"What are you talking about?" I asked Hannah.

"It's the time when mates have a better chance at conceiving babies. It hurts and it burns but if your mate is touching you or if you're having a little fun, the pain dulls." Hannah gave me a smirk and I frowned. I still wasn't ready for that step in Chance and I's relationship. Was I ready to complete the mating process? After everything that has happened to me?

I just lost a baby. I was just raped, again. Could I let Chance see my body? Knowing it was tainted and ruined multiple the times? The scars and bruises that have scattered across my body like a road map. Was I ready?

He's not Carter

I howled in agony, "Have you been through this?"

Hannah nodded, "Once. It starts happening when you meet your mate it happens once a year. Ryan and I aren't ready for kids yet so we just let it pass me."

"Is Chance almost here? This hurts." It hurts, but I've been through worse so I know that I can handle this and deal with it.

"Yes, but we do have to start moving away from the unmated wolves. The smell of a she-wolf in heat is addicting and unmated wolves get over powered by it and their wolves end up taking over and doing something they don't want to do. They can take advantage of you and not even know they're doing it. Doesn't make it right, but it happens a lot in the werewolf community."

"I might pass out." I said, laying down in the grassy area I was sitting in.

Hannah shook her head and looked a little panicky. She started saying something to me but I couldn't understand what she was saying. The pain was beginning to numb my body and I felt my eyes slowly shut.

***

I awoke to the smell of sugar cookies and Chance. I knew I was in my bedroom since it always smelled of him and since I have a sugar cookie candle on my nightstand. My body was aching a bit but it wasn't as excruciating like before.

I looked around and saw my mom was sitting on the chair next to me. She was fast asleep. I tired sitting up but my body felt like jello. I felt like all the energy was drained from my body.

A few moments later, Simon walked into the bedroom, a smile on his face. "Sugar! You're awake, this is wonderful."

With Simon being so loud, my mom jerked awake with a confused expression on her face. "You're awake. I'm so happy. How are you feeling? Are you still in pain? It's been a few hours since you passed out."

Simon nodded. "Yes, Chance decided that the mating process was not happening during this heat cycle and we all agreed that you have been through so much. So, gave you a potion that helps numb the pain and speed up the process. You're not in heat anymore."

I smiled. "Thanks, Si."

My mom gave me a glass of water and I thanked her. "I'm going to go and find Chance, be right back."

My mom left the room, leaving me with Simon. I turned to him and he sat down on the edge of my bed. "I haven't seen you in a while."

Simon smirked. "Well us warlocks are quite busy, you know. I have a lot to do when it comes to this pack."

I rolled my eyes playfully and took a sip of my water. "So, thanks again."

Simon gave me hug, "Anything for you. We knew this was the right thing to do."

Simon eyes my necklace and smiled. "I see you're still wearing your necklace, the moon and wolf one."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, they weren't lying when they said magic lies within it."

I frowned. "The necklace didn't do shit for me. It burned my house down, got me a crazy mate and an even crazier ex-boyfriend."

Simon shook his head. "Well, when you stopped wearing it, bad things began happening to you. I Created the necklace so I should know its true intentions. Magic truly lies within the necklace to keep you safe. If I were you, I'd never take it off again."

I looked down at my neck. "If it was supposed to keep me safe, then why was I taken advantage of in high school?"

Simon frowned. "That, my dear, I do not have an answer too."

I stared down at the necklace. It was truly beautiful and I loved it very much but I felt as though it always gave me bad luck, which is why I stopped wearing it for a few months. Simon stared at the necklace too and spoke after a few moments. "There's a legend."

I laughed. "There's always a legend when it comes to you."

"Hush, let me think." I rolled my eyes playfully at Simon and let him continue. "There's a legend when a witch or warlock makes a necklace with magic. The said warlock making the necklace has a true intention of making it pure. They want the necklace to keep the person they are making it for safe. However, the said person wearing the necklace can change what the magic is supposed to do. Magic is a tricky son of a bitch. It sometimes has a mind of its own. The legend says that if the person wearing the necklace always has bad thoughts or doesn't think the necklace is working in their favor, the magic changes and does as the person thinks. I didn't always believe in that legend until you. I think because you were always questioning this necklace, it turned from good to bad and didn't keep you safe anymore. I made that necklace for you when your parents left the pack many years ago. I had the purest intentions; I can promise you that."

Simon turned to me and touched the necklace around my neck, a blue spark emitting from it. "You're a wonderful person, Bailey. You're going to be a wonderful Luna and when the time comes, a wonderful mother as well. If you always have happy thoughts and wish to be safe, then the necklace will keep you safe too. I am so happy you came back to this pack. I am so happy I was able to meet you and become friends. I just want the best for you, Bailey."

And with that being said, Simon disappeared from my room and back to wherever he had come from.

***

After Simon disappeared, my parents and grandparents came up to wish me well. They brought me my favorite foods and beautiful flowers. Since it was late, they decided to go back to their rooms and catch up on some sleep. After they left, Chance's mom and dad came up giving me hugs. It was late, almost midnight, so they didn't stay too long since they needed to go home and check on the girls. I was waiting for Chance to come up to bed but Ryan said he was at his brother's pack.

Ryan kept me company for a bit and then left to go on boarder patrol. When he left, I grabbed my sketchbook from the table next to my bed and flipped through the drawings. I can't remember the last time my hands were on this book and I missed the feeling of the paper beneath my fingertips and the pencil between my fingers.

As I flipped through the book, I smiled at the memories. Some were of my dogs; some were of the backyard at my old house and some were of Chance's wolf when I used to meet hm in the woods when I first moved here. It was before I even knew that werewolves existed outside of books and movies. It was before I even knew who Chance was. I flipped to a new page and just let my mind wander and draw whatever came to me.

"I haven't seen you sketch in forever."

It was nearing two in the morning and I jumped at the voice that broke me from my drawing trance. I looked up and saw Chance standing at the doorway of our bedroom. He looked so good standing there. Chance came over to me and laid down on the bed next to me after taking his jacket and shoes off.

"What are you drawing, love?"

I showed him the picture. "The sunrise we saw when we were in England."

"It's beautiful."

I hummed and flipped the cover of the sketchbook over and placed it back on my nightstand. I slid further into the bed until the blankets were up to my chin. Chance took off his jeans and climbed under the blankets with me. Our faces were close together. I wrapped my legs around his, feeling comfort in his touch.

I shut my eyes and felt Chance's lips on my forehead. Chance pulled me closer to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. I'm just very tired."

Chance rubbed small circles on my stomach. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up. I was at Brandon's helping him train the new guys."

"It's okay, you're here now. How is Brandon? I haven't seen him in forever."

"He's good. Him and his mate are due for babies any day now. She's having twins."

I smiled. "That's amazing. Speaking of babies, how many were you thinking of having?"

Chances body tensed and I laughed. "IF you're saying you want to have babies, we can get to work right now."

I smacked him playfully on the arm and he chuckled. "Be serious."

"Well, I have always wanted a big family but it's really up to you since you'll be the one carrying them. I wouldn't mind having a boy and a girl."

I hummed, slowly falling asleep to Chance's heartbeat. "I want a big family too. I want four."

I could sense that Chance was smiling. "Whenever you're ready, we can get to work on that."

I laughed lightly but didn't respond as I slowly fell fast asleep.

________