"Anything else you would like to know?" Doctor Aileen questions. I shake my head, but Celina nods. I look at her curiously. She ignores me like she does when she's upset or doesn't want me to interfere with something.
She takes a deep breath, looking unsure whether to ask the question or not. She closes her eyes and bites her lip, thinking it through. With a little hesitation, she whispers, "I-is there a possibility th-that I might... die?"
I stiffen at her question as it seems to reverberate around the room. Doctor Aileen keeps a blank face while my eyes widen. She looks to me.
'Alpha, she deserves to know, but it's your call,' she tells me and I shake my head. She may be right about Celina having a right to know, but I know it will just stress her out and she'll probably go off and do something she'll regret.
"Luna, there is only a slight possibility, but it can be easily avoided if your mate is with you and you have prepared," Doctor Aileen lies straight through her teeth, but I guess only the first part’s a lie. If I'm there with Celina and we've prepared for the worst, then there's a 25% chance she'll live and stay with me and our pups.
I feel Celina relax in my arms. Guilt threatens to bubble up inside me, but I push it back down. It’s for her own good and protection. I will do anything to protect her, even if it means keeping her own possible death from her.
'This isn't the way to go about it!' my wolf growls at me. I growl right back.
'How do you suppose we approach it then? Just go straight out and say it? Do you know how heartbroken she'll be! She'll be gloomy for the rest of her pregnancy!' I yell at him. I take a breath to calm myself down as my wolf glowers at me.
'If I were you, I would want to see her happy. If she does die when she gives birth, I want to remember her laugh, smile, giggle, and everything about her. Not a gloomy mate who knows her time has come.' My voice is much calmer now, sadder. My wolf decides to retreat back into the corners of my mind after I say that. Maybe he understands.
I'm brought back to the scene before me when Celina mutters a small, "Thank you."
Doctor Aileen stays silent, just nodding her head at her with a tight smile. Her wolf is probably scolding her for lying to her Luna, but doesn't know what to do about it because her wolf still has to obey her Alpha.
"Come on, Axel, let's go," Celina says as she pulls me up. I wrap an arm around her waist and lead her out of the medic station. I glance at Doctor Aileen over my shoulder to see her guilt-filled eyes. She lied to her Luna and now she's feeling the consequence. I can't help her though. I told her to do it and that must stay as it is.
27
CELINA
Two months later and I wake up to the sun's early rays streaming in through the window that covers the wall. I sigh contentedly and turn to see that Axel is no longer in bed. I'm not surprised. Since about a month back, Axel has started to work long days, starting from when the sun rises to when the moon is high up in the sky.
He's been really stressed out about the war and what the outcome's going to be like. We sent in a spy to keep tabs on my old pack and he's reported back some nerve-wracking things. Apparently, they've been training nonstop. They have all wolves fighting, including mothers, children, and those who have just shifted. Damon is showing no mercy for his pack and it's quite clear he won't show mercy for ours. Honestly, this news doesn't surprise me. Damon has always been a cruel monster, maybe not to the pack, but I know his inner being.
On top of that, Axel is also stressed out about the pups and I. It's safe to say that I'm almost as big as a whale and I'm only half way there! It's ridiculous! Axel's had me locked up in my room for the last month, not letting me downstairs, not letting anyone in the room without him. He won't even let me go to the toilet alone!
He's been overly protective at making sure that I'm not injured, that I'm safe, that I'm fed, that I'm clean, that I'm happy. It's so flipping annoying! I wanted to go outside yesterday and when I asked Axel, he had a fit. Safe to say, I'm never asking that question again. I understand he's just being what his wolf is pushing him to be, but can he lay-off just a bit? It doesn't help that he's an Alpha either.
I sigh as I slowly get up and out of bed. The floor boards under the carpet groan as I put my weight on them. I huff. I'm not that fat...
I sleepily waddle my way to the bathroom and do my business. I splash water on my face to get rid of the sleep and head back into the room.
