Well Like Me
I open my eyes and tare up at the full moon. My senses are overpowered. I can hear and see things from afar. I smell everything from my mom’s cloying perlume to the dirt coating my paws
I look down at my new body. My paws are large and covered in white fur. I turns my head to look over the rest of my body. I am stunningly white with a fluffy tail
“You’re beautiful, Emory,” my mother says with a smile.
I open my mouth to talk but only a wolfish whine comes out.
Mom only smiles and reaches into her purse to pull out a hand mirror. She holds it up for me, and I see a white wolf with golden eyes. I have a long snout. I’m larger than I expected and I hover over my mom. I expected to be red, like my hair. This must mean something.
“White wolves are rare,” she says. “Your grandmother Emory had fur just like yours.”
1 nod in understanding, but I can’t keep standing here. I want to run through the forest. I haven’t had this influx of energy in such a long time. I know I shouldn’t go far because of the baby, but I know these woods like the back of my hand. My mother must see my excitement because she gestures toward the trees.
“Go on,” she encourages. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
I don’t need further encouragement. I run off, my paws kicking the dirt underneath me as I sprint into the trees. The cool, crisp air rushing through my fur feels amazing. I run so fast, I feel like I’m flying.
I have never felt freer. A joy and rightness overcomes me. This is what I’m meant to be. I stop running to let out a victorious howl.
Howls answer me, welcoming my wolf to the world.
I’m worried about Ember and her fret ahh the told me that she’s going to be
fine and she can handle it I want to be with her, but I don’t know how to help her if tumething goes wrong. I have never seen someone’s first shift before, and I know the shifters regard it as sacred and intimate. I suppose having a
vampire there would be offensive to her pack, no matter our relationship
I’m unable to sleep the night of Emory’s birthday say up all night staring out of the window at the full moon. Rainer keeps me company, and we share a bottle of blood. We discuss his situation with Willow to keep our minds off
Emory.
“Maybe you should look for another woman to pursue,” I tell my old friend.” There are less troublesome prospects for you out there, plenty of fish in the sea”
Rainer takes a long sip of blood. “I want this fishy. I don’t know why.”
“I wonder if this desire is born from guilt.” I say. “Perhaps you only want to make up for your wrongs against her?”
“This isn’t that. Though I do want to atone for my past in whatever capacity she will let me,” he explains. “I’ve been drawn to her since before our shared history was revealed to me.”
“Because she’s pretty?”
“She is. She’s also intelligent, witty, and completely immune to my charms.”
“A challenge can be exciting, my friend. But I do caution you to rethink how surmountable this challenge is,” I add. “Willow is reticent out of fear and resentment. Giving her space might be what’s best for all parties involved.”
Rainer hands me the bottle and replies, “I would prefer you helped me rather than tried to discourage me, Kane.”
“I only wish the best for our friend Willow. She’s been through a lot.”
“I know, and we are responsible for a majority of that.”
“But?”
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The pale blue eyes look down as if he’s ashamed to let out the words. “I find it difficult to be away from her. I feel myself being drawn back in like a moth to a flame Fighting it feels like I’m resisting something greater than myself”
I’ve never heard someone express how it felt to fall in love with Emory. Fighting fate was like losing a war I never even knew I was involved in.
pour blood into my glass and hand the bottle back wish you all the luck in the world.”
I know he’s going to need it.
lainer. “Well, my friend, I
Emory
Collins checked me the morning after my first shift, and I’m fine. So is my child. It’s a relief.
The difference in me after my first shift is profound. I have more energy. I don’t feel so sick anymore. I’m able to be active and get work done without having to struggle through it.
Despite my growing belly, I feel agile. I’m still sensitive to smells, and my
enhanced senses make my pregnancy symptoms worse, but it’s not too bad. It will take time for me to get used to the enhanced hearing and sight. I can understand why shifters often hide away for up to a month after their first shift while they acclimate.
I’m eager to get back to Crimson Peak. I miss Kane, and there’s still the war with Scarlett Thunder that can’t be ignored for too long. My mom is not enthusiastic to go back to Castle Graystone, but she refuses to stay behind. She tells me she has no plans to leave my side until after I give birth. She probably won’t leave until after the baby starts crawling. Her steadfastness is my gain so I don’t fight her on it.
