~~
When we left his room, hours later, I was in a pair of his boxers and his shirt. I looked to a smiling Rane. His smile was huge. He was like a little kid on Christmas who just got everything he wished for - maybe he did...
"Come on! I have to show my parents the mark." I frowned.
"I haven't even seen it yet!" I voiced my thoughts. He shakes his head.
"You will! Let's go! I'm so excited!" I could tell. I could feel his excitement myself. The feeling bubbled up within me. I was still getting used to this - feeling everything he did. I was happy to though. It was like a fairy tale. If I thought about it, the only family I had was Shane and the baby inside me. I guess I could count Rane - we did mate.
He grabbed ahold of my arm and started escorting me to the stairs.
"I can't go in this!" I cried out. I was now Rane's mate - forever - and I didn't want to leave a bad first impression. Well, I have already met them but now that I was his mate I just wanted to make another impression - a better one where I don't run away screaming.
He started pouting - his bottom lip poking out. I wanted to kiss it away.
"Please?!? You're breaking my heart!" he cried dramatically. I knew that he wasn't actually sad - I could feel that he was still excited. That didn't mean I didn't give in anyway.
"Fine." I grumbled to the one who lit up like a Christmas tree at night. He brought me down stairs and practically ran to his father's office.
Once there, he burst inside, a huge smile plastered on his face. His mother, father, and another girl were all seated in different chairs in the room. Looking at the girl, I was immediately embarrassed. The girl was absolutely beautiful. Her long golden curls swished around as her head swiveled in our direction.
A smile lit up her face as she got out of her chair in a graceful jump. She ran and hugged Rane while screaming his name. I could feel the jealousy coming up but tried to tamper it down - Rane would feel it and I don't want to bigger his ego. He could explode with how much he has...
I frowned and looked away. In the process, I had uncovered the mark on my neck. I heard gasps around the room and blushed a bright red. I looked to see the girl and she had a huge smile on her face. She was... happy? I thought she was one of Rane's exes. I was proved wrong.
"Big Bro! I was gone for only a week and you go and get yourself a mate?!?" The excitement leaked out of her voice and then I was suddenly embraced. Two arms wrapped themselves around me as golden hair was flung in my face. Rane's sister was hugging me. I was about to hug back when I heard Rane's growl.
We both jumped apart, looking for danger. We looked to Rane who was staring at my waist then to his sister's arms. I giggled. Overprotective bastard. It was actually really cute. He frowned and was going to walk over to me when his mother slapped the back of his head.
"OW!" he yelled to her. She glared at him - he glared back.
"Don't growl at your sister." He narrowed his eyes at his mom, hands going to his hips. He growls - she growls back even louder. His sister watches with amused eyes. She turns to me and eyes me. Most likely wondering why he had been growling at her for.
Not knowing, she slides over to me. Mr. Moore (I still don't know his name) was looking at papers on his desk, a frown marring his face. Rane and his mom are still growling, his mom winning.
She comes over to me and looks me up and down. I sigh. I did have a little bump, one that I felt with my hand when I was pulling on Rane's shirt. I leaned over to her.
"I have a bun in the oven..." she looked over to me and smiled.
"Really? I love bread!" I laugh and shake my head. My laughter makes Rane look over and glare suspiciously at his sister. His mom whacks him on the back of the head again.
"Ow! What was that for?" He glares at his mom and rubs the back of his head. She glares back.
"Don't glare at your sister. And for growling at me." They go at it again - glaring and growling. I turn to his sister (don't know her name either yet) and shake my head. She seemed about 16 or 17.
Putting a hand on my stomach, I say again "No, I have a bun... in the... oven." I say it slowly, hoping she would understand. I then point to my stomach. She is still confused. "Don't you get it? There's a bat in my cave? Up in the Duff? Wearing my apron high? To quote Juno 'I am, fo' shiz, up the spout? ... No? Really?" I look at her incredulously. Has she heard of none of them? I shake my head. I turn to her again, about to just state it bluntly when she looks at me with wide eyes.
