Chapter 113-2

“Finn, honey, we are going to have breakfast with our pack; we aren't walking into enemy territory,” I pointed out.

“I know. I just want to have you and the pup close.” It was going to be a very long seven months, I thought as we walked into the dining hall. The shift in the mood was sudden. From the usual buzz of chatter, the room fell completely silent, and everyone turned to look at us.

“Another pup!” Meadow called out and headed for me. I saw Finlay take a step to intercept her, but I maneuvered around him. Meadow engulfed me in a tight hug, and I felt Finlay’s panic spike for a second.

“Congratulations!” Jake said and shook Finlay’s hand. Soon, we were surrounded by the pack; those who hadn’t planned on eating breakfast joined us as word spread. Even Martin’s family and the other two families who had sought shelter from the Ocean Shore pack came. Finlay did his best to stay by my side, keeping a firm arm around me. The women of the pack smiled at him, and the men teased him mercilessly, except for Ramses; he was in the same situation with his pregnant mate and nodded approvingly.

“What is all this fuss about?” we heard Matilda ask. She had been out on an errand, and no one had mind-linked her. The pack parted so she could see us. Her eyes grew big as she scented the air, and I saw tears form in her eyes. I rushed over to her and hugged her. “A pup?” she whispered as she hugged me tightly.

“A pup,” Finlay said as he walked up to us. He placed a hand on my back and one on his aunt’s shoulder.

“It was about time; I have been waiting for almost seven years for this,” she told me as she let go. She patted me on the cheek. “Now, let’s get you some breakfast,” she told me. I was guided to our usual table, and Finlay sat on one side of me, Sam on the other. When Matilda came back with my breakfast, she just looked at Sam. He got up from his seat so she could sit down. Then he got a new chair and placed it between Matilda and Meadow. Meadow giggled.

“It will be a funny seven months,” Shelly said, sounding pleased. After breakfast, we all gathered in the top-tier meeting room.

“We need to reorganize the meeting next week,” Finlay told us.

“Sure,” Sam said.

“Makes sense,” Jake agreed.

“What?” I asked. “The only meeting I know about next week is the one where we will meet representatives from my old pack to sign the alliance between our packs.”

“That’s the one,” Finlay happily said.

“What needs to be changed about it? We have been planning it for over three weeks.”

“Since you aren’t going, we need to change the planning a little,” he told me.

“Oh boy,” Shelly said in a low voice.

“Amie,” Meadow gently called out.

“Are you telling me I can’t go and meet my parents for the first time in almost eleven years?” I asked with a low growl.

“Did you just growl at me?” Finlay asked.

“Alpha, now is the time to backtrack. Fast and unconditionally,” Jake told him.

“You thought I wouldn’t mind skipping a meeting like that?” I asked.

“It’s not like you won’t see them at all. You will just have to wait until we bring them back,” he insisted.

“What about Elder, Becky, and Armino?”

“Right. Maybe we ask them to come here when the pup is born?” Finlay suggested.

“I think you should listen to Jake, Alpha,” Sam said.

“Finn, I may love you, but get between me and seeing my family, and you will see how nice it is to sleep in the car until this pup is born.” Again, I growled. Finlay looked at me like I had gone mad. Then he looked at Jake and Sam.

“You can’t seriously think I will let my pregnant mate travel halfway across the country to a meeting with the wolf who rejected her and then tried to win her back?” he asked the room.

“We will revise the drive. If we leave a day earlier, we can schedule several stops along the way,” Jake said.

“We will make sure you and I are by her side at every moment,” Sam suggested.

“We will call my brother and let him know so he can tell James. It will be fine. I won’t budge on this, Finn.”

“Fine,” he surrendered. “But you won’t be alone. Not for a second. Either Sam or I am at your side at all times. Preferably both.”

“Sure, sounds like a fair compromise,” I agreed.

“You think so?” he asked, sounding like a petulant child.

“I do, and I will let you go all over-protective Alpha mate until we leave. As an extra bonus.”

“The best thing you can do is to keep her happy,” Sam told Finlay.

“He is right. It’s more dangerous to both the Luna and the pup if she is upset and anxious than it would be to let her come along under well-organized circumstances,” Jake agreed.

“And to the pack,” Shelly added. Finlay sighed, placed a kiss on my cheek, and nodded.

“I don’t want you to be upset,” he told me.

“Thank you. I love you.”

“You say that now, but it didn’t sound like it two minutes ago,” he pointed out, and then he chuckled. I got up from my chair and sat down in his lap to make sure he wasn’t too upset with me.