Fire and Flames

Chapter 2

Rayne

I stare at my reflection in my mirror. I see a tiny boy with white hair and green eyes staring back at me.

White fluffy wolf ears sit atop my head and a tiny wiggling white nub for a tail near my backside. My body is very thin and pale, a soft white towel hangs loosely around my waist. My hip bones sticking out from my body.

I never liked the way I looked. My twin brother Sage was a lot taller than me. At sixteen he was already six foot one. Completely towering over my five foot two form.

Sage has dark hair and blue eyes. Tanned skin with lots of muscles like our father. He was so handsome. Sage is everything that I am not.

Sage is also the appropriate weight for his body. I am ninety-three pounds when I am supposed to be over one hundred pounds. I have never been able to get my weight up.

I do not hate Sage because I believe that he is better than me in every way. We have always been so close since we were born. Sage has protected me over the years and has been my very best friend.

As of today, it is a week before my and Sage's seventeenth birthday. My dad Zaryn says that his new warriors will return to celebrate our birthday and to meet Sage the future Alpha. He wanted the whole pack to be there for our coming of age. It felt good that the whole pack was accepting us or at least getting used to us.

Sage opens the door to my bathroom. He smiles when he sees me.

"Hey, Rayne! Come on, get dressed quickly! I have something to show you." Sage says excitedly.

"What is it?" I ask Sage.

"It is a surprise. I'll wait for you outside."

I open my mouth to ask where he was taking me but he was already out the door.

I sigh, pulling on a pair of comfy shorts and a black shirt with a small pink heart above where my actual heart is on my chest.

As I make my way downstairs I run into my daddy. He smiles at me warmly, his fluffy white tail curling around his middle.

"Sweetheart, I need to tell you something important. Especially with the warriors returning from the training camp. This is about-," my daddy is interrupted by the front door to the pack house slamming open.

"Rayne!" My best friend Astra charges at me, tackling me into a huge hug.

"Astra! What are you doing here?" I pull back, smiling brightly at her.

Astra was from my grandparent's pack. We had become extremely close friends between visits to their pack. Astra has short brown hair matched with large blue eyes framed by long thick eyelashes. Astra is very tall and thin. She has always been there for me through the years.

"Surprise!" Sage exclaims from the doorway. He is holding many big presents addressed to both me and Sage. I smile at him.

"You did this?" I ask. Sage nods excitedly.

"I got Uncle Cole to drive me to go get her last night. I thought that she could stay for the week to celebrate with us."

I run up to Sage and throw my arms around him. I bury my face into his neck and inhale his scent.

"Thank you," I murmur into his shoulder.

"You're welcome," Sage whispers.

I pull away from Sage to grab a hold of Astra's hand. I tug her towards the door.

"I'll talk to you later daddy. I'm gonna spend some time with Astra and Sage. Love you!" I run out the door with Astra and Sage close behind.

Eden

I sigh as I watch Rayne rush out of the pack house with Astra and Sage. I need to tell Rayne about Caden. I feel so extremely guilty for keeping Caden a secret from him.

When Rayne finds out that we knew he had a mate and where his mate was the whole time he will be so angry with me and Zaryn.

Church walks down the stairs and moves to where I am standing.

"Eden! Thank Goddess you and Zaryn didn't leave yet," Church says.

"What happened?" I ask him.

"Wade and the girls don't know yet and I don't even know what to do or say and I am freaking out. I don't know what to do. I need help. What if Wade is mad at me?" Church whimpers.

"Church? What's wrong?" There is a long drawn out pause before Church takes a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh Church, that's not a bad thing. Wade would never be angry at you for getting pregnant again. Athena and Aurora will most likely be excited to have another sibling. How long have you known?"

"About two months." Church lifts up his shirt, revealing his belly. It is big and rounded, that I almost think he is around three months pregnant. Church's tail ticks between his shaking legs. He is scared that Wade will be disappointed in him. Which I do not think is possible. Wade is always proud of Church no matter what he does.

Wade had been gone with the warriors in the training camps for a month. He would not have noticed this.

"Church... Wade loves you. And so do your daughters. They will be so happy for the new addition to the family. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Okay? And if you ever need anything Noah and I and our mates will always be there for you." I lean over to ruffle his soft red curls.

"You really think that Wade will be happy? And the girls?" Church asks nervously.

"I know that they will be happy. Do you know the gender yet?"

Church nods, rubbing his belly gently.

"He's a boy. But he is an omega. So he will not be able to take over as head warrior after Wade retires."

"Is that why you are afraid that Wade will be disappointed in you? For giving him an omega pup?" I ask Church.

Church begins to wail. I pull him close into a hug. I hold him and try to calm him. I feel like I did when I was young, holding Church and calming him when he was afraid.

"I just don't want my pup to be weak like I am! I'm small and sensitive! Hell, I couldn't even lift up Athena when she broke her leg when she was four. We were in the middle of the woods and I had to sit there watching my daughter cry while warriors came to find us! Because I couldn't pick up a thirty-pound pup! I don't want my son to be weak! He can't!" Church finishes with a broken whimper.

"It'll be okay Church. This pup will have a large family to love and support him. I have to go, alright? Zaryn must be waiting for me in the truck. We will talk more when we get home. Bye Church. I love you," I kiss the top of his head.

"Love you too Eden."

As I walk out to Zaryn's truck I can't help but think back to Church's swollen belly.

I think I want another pup...