Her high pitched squeal makes us all wince. Damn that girl has a high voice.
"Oh. My. God!" She looks at me, about to wrap her arms around me again for a hug but stops when she remembers Rane. I frown. Her smile doesn't wane though. "I'm going to be an auntie!" Her eyes are full of excitement, they shine with it. Rane looks back over to me, no longer glaring.
Jade pops him a good one again when he wasn't looking. "What was that one for?!?" She shrugs.
"Felt like it." She starts to walk back to her husband when she sniffs. Freezing, she turns back around and squeals... Like Mother like Daughter... Her squeal is almost as high as her daughter's. "I almost forgot! My baby has finally mated!"
"Finally? I'm only 17." He snorts but looks at me with shining eyes. I can feel different emotions come from him: pride, desire, slight anger from his mother, happiness, and love - love?!? I slightly hoped it was just for his mom but another part wanted it to be directed at me. I shook my head - we'll deal with that when we get there... which is later.
"Wow... it's really beautiful." I frown. What was beautiful? Did his mark put something on my neck? I don't think I would mind if it did...
His mom and his sister's eyes were frosted over, looking adoringly. I just stand there but jump when another, scarier, growl echoes in the room. I jump but just as I do, Rane's arms are around me.
"What is it dad?" Rane asks his father as we all watch him push a hand through his graying black hair. His green eyes - like his daughter's - are filled with anger. He closes his phone with a snap. I didn't even know he had been using the phone.
"We have a problem." We all sit back on the chairs, Rane pulling me onto his lap. We sit in a one person chair but with me sitting on his lap, we can sit perfectly fine. His arms rest around my waist and I lay my head back onto his shoulder, my face slightly in his neck.
"Is it the rogues?" I'm not too sure what everything is just yet but I think I can keep up. His father nods.
"Yeah. They have contacted us through a messenger, not the alpha of the rogue pack. In the letter they sent they said that they were going to attack when the new alpha rises up. That's not a lot of time. We still have some injured wolves from the last attack." I look around the room at the sad faces. Rane's arms tighten around me protectively.
"Who is the rising alpha?" I had no idea who it was.
"Me." Rane? He was the rising alpha? My mouth opened in shock. I hadn't just mated a wolf, I mated the alpha.
"When do you become alpha?"
"Next week, when I turn 18."
"Oh." That was definitely not a long time. I snuggle into Rane. All of this was unbelievable. I was pregnant, I was mated to an alpha wolf, and now a rogue pack was going to attack and I could possibly loose Rane...
I sure as hell wasn't going to let him go easily though...
Chapter 17
After the announcement of the rogue pack coming to attack around next week, everyone spread out. Jade left to go cook cupcakes - the benefits to being a werewolf - higher metabolism. Rane followed his mom - he loves cupcakes. Mr. Moore went back to paperwork. Rane's sister came to me. I found out her name was Mckenzie.
She and I sat on a plush white coach. It was meant for about four people, so we had enough room to spread out.
McKenzie had asked if I had gone to the doctor's yet, which I said no. I had just started thinking about it but I really didn't want to go. I absolutely hated hospitals. I didn't have a reason, I just didn't like the feeling of being in a hospital. I haven't been to one in about four
years, all thanks to my complaining skills. I now realized that my "mom" probably didn't care if I went or not anyway.
After I had told her no she started pestering me into going. I knew that I should, to check on the baby. After an hour of her pestering, eating cupcakes, Rane pestering, eating pickles, Jade pestering, and worrying about gaining too much weight - ha, I was already prego - I finally agreed to go to the doctor's for an ultrasound.
They got me an appointment at a local hospital this weekend.
It was now Monday morning. I had went back home, much to Rane's disappointment. Shane was happy to see me and he slept with me last night as his mom was being weird again and had stayed up in her room.
I get up, stretching out my sore and tired muscles. Shane is already out of the bed. I jump in the shower and look down at the little bump there. It was just a slight bump but if others were to see my belly, they would know that I was expecting. It filled me with joy to see it.
