fooked over at me from where she sat in the corner.

“Bad dream,” I told her.

I felt a cold settle over thinking about that. Like an Impending doom I could never escape.

“You should eat, what would you like?” She asked me.

“I want a sandwich,” I told her.

“it was just a dream, just a dream

I got up and ate the sandwich she gave me before getting myself in the shower and clean. When Icame out I saw the

self in the mirror.

The slightest curve of my belly but it was there unmistakably.

I grabbed a tan tight dress in my closet and put my anklets and bracelets on. Tonight it would beannounced that I was carrying the heir to the pack and I wanted to look the part.

I wanted any who doubted me or my husband to see that the future lies inside me. I rubbed my bellyand smiled at the memory of his heartbeat.

“You shouldn’t scare me like that,” I told him.

“I have enough to worry about,”

All of this darkness in our lives and every time I thought of him I was beyond happy. I felt guilty when Ithought of the treat our people faced, but it was what I’d wanted my whole life I wanted to cherish evenwhen it was hard.

“Come Luna, it’s supper time, Elizebeth told me.

I walked out of my home presenting myself for the first time as openly pregnant. Grayson would say itin a few minutes but before he did a few would see the swell of my belly and know.

I saw some mothers notice it as I came into the pavilion Grayson waited for me outstretching his hand.“Please tell

you’re feeling better,”

“I am well rested and very hungry, I smiled and blushed as I spoke to him.

“Fried chicken tonight,” he whispered to me.

I immediately starting salivating crunchy juicy chicken sounded perfect to me at this moment.

“Luna,” Matt pulled my chair out for me. “Please sit,”

I had a feeling after today if I even tried to lift my own glass I would be stoped.

Everyone sat down and Grayson cleared his throat. “I’m sure a lot of you are confused,” he laughed.“My wife had an incident earlier today where she collapsed,”

The few who didn’t know gasped and looked at time with shock and worry. “But there should be nosadness or fear in this room. My wife,” he turned to me the pride on his face made me light up from theinside out.

“My Netta is pregnant,” he cheered and everyone erupted. The cheered and clapped and laughed.

Any formed a line and came up to give their appreciation, congratulations, joy and thanks for me.

For the next week I felt like I was walking on air able to run my hand to my belly avoid the foods Idisliked and sit

whenever I needed to.

I had been able to do more inventory work now and my fatigue eased again. I was even able to spendmore time with

Grayson sitting beside him most morning.

I walked out from the keep and Matt and Leon grabbed me by both arms and started taking me home..

“What’s wrong?” I looked at them bewildered and shaken by the change.

“There is a threat Luna, Alpha wants you in your home,” Leon told me as serious as I had

ever

seen him.

“A–a threat,” I felt my heart quake for a second, my feet carrying themselves with purpose.

When we got inside they moved to take me upstairs but I moved for downstairs instead. “No there’s abunker downstairs let’s go there, please,” I wanted where no one could reach me.

Everyone had known about my baby for a week. A week. Now there was a threat on me.

“tell me you’re okay

stay home until I make sure everything is fine, I am alright

*im in the bunker they don’t know about the tunnel

**thank you stay there please Charlie is on his way.

“My brother is coming,” I told them. “Wait for him outside Leon and join us inside when he gets hereGrayson wants. me safe until the threat is cleared,” my voice shook.

I waited and in the bunker of steel and cold for my brother for some semblance of safety, comfort,family.

I rubbed my hands over my belly praying over and over this was a fluke. This was a mistake. Please.

The thud of footsteps and I had to remind myself that Charlie was coming it still I moved behind Mattand covered my

pup.

“Annette,” Charlie called to me and I breathed a long breath of relief.

“Charlie,” I felt some tears hit the corners of my eyes but I refused to let them sl*p.

“Do not stress out sit down,” he told me sitting beside me and grabbing my hands. “So far everything isfine, nothing has gone off something was left at the pack land boundaries with your name on it,” heexplained.

“Is anyone hurt,” my thought went to anyone I cared for that may have been injured to send a messageto me.

“No,” he rubbed my hand.

“Okay,” I breathed out. “Okay,”

“Calm and breath,” he instructed me. “The favorite uncle conimands,” he rubbed my belly. “I’mimpressed you kept. this a secret by the way,”

“Wouldn’t you,” I somewhat glared at him.

“Not from your protective older brother who would do anything for you,” He shot back. “Enough. Thinkof good thoughts. You need peace,”

& 42%

1 sighed again and again thinking of my baby’s heartbeat the rhythm of it in my mind feeling him insideme as best I could. I couldn’t feel anything really he was still way to small to kick her but I focused onhim all the same.

We waited for far to long but I thought of little toes and finger. Content sleeping face and soft skin.Blankets and tiny socks. The tiniest hat you’ve ever seen.

After ages Grayson finally came to me.

“It’s all clear it was just a threat but I fear we’ve played into his hands,” he sighed. “He may havewanted to see how we’d act when there’s a threat,”

“Dammit,” I felt like an idiot for not thinking of that they ply cat and mouse only, we should have knownthis was

trick.

“He left this,” he showed my his phone and image on the screen.

A dozen red roses.

-Congratulations my dearest Annette

I felt my head sway Charlie and Grayson held me. The threat was obvious, my having a child in mewas not in our enemies best interests..

Chapter Comments

Crystal Combs

Grayson’s dad

Susan Moledor

POST

I think we should stop trying to replace out who it is think about it and wait for the author to tell us and replaceout who was right.

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