The Pregnant Mate

Five: early morning

***Tomas***

I groan as I look at the time on my phone. It's 5:00, I need to get moving if I'm to get home before sunset. Throwing on some pants, I sneak into the kitchen looking for food. Being super quiet I open and close the cabinets as quietly as possible. The click of a mug on a table has me spinning around.

"Morning, " Maggie said from her spot at the breakfast nook. Bathed in blue light from her laptop as her hair tumbled around her shoulders takes my breath away.

"Morning, " I manage to say. "What are you doing up so early."

"I always keep country hours," she said looking up at me.

"Country hours?"

"Yea you know, sun up to sun down."

"Why?"

"My grandparents had a farm, and all us kids would chip in with the work."

"'All us kids?' So you do have a family, " I say smugly.

"Yeah, but I don't talk about them."

"Why?"

"It's personal."

"Okay, " I say a little embarrassed. "Why do you still keep 'country hours?'"

"I get most of my school work done then. Also, it's nice to be up before the sun, like there nobody else in the world and it all belongs to you."

"I've never thought of it like that."

"So, you going for a run?" Maggie asked.

"Yes and no, " I say. "I'm heading home."

"Home? Why? I thought that you'd stay for a week at least, " Maggs said shocked.

"That was the plan, but something happened, and I need to head home immediately."

"What happened?"

"I met you, " I say with a grin.

"You feel the need to 'run away' because you met me?"  Maggs asked upset.

"That's not what I meant, " I say sitting next to Maggs. "I need to go home and take care of some things so that I can come back and be with you through the rest of your pregnancy."

"So, you're going to 'play nice' for now, " she said using air quotes. "What's going happen after the birth?! You'll REJECT ME?!!"

"What? No. "

"What's going on?" Charlotte asked sleepily from the doorway, Bart by her side looking pissed.

"He's going to reject me!" Maggie cried. Char ran to Maggs gathering her up like a child and rocking her as my Maggie cried.

'What did you say!" Charlotte yelled in my head.

'Nothing!'

'Don't give me that! You said something!'

'I said that I was going home.' I say defeated.

'That's it?'

'No, Maggs accused me of 'running away' and 'playing nice' before she began yelling that I was going to reject her! I don't know what to do.' I said feeling helpless.

'Go home, ' Char said. 'Don't worry about Maggie; I'll take care of her.'

"Fine, " I grit out as I walk to the door. I pause and look at Mags one last time. I wanted her to smile sweetly and tell me to hurry back; instead, my Mags is balling her eyes out as Char and Bart soothe her. Frustrated, I slam through the door and head into the forest. The snow crunches under my bare feet as it gathers on the cuffs of my jeans. Once I'm at a hollow tree, I remove my jeans, the only clothing I had on, and try to suppress a full body shiver. Tossing the pants in the tree, I shift into my sandy brown wolf. My thick fir helps warm my chilled body as I begin my run home.

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Okay, so I don't really do these Authors Note things because I believe that a story needs to stand on its own merit. That means that I won't apologize for 'late' updates and I won't give excuses for not updating; I will simply release the next chapter when it's ready.

Why are you seeing an author's notes when I don't do that? I'm asking your opinion on something. I'm thinking of changing the name of the book.
Here are your options.

Pregnant Mate

Fruitful Mate

If you have a better name in mind tell me here.

If you read this, thank you, and please consider voting for the new name (or the chapter, or the book).

bluestonegirl47