I'm still drying my hands on Axel's shirt - it's comfy to sleep in and it's the only thing that fits me now - when I suddenly stumble into something that seems as hard as brick.
I stumble back a bit before warm hands land on my waist and steady me. I look up to see Axel with a disapproving look on his face. I smile sheepishly.
"Hi, Axel," I mutter. He sighs and picks me up in his arms, carrying me back to bed.
"Celina, I told you to stay in bed and call me when you're going to get up," Axel lightly scolds me. I roll my eyes, see what I mean? I can't even go to the bathroom by myself.
"It's ok, Axel. I was only going to the bathroom," I tell him softly, resting a hand on his cheek.
He growls and my eyes widen in shock. Did he just growl at me?
"Did you just growl at me?" I ask, voicing my thoughts, slightly pissed off. Axel shakes his as he tries to rein in his wolf. His eyes soon go back to the normal greyish silver that I love.
"I'm sorry," he whispers while resting his forehead against mine. "It's just... my wolf's on edge and he doesn't want you doing anything without us. Frankly, I feel the same way."
I slap him slightly on the shoulder. He chuckles at me and wraps his arms around my waist, placing his hands on my stomach and getting comfortable on the bed.
I suddenly feel a kick, then another and another. I gasp as I place my hand on my stomach. The pups are kicking! This is the first time they've kicked! Tears pool in my eyes, but I blink them back. My pups are kicking, our pups are kicking.
"See, Axel, the pups are fine, happily kicking away," I tell him in an amused voice. He also chuckles as a pup kicks his hand.
We stay silent while we just savor the feeling of being in each other’s arms. We haven't been able to do this for ages and I can't be happier knowing that my mate is right here beside me.
"How's everything going?" I ask, breaking the comfortable silence that has surrounded us. Axel sighs and buries his head in my neck, inhaling my scent.
"I don't want to talk about it. It could stress you out and that won't be good for you or the pups," he tells me honestly. I turn in his arms to look him in the eye.
"Axel, I’m your alpha female and Luna. I deserve to know what is going on within this pack," I say firmly and Axel's eyes darken with lust. I roll my eyes. Of course, he finds my being firm a turn on.
He slowly starts to kiss down my neck and to his mark, but not touching it. Why does he always do that?
"Axel... S-stay focused," I try to say, but it comes out as a muffled moan.
He chuckles before pulling back. It takes a moment for me to clear my lust-filled mind, and when I do, I slap his chest.
"You did that on purpose!" I exclaim with a pout. He just kisses me on the lips softly.
"You love me," he says cheekily and I rest my head on his chest.
"I know," I sigh in defeat. He chuckles, wrapping his arms around my waist again.
"Don't change the subject though. Tell me what's going on," I demand and Axel finally gives in.
"We just received news on your old pack," Axel murmurs as I freeze in his arms. I know I should be used to it by now, but I'm not. The Moonlight Pack will forever haunt me until the day I die.
"And?" I urge him on, doing hand movements for him to continue.
"We found out when they plan to attack. They plan to attack within the next two or three months. We're still not sure on the exact date," he finally says after pausing for a few moments.
I blink at him. He looks so gloomy, like the whole world is resting on his shoulders. Why?
"What's wrong? We know when we're getting attacked, we can use that to our advantage," I tell him, but he shakes his head.
"Celina, think what's gonna happen in the next two months onwards," Axel says. I dig my brain for answers, but nothing comes to mind. I shrug as Axel sighs and shakes his head.
"You have the worst memory," he mutters before telling me what I should've known. "You're having the pups."
Realization must show in my eyes because Axel rolls his. I clear my throat.
"I knew that... What does that have to do with anything?" I retort, confused again.
"It means that while the war's on, you'll either be in labor, nearing it, or have already given birth!" Axel suddenly snaps. I stare at him in shock as he breathes heavily. I can't be in labor during the war! Can I?
I stay silent as Axel stares at me in anticipation.
"Well?" he pushes, but I have nothing to say. Two months is only the minimum time period for me to give birth though, right? I might have the pups after the war! Yeah, let's stick with that possibility.
