Female ✔️

20: a thief

Nature has the extreme capability of providing order and reason. This all in terms to preserve the everlasting balance. Shown by moments of extreme condition, giving way to everything predictable and not.

So the moments following the words of Alpha were full of unbroken tension and betrayal. Nature giving the bad to some piece of good. The scent was thick in the air, permeating from Alpha as he postured towards Jack with anger. Suddenly we felt stupid and reckless, the Heat was a mistake, our time together so thoughtless.

And then it wasn't. It was just history, we were together, bonded by our own heads and hearts. Together by time and experience. We knew what we were doing, even if we didn't picture this consequence.

Reality dawned on me fast, balance is a heart puncturer, crashing down around me. I realized things were about to get much worse. As Jack took my hand and listened to his father reprimand him. He was calm, collected. It was as if he had already developed the essential factors of an Alpha in exchange for the hot hotheadedness of juveniles.

"What's done is done, Alpha. I can't say I'm sorry. The Solstice happened, and I can't help but feel the Luna has blessed us." Jack murmurs calmly, keeping his tone down. Suddenly, those subtle changes of our bodies and mood became so blatantly obvious. For him, gathering bulk of muscle, possessiveness, strength, stamina... For me, extra weight around the waist, widening hips, the sweeter scent and the nosebleeds. It started to make sense and I felt even more unaware.

Sure I was training my body and trying to be a well rounded wolf but was I even training my head? I didn't know a thing about pregnancy. No one had ever explained, it was the same for the Solstice.

Fear had enveloped me, only to be chased away by the soothing circles Jack rubbed into my palm.

So I feel better now, holding his hand in mine and his pup in my belly. We got a checkup earlier, ensuring the lone hadn't caused any damage. I also got some explanation.

Pregnancy for a shifting wolf is much different. Like our bodies, a hybrid, our anatomy and functions adjust similarly. Nature will always accommodate balance. The process consists of four short months of rapid development. The pup is born slightly smaller than the average human baby. And there is no shifting after one and a half months unless you want to be stuck that way. I'm almost to that blunt point, it has been two weeks since the Solstice already.

Heat ensures that pups are born around the two Equinoxes of a full year. Mine will arrive in transitional autumn.

I look up at Jack, seeing the growing primitivity in his eyes. He stares at my belly, giving a slight twitch of unreleased energy as he rubs at his nose again.

"Something bothering you?" I ask him, rubbing his smooth cheek with my palm. Familiar pad of my thumb brushes over his lower lip. Sharp muscles of his jaw jump beneath my touch.

A small shake of his head answers my question. "No. No, there's just this smell around that's making me anxious."

"Maybe it's your nature, because of the pup. Making you on edge."

"Maybe." Knowing hand caresses the growing bump of my belly. Once thought just to be weight gain is now so much more. A life. I wonder if it is male or female.

"Is Alpha mad at you?"

"Dissapointed. But it was my choice, something I did and don't regret." Voice so sure and knowledgeable. I believe as always. My male soothes me just by his tongue.