It's Not My Mates

Chapter 3:

Chapter 3:

Every morning that I wake up to have morning sickness, Marcy or Ira is there to hold my hair back. More so Marcy now that Ira has found her mate. Yes, she has finally found him. He wasn't at the Alpha's meeting. Instead he was right in front of her this whole time. Ivan works as one of the pack border patrol. He's a really sweet guy and is perfect to deal with her.......Ira-ness.

Zane hasn't really spoken to me. I mean he'll make polite chit-chat but he hasn't had an honest conversation with me. I miss the old Zane. I mean, I'm glad he has Marcy and all, I just miss having him as a friend.

Ira and Marcy take me out on a girls night every Friday to get my mind off of Samuel. It distracts me for a little while. But I still fall asleep to remembering the feeling of his lips on mine. The way his arms had felt around me. Remembering all of this usually ends on me crying myself to sleep.

On the bright side, at least I don't have to hear Zane and Marcy mate anymore. Marcy found out that I could hear the two of them so she and Ira got together and made a schedule. Every other weekend I would spend the night with one of them while the other went and mated with her mate. It worked out quite nicely believe it or not.

Slowly but surely, I was getting into a routine. In the mornings I helped out at the pack daycare. In the afternoons I would help do laundry in the Alpha house. It was the same basically every day. It was mindless, brain numbing work that didn't take much thought to do. During these tasks, I thought to the future. What was going to happen? Was Samuel every going to come back for me? I knew he wasn't though. The hurt in his eyes when he found out that I was pregnant. No, he was never going to come around.

“Rivy.” came the voice of a three year old girl, Lizzie, in the nursery.

I bent down and picked her up. “Yes, baby girl?”

“Can I have some juice?” she asks. To top off her sweet voice she used her adorable little smile. This smile consisted of two perfect dimples. She was a mess and had every pack member wrapped around her little fingers.

“Of course, sweetie. Want me to open it for you?”

“Yes, pwease.” she said, hugging my neck.

I get her a juice, putting the straw through the hole for her. She gives me a kiss on the cheek before running off to go drink it with her friends.

Working here just added to my excitement of my own child. I had a couple of months to go, but I just couldn't wait to hold this baby in my arms. Which reminds me, I need to go talk to Zane about this before I do the chores at the Alpha house.

After I'm done at the nursery, I head to his office. I knock on the door.

“Come in,” he said.

I walk in. “Hey, Zane.”

“Hi, River. Do you need something?”

“I'll be straightforward so I can let you get back to your work. How are we going to do custody of this child?” I ask, rubbing my baby bump.

He sighs. “This is a topic I've been dreading talking about.”

“Me too.” I said.

“Please sit down. I have no idea how long this will take.”

I take a seat on the couch. “What are your ideas?”

Zane shrugs. “Maybe we switch off every day. Then give the child his or her own nursery and take turns going to take care in the middle of the night.”

“That could work. But what about living arrangements?”

“Both of you will be living here, naturally.”

“Will I? Are you sure you want me here? Kind of awkward having your ex-fiance living with you and your mate, isn't it?”

He moves over to sit next to me, taking my hand in his. “River, you aren't a problem. Marcy loves you. You are my best friend. Of course we want you here with us! Besides, Marcy would love to play with the baby.” He closes his eyes with a heavy sigh. “We just found out this week that Marcy isn't able to have children.”

“What?” I asked in disbelief. Marcy absolutely adored all things child. Most days she came and worked in the daycare with me.

He nods. “So our child is the only heir to the pack.”

“You guys could always adopt.” I suggested.

“That won't be the same to her. She wants her own baby. Right now she's settling for this one. We haven't told anyone else yet, so you have to keep this a secret.”

“I will.” I promised him. I wrapped my arms tightly around him, burying my head in his neck. “I miss this, us talking like friends.”

“I did too.”

“Let's have more friendly conversations then.” I suggest, offering him a smile.

He chuckles. “How about we go to lunch at least once a week?”

“Deal.”