I lean to the side so I can look up at Max's face, and he's looking down at me. "What is it?" I ask tentatively, worried about what he possibly could have come up with.

I don't like the look in his eyes. He gulps, his gaze not once wavering from mine. When he doesn't say anything for a few seconds, I quietly say, "Max?"

"I can join them."

"What!" I gasp, a short, surprised laugh escaping my mouth. I pull away from his arms so I can get a better look at him. I wait for the grin I love so much to appear on his face. For him to start laughing and say he's joking.

He keeps his eyes on mine, and they're full of nothing but seriousness. His mouth is set in a straight line, and I realize that this isn't a joke at all. He's actually thinking about joining the hybrids.

"Are you crazy?" I ask, my stomach starting to flip over on itself as I think about what his words actually mean. "Why the hell would you join them?"

"To try and change their minds about attacking your pack. If I join them and suggest something better, maybe they'll leave your pack alone. At least until the solar eclipse."

"That's not a bad idea," Mara says hopefully. "You could be an undercover agent for us."

Max nods. "Maybe I can stop them from attacking any more packs."

"Max," I say quietly. "This is dangerous."

"I know, B, but I have to try," he responds, and I hear the pleading in his tone.

"What if they find out what you're doing?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "I won't let them."

I pinch my lips together. I have faith that he won't get caught, but there's always a chance. There's always a chance that something could go wrong, and I don't want to risk it. I can't risk it.

"Brynn," Mara says, putting a hand on my shoulder. I turn to look at her, and I know she agrees with Max's idea. "It's the only plan we've got. If Max doesn't go undercover to try and stop them, they're going to attack us. We won't be able to stop them."

I look between her and Max, knowing that I'm fighting a losing battle. My family remains silent, letting the three of us talk this out. Mara's the one with the information, and Max and I are the hybrids in the room. The decision is up to the three of us.

With one last glance at Mara, I look into Max's eyes and say, "Fine. But I'm going, too."

The words are barely out of my mouth before Max shakes his head and growls, "No!" It's the first time I've ever seen him respond with so much force in his voice. I'm not scared, just surprised. I know it's not directed at me, just the situation.

Max realizes his little outburst and holds a hand up to cup my face. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to yell," he says softly. He lowers voice to barely a whisper when he says, "There's too much at risk for you to come with me." He glances down at my stomach, but I would have known what he meant if he hadn't.

"Okay," I whisper, taking a deep breath.

When I look back at Mara, she's looking at me with wide, knowing eyes. The corners of my lips curve up. We don't need to mind link each other. She knows I'm pregnant. Max's little glance at my stomach was all she needed.

I don't say anything to my family as I turn to them. I still want to tell them in the way Max and I planned. I don't think I'll be hide it that long now that he's going to be gone for a month, but I'm holding onto hope.

I say, "We need to figure out the rest of the plan. We can't send Max in without a direction."

Everyone crowds around the island. I'm standing between Max and Mara, my body pressed into Max's side.

"I need a reason for why I'm joining them and Brynn's not. They know we're mates. They'll be suspicious if it's just me unless I have a really good reason," Max says. His voice is all business, and it's a huge turn on. I've never heard him sound so serious before, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hot.

Don't get me wrong; I love the goofiness his normal voice has. It never fails to put a smile on my face, and it creates a warm, bubbly feeling inside me whenever I hear it. There's something about his voice sounding so opposite of how it normally does that makes me want to pull him up to my bedroom and have my way with him.

Max brings his arm around me and rests his hand on my waist. It snaps me out of my thoughts.

Everyone is silent as they think of possible reasons for Max. I try, but it's too hard. Thinking about being separated from Max for a month is torture. He's going to miss the beginning of my pregnancy. No more curling into his side when we sleep at night. No more runs through the forests.

I bury my face into his chest, refusing to let myself cry. I can't start crying in front of everyone right now. I'll let myself cry later, but not now.

The hormones disagree. Every time I tell myself "not now", they scream back louder with a "YES". I'm sobbing uncontrollably within the the next minute. Max wraps his arms tightly around me, rubbing a hand up and down my back. "Shh, B. It's okay. We're going to get through this. I promise," he whispers in my ear.

Mara rests a comforting hand on my shoulder. I know when Max is gone, she's going to be my support system. She's going to step into every roll Max would have had during my pregnancy. If I'm craving a McDonald's cheeseburger at two in the morning, Mara's going to get me a McDonald's cheeseburger at two in the morning. If I'm feeling extra bitchy one day, Mara's going to take the blows I send her way. If I'm sobbing uncontrollably, whether it be from missing Max, hormones, or both, Mara's going to be my shoulder to cry on.

Mara is going to be my fill in baby daddy. Realizing this only makes my cry harder. Not because I don't want Mara to be there, but because Max should be here.

"I don't want you to go," I cry, snaking my arms around his back to pull myself closer. I won't have him with me for much longer.

"B, shh, I know," Max soothes, "But I have to. It's our only plan, and I can't think of another one."

"But we need you!" I burst out, realizing too late what I just said.

The shock of my words sobers me up. I pull away from Max and wipe my tears away. I look up at him, and we both have the same wide eyed expression. I laugh.

I knock my forehead against Max's chest as I laugh. I can't stop. Nothing about any of this is funny, and that's precisely why I find it so funny.

When I finally turn around to face my family, my laughter calmed down to little gasps for air, everyone either has a smirk or a smile on their face.

My dad's smiling. "We?" he asks, questioning my choice of words.

I nod, bringing my hands to my stomach.

"You're going to have a baby?" Lexi asks excitedly. "Can I babysit?"

"What if I want to babysit?" Violet asks, directed more at Lexi than me.

"Wait! There's a BABY in your tummy?" Carter yells, shooting off of Hayden's lap and running around the island to me. He puts his hands on my stomach, a huge smile on her face. "He's going to be my best friend," he declares.

"You think it's a he?" I tease, ruffling his curls. He nods enthusiastically.

In the moment of my family finding out I'm pregnant, the hybrid's attack is forgotten. Through the midst of what could happen to us, we all find joy in the growing baby in my womb. Everyone's congratulating Max and I, asking about the gender and if we've picked out any names yet.

I don't fight the wide grin on my face. I don't want to. I have my mate by my side, my family isn't choosing between Lacey and I anymore, and I'm on my way to becoming a mother.

This might be the last time I'm this happy for a long time.