The Imperial Wolf Series Books 1-3
Chapter 81

Kate POV

I am finally starting to feel like myself. I seem to be growing rapidly with this pregnancy. It is odd to think I carried baby Belle to full term, and now this baby will come so quickly. I am still tired, but not like I was last week. Isabella and Meaghan have been with me all week, caring for baby Belle and me. I do not know what I would do without their help. There is no way I could tend to a baby, this house, and be this exhausted.

Erick is driving me insane. He watches my every move and makes sure I have everything I need every second of the day. I try not to lose my mind because he did not get the opportunity to baby me when I was pregnant with baby Belle. When this is over, the waiting on me stops. "Breakfast, Luna?" Meaghan asks me.

"No, I am fine," I answer her. Erick rushes into the kitchen now that I am awake and moving around.

"Yes, she will have breakfast. Sit down, Kate, and eat," Erick says, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table.

"I am not hungry," I say to him.

"You have to eat, Kate," Erick demands.

"Fine," I say, sitting down at the table, giving in to his wishes. I give him a go to hell look as I sit down. He is being ridiculous.

Meaghan places a plate down in front of me. I do not want anything. I will just push the food around, and maybe he will leave me alone. Erick places a cup of hot tea down with my plate.

"Yes, this is what I need," I say, taking the tea.

"You have to eat, too, Luna," Erick barks at me.

"I said I would eat," I growl at him.

I cave and force myself to eat so he will back off of me. I cannot deal with him on top of me all damn day. I am tired and ill as hell. "How do you feel?" Erick asks me.

"I feel better. I am not as tired, but you are working my last nerve, Alpha," I growl at him.

Meaghan clears her throat, Erick shoots her a look. Meaghan decides to back out of this pissing contest and goes out on the porch.

"Any news on Trip or Austin?" I ask.

"No, and I know Meaghan had not talked to him. She is worried about him. He will be back with his tail between his legs or with Austin and Cassie. Either way, it will be better when he comes back. He needs to know he cannot talk to his Alpha any damn way he pleases," Erick says.

"So, you do not think you overreacted, Alpha?" I ask him.

"No, I do not, Luna," Erick barks back at me.

"Ouch!" I yell and move suddenly.

Erick moves closer to me. He is frightened and freaking out so quickly. "What is wrong?" Erick asks.

"Nothing, the baby moved fast. It feels like my insides are coming apart," I say.

"Maybe you should stay in the bed," Erick suggests.

I roll my eyes at him. "You can stay in the bed. I have a child that needs me. Besides, I cannot stay in the bed my entire pregnancy," I say.

"Why not?" Erick asks with a smile.

"Ugh. You are making me insane, Alpha," I say.

"I know, now eat," Erick says. He picks up the fork off of the plate and tries to feed me.

"Erick, I am going to beat you if you do not stop being so overprotective of me," I say.

"I might like it," Erick laughs.

I open my mouth and let him feed me. I know he loves me, but he is driving me insane. I do not feel like I can make a move without him checking on me to see which way I am going and why. I laugh as he continues to feed me. It does feel good being this silly with him. I only want him to let up off of me, just a little.

"OH, MY DAMN!" Isabella screams. Meaghan screams after her.

Erick and I rush into the front room of our house to see what is going on with the two of them. Baby Belle has shifted into her wolf and is running around in her wolf form.

"Fuck!" I say. I cannot get anything else out. What are we going to do if she decides to run out of the house in the middle of the night? Or what if she attacks someone? "Belle, come to daddy," Erick calls to her.

Baby Belle runs straight to him. She is too small. We both knew she was shifting, but now she is running and shifting at will. I am in shock. I rub my stomach, and the new baby kicks. Great, are you going to be an early shifter too? "You okay?" Erick asks me.

"Yes, I was just thinking that maybe this baby could be just a wolf like you and not like me," I say, smiling at my husband.

"Luna Kate is it just me or has she grown a lot over the last month. I mean, she is bigger than Levi," Meaghan says.

"She has, and she is taking her powers way too early," Isabella chimes into the conversation. "What does that mean?" I ask.

"I do not know, but we should all keep a close eye on her for her safety," Isabella suggests.

"I agree," I say.

Baby Belle runs to Levi. She stops. She can tell he is not a hybrid, and she shifts back into her baby form. She lays beside him in the playpen, and the two make noises at each other.

"I do not think she is dangerous, and I have no problem with her and Levi playing together," Meaghan says.

Meaghan's confidence in baby Belle is more appreciated than she will ever know. I was afraid she would want to take Levi and go, but she is determined to be at my service.

