I was quiet the entire ride home, Tim would glance over at me every once in a while, but every time he did I would turn my head and look out the window. How was it that in the span of two months I had completely shattered my life? What was wrong with me? This was all just too much.

I wasn't ready to have a baby, let alone babies. For crying out loud I just lost my mother, got married and mated while unknowingly having been drugged, and now I was going to have a baby. Why was the Moon Goddess so cruel? What kind of mother would I actually be? Look at the mess my life is right now?

"Stop being hard on yourself. We will be good at being a mom! " Lily chimed in, panting happily about the pups.

"You knew! You knew we were pregnant and didn't say anything! I know you knew, Lily. " You accused me here. How could she think I would be any good at being a mom? I am eighteen. Eighteen! I'm going to school, what's that going to do in derailing that?!?

"I did." She sassed, "I didn't say anything cause I knew you would freak out, just like you are." She huffed at me.

"Don't you think it would have been good to know before going to Vegas and getting drugged! What if it hurt the pups? " I scolded her as I laid my hand protectively over my belly.

"You were uptight and needed to relax. The pups are fine. " It sounded like she was brushing it all off, I was getting frustrated with her.

"Stupid Wolf! How can you be so calm about all of this?!? I'm freaking out! " I was frustrated, nothing was going the way it should be. Things right now should be fun and carefree; nothing is going right!

"Don't call me stupid! You are being bitch, you know that. I don't think I want to talk to you anymore. " Lily was angry with me now, but I couldn't care less, I was angry with her. I could sense her wanting to tear something apart when I criticized her.

"Ironic that you're calling me a bitch, don't ya think?!?" Lily only answered me with a growl before cutting off our link. Maybe her cutting off our connection was for the best, seeing as neither of us getting what we wanted from the other. I knew she was only trying to help calm me down, but I was far past anything being okay, things just kept getting more and more complicated.

I finally thought I was going to be able to have some peace. I was with someone who loved me and that I loved, although our relationship was very fast paced, I was content. At least I think I am; Well, I am. However, now people are going to think that the only reason we are married is because I was knocked up. I took a breath and closed my eyes, trying to focus myself.

I had tried leaving things behind me, walking away and starting over in a new place, a new pack. Yet, no matter how hard I tried I was stuck with the ghost of Tate, it looked like I was never going to be free of him. I just wanted to be done with him, but it seemed like the Goddess had other plans. She wasn't done with us yet.

We got to our dorm and Tim helped me out of the car, I was in too much shock to be of any use to anyone let alone myself. I had turned from a self-sufficient, independent person to someone who needed her hand held all the time, I hated it and the person I was becoming. If I churned everything over in my mind, I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, I didn't hate who I was becoming. Maybe I like the affection and care that Tim was giving me, damn him.

Tim walked me right over to the couch, I watched him move around the room, my eyes never really focusing on what he was doing. I continued my internal ranting, trying to process everything, but coming to no real resolutions. I was smart and capable, but I was having no luck sorting out any of the issues plaguing me.

Tim placed a hot cup of tea on the table beside the couch and then grabbed one of the desk chairs placing it in front of me he sat down and reached for one of my hands. We sat there quietly for a while as he played with my fingers and I stared at my cup of tea. I wasn't sure how much time passed before he said something, but his words almost confused me, "I know what you're thinking?" I scrunched my face, his words not really making sense in the jumbled-up mess in my brain. "Allison, get out of it and talk to me."

I shook my head, cleared the cobwebs, pulled my hand back I reached for my tea and wrapped both of my hands around the cup. "What?" I said a little harsher than I meant, my mind was reeling with the new atomic bomb that had just been dropped into it.

"Allison, it's okay. Everything will be okay. " I instantly looked into his eyes, how was this okay? None of it was. Nothing that has happened since I came back in February has been okay.

Did he know? Had he figured it out? The timing doesn't work for these to be his pups. I held Tim's gaze, trying to tell him how sorry I was, how I knew this wasn't fair to him, I would have said it out loud, but I just couldn't find the words. I looked back down at my cup of tea, running my fingers over the rim and handling the cup like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

There was no way Tim was going to want to stay with me, he wasn't going to want to raise another wolf's pups. Why would he? It was very uncommon in the community that another male would raise someone else's pups. Mainly because people found their mates and only had pups with them, so it was typically a non-issue. In the rare case that a she-wolf had a pup with someone else and then found their mate, many times the male would not accept his mate, as they were very protective and domineering, rarely tolerating another wolves' pups. Much was the same if a she-wolf realized her mate had a pup with another woman. When it did happen it was very sad, I had only heard a couple of rumors about this happening, I just never thought I would be one of them. I was always so careful, at least I thought I had been.

I had spaced out again, lost in my own thought, "ALLISON!" Tim hollered at me.

"WHAT? Don't yell at me, Tim. " I snapped.

"I'm trying to talk to you. I said your name like five times. " I could hear the frustration in his voice, but the turmoil inside me was eating me up, making it impossible to focus.

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to ignore you. I just... ", I was at a loss of words.