"A-Axel, two months is the minimum for me. You never know, I may go into labor a month or two after the war," I try to convince him and lighten the tension by telling him my point of view, but it doesn't seem to work. He looks even more stressed.
"Celina, we have to assume the worst and that is you going into labor during the war. I can't have that. I need to be with you," Axel says, broken.
"Oh, Axel," I whisper as I take him in my arms. I think most of you are wondering why at this point we haven't considered having a Caesarean section. The answer is because we werewolves give birth naturally, that's just how it's always been.
I feel a single tear slip down my cheek, but it's not mine. I pull back to stare at Axel in shock. He has tears in his eyes and he looks so vulnerable that my heart just breaks for him. He's supposed to be the strong one, holding me while I cry. This is the first time I've seen Axel cry and honestly, I never want to see it again.
I grip him close and don't let go. No mate should have to go through this. No wolf should have to go through a war. It's not fair for us, our pack, or the pups.
Axel pulls back after who knows how long and offers me a small smile. I smile back as I place my hand on his cheek and rub it soothingly. He closes his eyes and leans into my hand, turning his head to kiss it.
"I should go, I have some stuff to work out," Axel says quietly. I sigh and drop my hand, moving away from him. He's leaving me, again.
I nod my head silently as I feel sadness rise within my chest. I don't know why I feel sad. He's just doing his job as Alpha. I'm the Luna though, I should be helping too.
"Celina?" Axel calls quietly. I lift my head to look at him. "Want to come down with me?"
I beam at him and furiously nod my head. He chuckles as I launch off the bed and pull on a pair of track suit pants, keeping on his shirt. I tie my black hair up into a messy bun as I walk out of the bathroom.
Axel and I make our way downstairs. Well, more like Axel carrying me downstairs. He goes to his office while I head to the kitchen.
"Snow?" a surprised voice comes from the kitchen doorway as I'm looking through the fridge for custard and fish fingers. Hey, don't knock it till you try it.
I turn around, with the custard and fish fingers in my hands, to see Comrade looking at me with an amused grin on his face. He's leaning lazily against the doorframe as he eyes the fish fingers and custard suspiciously.
"Are you going to eat those together?" he asks, not believing his eyes. I shrug. I've been craving it for ages and Doctor Aileen told me to always give in to my cravings so I am, simple as that.
"I'm craving it," I tell him simply. He still looks stunned as I put the fish fingers in the oven and pour some of the custard in a bowl.
"Don't knock it till you try it," I say with a grin. A flicker of amusement crosses Comrade's face at my words.
I pull out the fish fingers from the oven and place all of them on a plate. I grab the bowl of custard and take a seat on one of the stools by the counter.
I motion for Comrade to sit beside me and he does without complaint. I dip the first fish finger into the custard and sigh in satisfaction when I take a bite.
"Want one?" I offer to Comrade, holding out a fish finger. He shakes his head as a sideways grin spreads across his face. I shrug, more for me then.
"So, where's Callum?" I ask. Comrade's shoulders dropped and his whole demeanor changes.
"He's helping Axel figure out battle plans and an approach," he says quietly, but with a scowl on his face. I guess he doesn't like the idea as much as me.
"Oh," is all I say as I continue to munch on the fish fingers. I don't know what to say. I know Callum and Comrade want to fight, but they can't because they both have to stay with me. I guess Callum's way of contributing to this fight is by helping out Axel with ways to approach it. He's Beta though, so he has to do it anyway.
Comrade on the other hand can't do anything because he's just a pack member who happens to be one of my guardians. He should be able to help though. Comrade has been a part of this pack since he was born, so I presume he should be able to fight.
"Do you know what, Comrade?" I suddenly ask, a new determination bubbling up inside me. Comrade turns to look at me and immediately gets a weary look on his face.
"I'm gonna go give Axel a piece of my mind! You deserve to help and he's keeping you from that," I say deadpan.
I get up from my seat, but before I can make my way to Axel's office, Comrade grabs my wrist lightly and pulls me back.