Isabella and Erick make their way into the office to speak in private. "I do not like secrets, Meaghan. I have had enough secrets to last me a lifetime," I say to Meaghan. "Yeah, me too," Meaghan says.

I look at Meaghan. "Really, you seem pretty straightforward, Meaghan. I never thought of you as being the type to have a deep secret," I say.

"Well, not everything is what it looks like. My life is a lot like yours, Luna. My family abandoned me. I think that is why I want to be here so bad, not just because you saved my son, but because I know what it is like when everyone turns their back on you," Meaghan "Well, maybe we have more in common than I thought," I say.

says.

"Yeah, should we go in there and see what they are whispering about?" Meaghan asks.

"I think so," I say.

Meaghan and I go into the office, leaving baby Belle and Levi in the playpen. Erick and Isabella stop talking when we walk into the office.

"No, do not stop on my account," I say to the two of them.

"It is nothing, Luna Kate. I was only saying that the pregnancy seems to be moving very fast. More quickly than even I thought it would," Isabella says.

"Well, that is good, right?" I ask.

The two of them look at each other. They both look worried. "What is it?" I ask.

Isabella moves closer to me. She takes my hands. "Listen, I am concerned about baby Belle and you and really concerned about the new baby. I only want to make sure you are okay," Isabella says.

"I am fine. I feel fine," I say.

"I worry about baby Belle shifting so early. When did this start?" Isabella asks.

"The night I ran with her when we were attacked. I was stressed; she was feeding off of my emotions. That is the night I saw the white wolf," I say.

"Exactly, we need to watch her and make sure he is not around her, that is all. We need to all have an eye on her until the white wolf is gone, permanently," Isabella says.

"I agree with you," I say.

I look at Meaghan. I am expecting her to look terrified, but she does not. "If you want to leave with Levi, you can," I say.

She looks at Erick before answering. "I have faith in my Luna and my Alpha. I know the two of you need me. I have no doubt my child is safe. She shifted back when she got in the playpen with Levi. I do not think she would hurt him," Meaghan says. Erick breathes a sigh of relief. He does not want her to leave. He needs her help. Maybe he thinks Levi is good for baby Belle.

"I do not think she will hurt him either," Isabella says.

"If we are all in agreement, then everyone is staying, even you, Isabella," Erick says.

"Yes, I am staying until the baby is born, then I will be going," Isabella says.

Meaghan leaves the room. I walk behind her but stop.

"Where will you be going, Isabella?" I ask her.

Isabella looks at Erick. He nods his head for her to tell me. What kind of secret are they keeping?

"I am going to be with my husband and family. I do not want this life. I promised Erick I would stay until the wolf was gone. I believe by the time the baby comes; the white wolf will be destroyed. So when that happens, I want to go from this earth," Isabella says. "I understand. I wish you would stay here with us. I like you being here, but I would want to be with my husband. I would not want this life, either," I say to her.

I go back to my daughter. She leaps out of the playpen and into her wolf form. She sits on my lap in her wolf form. It is so odd to see a wolf so small. I snuggle her close to me.

"I love you, little Belle," I say to her as I rock her in my arms.

Erick steps out of the office. Erick and Isabella watch me rocking baby Belle for a moment. Baby Belle falls asleep and shifts back from a wolf into a baby.

"There is my sweet little girl," I say to her.

As I am holding her, I see it, the white wolf. He walks through the front room of the house and then disappears. He wants me to know he is close. I do not want or need his help. I have to get rid of him before he destroys me. "What is it?" Erick asks me.

"Nothing, I was just thinking," I lie to him. I should tell him, but I cannot tell him right now. I have to wait until I am sure the wolf is back to stay.

Isabella looks around. She saw him. She knows I am lying to Erick. I hope she keeps her mouth shut, just for now.

Erick comes over and takes baby Belle from me. "You look tired, Kate," Erick says.

"I am tired; I want to lay down for a while," I say.

I stand up from the sofa. I see the white wolf circling me. I spin around and around, watching the wolf. I can hear Erick and Kate calling out to me. "Kate! Kate!" Erick screams.

I feel Isabella touch my arm. "Kate, it is okay," she says.

Everything is moving so fast, and then I feel myself fall. It feels like I am falling forever until I finally hit the floor.

"Kate!" Erick screams.

I feel him pick me up and take me upstairs.

"She needs to rest," Isabella says.

I open my eyes, and they are so heavy. I see Erick and Isabella in the room with me. He is here.

"THE WOLF!" I scream out as I fade into darkness.