I cry into my hands. No reason other than the ripping sadness from the child breaking through my body. The baby decided today we're the moodiest, most depressed, and visibly sad person in existence. I'm just along for the ride. When Ares tried to offer help, I threw a strainer at his head and begged he run before I ripped his head off. It didn't take much for the man to listen. I'm a month into pregnancy. My entire body is aching, my belly is starting to pop... among other horrid changes that I can't keep up with. One month of wolf pregnancy is equivalent to ten weeks of human. When I did the math, I was told not to go by it. A cub grows the most, and fastest, in the first two months meaning all the human systems are crashed into two months of hell.

Today Ares is working with Tyson to get things sorted for the trials. As Josh challenged him, he is no longer acting beta. It wasn't announced officially to the pack until yesterday, but Tyson has worked into the beta roll since the past week, Tusk getting the honor of gamma. I grab another tissue to blow my nose into, my eyes swollen from the constant strain. Ares has begged me for some way to help, but in the kindest way, it's best if he keeps the fuck out of this.

His mother is just as horrid. Hers, however, isn't connected to any child. She's just a raging bitch that keeps me from walking through my home in peace. It takes another twenty minutes before I've calmed down enough to exit, the bitch waiting in the hallway for my greeting. I almost take it as a compliment. Maybe her determination to hate me is like a boy's crush. The more they tease, the more they love? She spits at my feet as soon as she sees me, "Some Luna." Her voice ripples down the hallway. I roll my eyes and turn away, but she keeps on my ass. Tusk comes around the corner to greet but sees the ex-Luna and runs.

"You're scaring off my pack." I mutter in return. The relief I hope for isn't around. Everyone avoids her like the plague. Understandably so. Mrs. Gray sneers at the wall. The pictures, as she's told me many times before, are a constant reminder of the happiness that man took from her. Her son, he's been demoted to nothing more than a bad memory in her mind. It's hard not to throw the alcohol at her head to get her to stop talking, but I kept my feet on the ground and mind in the air. She needs help, no matter how horrid she is to people.

"And you're pregnant."

That sends me snapping back trying to figure out the best way to respond. Her smirk is honest, eyes trailing over my hooded form. The hoodies been hiding the growing bump, it's starting to look more like pregnancy than bloating. Ares is determined to convince me not to leave the house, stay here until the two-month mark when we can safely announce after the trials and chaos, but being hidden away isn't something I'm ready for just yet, "What kind of non-sense is spilling from your mouth?"

"Oh, don't play coy, woman." She goes from the nice smirk to a sneer, "I can smell the nausea from here. Haven't you told people?"

"It's none your retched business what I have or haven't told people. Not that I'm agreeing or denying anything." I spit in return. The baby encourages me to throw something, and when I don't, I become a mess of tears when I peel away from the conversation. The backs of my hands go to my eyes in a weak attempt to bring me to center. The death goddess herself follows.

"You don't need to hate me so much. That man of yours makes me out to be worse than I am." Her sigh is loud. The hormones flip, anger taking over once more. I skid turning to face her, her eyes going wide at the hot anger seeping from my tear strained pupils.

"You make yourself worse than you are. Haven't you the idea to fuck off and leave me be? Always following me around making my life difficult!" My screech is loud. Tusk backs his butt around the corner to keep a steady eye on the two of us. Ares and I haven't told a soul the truth, but with her big mouth it's a high possibility that Tusk now knows. Ares warned of how the pack reacts to a Luna's pregnancy. Overprotective. If they're loyal. Thankfully, Tusk is too loyal for his own good.

"Ever thought it might be because I scent your damn baby and feel this horrid need to protect your skin! Or the fact that you're the first dumbass to give me a chance?" Her chest rises and falls, eyes dropping to the floor. This is the first time she's shown any emotion other than anger or resistance. She's admitted to something, "Everyone let me drown myself in the drinks, and you swoop in with this blinding smile. Gave me a bed and nursed me. As the old Luna I still have a sharp nose, and I know a pregnancy glow when I see it. I can't help but annoy you, as you haven't told your Delta's so they can protect you properly."

Tusk stays silent at the end of the hall. Smart, "And right now is when you decide to make a scene?" I laugh at the non-humorous moment. The stress coursing through me is more than I can handle. The trails, his mother, and now the potential of our secret slipping through the cracks of the doors upon a listening ear, "Couldn't you say thank you with coffee? Maybe a gift card?" The sarcasm drips from me. His mother looks more than done with my approach.

"I have good hearing girl. No one is in this hallway or ear shot except the Delta I'd trust to kill three bears against one. He should've known the moment you found out. But you know what," She raises her hands in the air, eyes gleaming with something unrecognizable, "You want me gone? You got it." The woman snaps her body around strutting down the hall. Her back side is a great sight, one I'd been begging to see just so I could swim in the truth that I'll finally be alone.

"Are we going to talk about it? Or should I play stupid?" Tusk grunts from his side of the hallway. I want myself towards him with a grim smile. Tusk doesn't press, nor does he come any closer than his self-assigned spot. His eyes wander over my form landing on my slightly bumpedbelly, a gold ring presents around his eyes.

