So This Is Love

Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Cherry sighed and rubbed her belly, thinking about the pup growing inside her and how much Finn loved them both. Four and a half months along, and she was already starting to show; Cherry closed her math book getting off the bed, she headed down to the kitchen to get a snack. The school had allowed her to take summer classes at home while recuperating from being kidnapped. She searched the fridge and closed the door. Opening the pantry, she finally settled on a bag of chips. Munching on them as she headed to the back yard to enjoy some sun. Cherry sighed with contentment as she turned her face up to the warmth.

"You should eat something healthier," Finn said from behind her.

"Nothing looked good," Cherry replied, shoving another chip in her mouth.

Finn chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, "You smell different," he said, sniffing the top of her head.

"How so?" Cherry asked.

"I can smell you, the Lavender, but there's an underline of something I don't know yet. Maybe when you are further along," Finn replied, kissing leaning down and kissing her cheek.

Cherry and Finn turned when the back door opened; they greeted Champ and Brad as they mad either way out. The somber look on their faces had Cherry worried, "What happened to my brother?" she asked.

The pair looked at each other, "Cherry, sit down," Brad said, pulling out one of the chairs from the table.

"Just tell me, please," Cherry said, looking at the chair and then at the two men.

Champ took a deep breath and rubbed his face, "they found him in his cell," he looked down at his hands before he continued, "he used the sheet."

Cherry swayed. The feeling was overwhelming her brother; her triplet was dead, "this is my fault," she whispered before she passed out.

Cherry came to in her bed. Finn wrapped around her, "Hey," she whispered, kissing Finn on the nose.

"Hey, baby, you ok?" Finn whispered back.

Tears filled Cherry's eyes, "No, he is still my brother," she replied, tears falling down her cheeks as she attempted to hide under the covers.

"You can be sad. I'm not going to be mad you are grieving your brother," Finn said, lifting the blankets off Cherry's face.

"You aren't?" Cherry asked in a tiny voice.

Finn smiled at her lifting her chin, so she was looking at him, "Never."

*************************

Cherry stared out the window of Finn's truck as they made their way to the viewing. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to go, but Bo came by the house with Sammy and insisted that she come so she could get closer. Here they were getting out of the truck, Brad and Champ behind them heading into the funeral home to say good-bye to her brother.

Sammy greeted Cherry with a tight hug, his eyes red-rimmed from crying, "I know I shouldn't be crying after what he did to you, but I- I have known you all for so long," he said with a sniff.

"You can mourn your friend; that's what we are doing. You lost a friend, and I lost a brother, and that's all," Cherry said, her voice cracking and shaking as she attempted to keep her emotions in check.

Finn took hold of Cherry's hand as they made their way up to the casket, "I can't," she said, backing up, pulling her hand out of Finns, taking off out the open doors.

Cherry wasn't sure where she was going, but all she knew what that she couldn't see Axel, her brother that way, dead. She blamed herself if she had stayed away from Finn. If she had been a good Omega, no one this would have happened, she jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder stopping her from running, "I know," Bo said, pulling Cherry into a hug.

He told her repeatedly it wasn't her fault that Axel chose to hurt her, and it was their job to keep her safe. This was their father's fault he did this to Axel, not Cherry.

"He was there, Bo, he- he helped," Cherry whispered, looking at her brother.

Bo growled, "Does Finn know?" he asked, an edge to his voice.

Cherry nodded, "but he said he would wait until after," she replied.

"Come on," Bo said, taking his sister by the hand and leading her back to the funeral home as everyone was leaving to head to the cemetery. "You can say goodbye there," Bo told Cherry, helping her into Finn's truck.

The ride was quiet. Finn reached over, pulling Cherry close to him, kissing the top of her head, "I don't know how hard this is, but I'm here, Sammy, Bo, and my dads we are all here for you," he said.

"I know, I," Cherry sighed and rubbed her belly, "I don't know what I am supposed to be feeling, I'm angry and then sad. I don't know if that's right or not," she said, her voice thick and cracking as she explained.

"No one can tell you how you are supposed to feel; you gotta just go with whatever it is," Finn said.

Cherry nodded and punched the window, swearing and screaming until her knuckles were bloody. Finn knew he should stop her from hurting herself, but if this was what would make his mate feel better he was going with, he would take her to the hospital later.

"Feel better?" Finn asked as they parked.

"No, now my hand hurts," Cherry chuckled, "I hate him, but I love him, and it the most fucked up feeling in the world."

Finn nodded and said he could start a scene. They could leave go get her hand checked out and then get pizza if she wanted; Cherry laughed a genuine laugh for the first time in days, shaking her head, saying no she needed to say goodbye to her brother. Finn told her if she changed her mind to let him know, he would do anything for her. Cherry blew out her breath as she got out of the truck cradling her hand against her body, regretting punching the window repeatedly, but she did feel a little better. Bo rushed over, asking what happened. Cherry laughed and told him she punched the window.

"Why did you let her do that?" Bo asked, turning to Finn.

"Because she needed to," Finn replied, heading up the small hill.

When the funeral was over, they all headed to their cars. It wasn't a huge turn out a few of the guys from the football team and coach the rest was family. When David got to his car, he let out a yelp when Finn grabbed him, throwing him into the tailgate of his truck.

"I think I wouldn't notice," Finn yelled, grabbing David.

"What?" the older Alpha asked, confused, looking around at everyone as they watched.

"The pup smells like you," Finn growled low in the man's ear, "It's faint, but it's there. She knows it, and I know it."

David's eyes were wide with fear. It was illegal for an Alpha to mate with, let alone have a child with one of their children; he looked at Cherry; she looked away, embarrassed she was carrying her father's child.

"Stay away from us and the pup," Finn said, slamming a stunned David into the truck one last time.

Finn made his way over to Cherry, "Let's get that hand checked out."

*************************

"You are doing great, Cherry, one more push," the doctor said as Cherry was giving birth.

Everything was pretty much a blur after that. The cries of the pup were music to Cherry's ears. She smiled up at Finn when they laid the baby on her chest. He quickly latched on, taking in the rich nutrients.

"What should we name him?" Finn asked, kissing the side of Cherry's sweaty head.

"We should name him after you," Cherry replied, smiling up at her mate.

"Finnley Jacobs jr. I like it," Finn replied.