“Is she okay?” “No. She shifted.” I see Neah’s eyes widen. “In fact she has shifted multiple times. She tried hurting herself. And it’s not the first time.” “What do you mean?”

“She is covered in scars, from before she was turned. Her arms and shoulders are littered with thin silvery lines. She hides it well, but I think there is more to her past than she shares. I want to keep an eye on her. And maybe you should spend some time with her.

“Me?

“She called herself a monster.”

I wait for Neah to say something but she just slowly nods her head at me.

“She needs someone to look up to. Maybe you can be like a big sister to her, show her that it’s not all bad.” “Not so mean after all?” she muses as I move to the basin to grab her a glass of water.

“Is that what you think?” I cock an eyebrow at her as I hand her the glass.

She doesn’t respond. Instead she chooses to press her lips to the glass and I see a tiny curve at the corners that she is fighting to hide as she sips the water.

“There are people arriving today.” I remind her

“At least I don’t have to lie now.” She smiles with her lips but it doesn’t quite meet her eyes “No, but you should be aware that many of these people won’t want to be here.”

“But they are contracted to do so?” Neah asks

“Yes, they also will not be afraid to make their feelings clear.”

“Right.” She sighs, “What exactly does it say in the contracts?

“That they will protect any of my heirs at all costs.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

Wrinkles appear on her forehead. She opens her mouth to say something, but the words disappear as she makes a beeline to the toilet. thrusting the glass into my stomach on her way.

I wait for her to finish and when she looks at me, her skin has that same grey complexion as when I first met her. “Nyx thinks something is wrong.”

‘It’s just theschange in your hormoneg: I’ve seen it happen before. “Though the grey skin worried me, I wasn’t going to tell her thats‘If it makes you feel better, we cargo and see Raven.” Content bélongs to ~

ley,

“You’re still here?” I mutter to Klaus as we walk into the pack hospital.

‘I’ve been helping Raven clean the mess. Jess did quite a number.” he flicks through a trashy magazine that raven insisted on buying. “Where is Raven?

“She went to change. Should be back in a minute. Is everything okay?” His eyes settle on Neah. “You don’t exactly…… ° He trails off when he sees my head shake and before Neah has a chance to say something, Raven comes hurtling in. “Klaus, can you head over to the house. Jess is in the room at the end of the hallway. Just keep an eye on her.” I instruct “Sure.”

“You’re pregnant?” Raven asks as soon as the door is closed behind Klaus. “You have to be, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Though I can’t smell the changes yet.”

“Can you just check her over?”

‘I’ve told you Bane. Nothing wi show up, notun il she is a few weeks along and even then it will be a tiny speck, if anything.” she turns to Neah and smiles, “All Ican © suggest i is try to up your fluidNintake, if. you are feeling queasy.” Con ent belongs to

“It’s not normal for a Wolf.” The words tumble from my mouth in irritation from Aero pushing forward and before I even have a chance to think or force him back.

“She’s not a Wolf.” Raven snaps, folding her arms across her chest. “Look I can do a scan, but right now, that is all I can offer and I’m telling you, it won’t show anything.”

She leads us ta.a bed and grabs a small machire, absentmindedly running the wand over Neah’s > stomach—’To be honest Dane, I’na3 little sufprised you cansmell o> anything. Most mates can’t tell until their partner is at least a m@nth

aféng.”

She suddenly stops, holding the little want in one position. “Huh.”

I see the panic in my mates eyes. “What do you mean, huh?” Neah cries

She fiddles with something on the side of the small monitor. A heartbeat echoes around the room followed by an extra beat. “Neah, you are further along. Give or take six weeks.

“Lam?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No.”

“What’s wrong with the heart beat?” I demand

“Nothing, it is just what it sounds like when a mother is carrying twins.”