The Human In The Wolf Pack
Chapter 33

Time was running out, and Reviera was supposed to be here in a week’s time. I bit my l*p, anxiety filling my chest. I had yet to tell Rider. It was an earth shattering truth, and a betrayal I doubt he would ever forgive. There wasn’t much time left, and a large part of me wanted to stay in the hopeful bubble the two of us had made, but I knew the truth. That bubble was a lie. I felt sick to my stomach, at the thought of having to say it out loud to him. How would he ever forgive me? After all that he had sacrificed while I was gone, after all the things I had put this pack through, how will he ever be able to forget this betrayal on my part?

The anxious rolling in my stomach had me flying to our bathroom, as I emptied everything in my stomach out into the toilet. Sweat rolled down my back as I heaved one last time, and flushing down the disgusting mess.

I rinsed my mouth out with tap water, then brushed my teeth for good measure. I looked in the mirror. God, I looked tired. My usually bright eyes were dull and my pale skin was even paler somehow. I looked like a ghost. Was I coming down with something? No, there’s no way. I hadn’t so much as sneezed since awakening, so this had to be caused by stress.

I wobbled out to the living room, and laid out on the couch, hoping some rest would fix me right up. I mind linked Rider’s beta, Blake, and told him to take over training. I contemplated turning on the TV, but before I could even reach for the remote, I passed out, exhausted.

“Vera, baby, wake up,” a soft voice said. I stretched, before yawning and opening my eyes to see my gorgeous mate.

“Hello,” I murmur, tired.

“Hi,” he smiles happily.

“What’s up?” I questioned, half asleep, but propping myself up on my elbow to look at him fully as he kneeled beside the couch.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?” I asked, feeling sleep dragging at my eyelids, unsure what he was talking about.

“About the pup,” He beamed happily, placing his large hand on my stomach.

I was silent for a moment, stunned, before I shook my head.

“What are you talking about? I’m not pregnant. Why would you think I was?” I asked, completely shooting down the idea. A pup? There was no way.

“I can sense it baby. I can hear its heartbeat,” he said with the biggest smile on his face as his hand stroked my abdomen tenderly. I felt the b***d drain from my face, and panic set in immediately. All I could hear was my heart beat ringing in my ears as I processed his words.

“No. You must be mistaken,” I said slowly, panic setting in, making my body go cold.

“I’m completely sure. I can hear it,” he reiterated, and looking at him, I knew he was serious. I jump off the couch, throwing his hand off my stomach.

“This can’t be happening,” I say, eyes wide, pacing, running my hands through my hair. There was no way. I can’t be, though we didn’t use protection the first time, what are the chances of me getting pregnant the very first time I have s*x? But besides that, if I’m pregnant with Rider’s child, then what I’m going to do in a week…. I felt nausea rolling my stomach all over again.

Rider looked at me, confused and anxious as he slowly stood from his spot kneeling by the couch.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, gently grabbing my arm, to draw my attention back to him. My body immediately relaxed under his touch, but my mind could not be soothed.

“This isn’t supposed to happen,” I say, biting my l*p.

“Rider, I’m supposed to save our people. I have to defeat Riviera,” I tell him, desperately trying to explain how wrong this situation was.

“You can still, baby. Both of our people have been training hard. We are a force to be reckoned with.”

I run my fingers through my hair, eyes wide with panic.

“You don’t understand!

One day when the leaves turn red

A one sided war will come to its end

A human with the b***d of the Pack

Will give due sacrifice to seal the crack

She will lose what she can’t regain

For love it was given

And it is Death who will take it away

Born with only this in mind

And will die to save all of mankind,” As I recited the prophecy, a dawning realization had taken over in Rider’s eyes.

“You have to die to defeat her,” It wasn’t a question, but still, I reluctantly nodded.

There was a deadly silence before I could see the flip switch in him. His eyes flashed gold and a growl ripped through him, viciously.

“No!” He roared, reaching to grab me. I felt my eyes go wide as I quickly teleported away.

I was in the little shed that I took shelter in when I got lost, not long after I moved to this pack, breathing heavily as I stood in the I stood in the quiet remains of the forgotten shack. I remember feeling terrified, confused and lost last time I was here, so why did I return? My hands shook as I slowly sat on the dirt floor, surrounded by old, dried leaves and forgotten soda cans and comics. I quickly mind link Tristan. About 30 minutes later, he showed up. I was in the corner of the shed, curled into myself.

He quickly approached me, pressing his hand against my shoulder out of concern.

“I’m pregnant,” The words rushed out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

He froze, and there was a silence that rang out between us before he sighed heavily.

“What are we going to do?” he murmured, sounding just as lost as I was.

I couldn’t say anything as I placed my trembling hands over my flat stomach.

“We can beat her with the wolves help. We have way more gifted than we ever anticipated,” he reasoned.

“But it isn’t what the prophecy said,” I whispered. We are both quiet.

“I’ll figure something out,” He promised, his hand tightening slightly on my shoulder as he comforted me.

I leaned against him slightly, letting out a shuddering breath.

………… .

I returned home to Rider not long after. I had been gone for about 3 hours and it had started to rain as I took the long way home, walking through the woods up to the cabin we shared.

He sat on the couch, the lights were off and I could barely see his hunched form. I turned on the lights hesitantly, wondering if he had had time to cool down yet. His head was in his hands but he lifted it slowly, as if he carried the weight of the world in that moment.

“Are you OK?” I murmured.

“Are you still going to sacrifice yourself and our child?”

I flinched at his accusations.

“I don’t know,” I whisper.

He growled viciously, standing abruptly from the couch and stalking toward me. He stopped an inch from my face, where he towered over me.

“This isn’t a decision you get to make by yourself. You’re taking away my whole life, my family,” he murmured lowly, dangerously.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

” Do you think this is something I want?” I asked, anger rolling off of me in waves.

“I had to leave my Mate for over a year, and I had no choice. I went through my first heat by myself. I didn’t even know that I could go through heat! But apparently every female does after being marked. Oh, and let’s not forgot how I have to sacrifice myself to save the world from my long lost sister, who by the way, hates me. Now I have the first hybrid baby growing in me! Not only that, but now, I won’t have to just end my life to save the world, but my own child’s too. Did I want any of this? I was never asked! This was forced on me by something bigger than us!” I yelled, unconsciously rising off the ground until I met Rider’s height.

His anger had dulled, as his shoulders slumped, defeated.

“This changes everything, Ver.”

I sighed, all of my anger leaving just as quickly as it arrived. I placed my hand on my stomach.

“I know.”