Moonlight

Chapter 1

A heavy sigh whistled through Merissa's teeth as she looked at the positive pregnancy test. Slowly a tear emerged, quickly swept away. She could not figure out if it was happiness or sadness, the weight of pressure or the inevitability of taking a werewolf for a lover.

There was a high chance that she was pregnant with several wolf cubs. Only time will tell as to the exact number, Merissa prayed that it was only a few. One would be the kindest to the new mother, but Merissa knew she wasn't that lucky.

A wary knock echoed against the wooden door. Adley knew that Merissa's mood had been off and wondered if he was the reason for it.

"Ris babe, you okay?"

"Yeah," She said softly.

Checking the mirror, she put on a smile and opened the door. Adley stepped back, seeing the unease on her face. It appeared as if she was hiding behind the forced smile on her face. Adley didn't want her to hide how she felt but he also knew Merissa. She was a stubborn woman who regularly hid behind a thick wall.

"We need to talk."

The werewolf nodded warily, watching as Merissa tucked herself into the corner of the lounge. It was unsettling to see her put the wall up again, barricading herself behind the long legs. Still, Adley sat on the seat next to Merissa and waited for what he thought was inevitable. They'd had a good run, right?

Maybe dealing with their friend Lyla's loss, the funeral, then her own issues finding about siblings and dead parents was too much and everything was weighing down on Merissa. Ever since she'd read the fake files they'd taken from Fielding Hall, Merissa's mood had sunk. Adley knew that she was thinking about her siblings.

The pressure of not knowing the truth had to be too much for her. He knew that she would find out one day but that may be a long time into the future. There could be a dozen things he could say to ease the burden, and to help Merissa find some kind of positivity but he knew that it wouldn't do any good. She'd accept his words and then slink back into the morose mood.

Adley thought that the past and the questions surrounding it was pretty heavy on his shoulders and he was an outsider for all of it. He had no idea how it felt to be in this situation.

Merissa frowned as her arms wrapped around her legs.

"I don't know where to begin."

"Start with what's going through your mind."

"I'm pregnant."

Adley stared, lost for words. This was not what he expected her to say.

"Say something."

"Like what?"

"Are you okay with this?"

He nodded, giving Merissa a smile.

"Yep, very okay with it."

"So, I guess we should discuss the future, right? We've never gone there but I think that we need to talk about us."

The wall needed to come down. Adley could see it was a defensive move because Merissa clearly thought that he'd end it. He had no idea why she'd think that. Adley knew that he struggled to keep his hands off her. He didn't want to smother her or make Merissa think that she was nothing more than a play toy. Adley adored her and loved to keep her close. It was a struggle to find the right balance between showing affection and not suffocating her.

Pulling Merissa's hands, Adley made her move closer to him. He could see the hesitation on her face. With her sitting on his lap, Adley settled into the corner of the lounge.