To Grandma's House

Time for Lodge*

Ms. Emma and Xael finished placing food on the table as the men took their seats. Xael placed fresh pitchers of tea and lemonade out for everyone to help themselves. Ms. Emma took the spirit plate out as the men dug into the food. Shado saved his Mate a seat next to him. After the guys had everything they needed, the women sat down. Everyone was grateful for the wonderful food. Xael had set aside some raw steak and chicken for her pups as they ate along with everyone.

"Babe, aren't you going to fix yourself a plate?"

"No, I'm not really hungry for some reason." Shado could see the exhaustion in her smile. He couldn't wait to spend more time with her alone.

Sitting next to Shado, Xael could smell his scent. Being out in the heat of the fire had opened his pores and it was strong and unmistakable. All she could focus on was how good he smelled. She felt a flutter in the pit of her stomach but ignored it since it was probably from being so close to him. Eli and Chris sat next to her. Xael leaned over to whisper in Shado's ear.

"Can I have a small piece of your chicken?"

"Mn." Shado forked a piece of the meat off the bone for her. She sat next to him, resting her head on his shoulder, she nibbled away on it. Skylar noticed she wasn't really eating.

"Pupkins, where's your plate?"

"I'm not really hungry."

That's when Xael felt it. It was more than a flutter and this time it wasn't going away. She stopped, closed her eyes and sat up in her chair as she tried to control the heat brewing inside her but it was no use. Especially when the faint scent of roses entered her nose along with a massive cramp. She was going into heat and there was no stopping it. To make things worse, she was going into heat at a table practically full of unmated, male Alphas. She suddenly tossed the chicken she was nibbling on, back onto Shado's plate. He looked over at her confused but she had her head down and eyes closed. Xael's grip and the chair she had been holding, tightened, almost splintering the wood. Eli and Shado both looked at each other and back to her, wondering what was wrong. Xael's scent was too faint for anyone else to notice, but she knew it was only a matter of time and the rest of the Alphas would be affected by it.

"No..." Xael whispered to herself, hoping no one heard her as she still tried to control what was happening.

The color drained from Xael's face as Eli looked at her. There was a red tint to his eyes, even though he couldn't detect it yet, her scent was getting to him. Xael looked over to Shado, the look of terror in her eyes was unsettling, but not as troubling when the eyes looking at him were no longer grey but electric blue.

"Xael!"

"..."

Xael jumped up and ran to her room, the pups quickly scrambled to follow. Commanding them through their link, her boys took up positions to guard the door as she slammed it behind her. Rushing into the bathroom, she slammed that door as well. In her haste, she had knocked her chair over startling everyone. Shado jumped up to follow her.

As he neared the door, the pups barked at him, warning him to stay back. Ms. Emma, Eli and Chris were at the door soon after that.

"Xael honey what's wrong?" Ms. Emma yelling couldn't be heard as Xael had turned the exhaust fan on in the bathroom in hopes of containing her scent. Besides the fan, she was curled on the floor, another massive cramp taking over.

The pups were making everyone back up away from the door. Xael linked her boys to let her Grams enter. Gunner slinked towards their Grandmother and walked behind her, nudging her with his snout to the door. The older woman entered the room, closing the door behind her, she went to the bathroom door and knocked.