Monday morning comes, and Coit sees us out to the car. The servants load our luggage into the SUV.
“Are you sure you can’t stay another week?” he asks. “Winter will be here soon Do you really want to spend that in that freezing cool–c”
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never to set foot in Crimson Peak again, but for you,
Tom goes to lay ten She k*sses him of the cheek and tells him to take care of meet the lusses over him, and he lets her. The dr opens the door for *** audi chude in Mom follows me, and Goit closes the car door.
The dive Mats the engine, and we drive away. Coit and the servants wave at uses we leave 1 look back and watch the people I grew up with and my Sabdhood home disappear behind me. A part of me will always belong to Mosg Gove and my pack, but this isn’t my only home anymore.
for going back to the other home I’ve found–Kane.
There is a relief when i see Crimson Peak appear before us. I enter the castle without any fanfare. It’s the middle of the day, and the servants are busy werking. The nobles are usually in important meetings, and I have no intention of running into them. My mother leaves to go unpack her luggage in her room whale i go to find Lola
I ask one of the servants where my sister is, and they inform me Lola is having lunch with Queen Agatha in the gazebo. Ihave servants bring my luggage to my room, and i make my way to the rose gardens. Sure enough, the Queen and Lule are having a pleasant lunch with tea and cake for my sister and the familiar goblet sitting in front of the queen. Lola sees me first and leaves the table to run toward me.
“Emon” Gareful of my belly, she hugs me. “I missed you!”
” missed you too,1.0”
She pulls away and asks, “Why were you gone for so long? You said you would only leave for a few days”
Well,to,1 forgot about my birthday, so I had to stay longer.”
Her gray eyes widen in surprise. “Do you mean that birthday?”
I nod “Yes, that birthday. But I’m fine, I got through it.”
vampires might jeact to my wolf form While the
ants have remingly accepted me the nobles are stil
don’t want to give them any excuse to attack me. Besides, I don’t want too stiff again until after the baby is born for safety’s sake.
Maybe
other time,” I tell her.
Queen Agatha gets up from the table and approaches us. It’s nice to have you back, Emory. You’re looking better.”
Kane must have informed her about my first shift.
“The shifter healer gave me some advice to help with the pregnancy
symptoms,” I reply. “I still have an appointment with Dr. Martin today to make sure the baby is okay.”
She glances down at my belly. Collins said I look bigger for how far along lam Other people might be noticing it too. Even I can tell that I lock further along than I should.
“Maybe you should go see him sooner rather than later Queen Agame suggests. “I’ll make sure he clears out his schedule for you.”
Kane
I wake up to Emory entering my room. She smells of the woods and sunshine There’s a new quality to her scent, the musky fragrence that I associate with wolves.
I sit up as she approaches the bed. “Hi
“Hi,” she greets me with a smile. She takes a seat on the silk sheets beside me “Did you have a late night?”
“It’s been hard to sleep without you. I tried not to worry, but it’s been
Impossible”
She takes my hand and squeezes it reassuringly “I called to tell you it all went welle
“Theard it’s dangerous. I wasn’t sure if you were just telling me what I wanted to hear.”
“It was scary. I’m not going to sugarcoat that. I’ve never expe like that.”
My eyebrows furrow. “You’re not making me feel better”
ised anything
“I really am fine,” she insists. “After I met my wolf, it was all worth it. I feel different. Stronger, faster, healthier. I’m not bedridden from the pregnancy anymore.”
“And the baby is okay?”
“I have an appointment with Dr. Martin today, I would like you to be there with me unless you have important matters you can’t get out of”
“Nothing is more important than you and the baby.”
I lean closer to her for a k*ss. I have missed the taste of her. I cup the soft silk of her cheek. I pull away, and her eyes open slowly. Her emerald eyes are bright with happiness.
“When is your doctor’s appointment?” I ask.