"Snow, there's no need for that. I'm fine with just protecting you," he says sincerely, but I still feel guilty.
"Comrade, you've been a part of this pack since birth! You deserve to have a say," I state firmly, but Comrade’s face drops and his eyes fill with guilt. He lets go of my wrist and walks into the living room. I follow him and see him collapse onto the couch with his head in his hands.
"Comrade?" I ask softly. "Are you ok?"
I lightly sit down next to him and place a hand on his shoulder. He turns his head so that he can see me.
"Celina, I haven't been in this pack since I was born," he suddenly admits and my eyebrows furrow.
"What?"
28
CELINA
"What?" I ask, confused. What does Comrade mean that he hasn't been in this pack since birth? Everyone's been in their pack since birth! Except me and a few choice others, I guess...
Comrade motions for me to sit down next to him, which I do timidly.
"Now, Celina, until I'm finished with the story, don't speak, don't ask questions, and don't interrupt," he says in a serious tone and sad eyes. I raise an eyebrow at this. "Please," he quickly adds and I nod.
He takes a deep breath before continuing, "I was originally born into the Shining Sun Pack. My parents and I were happily living there with no threats that would affect us."
I stare at Comrade, shocked while his eyes stare straight ahead, but they look like they're somewhere else.
"When I was twelve, my Mum and I were happily playing out in the woods, my Mum being in wolf form and me human since I hadn't shifted yet," he continues. Tears start to gather in his eyes and slowly make their way down his cheeks. I pull him in for a hug, but he doesn't seem to notice. I've never seen Comrade cry before and after this, I don't intend to ever again.
"At least eight rogue wolves suddenly surrounded us," he says in a broken whisper. "My Dad popped up out of nowhere and started fighting them with my Mum. My Mum told me to run, so I shot up the nearest tree and watched as the rogues tore my parents apart. They didn't stand a chance."
Tears now stream down my cheeks as I hear Comrade's heart-pulling story. He's been through so much, yet he’s still able to put a smile on his face.
"I ran back to the pack house and went straight to the Alpha. I told him what happened and he was furious. I first thought it was because of the rogues, but only minutes later, I found out it was directed to me
," he admits quietly. I gasp at Comrade's statement, covering my mouth with one hand.
"I was shunned by my pack because they all thought it was my fault my parents died. Everyone loved my parents and it was like a knife in the gut to know that they died at the hands of rogues," he murmurs almost in a whisper.
He draws in a shaky breath before continuing on again in the same voice. "I couldn't stay there. I couldn't stay with a pack who shunned me. I couldn't stay at the place where I’ve seen my parents brutally murdered, so I left. I ran for days until I found this pack. Axel took me in and I've been here ever since."
He wipes the tears that are still falling down his cheeks away and looks at me, waiting for me to say something. What do I say though? Comrade just told me his life story and I can't even say anything. What do you say when you find out that one of your friends and guardians saw his own parents being ripped apart and didn’t get any sympathy or help from their pack?
"I'm sorry," I whisper. That's all I can say. I take him in my arms again and he gladly accepts the hug. I don't know how long we stay like that, but Comrade pulls back first with a small smile.
"We can't change our past, but we can change our future and I certainly have," he tells me in a whisper. I smile at him as a single tear slides down my cheek.
"I couldn't be happier that you maneuvered your way into my future, Comrade. I couldn't be happier," I tell him back.
We spend the rest of the day on the couch just talking about random stuff and watching the worst movies in history. We laugh, we sing, we snort. This is the happiest I've been in a long time and it's all thanks to Comrade and his wild and mischievous ways.
When the sun starts to go down, Axel comes into the room. He announces that it's time for me to head back upstairs. I pout at him, but he gives me a look that says, 'Don't argue with me.' So I say goodnight to Comrade and head upstairs in Axel's arms.
I'm happy about today. I got to relax without the thought of the triplets and the war weighing on my shoulders. I just spend the day relaxing with Comrade and that's something I haven't done in a very long time.