Oh, Shift! (Book III A Not So Cozy Mystery)

Chapter 21: The Alpha's Plans

"What is that high-pitched moaning sound?" Abby asked Matt, who was pretending to clear his throat. "A broken lawn mower?"

"Why would anyone be mowing their lawn this late?" Liam asked, a perplexed expression on his face.

They were sitting in a lounging close to the master bedroom of Cross' home, playing a game of cards. Kitty, Rowena's cat, sat on Selig's lap.

Selig swallowed a chuckle. "Cross is donating blood."

Abby turned her head, making a gagging sound. Matt shook his head. "Really? As if you didn't know he loves it. I hear him ask Rowena several times a day if she needs any blood."

"TMI!" Abby closed her eyes after glancing at Selig. "Our brother is a freak."

"True." Selig nodded, setting down his cards. He stroked Kitty's back, and she purred, leaning into his touch. "A lucky freak. Rowena is amazing. She owns Kitty, investigates murders, and she's half-vampire, which is weird, but whatever."

"My best friend has a sixth toe on his right foot," Matt said.

Abby frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Matt shrugged. "I thought we were talking about weird character traits."

"That's a physical trait, not a character trait," Selig corrected.

"Okay, Mr. Lawyer." Matt rolled his eyes before putting down a card. "My friend likes eating garlic cloves and onion juice. That's a weird character trait."

"Why do you keep telling us about your friend?" Abby asked. "I know everyone in the pack, and he doesn't sound familiar."

She set her cards down and leaned back in her seat. The sounds from Cross' bedroom had stopped.

"It's probably an imaginary friend," Liam muttered.

"Do you think Rowena could end up with a pup at this rate?" Selig asked, glancing at Cross' door. They're like rabbits."

Matt frowned. "Rabbits aren't like pups."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Did someone hit you with a stupid stick today? He's saying Cross and Rowena fornication so much, she's probably going to end up pregnant."

Selig's eyes widened. "Do you think..."

"We all think, but what are you thinking, Selig?" Liam asked.

"Rowena is a vampire. If she gets pregnant, wouldn't it be a vampire?" Matt asked. "Wait. Can vampires even get pregnant? They're technically already not living."

"We'll have to double-check with Banks, but you're forgetting Rowena is also a hexing witch," Selig reminded them.

Matt shrugged, laying down his deck of cards. "So?"

"The magic running inside her isn't strictly vampire," Liam said. His eyes widened as well.

"Could you please let the rest of the class know the answer," Abby demanded, pointing a finger between her and Matt.

Matt huffed, "This isn't a classroom, Abby."

Abby shook her head, glowering at Matt. "Seriously?"

Liam chuckled. Selig grinned.

"Magic is very much like the law," Selig said.

"How so?" Matt asked.

Selig stroked Kitty. "There are a lot of loopholes."

"Cross and Rowena are always together ever since he became jealous of her book boyfriends," Abby said softly. "It became worse when we almost lost her."

Selig nodded.

"Can we get back to the loopholes?" Matt asked.

"Rowena's magic from being a vampire is not alive, but the magic that comes with being a witch does carry life."

"So, what does that mean?" Liam asked.

"It means Rowena can get pregnant," Abby answered. She looked to her brother, who wore a secretive smile. "She still wouldn't be a wolf. She still can't officially become the alpha's mate."

"When has the mother of the alpha's child never been his Luna?" Selig asked.

"But to get pregnant, they have to already be mated," Abby argued. "And there's no guarantee her baby wouldn't be a regular human or a vampire."

"Rowena's existence defies rules and logic. Only she and Poppy exist as hexing witches who are vampires, and that's because Banks is the vampire king. He turned them. Who's to say she can't become pregnant without being mated?"

"She isn't going to be happy about this if Cross is plotting behind her back," Liam said. "She made it very clear all decisions regarding her life should be run through her."

Selig smirked. "These situations aren't always planned. Besides, what makes you think she's not aware of what Cross is thinking?"

"If she gets pregnant, it would have to be a pup because of her witch's magic. If it has life, anything she gives birth to has to have life," Liam said softly. He looked up at Selig. "There's a chance it could be a witch or warlock, but wolf magic is stronger, especially since she's with an alpha. Selig, are you implying our alpha is--"

Matt leaned forward. "Is what? What is Cross trying to do?"

"Finding a loophole to make Rowena his official mate," Selig answered.

Matt scratched behind his ear and tilted his head to one side. "That's great, but how could he pull that off?"

Abby grinned. "By knocking up Rowena."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Readers, please don't worry. I wouldn't have Cross betray Rowena that way. I'll address it in the next chapter as far as what's really going on.

Also, Wattpad keeps messing with the pictures in my chapters. I'm not at home, so I can fix them. They keep disappearing on me.