“In about…” she looks at the grandfather clock at the corner of my room, “ten minutes.”
get up from the bed to dress. Emory stays seated as I open the closet door to pull out a shirt and pants. I inquire, “How did the negotiations with the Alphas go?” We haven’t discussed this much because we’ve been concentrating on the baby.
“Each Alpha has a list of demands. We’ll have to look over the contracts later to see what you’re willing to agree to. There wasn’t anything too egregious.”
I slide my arms into the sleeves of a black shirt. “The treasury is a little sparse. We can’t offer them gold.”
“Most of them are actually hoping to marry off.ir kids or grandkids to our future child.”
I raise both my eyebrows at her. “I thought shifters prioritized mates over arranged marriages.”
“We do, but should our unborn child have one of their offspring as a mate, it would work well for all of us.”
“There’s no way you can choose a mate, right?”
She shakes her head. “No one really knows what influences the selection, but no. It comes from the Moon Goddess. That’s what most of us believe,”
I start buttoning the shirt I have on starting from the bottom. “What do you believe?‘
Emory looks down. “I don’t know, but I know I love you. If our child is as happy as I am with you, that’s all that matters.”
I smile at her, but I note she left out something important.
Did she find her mate?
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My heart thuda happily at the words. The wants more tide with me that means ahimus where we will still be together bu years to come.
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babies may come a month early, but they often gestate the same amount of time as humans.”
“Shifter babies are the same, though they’re more prone to being born a month late,” Mom adds. “Does this mean the baby could be born early?”
He nodes. “The baby could be born in a month or so.”
“A month?” I repeat. “Will he be healthy?”
“I won’t be able to tell for sure until after he is born. But if he’s large because he’s developing quickly, he should be just fine.” He looks down and shakes his head slowly!. “I wish I could tell you more, but this is beyond anything I’ve ever dealt with before.”
Dr. Martin leaves to give us some privacy. My mother follows him to ask more questions. Kane wraps an arm around me for comfort. His touch steadies me even as the world feels fuzzy around me
“It’s going to be all right,” he reassures me. “Maybe he’s just so eager to meet us that he can’t wait.”
The folktales about demon children echo in my mind, a baby growing faster than normal because he’s eager to inflict bloodshed and mayhem is a terrifying thought. What am I about to unleash into the world?
“What if something is wrong with him?”
“Who do you mean?”
I shake my head, “The books,”
Kane grasps me by the shoulders and turns me so I can face him. His pale blue eyes stare deeply into mine.
“It’s our baby,” he says. “There’s nothing wrong with him. We may not have the answers as to why he’s developing so fast, but we are going to make sure that he is loved.”
Scary thoughts that have less to do with monsters and more with the numerous health concerns for premature babies flash across my mind. I have tried to read as much as I can about babies and pregnancies the past few months and there are so many things that can go wrong. The baby could have
*25 BONUS
Long term health issues. And who knows what kind of illnesses he could have
from his ancest
Tory Kane Cobres me out of my thoughts. “Listen to me. No matter what happens, we’ll get through it together. I’m your partner, remember?”
Partners ”
16 pule me into a hug, and I let him comfort me. Ever ‘h my cheek pressed egamet his shoulder, the seed of dread within me continues to grow. I have a baby coming a lot earlier than expected. No one can give me answers about why
There’s nothing I can do–and I am terrified.
Kane
Ever since the ultrasound with Dr. Martin, Emory has been preoccupied. She seems lost in her own world as the days pass by. The possibility of giving birth to our son so soon has all of us worried.
I’m also excited, though. I want to meet my son. Having children was a faraway concept for me before, but now it’s a possibility about to become reality. I still have my doubts about whether I will be a good father or not, but I’m determined to try my best.
I inform few people about the accelerated pregnancy. Our mothers, Rainer, Lola, and Emory’s maids are the only ones we trust with this information. I fear that people knowing Emory is about to give birth will incentivize attempts to
harm her.
Then the most unexpected event happened.
Someone tried to poison Emory’s food. If it hadn’t been for one of the cooks smelling something odd, who knows what may have happened.