"I know, Nemo. But we need to talk. This is not something that can just be put off. "

"Why not? Why can't I just process this all for a bit? " I didn't want to talk about this now, or any time for that matter, but pups weren't something that just went away. What did I do to piss the Moon Goddess off so much, if my life were a daytime Soap Opera, I am sure this would be an Emmy Award winning season.

Looking at Tim I nodded my head, trying my best to prepare myself for his rejection. "6-7 weeks." Tim said, pausing for a second letting his words register with me. I froze, bracing myself, "They are Tate's pups." Tears welling up in my eyes, then anger filled me. I was so sick or crying; I was so sick of Tate. I wasn't with him; I didn't want him anymore. Did I? I wanted to be with Tim. Tim is the one who was with me, supported me, wanted me. I blinked and the hot tears fell down my face

I dropped my head in shame and sadness. There was nothing I could say that would make this right. Tim pulled my head up and looked into my eyes, "I just want you to know, that I want you. I want these pups! " My jaw dropped; this was not what I was expecting, at this moment I am sure I looked like a gapping fish.

I blinked a few times, trying to find my voice, "Really?" I squeaked out, Relief flooded through me, relaxing much of the tension that had knotted my muscles.

"You sound shocked, Nemo." A bit of hurt laced into his words.

"I honestly thought you weren't going to want me anymore. Who would want to raise someone else's pups? Why would you want me? All of this was so fast, my head is spinning. " I said looking him in the eyes, those gorgeous eyes that I could just get lost in. The ones that always looked at me with adoration and care.

"You are right everything is fast; I am all in on this. We will figure this out, we will work it out together. Those pups are part of you, so that means I love them too. " He said with finality, he was leaving no room for ifs or buts. They were his, they were mine, they were ours. Our pups.

Tim got up and walked over to me, taking my hand he led me into the living room. Sitting on the couch he pulled me onto his lap, so we were face to face and my legs were draped on either side of his. He wrapped his arms around me and was gently running his hand up and down my back.

"You know you are truly amazing, and I thank the Goddess everyday for you." I kissed him, letting him know how thankful I was that he was in my life.

The car ride home had been quiet and honestly, I was happy about that. Not only did Allison need time to process things, I did as well. The last few weeks I had been so worried about her that I hadn't taken much time to reflect on my own thoughts or feelings about things. And I was overwhelmed too, but I didn't want Allison to know that she already had so many changes she was trying to come to terms with.

Horribly the thing that worried me the most was that Allison was going to leave me and run back to Tate now and beg him to take her and the pups. That she was going to walk away from me, having already lost one mate I don't think I would be able to survive it if Allison walked away from us. I truly loved her, just the thought made me feel like someone was trying to rip my heart from my chest.

After chewing on that thought for a few minutes, I realized that I was being completely irrational. I know that Allison would never leave me to go back to Tate. Right? No, I knew she wouldn't, pups or not, he had made his choice and he had chosen wrong and I was more than happy to have been the person to benefit from his stupidity. I loved this woman sitting next to me, even though she was a bit tough to handle at the moment, I still wouldn't trade it for anything.

As we drove, I stopped at a red light and there was a man, a little girl on his shoulders, catching my attention. They were walking down the sidewalk toward where we were stopping, giving me a perfect view of their faces. The little girl, probably no more than four, had her hair in pig tails that were bouncing with each step the man took. She was looking around in awe at everything a bigger than life smile on her face, you could see how much excitement for life she had. Watching that moment, I knew it was something I wanted.

Seeing the glee in that little girl's eyes and the joy her father had holding her in his shoulders made me think of the pups that were growing within Allison. Would she want them to know Tate? Would she tell him? Should we tell him? I didn't have the answers for any of it, but I knew that no matter what I would be there for her and those pups. I already loved them! I wanted them. Although it would be tough with Allison's school and internships, we would make it work. I would do anything for her or them. They were my world now, even if we did end up here by crazy happenstance.

I helped Allison into our room, getting her settled on the tattered leather couch. She was so out of it; lost in her own thoughts that she really wasn't paying attention to anything going on around her. I could have been walking around naked and it wouldn't even have registered with her. I made her some tea, setting on the table beside her.

I pulled up one of the chairs and stat in front of her, watching her. I had reached out and taken her left hand in mine, playing with her fingers trying to give her the time to process this new information, while also figuring out how to talk about it myself. No one of us said anything, unsaid words hanging like a thick curtain in the air between us. I startled myself when I spoke, my mouth said the words before my brain realized I had done so, "I know what you are thinking?" Allison sat quietly, not saying anything, the only clue that she had heard me was the scrunching of her face, "Allison, snap out of it and talk to me."

"What?" She finally snapped out.

"Allison, it's okay. Everything will be okay. " Allison looked at me, fear registering in her eyes as she was trying to evaluate everything going on. I knew I wanted to stay together, that I wanted the pups, but it still hurt me a little to know how they were conceived. I quickly reigned in my feelings, I didn't need to project them onto Allison, she was already fragile enough without feeling anymore guilt then I knew she already felt.

