I will be uploading the covers with every chapter to show everyone the wonderful covers that were made for Changed Fate.
Thank you Becky190 for this picture!
---
The day of the triplet's first birthday party felt like a mad rush to begin.
I woke up late because someone turned off my alarm. I didn't hear the babies wake up because my baby radio was also turned off.
This was their first birthday, it was special and I was late!
It was almost ten when I got out of the shower. That meant that the triplets had already been fed. I had been planning on making them something special, but someone stopped me.
I knew that by the time I got to Finn's, I wouldn't have had time to make myself look sane. By the time I was dressed and presentable for the day, it was almost eleven!
People were supposed to be getting to Finn's house at one. Mikko's house wasn't big enough to have a party. Finn's house was built to house a pack.
The babies were in the living room, dressed and happily playing with their toys, while my dad watched over them from the couch. I hadn't seen him in months, so it was heartwarming to see him admiring his grandchildren.
The triplets had no idea that it was their birthday, they were way too young. But it was special to me. I picked each one of the up and smothered them in kisses.
I had Ben in my arms when Mikko came into the room. "Let's load them up and get them to Finn's."
I carried Ben out while Mikko carried Cass and my dad carried Angie.
"Where's Nikki?" I asked looking around. It was odd not to see her around.
"She left with Mike to Finn's this morning. She wanted to get most of the decorating done before you could get there," Mikko said as he buckled in Cass.
I stuck out my bottom lip in a small pout. I wanted to be part of the decorating. Nikki seemed to be beating me to everything this year.
"She didn't want you stressing out," dad explained, probably spotting my pouting.
"Yeah, she likes to do that," I muttered as I double checked Ben's restraints.
Once the kids were buckled in, we went to Finn's house.
Nikki had done a lot of work while I had been asleep. There was a pathway of balloons that led to the entrance of the house. I didn't know that she bought helium.
The front door had a ribbon around it with the names of the triplets in the middle of all of it.
The front entry had the Disney decor all around. It wasn't overly cluttered, but the theme was super obvious.
I pointed to Ben's favorite character, Donald Duck, getting a gasp of amazement in return. I couldn't help but smile at my son as he took in the wonders of the balloons and ribbons. Grandpa's house never looked like this.
In the living room, the pile of presents was already started and growing as more people arrive. Being that werewolves were going to be the majority at this party, there were snacks all around.
"Wow, Nikki," I said knowing she wasn't far. "You've been super busy."
"You like it?" she hollered from down the hall. "I think I have gone balloon crazy."
I handed Ben to Mikko, who managed to take all three kids outside to play.
I went to where I had heard Nikki and couldn't help but gasp. The ceiling of the dining room was covered in balloons. It was an impressive feat since the dining room was built to hold twenty werewolves, comfortably.
"Oh my goodness, Nikki! Has Finn seen this?" There wasn't one patch of ceiling visible anymore.
"He did." She nodded enthusiastically. "He shook his head and left, but he saw it."
I laughed. "Birthday cake pictures will be awesome in here!"
"I know!" She tied off another balloon and let it float to the ceiling.
"Hello?!" A familiar voice called from the front of the house. "Where is everyone?"
Nikki and I exchanged a look before we walked to the living room to see Mikko's only human sister Margaret and her werewolf husband (and my ex-boyfriend) Eddy coming in. The last time I saw Eddy, hadn't been a very good experience.
Margaret squealed when she saw me, causing me to wince at the high pitch. She rushed over and had her hands on my belly immediately.
"I didn't know if I should've taken Philip seriously or not! You're having another baby!" She was practically jumping out of her skin.
"I am," I confirmed. Nikki stood beside me, not trusting Eddy anymore. She had told me that they had gotten into a huge disagreement and haven't been the same ever since.
"Do you know what it is yet?" Her joy at the news was refreshing.
I shook my head. "Since this is the last one, I'm going to let it be a surprise."
She nodded. "Good idea." She leaned down and kissed my belly, making me uncomfortable in the process. "I'm going to go see the triplets," she said to Eddy.
Then Margaret was bouncing out the door to see her nieces and nephew with Eddy trailing behind her. I couldn't really keep them from my kids. She was their aunt, and Eddy was their uncle by marriage. How messed up was that?
Nikki and I shared an exasperated look before getting back to business.
We finished what little decorating was left and joined everyone outside. Most of Mikko's pack showed up before one. Those who came from my dad's pack showed up around one thirty, but no one had heard anything about JJ's pack by two. I knew it was a show of disrespect towards Mikko, even if he said it didn't matter.
The packs were in negotiations. They should've been here as a show of their respect. They knew what they were doing, but that wasn't my problem.
