Cora's POV:
"Do you feel... Right... There?" I moved his hand over the lowest part of my stomach. I felt Gavin kick and knew if Danny were awake he'd feel him, too.
"He's showing off for his papa..." I chuckled, feeling the kicking again. "There's Payton..." I said as there was another kick. "They're getting crowded in there. They're five months now..." I sat beside him and held his hand in mine. "The doctors said they're doing okay, but I need to go to checkups more regularly, keep an eye on them... Your doctors are worried, they want to bring you to a hospital, they just know we can't. You're healing, though, and we have faith in you..." I put his hand on my stomach again and I'm pretty sure it was Morgan who tried to kick his hand, but she missed a bit, barely getting his fingers with her foot... And I swear I felt his pinky twitch. It was barely anything, but I thought I felt it, and that was enough. "I know you can hear me Danny... Just please wake up... I don't think I can do this without you..." I said quietly. "Cheyenne will be here in two months, twice that time and I'll be holding the babies. You need to be there, Danny- please. I know there were times there, where I was down and out- but being on the other side is tearing me apart. I need you Danny... You're my mate..." I rubbed my fingers across his face and brushed his hair back, then touched the scruff on his chin. "You're our Alpha..."
There was a knock on the door and I looked up towards it. I wipe my eyes again, and held Danny's hand, knowing it was almost time to scout I wanted to be near him for as long as possible.
"Come in..." I said, sensing it was Dylan from his worry. I looked from the door back to Danny.
"We're heading out soon Luna." Dylan said as he entered the room, not walking any further past the threshold than he needed to close the door. He stood in attention, his arms at his sides, he was both being obedient and showing his hurt. He doesn't let people know when he comes in to see Danny. When he has to come in with someone else he doesn't really look at him. We're all coping in our own way, though.
"I'll be out there to lead soon." I said with a nod.
"I'll tell the others Ma'am."
"We have a long night ahead of us. Tell Owen to go over everyone's orders. We should all be expecting to take lives of the rogues tonight... Lead everyone in a prayer, okay Dyl?"
"Yes Ma'am." He nodded quickly. He has been the hardest to keep close to the ancestors and the guiding of the gods, but that's why I have him lead the prayers. We need to remember being wolf is part of who we are. During times of peace we tend to forget that- we act more human- but we need to remember it now more than ever. Taking another wolves life should be hard, a rogue should be pitied for its struggle that led it to stray from the elders into corruption, into a life of murder and pillaging. When we have to kill them we have to show no mercy, yet pity them. It's hard and it's confusing, especially when someone we love is hurt, because of them.
"You're leading us all well." Dylan said. I looked up at him, and when I smiled at him he looked down at Danny. "He'd be proud..."
"Thank you-"
"We'll need him to defeat them. You're doing a wonderful job Luna, but we'll need him to defeat them. There are so many of them, they are ruthless, and they don't abide by the boundaries we've all set to stay under the human's radar. They shot my brother in cold blood. They didn't care about his sacrifice, they didn't hesitate, and they won't quit until they've taken over this pack. They got close enough to lure Durst out, and he fell for it. We were disoriented before any of this happened, he was just getting us back together-"
"Dylan." I said his name sternly and he pursed his lips together. "This is just as much my pack as it is his. I know he's your brother- I know he could rally us better than anyone, but I am here now..." My hands shook, as I rubbed Danny's hand.
"We'll fight well tonight..."
"And I will lead you."
"If this doesn't get easier you need to take Danny and leave. Owen, Frea... Winny, the girls, they should all leave too..."
"We can't abandon our forest Dylan..."
He nodded with a sigh.
"I'll see you out there Luna."
"Thank you Dylan, you're dismissed." I said, looking at Danny still, and I waited to hear Dylan close the door behind him. "I'm starting to think he's right Danny... A council member is offering us his home up north for a while. We know these wolves have been coming from the south east, so it would be safe... If I don't go wolf... It would be the only way to stop them from tracking us... I just worry about the babies, being human full time won't be good for them, not when they've been growing so strongly with how much I run and hunt. I just don't know what to do Danny..."