Allison didn't respond, I was getting a little frustrated now, there were things we had to talk about. Things that couldn't be put off, that I didn't want to put off. As much as I was willing to shield Allison and try to make everything okay, there were things I wanted, no need to say. Putting things off would only lead to hurt feelings and maybe even resentment and I didn't want that. I had said her name several times before yelling her name at her, "ALLISON!"

That caught her attention, "WHAT? Don't yell at me, Tim. " Her eyes bulging out of her head.

"I'm trying to talk to you. I said your name like five times. "

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to ignore you. I just... "her words trailing off.

"I know, Nemo. But we need to talk. This is not something that can just be put off. "

"Why not? Why can't I just process this all for a bit? " Her voice pleading for me to leave it alone, but something inside of me just wouldn't let me. We had to address this now.

I figured the best thing to do was just say it, before I lost her attention again, "6-7 weeks. They are Tate's pups. " I took a breath, just to see if there was anything Allison wanted to say, but she sat quietly, tears in her eyes. I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms and kiss away her worries, but I stopped myself.

"I just want you to know, that I want you. I want these pups! " At my words Allison's jaw dropped, rendering her speechless, as she had expected me to say something else.

I had never heard Allison speak so softly before and I hadn't been close to her or had enhanced hearing I don't think I would have heard her say it, "Really?"

"You sound shocked, Nemo." I quickly responded, upset that she had so little trust and faith in me. Obviously, she thought I was going to leave her if this is the question she chose to ask.

"I honestly thought you weren't going to want me anymore. Who would want to raise someone else's pups? Why would you want me? All of this was so fast, my head is spinning. " And there is the truth of her feelings, the core of the issue for her. Allison did not often show her insecurities, but today they were on full display.

"You are right everything is fast; I am all in on this. We will figure this out, we will work it out together. Those pups are part of you, so that means I love them too. " A slight smile began to appear on Allison's face, a lot of the fog of her emotions lifting from her eyes, putting me a little more at ease.

I pulled my wife into the living room behind me, sitting on the couch "You know you are truly amazing, and I thank the Goddess every day for you,"

I put my forehead on hers, a position that we usually find ourselves in when we are really trying to connect with each other, there was something intimate about it. We stayed like that for a few more minutes before I pulled back, there was more that needed to be discussed.

"You know there's a lot more that we need to discuss, right?" Allison nodded her head to me.

Letting out a sigh she said, "It's just fast, everything has been so fast!"

I nodded in agreement, "True, but it's not going to slow down any time soon now. So, we might as well hit is all head on. " Again, Allison nodded.

"My biggest concern is that he is an Alpha. How... How is that going to work? If you have a boy or boys, which you know I am, they are going to be Alphas. "

A smile came across my face, now this was one fear I could completely wash away, "Easy," Allison looked at me like I was nuts, nodding her head to continue, "I was an Alpha before losing my wolf. My blood is still Alpha blood, and technically my pups, would have claimed the Alpha title before Linc's pups. "

"Why is that?" Confusion lacing her brow as she tried to piece things together.

"It's the laws of succession in our pack. A way to keep the first born in position, however, if I didn't have any pups, then the title would pass to Linc's oldest male pup, he should have one. " Understanding dawned on Allison's face.

"But, these pups..." She dropped her head again, but I immediately picked it back up, she was no longer going to be ashamed, I would make sure of it. "They aren't your blood."

"Allison, listen to me," I said, "I want you to stop feeling guilty or ashamed. I want to claim these pups, I want to have a family with you. By claiming them, they become next in line to be Alpha. There is no questioning it, but just for your peace of mind, we will tell Linc and McKenna. Blood or not, these pups are Alpha blood, which in itself makes them natural born leaders. Linc is not going to have an issue with this. "

Allison still had concerns; I could see her struggling to ask another question. Instead of pushing I let her get it out on her own. "Wh... What... What if we had another son, one that was yours by blood? What would happen? Shouldn't your biological child get the Alpha title? "

I shrugged, "Maybe, but to me there would be no difference between these pups and any other pups we may have. Like I said, we will talk to Linc and McKenna. They are going to need to know everything. " Allison was panicking a bit at the thought of telling them, "Just them, no one else. No one else needs to know anything. " Allison relaxed and nodded her head.

"Wouldn't a male heir be next in line for Tate's pack? How would that work? " Now this question surprised me, I hadn't thought about it.

"Ahh, honestly I am not sure how it is in his pack. Here we go by first born, but I suppose if he wanted to, he could ask that the first-born male take over for his pack. "

Allison looked like she was panicking now, "Does that mean we would have to go there? I don't want two. I don't want to leave Haven Woods! "

"No! Absolutely not! " I told her, "That's something we can worry about later, neither of the pups are going to be taking over as Alpha anytime soon. There is a lot that we have to figure out rather quickly, but this, this is not one of them. " In the gift here a reassuring smile. "But I have a question, and this one is going to be tough, I know I'm okay with whatever you want to do, I will support it. Do you want to tell Tate? "