Lucas was standing in the treehouse living room consciously diverting his eyes from August, because every ti they lingered on the srizing radiant glow of her skin, a low, threatening snarl from Grae would snap him out of it.
When he entered with Sam only minutes prior, the Beta seed equally as shocked and transfixed by the visible change in August's condition. Apparently no one was made aware of the pack's coming heir prior to today. Lucas smirked to himself with the knowledge that he was one of the firsts to know. It was a unique honor he would cherish. Sothing to tell his children one day.
Sam seed to be having a much easier ti reverting back to his duty-driven ntality, though. Every ti Lucas glanced August's way, his eyes betrayed him. It wasn't that he wanted to make her uncomfortable, which seed to be the case, it was just that he never imagined actually seeing this—their Hallowell Luna radiantly expecting. It was only a few months ago that Grae was still out wandering the countryside supposedly tracking strays, unlikely to ever return. And now… now this stunning visible promise of hope stood before them.
Grae snarled again, shaking Lucas from his silent reverie. That's when he noticed August's hands folded in front of her, cheeks flushed, eyes on the comfort of her mate. She wasn't accustod to this attention yet. It was sothing she would need to get used to soon.
"Should I find soone else for this job, Lucas?" the threat in Grae's question was obvious. "For so reason you have won the honor of your Luna's confidence, but you have yet to gain mine."
Lucas' chest puffed slightly at this revelation. She was the one who suggested him for this responsibility?
"You are right, it is an honor. I apologize. Honestly, I never imagined there was truth to the stories of an expecting Luna nor did I imagine to witness it so soon or at all in my lifeti," he bowed with the words that he hoped would alleviate any discomfort or distrust, as they were the truth. "I will endeavor to earn your confidence as well, Alpha," he added.
"Let's go outside so we can talk in confidence," Grae turned to open the door to the deck and waited for August to walk out so he could follow her.
Sam and Lucas followed them out, leaving Zoe to her bath, which she was enjoying imnsely. She wouldn't shut up about how she had never seen a tub as beautiful as this one and how amazing and unexpected the treehouse was, if not ridiculously high and impractical.
She pretty much hadn't stopped talking since they sprung her from the dungeon, and Grae was gritting his teeth to keep from snapping. He was trying his best not to scare her off for the ti being. Just two days. Two days until Samhain.
"Greta should be here any minute," Sam said as they all pulled out chairs and sat around the table.
"So what's the deal with Zoe? Is she a stray or sothing?" Lucas asked. "Another test subject from Eliade?"
A frown feathered August's forehead and she shifted in her seat.
"No. She's been here for years. You've never seen her?" Grae replied, watching the surprise alight on Lucas' face.
"No. Are you sure she's been here?" he asked, dumbfounded. He knew everyone in this pack.
"Yes. Have you noticed anything unusual about her since helping her out in the dungeon?" Grae asked.
"She talks a lot," he chuckled. "But she's young. And she was terrified of being left down there. I couldn't understand why she would be imprisoned, so I just assud she was a stray. But we don't usually treat young female strays that way."
"And we won't," Grae mumbled, thinking of the plan Silvia and Charlotte had been helping him revise for a new space in the pack house. Once all this shit was over, that was one of his first priorities.
"So you thought she was from Eliade," August finally spoke, bringing Lucas' eyes back to her. He nodded.
"It was the only thing that made sense to ."
"Well she is not from Eliade. She has been in charge of her own secret research team tracking alyko globally. It's a whole huge operation," Grae replied gruffly.
"Oh that thing that everyone has been talking about. The map? She was in charge?" Lucas chuckled as if it were a joke.
"Yes, her intelligence is impressive. And honestly terrifying," Grae answered.
"Hey guys, did I miss much? I ca as quickly as I could. What's going on?" Greta hurried out onto the deck and then stopped, frozen in place as her eyes fell on August. Her mouth dropped open in surprise before slowly turning into a wide smile. She glanced to her brother, her smile growing, and then she squealed, rushing over to embrace August in her chair.
"What?! When did this happen? Why didn't you tell ? Why didn't I sense it?" she laughed, swaying back and forth excitedly with August giggling, still trapped in her arms. "Did you know?!" she smacked her brother's arm accusingly.
Grae just smiled in response to Greta's excitent, ashad to admit that he hadn't known. How had he not?
"We are pregnant together! We are going to have babies together!" Greta continued to squeal and jostle August in her arms.
"Greta, perhaps later would be a better ti for this," Grae interrupted regretfully.
"What?! This isn't what you called for?" she replied, confused with the smile still on her face.
"Why would we bring you to the treehouse for that?" Sam asked, amused at his mate.
"I don't know. W-why is Lucas here?" she let go of August and stood straight, the seriousness of whatever was happening slowly becoming apparent. They wouldn't have Lucas here for just any reason.
"Zoe is inside getting cleaned up. We have asked Lucas to keep an eye on her for a few days," Grae answered.
"Zoe?! The one who nearly killed ?" Greta scoffed. "You let her out? Why, so she could do it to soone else?"
Grae grimaced. How was he going to tell his sister Zoe had actually done so much more than nearly kill her?
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