The kids were chasing around the few older children of the pack members. Most of them had been adopted because most werewolves had a very hard time conceiving children. I was just thankful that this gave my kids an opportunity to grow up with other kids.
Nikki and I led games while Mikko, Finn, and Philip each took a birthday boy or girl, helping them participate.
The older kids were running around while the younger kids dirtied themselves in the sand box when JJ's pack finally showed up. I could tell by the look on his face that it had been intentional. I followed JJ's eyes to see his gloating smile directed towards Mikko. The pack was trying to create tension. The fact that they were using my children's birthday to do it pissed me off.
I crossed my arms over my chest and sent a glare in his direction. I didn't care about pack politics. I cared that my children were being used as a tool to create tension.
JJ's eyes glanced to meet mine before his smile dropped completely. His gloating face was now a grim expression of guilt.
Instead of following his alpha towards Finn, he changed course and came towards me.
"Sorry we're late," he said sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders with his hands in his pockets. "It was just orders."
I scoffed. "Do you think I'm an idiot, Beta?"
I saw a spark of annoyance run through him before he put on a face of regret. "Look, it's nothing personal towards you or your kids-"
"No," I interrupted, "it's towards Mikko's kids."
He was better at hiding his annoyance that time. "It's nothing towards the kids."
I shook my head, trying to ease some of the anger I felt. I had known JJ since I was a little girl. I'd never imagined that he would pull this kind of crap with me.
I pointed a threatening finger at him. "If you decide to use my children, in any way, as a ploy against this pack, I'll make you regret it."
His face broke out into a cocky smile. "Oh yes, sweetheart?" He stepped closer to me, close enough that I could feel him brush against my swollen belly. He stood to his full height, and, arrogantly, puffed out his chest. "And how do you plan on hurting a werewolf?"
It wasn't hugely threatening, but it had been meant as intimidating. I narrowed my eyes on him a second, wishing I had super strength to knock him into tomorrow, before he flew away from me.
For a fraction of a second I could've thought I had developed supernatural abilities, but I didn't. Mikko was beside and just in front of me.
"Did he touch you?" he asked without looking back at me, his voice was rough and gravelly. He kept his eyes on his target.
I shrugged. "Not really." I was momentarily startled when I felt Mikko's hand cover my belly. The baby kicked right at his hand, like it knew he was checking on it.
I knew that everyone was watching. The triplets were behind me, playing with Nikki in their sandbox. I felt reassured by their happy noises.
Mikko gave a small sigh of relief before removing his hand stalking towards JJ.
You don't threaten women or children in Finn's werewolf community. Threatening me and, therefore, Mikko's child was an act worthy of punishment.
My dad was next to me when Mikko helped JJ to his feet. He wouldn't act violently towards JJ as long as the triplets were able to see him, but the babies didn't have werewolf sharp hearing.
Mikko roughly patted off JJ's shoulders. "If you ever threaten my family again, I will drag you out and beat you until I'm content," Mikko's wolf-influenced voice was enough to scare most wolves into submission. Mikko could have kept his voice low enough for only JJ to hear, but he wanted JJ's whole pack to know.
"Em," Nikki called, instantly gaining my attention. Ben's cry was the next thing to be heard, breaking the tension among the group.
Angie was standing over her brother with a guilt ridden face, knowing she'd been caught misbehaving. Ben was on his belly, crying with his mouth full of sand.
Nikki and I exchanged a smile before I walked over and picked up Ben.
I grabbed the water bottle Finn handed me and started rinsing out Ben's mouth. Any one of the pack could've helped me out, but because it was Finn, showed JJ's pack that Mikko's threat was real.
If any of them were thinking about attacking the triplets or my pregnant self, then they would be facing down the strongest wolves on the continent and maybe the world.
"Angie," I said gently, making her look up at me. "You don't push your brother into the sand." Her pout was absolutely adorable, but I didn't let her know that. "You say sorry to your brother."
Very reluctantly, she did.
The next hours were a blur of feeding the kids, doing cake and ice cream for everyone, and opening the mountain of presents from the pack.
I took the kids in to clean them up after all the excitement and pack members started going home.
Nikki and I brought the kids into Mikko's room while everyone else cleaned up the mess from the party. He had a bath that could fit all three of them comfortably. Once bathed, changed, and teeth brushed, they were out like lights.
I expected them to get really cranky since they hadn't taken naps, but they were really well behaved. They made me look like super mom.
I propped up pillows around the edges of the bed so they couldn't fall off while asleep. The bed was tall enough that it had me worried.