I’m doing my best to figure out who is behind it. My best guess is one of the nobles, but I can’t start torturing them all for a confession. Rainer is working on finding out who did it, and we’ve put more protection in place. One of Emory’s maids must watch her food being prepared. Emory thinks it’s all too much, but
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I insist. She’s in danger whether she wants to admit it or not.
Then a poisoned necklace arrived as a late birthday gift. Again, it was intercepted before Emory could be hurt. I’ve instructed all future gifts to be directed to Rainer to look over before they can even come near Emory. The lengths people will go to cannot be underestimated. I’ve weathered many assassination attempts over the years, and I am not takin
Emory and our unborn son.
chance with
“Nothing goes to her without careful inspection,” I tell a guard. He nodes, and I look up from where I’m seated on my desk to see Emory walking through the door.
“This is getting ridiculous,” she says. “The food and the gifts are understandable, but what do you think they’ll do with my mail?”
“They can line the letter with wolfsbane.”
She scoffs. “Who would do that?”
“You never know. I’ve had several attempts to take my life over the year. One time, a servant died right in front of me from a silver tipped arrow.”
She blinks. Her emerald eyes wide in disbelief. “That seriously happened?”
I nod, picturing the scene in my mind.
“Who was the cause of all of this?”
“An assassin hired to kill me from another kingdom. Rainer caught him, and we had him executed.”
Emory shuffles uncomfortably. “All right. Maybe you do have reasons for being so paranoid.”
J gesture for her to move closer to me. She walks over, and I urge her to sit on my lap.
“I’m heavy.” She tries to decline.
I roll my eyes and pull her down. She resituates herself on my lap until she’s seated more comfortably. I have a hand on her back to support her.
You maner the most to me.” I tell her 1 will do whatever I can to protect you
7 just don’t understand why they want to come after me. I haven’t done anything to them.”
When you’re in a position of power, people are either jealous, or they want to get rid of you to sut her own purposes. You are cam my belt, and you are an Alpha who has managed to recruit other Alphas int. being our allies. They feel threatened by you.”
“I was brought up to be the Alpha of my pack. I never thought I’d have any modicum of influence outside of that. I never wanted this kind of power.”
“You never wanted this power, so that makes you perfect to wield it. You want to serve your people rather than to fuel your own desires. You’re noble. She smiles, pleased. I continue, “You choose to see the good in people, and you trust easily. I love those things about you but it has caused you pain in the past*
She sighs. “I know it’s naïve, but I don’t want to live my life waiting for every person around me to try and screw me over. I hate having to doubt people’s intentions. It’s exhausting.”
Her earnestness has always attracted me to her. Growing up in a viper pit, was very different for me. But Emory wearing her heart on her sleeve is a refreshing and beautiful thing to behold. I take her hand and k*ss her knuckles.
“You are a wonder,” I say. “Don’t change yourself to please others.”
“I wasn’t planning to,” she replies.
I grin. I keep her hand in mine, swiping my thumb over her ring finger. “Marry me.”
Her face crumples, and I know she’s going to say no again. “I would love to. I really would but….”
The dreaded but.
“Bad timing,” I offer. “The pregnancy and the war.”
She nods. “But after? Definitely. Ask me again when we’re not dealing with the
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Thide my the appointment and agree. Cupping her pretty face, I capture her lips
me he responds immediately, k*ssing me back enthusiastically. Despite her large bell, she rocks on my lap trying to find friction. I feel myself getting band and I know I have to stop this soon. We have agreed not to take any chances with the baby.
She tries to unbutton my shirt. I grip her wrists to stop her. Pulling away from The k*ss, I see the frustration in her eyes.
“Speaking of bad timing, we said we would avoid s*x until after you’ve given birth,” I remind her. “I don’t want to take a chance with the baby.”
She lets out an exasperated sigh. “Dr. Martin didn’t ban s*x.”
“He’s also confessed to not knowing how things work with a hybrid baby,”
“Kane,” she begs, “I’m so frustrated these days I can barely think. Can you not help me find relief?“
I can see the irony with Emory begging for s*x instead of avoiding it now. This pregnancy has had some ups and downs. I don’t know what I’m getting each
