In the Land of Gods and Monsters

Chapter Sixteen

"Poppy, come downstairs, she's almost here!", cried my aunt.

I hustled into my closet to put on appropriate clothing for our visitor. I had seen hardly anyone since I had arrived at my aunt's house, and the idea of seeing someone new was exciting. I grabbed some jeans and a T-shirt and made my way to the living room when I looked presentable.

"You seem so excited," I told my aunt, watching her smile as she waited near the door.

"I have a very good feeling about this visit," she said coyly. I wondered what her tarot cards had in store for me today.

Smiling back at her, I watched as an old blue Jeep pulled into the driveway. With mud on the tires and dirt covering the windows, it appeared it had some stories to tell.

The woman who stepped out of the car was short and blonde. Her face was turned down as she made her way up the sidewalk toward the house. My aunt smiled broadly and swung open the door as soon as she made it to the first porch step.

"Lana!" she cried, engulfing her in a huge hug. The woman looked up, and when I saw her bright green eyes, everything clicked into place. Fear overtook my body.

"You're Aries' mate!" I cried, pointing my finger at her. She looked over and gave me a small smile, starting toward me.

"And you are Poppy, Ezra's mate," she said, pulling me into a hug. I stiffened in her embrace and stared desperately at my aunt.

"Auntie, Lana knows Ezra," I mouthed. My aunt smiled back at me knowingly as Lana released me from her grip.

"Your aunt has warned me of your situation," she said, patting my arm. "I am not in the habit of revealing other people's secrets."

She gazed pointedly at my stomach, which protruded slightly from underneath my T-shirt.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing toward my belly. I nodded slowly, unsure of what she was doing.

Lana's hands met my stomach. She ran her palms across my belly and closed her eyes. I looked toward my aunt but she waved her hand as if to tell me there was nothing to worry about.

Without warning, Lana's hands disappeared, and her eyes shot open.

"You will have a strong and healthy daughter. She is stubborn, just like her mother," she said matter-of-factly.

I took a small step back and sat down on the nearest chair. I was having a daughter. A little baby girl to dress up and play dolls with and take to the nail salon with me. All of a sudden, my situation began to feel so much more... real.

"How do you know all that?" I asked quietly. Lana sat down next to me and brushed the small tear that had escaped my eye off my cheek.

"I am a midwife. There are many things I can tell after all these years," she said.

My aunt swept into the room holding a tray of tea and cookies. I reached for a cookie quickly and shoved it in my mouth, feeling calmer already when the sugar hit my tongue.

"Lana is not just a midwife, but the most trusted midwife among the werewolf packs. She is traveling to aid other Lunas in their births."

I gazed at my aunt. This was the most explicit she had been since my arrival with her knowledge of werewolves. I vaguely knew what packs and lunas were, but her knowledge far surpassed mine.

"Aunt Rachel, how do you know all that?" I asked, staring directly into her eyes.

She just smiled and gave a shrug. She never had been one to give up her secrets.