A light tapping at the door had Nikki walking over while I tucked in the triplets. If we didn't go home, they'd be transferred over to their room.
Nikki cracked open the door and frowned. I could hear the voice of a male, but couldn't understand what was being said. I watched her for any signs that told me I needed to grab the gun that was hidden under a false bottom of the bedside table.
She looked at me and waved me over. I pointed to the table in a silent question. When she shook her head, I walked over to her unarmed.
She opened the door for me. JJ's alpha stood at the door. I gave Nikki a quick glance. She wouldn't have set me up against an alpha. Even if she hated Mikko, she'd pull at the pack bonds in warning for him. Nikki didn't come from a pack with a mind link so she couldn't warn him with her words.
"Can I help you with something, Alpha Russo?" I asked as neutrally as I could. I didn't want to show fear, but I didn't know this wolf and he had caused tension on my children's birthday.
"I came to apologize to you for our tardiness this afternoon," he said smoothly. He was very charismatic. I was positive that he got what he wanted with a little talking.
Too bad for him, Mikko also had that charm. I had already become unaffected by sweet words.
"It is not me who you should be apologizing to. You are not pack and you are not family," I firmly stated in a voice loud enough to get my point across and low enough not to bother my kids.
His brows rose in surprise. He didn't get talked to by humans often and hadn't realized that I wasn't bound by anyone to keep my temper in check. And if he thought it was, my attitude could be played off as hormones.
"I will be pack soon enough." He tried being charming again.
"Then you should have respected the invitation Mikko gave you. You will be under him."
"Is that what you think, princess?" He asked in a condescending tone that I didn't appreciate. "I won't be ruled by anyone. I will simply offer my packs allegiance."
I honestly felt a little bad for this alpha. He wasn't on his territory anymore and he was facing down Finn Madill. He was out of his league.
Mikko was silent as he walked up. He stayed mostly out of my sight as he came closer to the alpha.
He stood up to his full height and breathed down the alpha's neck, startling the wolf. Mikko's eyes were golden and furious.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing up here?" Mikko's angry voice felt like a heat wave. It struck fear in the alpha and affected me very differently.
I had thought time and space apart would get me over Mikko's influence, but it didn't. Desire pooled in me. It was a reaction that I hadn't anticipated and couldn't control until it was too late.
Mikko's eyes locked on mine, and I could've sworn I saw some kind of tender emotion there.
"I was offering my apologies to your woman," the alpha said simply. There wasn't a trace of fear in his voice.
Mikko's eyes left mine and focused angrily on the alpha.
"You were told to stay away from the families. Until you submit to Finn's terms, you have neither need nor right to speak to them."
Just seeing the side of his face, I could see the alpha smirk. Mikko didn't like it.
"Leave," Mikko ordered. Nikki stepped back into the room while the alpha continued to stare at Mikko.
I should've brought my gun, I thought to myself.
The alpha looked up and down at Mikko, sizing him up.
"If you think because you're here that you're stronger than me, you're--"
"I could defeat you," Mikko interrupted, "on your territory, with your pack backing you."
I took a step towards the door and instantly stopped when Mikko glanced at me.
"Don't move," his voice came through my head. Mikko kept his attention on the alpha.
The bond had been dormant for so long that I forgot it had been there. Finn had blocked it off before the triplets were born. The tingling that came from Mikko accessing it was ticklish and borderline painful.
I shot one hand over the bond and the other over my mouth. It would've been inappropriate for me to shout out in surprise.
The alpha stepped up to Mikko, bringing his face close to Mikko's. "We'll see about that."
The alpha shouldered past Mikko, who ignored it. Once the alpha was gone, Mikko turned his attention to me.
"Why did you come out into the hallway with a wolf you don't know?"
I shrugged. "Nikki waved me over."
Mikko rolled his eyes as Nikki opened the door.
"He ordered me to," she explained, "he bombarded me with an order and kept his voice low enough so Em couldn't hear him."
Mikko closed his eyes tightly before rubbing them once and looking at her again. "Mike is down the hall waiting for you."
Nikki took her exit and left me alone with him. We really hadn't been alone in the same room since the baby I was carrying was conceived.
"Go inside. The kids will be sleeping between us."
Confused, I stared up at him. "Since when do the two of us sleep in the same room?"
"Since I don't trust them to stay away from you," he said tiredly. "I don't want to argue or fight with you. I want to make sure you and the kids aren't alone or threatened."
I sighed and gave in, reluctantly. Mikko's bed was huge, so it wasn't uncomfortable.
I had to talk to JJ and get him to cooperate. I didn't want Mikko to have to help his father kill off that pack's leaders. It was a risk I didn't want.