I get dressed in black skinny jeans and a hoodie. I didn't want everyone to know that I was pregnant yet. It was still a shock to myself. My hair is actually straightened and I have a bit of make up on
The beeping of a car has me looking up from the cereal in the bowl before me. I walk out the door and see Rane's car. He motions me over to the white Chevrolet Camaro. I walk over to him, confused as to why he is here.
"Why are you at my house?" I ask him. His face goes into a pout.
"Do you want me to leave?" I shake my head no, of course I didn't. He smiles. "Well then hop in! I'm going to take you out to breakfast." My eyebrows scrunch together in confusion.
"Won't we be late for school?" he gives me a dull look that says 'and I care... why?'. I nod and hop in.
When we get to a little café that was just down the road, he turns to me. His left hand is out to me and his right hand goes to his heart.
"Will you, Elaina Harper, be my, Rane Moore's, girlfriend?" I smile and shake my head. Oh he is too much sometimes. I look back at him and nod.
"Of course." My heart is over joyed. I was Rane Moore's girlfriend! Well I was also his mate... He smiles too, obviously happy.
"Well, why don't we get our first date started then?" he hops out of the car and strolls over to my side. He opens my door - such a gentleman. He also helps me out - wow, who knew he was such a good guy?
"Lets go, Elaina. We have to do the whole dating thing before you get too big to walk properly." and he ruined it. I playfully slap his shoulder.
"You're to blame." he only laughs.
We make our way up the pavement, it was quite slippery from the ice and snow. Me being me, I slip and fall. At first, Rane is all worried but when he sees that I am fine, he busts out laughing.
"Stop laughing and help me up, asshole!" I yell at him and rub my butt - where I fell on it. "I think I broke my butt..." I whine which makes him laugh louder. He sticks out a hand and tries to pull me up. The ice is too slippery and this time, we both fall. We both land with a groan.
Rane is also rubbing his bottom. "I definitely broke my butt." I cry out. I laugh at Rane.
Rane laughs and then groans again. We hang on to each other to get up, finally succeeding. An elder couple is just walking into the café and they smile at us. I think I hear "young love" muttered by them but I dismiss it. He was laughing at me after I fell!
Getting to the door, he pushes it open with a "ladies first." I feel his gaze on my butt and I frown. I'm quite sure that 'ladies first' was created by men so they could see our ass.
The café is not full, only a couple old men with coffee and the elderly couple from earlier. We go and get a seat in a booth near the back, sitting across from each other. An older lady comes to take our order. Was this diner for old people or something?
We order our food and drinks. While we wait, Rane decides to just stare at me. I raise my brow questioningly and he shrugs. "I like looking at you." he simply states and continues looking. I decide to stare at him too.
Our food finally arrives and we talk while we eat. I learned a lot. First date things, you know? What his likes and dislikes were. Like how he likes to watch movies but hates to read books were I love both. He also tells me about the time he first broke his arm. He fell off of a tree trying to "save" a cat. Since he was a werewolf the cat didn't like him and kept trying to evade him. It was only broken for about ten minutes before it healed itself. The cat didn't need saving as once he fell, the thing jumped down and sauntered away.
When we're done, Rane pays the bill and leaves a tip. We get to the school and I let out a tortured sigh. I didn't like much attention and I knew that I would be getting a lot being Rane's girlfriend and mate. It seems we weren't that late to school and we had about five minutes before the late bell rang.
As soon as we step out of the car, everyone quiets. Rane puts his arm around my waist and we start to walk.
"The weres will be able to smell that we have mated - marking you as their Luna or Alpha female." I did start to notice the slight turning of heads in a submissive manner, directed to me. "Some might be able to tell you are pregnant but most wont for another week or two."
I nod and look around, hating the attention. I get glares from most of the girls (werewolf or not). The only ones who aren't glaring are the ones I could tell had a mate. Some girls winked at me and then continued to kiss their mate. Most of the males winked at Rane or nodded their head in recognition of me.
I didn't like it. I could practically hear the angry and frustrated growls of the girl werewolves around me. I sighed and leaned into Rane. It was going to be a long week.
