Beta

Chapter 10

I wanted to sleep for the rest of the day. It wasn't the bed or the company I kept that made me want to crawl under the sheets. This was a lethargy that was growing slowly but steadily.

Preparations had begun for Konrad's initiation ceremony. The half an hour that Stanley suggested might have been closer to the hour, but no one said a thing.

My Betas were in the other room with Konrad, going through the procedure and ensuring that he understood everything he had to say and do. I was in the main section trying to figure out if facing the chairs towards the side wall would accommodate more seats.

The main door swung open, and Mick's wife, Paula walked in. She dumped a stack of loaded trays onto the counter, giving me a side-eye.

"What are you doing?"

"She's trying to figure out something that's already been worked out long ago."

I narrowed my eyes at Alec, who merely smiled sarcastically in response.

"Mm-hmm. Sounds like someone's nesting."

"It's fine," I muttered. "I'm,"

"Making the nest perfect. We know, Megan. We've all been here before. Well, not you,"

Paula turned and raised an eyebrow at the smug one.

"Or you. Surely you could have figured out what she's doing?"

"I did, and I got my head bitten off for it. My mouth is shut and now I speak to the supreme overlord in facial gestures."

Making her way to me, Paula took hold of my hands and held them wide as she looked at my belly.

"Do you feel any discomfort?"

"That's the dumbest question you've ever asked."

"I know. You've lowered quite a lot."

"I'm sure you're going to tell me that's a good sign that labor is just around the corner."

"It will be soon, but as to how soon, well, let's get in here and check."

She gripped my stomach, searching for the baby. As she pushed and prodded, Gus walked out. He stopped, and as his head tilted slightly, panic began to rise.

"Your verdict?"

She looked up at me as a grim smile formed.

"It's really hard to tell, but I'd say that because her stomach has lowered, the baby has moved down. A week at best."

Gus sighed heavily as he approached.

"After the ceremony, we'll clean out the spare room. You can camp out here to make it easier."

"Yay," I groaned. "I've always wanted a bar for a kitchen and a public bathroom for a shower."

"We will make a few alterations so that this place is comfortable. No one wants to create a stressful situation."

"Any more than it already is. Where are we at?"

"Blood Moon is ready to go. Our travel dates start tomorrow. We will move out at first light and should reach the outskirts by mid-morning. The Beta has been in contact with us to arrange a meeting time. We offered to cater a lunch meeting which he said would be great."

"Does it sound too good to be true?"

"No, it sounds like a Beta who knows that nothing can be changed about what has happened. I made it clear that we believe that the Alpha was testing the waters regarding this territory by using the follower to do his dirty work. I also said that the Miller family are listed as dead wolves to this pack, so if they were still in Blood Moon land, they should be immediately removed. He did not say anything against the statements or refute that they were there."

"So they were in Blood Moon land?"

"I believe so. At the end of the day, the Beta will know that they are about to join what is now the strongest pack on this side of Midland Peak. In a takeover, there is no death, no males running for their lives or dying at the hands of an insecure Alpha. Just a peaceful change of management. I also ensured that the government has everything they require regarding your absence from the meeting. They confirmed that it is not a requirement that you attend and they would recommend that you don't because if that kid isn't born here, we've got a rather large headache to deal with. So settle in with that cabin fever because you're not going anywhere."

"Yay."

Paula smiled.

"It's alright. We'll all take turns to keep you company and bring you and Konrad meals. Whatever you need."

I wanted to say that I needed to go home and sleep, but that wasn't happening so I said nothing. Gus had started to turn the chairs around, frowning as he glanced at me.

"You were here when I discussed this with your father. You know that we get more seats in the room, and it's better because whoever is at the front is centralized. If you go lengthways, the wolves at the far end won't hear you properly."

"Fine."

I began turning the rest of the chairs around. Pretty sure Gus was wrong, but I wasn't about to start an argument about it. I didn't have the energy to care.

The door opened again. This time it was Erin and her mother. They both looked at me as I waddled my way to the bar.

"Well, that's an interesting turn of events," Erin murmured as she turned to her mother. "Camp out?"

"I'm sure that's exactly what the new couple needs, a bunch of women hanging around cramping their style."

"Pretty sure they've had their fun. The evidence is like a droopy ball hanging from Megan's body."

"Have I lowered that much?"

Erin nodded, giving me an awkward smile.

"When I saw you last, you had this tiny mound that could barely be seen. Dad came home and said you had grown, and our little Beta was almost here. He must have taken a sneaky picture to prove it. That belly was riding high."

She held her hand over my stomach, at least a couple of inches from where it was now.

"Bet there's more than one in there."

"Don't joke about that."

Erin shrugged with a devious smile.

"You should have behaved."

"We were not in our wolf state."

"Yeah, but you've both got Alpha blood in your veins. That's a whole different thing when it comes to your alter egos."

Great. I wish that my father had warned me about that.I didn't mind that it had happened or that in just a few short days, this babywould be here, but it was the worst timing.