HIS MATCH

22.

Peace for as long as it lasted.

River.

"You know, you're glowing with this pregnancy, I've seen pregnany do a number on other people, but this pregnancy, makes this alpha very happy, I should've knocked you up sooner." Julian's glee, I don't know how to place my feelings on it, on one hand it's very flattering, on the other possibly insulting. "You're glowing yourself alpha, I'm pretty sure it's not just the pregnancy hormones that have your luna go on overdrive." Our doctor comments as she walks into the exam room, she was also the head gynaecologist at the med centre, yes, it had been officially opened, all eight floors were running smoothly, after our run in with Nadia and Kara's execution things quietened down, extremely. The med centre opened, Julian and I were the best we could be, Zaya after what happened had decided to go on a retreat with her mother.

I suggested they visit Greenway Bay, there I had Adrian handle everything else, she would be taken care of and things would be alright for her. I had faith in my family, the pack was thriving and growing, and also Julian had implemented his plans to ensure our pack was safe, we were stronger and if we were to be attacked, we would give them one hell of a fight. "It's just my mate, he's been taking good care of me." Julian replies with that goofy smile he has lately, after being able to connect to his mother, it's done a lot to mold him into this beautiful man, as alpha, his legacy would be something to remember. As for me, I was peaceful yet on the look out, sooner or later something would come to threaten our peace, and I wouldn't let it. "Sixth week of pregnancy, your kids are developing extremely well, youre starting to show just a bit so be caution on what you wear, and with the report I got from your assistant, their intake of magic is just right, so you  luna, are in perfect health." She finally concluded as she gestured to the sonogram. "Not yet." Julian responded as he helped me up from the bed.

"Alpha, can you pick up these by the pharmacy, I need a word with your mate?" She addressed Julian who nodded, placed a kiss on my forehead before heading out. "What's up doc?" I ask her and she chuckles. "Nothing too serious, I wanted a favour really, it's Brent and Clarke, as you know they are mated, lately they've been drifting apart, Clarke has immersed himself in his work and Brent is training on overdrive, they don't have time for each other anymore, I'm concerned, if I try talk to them, you know, Clarke pulls away and Brent makes up excuses, it's frustrating really." She expresses her concern and to a degree I understood, she was a mother, concerned for her child. "Dont worry, I will talk to them both." I promised her just as Julian came back into the room. "Thank you luna, have a good day, the both of you." She asserts and I nod in reassurance.

"So am I allowed to know what you two were talking about?" Julian mumbles, I could tell just how curious he was. "No you aren't supposed to know, besides, you have yet to tell me what's going on with that order of assorted baby blankets I told you to place, it was supposed to come yesterday." I exclaimed and he chuckled nervously. "That's what I thought." I add and he groaned. "I'm sorry babe, I got so caught up with work and the business, plus Danton needed me to sign off on an order the bakery contractors needed, Riley also needed, what was it again." He rambled on making me laugh, he paused as he heard me laughing. "So you think my torture is a joke." He teased. "No, not at all alpha." I replied biting down on my lip. "Come here you!" He growled out and I ran, oh that was a mistake, like wolves, lycans loved the chase, he followed me as I ran laughing among the pack members who made way for me.

"Got you." He suddenly appeared infront of me making me shriek then laugh. "I have caught my bride!" Julian announced to everyone and they all cheered laughing with me as well, they further cheered when I leaned in and kissed him. "You complete me." He mumbled just as someome cleared their throat behind us. It was Chad with a giddy smile. "Come, they are blooming." He announced before taking off for the area near the pack grounds, it was the place he and I had done a chain spell with the others to save Riley and Zaya, Riley and Julian had extended the pack grounds, then turned the place where the golem I conjured was, into a garden of peach and oak trees, it was my idea to plant the trees and Chad chose which ones, they had matured faster with the help of magic. "Hey babe!" I called out to my brother. "Honey, you made it, look." He mutters just as he bear hugs me then proceeds to carrying me like a child.

Riley knew about my pregnancy, I couldn't keep it from him, besides that though, he was just a little bit more protective, and also very clingy, Julian wasn't fully understanding of his behaviour until I told him about my past, now he sees it as endearing that Riley loves me that much although he tends to treat me like a child. "I wish she was here to see it." He mumbled and I knew he meant Zaya. "I'm taking a video." Brent suddenly inserted as the trees bloomed in the most mesmerizing of ways. "So beautiful." I mumbled with my mate next to me. "Everyone, welcome to the garden of healing, it is a sacred place, please respect it, care for it and thanks to our luna, if ever you're hurt—" Alpha Khan addresses the pack just as he takes a knife and slits open his palm. "This place will help you heal faster, it is a blessing." He finishes and everyone cheers, I could feel the positivity all around me. "I also want to thank my son, our alpha, over the past weeks our neigbours have had problems with rogues, attacks amongst other things, he's helped them solve it all, fortify their lands and has also protected them, but that's not all, we've had our fair share of problems, they never reached you because he's acted quickly to ensure that they are only tales when they reach you, so thank you son, for all you're doing." He further asserts and everyone cheers then bows before my mate.

Indeed Julian had been doing an exceptional job as alpha, as a mate and a father to be. "I'm so proud of you." I whispered into his ear and his smile was radiant as always. "Dad, where have you been?" Julian asks as everyone disperses or stay to enjoy the large orchard, garden, healing spot, whatever it was. "Riley, Julian, we need to talk." He replies as we are alone. I nod placing a kiss on Riley's forehead before he lets me down, I press a kiss to my mans lips before he jogs off with Riley to where his dad and Kirk were. "River, I'm so glad I caught you, we have a problem." Clarke states as he bends over panting, he was obviously exhausted looking just about ready to pass out. "River, we need to evacuate the pack house and everyone living on the west side of the territory past, beside or in front of the pack house, they are being poisoned." He explained I scroll on his report about the pathogen infection.

"Oh my Goddess." I gasp as I realize what I had overlooked. "The samples you gave me, I thought something was irregular about them, when Chad and I analyzed them we found heavy traces of magic, a magical pathogen, they seemed to die when they came in contact with lycan anti bodies, so we created an antidote, but they weren't dying, they were hibernating, fusing with the anti bodies, corrupting them so they killed the host on their own." I exclaimed as the realization finally hit. "Chad!" I called out and he ran over to me with a questioning look.  "Go to the house, find the vial with the concentrate we made to eradicate the pathogen completely." I told him but he hesitated. "It needs to be activated magically remember." He reminds me and I suck in a breath. "Where are the infected Clarke?" I demand. "Quarantined in the old infirmary." He replied quickly and a solution came to mind. "We need to evacuate the none infected, clear their bodies of the pathogen, Chad get Riley, we need to make a counter vaccine for everyone." I exclaimed just as Brent ran up to us.

"Babe what's going on, your mind is frantic." He addressed Clarke who sighed in relief looking at his mate. "We need help evacuating the west side, River go make the counter vaccine and the cure, we will cut off any movement in or out of the west side, when you get there with the counter vaccine then we evacuate." Clarke expresses his plan and I was on board with it. "Alright go." I concluded as we all took off in different directions.

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Saint_Jay