The Human In The Wolf Pack
Chapter 35

Feeling refreshed, and my anxieties eased, I decided to seek out Rider. I didn’t want to give up, and I knew that I had put him in a hard position. He thought he was going to lose his mate, and our unborn child. I’m sure he was also feeling betrayed. I waited too long to tell him, and when I found out I was pregnant I couldn’t tell him I wouldn’t go through with the plan. I sighed, unsure how to fix this. I scanned the area using my powers, and quickly locked down on Rider’s location.

Steeling myself, I teleported there. I found him in his office, on the phone. His eyes widened when he saw me, but he continued with his conversation.

“Yes, I think we will need back up, so could I call in a favor?… As much as you’re willing to send, I’m sure Vera already brought you up on the situation,” He said.

I shifted awkwardly on my feet, not sure how to deal with his cold attitude.

“Do you want to talk to her? She’s here,” Rider offered, and after a moment, he handed me the phone.

I took it hesitantly, wondering who it could be on the other line.

“Hello?”

“Vera, why haven’t you been calling? You promised your mother that you would check in more,” My father’s voice piped from the other line.

“Dad? Why was Rider calling you?” I asked, confused.

“It’s that battle you told us about. He wanted to know if we could send some reinforcements. This all sounds insane, Vera. Why… don’t you just come back home? It would be safer for you here.”

“Dad… that place isn’t my home anymore. I’m happy here, these wolves have become my family. They treat me so well, and they care about me. I won’t abandon them again,” I said, meeting Rider’s eyes as I said this.

His grey eyes locked on mine, his gaze unsure. Did he not believe me?

“I understand, sweetie. Well, your brother is bringing some warriors to help. He has a group of seventy wolves, and you have to promise to come visit when this is all over. We have been so worried about you, Vera,” He sighed, and I could tell that I had put my father through a lot.

“I promise, Dad. I love you.”

I hung up, hesitantly handing the phone back to Rider.

“Why didn’t you tell him?” He asked, not meeting my eyes.

“Tell him what?”

“That you’re planning to die, that there’s no way that you’ll be able to see him again.”

I flinched at his tone, turning away from him. I wasn’t used to this Rider. He was cold, distant. He was never like this before, even when he used to bully me. When he was angry, he was fiery, but now he was scarily calm. He looked tired. I wondered if he had been able to sleep last night? He never came to bed, so I assumed he had stayed with Blake.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” I told him, and he sighed in response.

“I don’t care if it’s to save the world, Vera. I don’t care if ‘you don’t have a choice’. Because if you die, there will be nothing left. I won’t survive it, Ver. I can’t live in a world without you in it, and I can’t forgive you if you take our pup with you.”

Seeing him like this made me want to cry, but instead I approached him. He didn’t move, and refused to look me in the eyes. As he sat in his chair, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“I’m going to try and change my fate. I won’t give up, and I won’t leave you without putting up a fight,” I whispered to him, my voice full of emotion.

His hands suddenly grabbed my h**s, pulling me away from him. I stood before him, as he gripped my h**s tightly, looking up into my eyes. His expression was vulnerable, desperate, and raw.

“Please tell me that you’re telling the truth,” He begged.

“I promise, I won’t leave you,” I told him, my hand coming up to cup his face.

He leaned into my palm, relief filling him as his shoulders sagged, as if the weight of the world had just been taken off of him.

“What are we going to do?” He asked, exhausted.

“We’ll fight. We’ll find another way,” I reassured him, running my fingers through his hair.

“I love you, Ver. You mean everything to me. I want a life with you. I want us to spend everyday with each other, and every night, I want to hold you in my arms. I want to see the face of our pup,” He confessed, drawing me closer to him, and pressing his forehead against my stomach.

“I want that, too,” I whispered.

“Then we won’t give up. A few packs have already agreed to send warriors. If everyone arrives in time, we will out number them. We won’t go down easily.”

I nodded, agreeing with him, but I wasn’t sure if victory could be ours if we didn’t defeat Ragnarok. The threat he poses felt like a shadow looming over us, forebodingly. I didn’t want to be the reason the world ended, but as my mate drew me into his lap, and I curled into his chest, I also didn’t want to leave him behind.

“I think it will be a boy,” He told me.

“The baby?” I asked, turning my attention back to him.

“Yeah. There’s no proof or anything, just a sense,” He admitted, placing his hand on my stomach.

“What if it’s a girl?” I asked, smiling at my sweet mate.

“If she’s as pretty as her mother, I don’t know if my heart will handle it,” He joked.

I giggled, relaxing into him.

“I think a boy will be nice. He’ll probably love gummies just as much as you,” I teased.

He scoffed, but chuckled lightly.

“And he’ll probably be bad at cooking, just like you,” Rider murmured, placing a k**s on my forehead.

I looked at him with mock hurt, placing an offended hand to my chest.

“I disagree. I make an amazing grilled cheese,” I defended myself.

“Baby, that’s just toasting bread.”

“Toasting bread perfectly is a science, ok?”

He laughed, and I relaxed back into him, warmth rising in my chest as I imagined our child, and all the possibilities.

But the best part, is now I had hope that I would be here to see it all for myself.