"It depends. Do I need to run for my life, or can I trust you?" I whisper in return. Ares warned me about the types, the doctor warned me, even randoms praying for us to come with child warned me, "I really want to trust you."

"Don't worry about me, Luna. I'd take a bullet for you any day. Why don't we take a seat, you look pale." He waves to a bench conveniently located behind him. With no shame I rush over and drop my ass on the cold wood. My hair tumbles around me, back falling into the wall to steady the nausea that swells over me, "I don't mean to intrude on family matters, but Mrs. Gray seems to think very highly of you."

"You call that highly? Puh-lease, that was pure bullshit if I've ever heard it." I snicker after getting the pent-up emotion out. The words only hurt if they're heard right? And she's nowhere nearby. I raise my eyes to Tusk. The glee in my eye drops to sadness when I take in the seriousness of his expression, "Okay, okay you might be right. But she's infuriating. Always on my case, do better this, do better that, oh and the best – you don't deserve your position! How is that thinking highly of anyone?"

"Mrs. Gray has always been a tough woman. Even before the death of the late-Alpha. Her way of showing care is... well exactly that. I believe she meant it when she said she wanted to protect you, even had the forethought to check the perimeter before running her mouth. Everything she just performed was only for the safety and care of you, Luna. I would say that you're being a little bratty about it because it's not the same type of love you enjoy receiving."

"As a reminder, you were very anti-Mrs. Gray when we drug her here." I wave my finger at him, his shoulder rising in a shrug. Nothing about his look is remorseful, but he does respect my jab at him.

"You aren't wrong, however you showed me a different perspective. In the time she's been here she's genuinely listened to every rule you have in place, even the grooming rule. I know she's struggling with her addiction, but she's dedicated herself to you and realized the importance of her loyalty to someone who believed in her. I would try again... with maybe less cutthroat." Tusk rolls his eyes tapping his head. The sign for a mind-link the wolves have started to warn me of their moment of distraction. Supposedly I'm supposed to be able to speak to everyone after I marked Ares, such as Jessica after she marked her mate, but here I am stuck.

"Tyson is requesting you. Ares must step off land for a few hours to collect rogue challengers. I believe we only have three this year. But this means you'll need protection." He lets me take a few deep breaths then assists me to standing, "I'll walk you there."

"Is your wolf demanding to protect me now?" I grunt at his outstretched arm. Tusk is the type to push you off the back of a truck and laugh, then rush back to pick you up. The most important fact: laugh first.

"He is. I'd recommend you'd let me. I doubt we'd want to tussle in the hallway. My mate can be rather brash when I get knocked in the face once or twice." With a wink and another toss of his arm in my direction, I finally agree to take his lead. Tusk guides me gently through the house, down the stairs, and out into the surrounding forest, "It's about a twenty-minute walk. Let me know if you get tired. I'd offer my wolf, but I know how you get." Pukey, I get pukey.

"Don't worry too much about me." I toss my hand at him, his eyes scanning the area heavily as we walk. I know I should be frustrated at the somewhat overbearing natures of Tusk right now, but I only feel safe. Safe and protected from harm. It's a good feeling, but one I never count on having often.

The twenty-minutes goes by quickly. Tyson rushes up with wide arms encasing me in their hold. I stay completely still while he tucks me against him, a wolfish grin crossing his features, "I've been blessed to spend the day with a goddess herself!"

Tusk lets out a low growl, Gerald coming up from behind Tyson, "Watch that mouth, baby. He's the beta for now." Gerald scolds, Tusk simply raises his chin at the pair of us.

"No need to hold her so close." Tusk spits, Tyson pretends to gag letting me out of his hold. I pretend to brush dirt off myself, then pick at fuzzies that've suddenly appeared in the short walk here, "Look at how easy that is!" He waves his arms at the space between us, "Almost like it'smeant that way."

"Shut your face hole, Teethers. I'm just messing with her, and you know it. I have a hot woman out there just for myself." He puffs his chest out, but I can see the unsaid sadness. While he's the same age as everyone around him, his mate is yet to be found. Ares warned me about his travel request. Tyson wants to go to each pack and introduce himself almost begging that his mate is in a pack, but Ares knows as much as I do that a high ranked wolf gets a human. The balance that must be maintained. Tyson isn't a low rank in the slightest, meaning traveling would be useless.

"We know, chicken. What's the update?" Tusk peers around his mate trying to visually decipher how much works been done.

"The ring is set up, all the names are in, and the final challengers are being collected. As it stands, we are all a go to get this over with tomorrow." Get this over with. A good choice in words, but my response is interrupted by another wolf rushing up with a clip board, "What's it, kid?"

"Another name just came in, John Doe. Can they do that?"

Gerald snorts, "A pussy. Yes, they can do that. It doesn't say anywhere you have to put your real name, but it is encouraged for honorpurposes. Let the Alpha know of the new addition. I hope they'll be able to get their own way here."

John Doe. Something inside me itches at it. A wishful thought that I had all the knowledge in the world, but I know much better, "It's hot boys, I need a water!" My voice carries, multiple men rushing off. John fucking Doe, who are you? 

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