Beta

Chapter 12

I couldn't sit still. Even when I tried, I found myself rising to my feet and pacing the floor. The anxiety of what was happening hundreds of miles from here was causing problems. I knew that my elders and Ezra could handle everything. It wasn't about their ability. It was because I wasn't there. As the Alpha, I should be there. This was just a point that I'm sure someone would make about how females should not run packs.

Turning, I gasped as I saw Konrad had quietly walked up behind me.

"Trying to get your steps in for today?"

"No, just worried."

"You have such little faith in my brother and your elders?"

"I should be there. Jeez, even you should be there. This is a bad way to start everything."

"There is nothing that we can do about it. Now, onto a more concerning issue. How long has your belly been twitching?"

My gaze narrowed at the smug smile he gave. Konrad placed his hands on my stomach and watched as the ripple crossed the vast gap.

"Yep, you're in the pre-labor phase."

"How is it that you know so much about this?"

"Lots of females on my mother's side."

Taking my hand, Konrad led me through to the rear of the pack house, where the elders and their wives had been trying to set up a temporary home for us to use after the birth. There was a strong chance that I'd take a long nap with my little cub after the birth so everything was ready.

I looked at the bed with dismay. It was nothing like what I was used to.

This was a wolf bed. It was low to the ground with a piece of canvas in the center. A thin mattress had been laid out over it with pillows scattered around.

I'd been told that my alter ego might not welcome the pillows, preferring to kick them off the bed. She might also try to remove the mattress. Some even said they'd heard of women saying that they'd woken from their nap on the floor because their wolf found it cooler. There was no right or wrong, no rules, just suggestions.

Taking the remote, I turned up the air conditioning. It wasn't cold enough. At least, I thought it wasn't. When I looked at Konrad who was pulling on a jacket, I turned it back up.

"Don't do that," he grumbled, taking it from me. "You're literally dripping in sweat, Megan."

Konrad turned the air conditioning down before positioning me in front of the unit. I stood, silently enjoying the frosty heaven.

Hearing a squeaking sound, I turned as Konrad and Erin brought things into the room. I'd been so distracted with the cold breeze flowing over me that I didn't hear Konrad leave.

Towels, blankets, jugs of water and ice were neatly arranged on the side cabinets. Erin gave me a smile as she closed the door.

Konrad turned on the television and pointed to the lounge as he looked at me.

"Time to put your feet up whether you like it or not."

I sat down even though I still felt restless. I'd humor Konrad, giving him a few minutes to dote over me before I returned to pacing the floor. Pain had started, and walking alleviated it just a little.

Konrad turned the sound down and then altered the settings on the chair. I'd forgotten it was a therapeutic chair so I was about to become a jiggly pain filled grump.

What I didn't realize was that the soon-to-be father knew exactly what he was doing. The room was dark, the sounds were low, the temperature was level and I was getting an all-over body massage. The lethargy soon took over and I fell asleep.

Feeling something jostling my body, I woke up with a start. It was Erin, and there was a panicked look on her face. Crouched next to my chair, I realized that it was no longer vibrating and the sounds of the forest that had been playing were now gone, replaced with a vastly different view. There were several angles of the exterior of the building from the cameras split between the quarters of the screen. The red beacon on the roof was flashing.

"What's going on?"

Because someone had pressed the silent alarm, Erin looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"You have to get up now," she whispered. "The Blood Moon Alpha is here."

Quietly she lowered the footrest back to the lounge and then helped me out of the chair.

"Where am I going, and where's Konrad?"

"Talking to him. Trying to make him see reason."

As soon as I stood, I felt a sharp twinge of pain rip through me. I looked at Erin with sheer horror.

"It's time," I whispered, gripping my stomach.

I could feel the wolf scratching at me, growling that I wasn't listening to her. She wanted out so that she could take control of the labor process. There was just one problem with that. If I became the wolf, the Blood Moon Alpha would know, and he would find me. When he did that, he would kill the baby and then claim me as his own.

"I can't leave this place. The baby has to be born here."

Erin whimpered a soft sob as she closed the door. She rushed to the bookshelf, lifting the carpet beside it. Moving to the other side, she pushed it over the floor.

This was my father's ingenious creation. Instead of a secret door in the shape of a bookshelf leaving scratch marks, he laid the carpet and made it appear as if the piece of furniture was sitting on top of it. In reality, the carpet went around it. No marks on the floor, no evidence of a hidden door.

"I don't want to know how you know about that."

"Dad told me when he found out you were pregnant. He said if there was ever a time when you had to hide, push the bookcase aside and make you go through the tunnel. Lock the door behind you. Do not come out no matter what."

She gave me a hug and helped me down to the floor, where I would have to crawl to the next room. In the tunnel, I heard the bookcase being pushed back over the floor.

This was not a part of the birth plan, but it should have been. We were fools to think that the Alpha wouldn't be angry that he'd lost his territory.

Now, I had to give birth as quietly as I could manage,then somehow hide the baby as it cried. Hopefully, the wolf will sense thedanger. It was a large risk, one that I wanted to avoid as much as I could. Iwould hold out on the wolf until I had to bear down. Then she could takecontrol.