I stood in the room looking at myself in the square mirror. I turned side to side to see if there was any difference in my physical appearance. I looked more tired than usual and my skin had paled from being locked up. There were dark circles under my eyes from the constant lack of sleep. I worried a lot lately and I was scared that Shayne might not really be okay with this whole thing.

My clothes felt big on me now since I hadn't been eating well either. I was having morning sickness, and the time I spent locked I had been stubborn and refused to eat. I could barely see the small bump on my stomach. It wasn't noticeable to anyone but it was noticeable to me. I noticed the changed going on in my body.

Before I had left the prison cells I was wearing a tank top and shorts. Apparently Shayne thought I was showing too much and forced me to wear sweats. I didn't want to change but he was set on keeping me locked up if I refused. In the end I had complied and changed into a t-shirt and sweat pants.

"Hey,"

I looked towards the opening door to see Shayne stepping in. He had been gone all day at the pack building. I didn't know what he was doing and I didn't ask. My wolf missed him and she wanted to curl up in his arms.

Shayne had a navy blue buttoned up shirt and dark jeans. In the morning when I had seen him I nearly fainted. He looked really good and it seemed he had been getting more sleep than I had. Before he looked really tired and worn out.

"How are you feeling?" Shayne asked.

"A little tired." I admitted.

"You look tired. Do you want to go to the doctor?"

"No, I'm fine." I said. "I'm just tired and a little more hungry than usual."

Shayne smiled and his eyes darted to my stomach. Unconsciously my hands had rested on my belly. It was something I had been doing lately since I found out I was pregnant.

"Do you want to go anywhere to eat?" He asked.

"Is it safe?"

Shayne told me that Rider had already left the territory and we would have guards. He didn't want to risk anyone slipping and causing me harm. He had become a bit paranoid with trying to protect me.

"It is. We'll just go to a diner or something. A burger joint?" He asked with a shrug.

"I don't know. I haven't been able to hold anything down. Maybe we should just stay here. Sometimes I get dizzy." I said chewing on my bottom lip.

"Are you sure you don't want to see the doctor?" Shayne asked, concerned.

"I'm fine. I guess I'm just nervous." Again I ran my hands over my stomach. "Can we just have some dinner here, please?"

"If this continues then I'm taking you to the doctor. I'm worried that you're not eating enough."

"Food just smells weird and I really don't like it." I grumbled. "Like right now, I want sushi."

"Sushi?" He raised a brow.

"Blame it on the baby." I said crossing my arms.

"I'll have someone go out to get some for you."

Shayne laughed and took my hand. We headed downstairs and waited in the living room while we waited for someone to bring the food I asked for.

Sam and Chase had walked in twenty minutes later. They had food in a bag and I could smell the sushi. My stomach grumbled and I bet I was actually drooling.

"Where is Alex?" Shayne asked.

"With his mate. It's her mothers birthday so they're going to have dinner there or something." Chase explained.

"Did you take care of everything I asked?" Shayne asked.

Shayne asked question after question as we set the food on the table. I practically devoured the whole thing once we all sat down. I had been incredibly hungry and I was happy they brought me food that actually smelled appealing.

Sometime throughout dinner Shayne had snapped at Sam. We had been mind linking throughout dinner and Shayne caught us making eye contact. He was jealous and he didn't like it one bit.

After Chase and Sam finished they were dismissed. I was left to pick up the mess and wash the dishes. Shayne offered to do it himself but I doubted he really wanted to.

"What's up with you and Sam?" Shayne asked, suspiciously.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sage, don't do this."

"I'm not doing anything. There is nothing going on. Stop being paranoid."

"I'm making preparations for when the baby comes."

Hearing him say that surprised me. Not even I had thought about preparing a room or getting baby stuff. I wasn't far along and I was sure it could wait a month before I was due.

"Preparations like what?" I asked as I dried the plates so I could put them away.

"There's the room, necessities, and other things. I want to make sure everything is in place."

"Don't you think it's a little too soon for that?"

"Better now than later."

I looked up at him and met his brown eyes. Hearing him actually thinking ahead was...strange for me. Everything going on with the baby on the way was strange. Shayne was acting different and I didn't know how to react to it.

I was completely frightened when Shayne unintentionally hurt me and I started bleeding. What if I had lost the baby? I thought that I would have cried and would have died of sadness. I'm sure Shayne would never have been able to forgive himself for it.

At the hospital I kept thinking of different scenarios. I kept thinking of having everything prepared and then something going horribly wrong. I was scared and I didn't want that. I didn't want to lose something that was now part of me.

"We need to talk about something very serious." Shayne said.