Chapter 18
Saturday came fast enough. The week did pass by in what felt like forever. The burning glares came from everywhere, as did the curious glances from the pack members. It's not every day that their future alpha mated to someone. They had no warning what so ever so it was a shock - as Rane says, explaining their behavior.
Today... I was going to die.
Well, not really. I had to go to the hospital. I really hated hospitals. They smelt like old people and sickness. Not that old people were bad... but they always seemed to have this hospital smell to them, such as hospitals smell like old people.
I shook my head. I was definitely going crazy. I hardly knew what I was going on about in my head. Currently, I was sat in a blue semi-comfy chair. It had slight padding which helped my butt little as it was starting to go numb. I shifted in the seat, my discomfort building. I had been sitting here for a while.
An older lady kept looking at me curiously, probably wondering why I was here. My slight bulge was covered in a big shirt along with sweatpants and a ponytail. Morning sickness was terrible this morning. I hadn't bothered dressing up in the slightest.
Rane had gotten up just a second ago to use the bathroom, grumbling on about a cat. I have no idea, I really don't know - who talks to themselves about cats?
There was a magazine in front of me, sitting in my lap, still on page one. It held no interest for me. I had always been more into books then magazines, anyway.
I looked around at the linoleum floor and blue walls. There was small crack in the ceiling and a fly buzzing around the lights above me. The buzzing was quite annoying.
The elevator dinged and I turned to look as another girl came in. A slightly cold breeze blew in from the elevator as the doors opened. The girl's dark brown hair waved in the ponytail as she walked uncertainly up to the receptionist. After talking a bit, the girl sat three seats down from me.
"Are you pregnant?" I asked bluntly. The girl's head snapped over to mine and her dull green eyes looked at me. She sighed after a while and visibly slumped in her seat.
"Yup." she popped the 'p' at the end, head nodding. I slung a hand in her direction.
"Elaina... and you?"
"Ember." her hand came to mine and she shook it.
"How far along are you?" I wanted to get to know this girl for whatever reason. I slung the magazine onto the table that was behind me, not car
ing for it. It slid and fell off the side. I shrug a shoulder and look back at Ember.
"I don't know for sure if I'm pregnant. The test showed positive but I'm here to be sure. If I am... a week."
"I'm about 12 weeks..." I tell her, trying to think back. I will have to get a calendar to be sure. "You go to FCHS, right?" Ember nods.
"Who's the father?" I felt like an interrogator for a crime... I saw her suck in a breath and then look straight at me. I then noticed the dark circles around her dull green eyes. She appears to be thinking but soon comes to her decision.
"Slade... I think that's his name. Slade something." I nod and think to the people in our school. I know the names of pretty much everyone. Realization finally dawns.
"Nerd Boy?" a small smile appears on my face. She nods and then laughs. She sighs when the laughter is over and then looks up at me.
"Yeah... but Nerd Boy Isn't So Nerdy." one of my eyebrows rise in wonder and curiosity. It's a look that clearly states to explain. Ember opens her mouth to speak when Rane comes back in. He sits with a sigh and an arm slings around my shoulders.
He sniffs and immediately stiffens. His head jerks over to Ember, eyes wide. I feel my eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. I open my mouth to ask what was wrong when I hear my name being called.
"Miss Harper." I looked up to find a young nurse standing in the doorway. A big smile was upon her face and I relaxed slightly.
"Bye, Ember. I hope to see you around." I smiled to her. I really did hope to see her around.
"Bye." she gave a slight wave, her green eyes twinkling just a little. It made her whole face brighter, prettier. She even had a small smile on her face.
Rane stood up and helped me stand. He was slightly distracted, still looking at Ember. I couldn't see exactly what his face looked like. As we walked away, I asked him about it. He looks back down at me as we enter the halls to go to the room.
He sighs and shrugs a bit. "I don't know... But I think she's pregnant." I give him a dull look.
"No dip, Sherlock. How did you guess it?!" he frowns down at me. He puts a hand on the small of my back as we walk.