The Last Royal Luna
(Book 3) – Chapter 1

“Just stop it, Ryder.” Asher growled from behind the couch. “You are going to sit your pretty a*s down and take a break. We have this under control. Please just do this for us and for the twins.”

I g*****d, giving in and sitting back down on the couch where I had been all damn day. Blake put his hand out waiting for me to give him my coat. They ruin all the damn fun. I handed it to him with a g***n. You would think I would more of a say in what I do with my body even if I was three months pregnant. I may be the size of a house but that doesn’t mean I need to stay inside one all the time. I had s**t to do and things to plan.

“Thank you, Baby.” Knox whispered as he sat down next to me. “We just need the reassurance that you are taking care of yourself and our babies. Just like you made me sit around for two weeks even with my werewolf healing and the fact that you saved me with your powers.” He teased knowing he was right. They were all pain in the asses.

“When you still walk with a limp a week later you know you need to keep resting.” I corrected him. “You are lucky I didn’t hog tie you to the bed when I found you training with Alistair. He got an earful that day from Melissa just as you did from me.”

He blushed knowingly. “Yea, yea. Whatever.”

“I am glad we made it home but ever since we have between my parents, sisters, and you guys I can’t even go pee by myself and I am about to lose it.” I growled out at them in frustration. I know I had to be careful especially be close to having these guys but just sitting here with my thoughts made it so much worse. “You have no idea what it is like to just sit here with all these thoughts, ideas, concerns, and frustrations going on in your head while others are telling you what to do like you can’t take care of yourself. I know you all love me but today I AM walking out that door to help with more than just the meeting.”

Andrew cursed and hit the wall. “It is like every day you become more stubborn and a bigger pain in the a*s. You know we just want you safe and sound.” He stated probably hoping that was all it was going to take for me to sit here.

I just rolled my eyes and looked at Edgar. “So answer me this. Has the pack lands been compromised?” He shook his head no in confusion. “Has there been any attacks recently? Do we have any traitors amongst us even after replaceing out who turned on us when we were attacked before?” He shook his head no again. I just smiled and looked around the room.

“F**k.” Blake swore under his breath. “She just won. We have no reason to keep her inside when she is just as safe outside. We are a bunch of assholes most of the time.” He mouthed sorry before handing me back my coat.

Kane came out of the kitchen but before he could start talking about me staying here for their well being as much as mine I just flipped him off and refused to look over there. He just huffed and sat down on the love seat along side Koda who was smart enough to stay silent when they tried to control what I did and helped me escape a few times.

I stood back up glaring at all of them. “I am headed out to watch the fighters practice before heading to lunch with your sister and the fab 4.” I stated putting my coat on and ignoring all of them. “I am pregnant not an invalid. If this is how you are going to act then these will be the only babies I birth out of this body. Think on that and suck it, bitches.” I almost ran to the door and slammed it behind me. Freedom.

‘Suck it bitches? Really Ryder? How old are you?’ Blue teased me.

‘Zip it, Blue. You know you threatened the twins balls just last week over them telling us we can’t have a cup of coffee.’ I told her as I detoured from the route to go to practice. ‘That reminds me. I need something with a touch of caffeine and a lot of sugary goodness.

“Hey, Princess Ryder.” One of the wolves from the Raging Moon pack, my first three mates pack, shouted from across the lawn.

“Glad the guys are finally let you out of the house.” She laughed probably knowing how I felt since she had a mate bite on her neck and a toddler running circles around her.

I waved with a smile and nod. I was glad others had to deal with this even if mine was times probably a hundred or more. I heard someone else yelling Hi from the other direction but couldn’t place them. I bet it was from one of the other packs who had joined us in the recent weeks so we would be prepared. I just gave them the same greeting and headed toward the caffeinated goodness I knew my twin babies wanted me to have. I knew my unborn babies wanted me to be happy, sane, and healthy. So sunshine, one cup of coffee, sugary treats, and some bloody fights between wolves.

The cafeteria was busy for it being such a late morning but it seemed everyone was moving slowly. They looked tired with giant bags under their eyes, arms hanging sluggishly at their sides, and their gaze being a bit absent. What in the world is going on? Are we doing too much too soon? They couldn’t fight like this if there was an attack and that was screw us royally. I giggled at my pun while Blue just huffed and urged me toward the closest set of wolves sucking down coffee like it was water.

“Hey, are you guys OK?” I asked, standing behind an empty chair at their table. “Mind if I sit with you all?”

“Yes, please sit with us Princess.” The female wolf next to me gushed. She almost bowed while sitting, which would put her face right in her coffee. “The shifts are just long before we even have practice. We know it is helping us get ready but my body hates me right now.”

I sat down and looked closely at them. Damn, they looked rough. “How long are your shifts?” I asked with surprise because all I was being told was we had enough wolves here to cover all the land and them not be ran into the dirt. Someone was lying to me or wasn’t paying attention to what they were doing.

They looked at each other and looked a bit uncomfortable. Maybe it was because I didn’t already know the answer to my question. Hopefully they weren’t being told to keep things to me.

“It just depends. The past three days we have done ten hour shifts with a thirty minute break to get something to eat.” The male to my right told me. “Right now two training sessions are mandatory which is killer especially when Knox and Asher are running them.”

‘That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Who is scheduling this s**t?’ Blue chided at me. ‘This is just not ok. We have to figure this out. Now that we have been out of the damn house I can feel all the different packs exhaustion.’ I could feel Blues body be weighed down with all of it.

“Who makes the schedules for the patrol? That seems a bit much when we have all this extra manpower.” I asked them while running ideas of how to change the hours so the packs get more rest.

“I think it is either Kelsi or Quinton. Alpha Sandra and her mate used to do it before all of the different packs came to stay here. They have too much on their plate now.” The girl confessed as she stood up with her now empty plate. “Thanks for sitting with us. I have some errands to run before heading to training.” I nodded at them all as the other two joined her in leaving.

‘So I have a few things I want to add to be discussed at the meeting after my lunch.’ I linked the guys and the different Alphas joining us. ‘I feel as though since I am pregnant you think keeping things from me or overloading yourself is the better answer when in reality you are screwing the packs over.’

‘I told them to tell you everything and keep you in the loop. Us woman can handle more than being pregnant.’ Sandra replied with an annoyed tone. ‘Next time I won’t listen to their dumbasses, and I will tell you everything.’

‘Sounds like a plan. See you all in a few hours. Get ready for a s******g.’ I shut the link down before my mates or the alphas could get a word in edgewise. I get that I had a lot going on and this pregnancy has not been the easiest but they should if had more faith in me.