"Um, okay?" I said, again surprised by his constant change of subject. "What about?"

"Everything. What happened with my sister, what happened between you and Rider, what we will do after the baby comes, and what you can do to clear your name if you claim to be innocent."

I was taken back by that because it was not what I expected. It hurt more than I thought it would to hear him say he still didn't quite believe me. I figured as much but hearing him say it actually hurt.

"Nothing happened between me and Rider." I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Why does he insist on having you?" Shayne asked. "Something must have happened."

"Nothing happened and nothing of what you think even went on. I thought I already proved that I hadn't been with anyone."

I remembered the day we had mated without it being my choice. I had to prove to him I was never with anyone. I had to sleep with him to show him that because he just couldn't trust me.

"Something still went on."

"I'll tell you everything you want to know about what happened with your sister when you're ready to listen and you have an open mind."

"I'm ready now." He said, seeming sure of himself.

"No you're not. Not if you're making assumptions and won't even believe me when I told you nothing happened." I said. "As far as clearing my name, I think I might know someone who can clear that up but you seriously need to let Bre go-Jake too. They didn't do anything and I thought you said you were going to let them go."

"You can't really expect me just to let my guard down, do you? How do I know they won't do anything?"

"I'm your mate and you should trust me, but I guess we already know how trust goes between us, right?" I snapped.

"Who is this person you're talking about? How will they be able to help?" Shayne asked, ignoring me.

"Justin, the Beta of Imperial, is protecting me and Bre. He knows what happened but it won't be easy for him to slip away from Rider." I said. "I'll talk to him and-"

"Not alone." He said firmly.

"He won't trust you and won't open up if you're there. We could ask Bre if she can help but that's if you let her out." I said. "I told you that Bre is his mate. He won't try anything on me."

"We'll talk about that later." He said. "Right now I want to tell you that I'm not going to let them hurt you, but what you did was bad. Killing a Luna is against pack law and there will be conveniences. After the baby comes you won't be able to see the baby-"

"Wait, what?" I cut him off. "What are you talking about?"

"There has to be enough proof to clear your name and if that doesn't happen I can't allow you to be around our baby. There will be a process you will have to go through with the Elders. Even if they do forgive you because you are a Luna yourself, I don't wan the baby to be around-"

"It's my baby! Are you seriously going to try to take my baby away? Please don't do that to me, Shayne. I thought we were trying to work things out. I'm sorry for what happened and I told you I didn't do it! Yes, I said I did at first but that's before I found out Rider had done it. I told you the other day he snuck in to see me."

"I know and I'm trying here. I really am but Ellie was my baby sister. The only sister I had and she was taken away from our family. There's nothing I want more than to believe you but this is too much. You have to understand."

"I understand, really I do. But you don't have to take this away from me. If you do I will never forgive you and I'll run away before you take my baby. I don't care if you are my mate, I'm going to be a mother and my baby comes first."

"Just give me some time, Sage." Shayne pleaded. "I'm trying to keep an open mind. I'll try and I won't take the baby away. It's just-"

"I know, it's hard. I understand. I'm asking you for time too. I promise you that if you try taking my baby you won't see us both ever again. Take your time and give me my time as well."

"I'm trying."

I was now getting a head ache and I felt tired. I couldn't believe he had just threatened me to take my baby away.

"If you ask me you're not trying hard enough." I said.

"I'm sorry, Sage. I shouldn't have said that. I'm still angry and confused. Forgive me?"

"I'm going to sleep. I'm exhausted and I really don't want to see you right now."

I walked out of the kitchen and walked slowly up the stairs. I went to our room and closed the door behind me. I quickly changed into one if Shayne's shirts to sleep in. I blindly crawled into the bed and pulled the covers tightly around me. I was just falling asleep when the door to the bedroom opened. I felt a dip next to me and then I was caged in Shayne's arms. They were tightly wrapped around my waist and he pulled me to him.

"I'm sorry, Sage. I'll try harder, I promise. I don't want to lose you or our baby. I-I love you."

I turned around so that I was now facing him. It was dark in the room and it was a bit difficult to see his face. My eyes had adjusted to the dark but it was still hard to see him when he tried to nuzzle his face in my neck.

"I love you too." I sighed.

I sighed when Shayne's breathing started to even out. His warm breath tickled my neck but it felt good having him close.

Shayne promised he would try harder for me. My promise to him? If he ever tried to take my baby away I will disappear off of the face of the earth and he will never see either of us. I'm not going to let anyone, not even my mate, take my new reason for happiness away from me. I won't let him hurt me like that-especially not to get back at me. That was a promise I intended to keep.