*************************************************
"Hunt don't move." I scolded as I cleaned up the wound on his brow.
"Sorry Luna." He grit his teeth and closed his eyes as I used medical tape to close the cut shut. I went for the next step. "No- I'm good-"
"Hunt-" I pressed the disinfectant wipe on his brow and he glared at my hand. "This is for your own good. Besides, it was worth it- wasn't it?"
"Yes Ma'am!" He agreed, and Dylan cheered for him from his place on the sofa. We've all been crashing at the main house lately. Tonight was a victorious night, not just for Hunter, but for all of us. No one got hurt. The rogues were kept back. The only thing we were missing was our Alpha.
"You did well tonight Hunter. The Alpha would be proud."
"Thank you Luna." He says as he holds the cloth to his forehead.
"Food is almost ready." My dad says from the other side of the kitchen.
"Okay. Hey, Hunt, why don't you go get Lavender. She's been on our schedule for weeks now, she might as well eat with us." I say to him. He nods, and goes to walk up the stairs. Lavender is growing more each day, and she's showing major signs of scouting potential. I want her to feel special for her hard work.
"Need help?" Frea asks my dad as she comes into the kitchen, everyone else coming in towards the island to eat as well. My dad thanked her for the help, and I cleaned up the mess from cleaning Hunter's wound.
"It's almost someone's birthday..."
"Don't remind me-"
"Me either." I agreed as I nodded at Owen.
"We might be in full alert, but we still have to party-"
"No, no, no parties."I protest.
"I want pizza and movies."
"For once I agree Owen." I said as my dad handed me a plate of noodles and garlic bread.
"Can we have ice cream too?" Heather asked as she sat next to me.
"Sure. Just us, though. We'll let everyone know ahead of time." I said.
"I'm making you a party sized cake." Winny said as she sat on the counter beside Dylan, who had served himself a heaping plate.
"Did someone say cake?" Lavender asked as she rubbed her eyes and came into the kitchen with Hunter.
"For our birthday." I said as she took a seat.
"Oh, dang... Can I have some coffee then?"
"No way Jose." My dad said as he handed her food.
"But I'm trying to study all night... I have a French final and the test is timed..." Lavender complained.
"Have some after you eat, but only half a cup." I tell her. My dad gives me a look, but I ignore it.
"Thanks Luna." She says, and I take that as a victory. She's been ill tempered lately despite her signs of potential in academics and training. I know it's because Durst doesn't write to her anymore. He sends her things, but no words. Just money and things she collects. He completely influences her attitude despite their distance; she's a smart ass and a trouble maker a lot of the time- just like Durst, then the rest of the time she's like Danny. Except for when she's scolding someone like Frea. It's no wonder I spoil her- she's so many people I care about reflected in one person.
"We're gonna stay here tonight sis, Lavender's giving up her room."
"Okay, just don't wake up the girls with the studying Lavender."
"Can I stay in the living room?"
"Are you spending the night?" I looked down at Leon and Heather, and the others, and they shook their heads, Hunter making a slash under his chin, telling me not to ask.
"No MTV while you're in the living room."
"If you guys are drinking with Durst will you tell him I want to go to the movies this weekend-"
"Lavender." I scold her, and my dad laughs at my dismay and Lavender's wide eyed expression as she shrugs.
"Well I do-"
"I'll give you the money." Dylan says as he rolls his eyes. "Don't sass like that." He added as he tossed a breadstick end at her.
"Hey!" Lavender retaliated. "I don't want your money."
"You want his?" Dylan laughed. Lavender scoffed and rolled her eyes. Maybe I should have left her upstairs. I sigh and eat as I try to let her attitude go, it is late after all. It will be morning in a few hours.
"Well you're all going to go drink his money with him. Don't judge me." Lavender said to Dylan.
"Lavender. Apologize to your brother." I groan as I touch my stomach and rub it soothingly.
"Sorry brother." She says under her breath. "Just tell him okay?"
"I will." Hunter pipes up, and Lavender nods with a small 'thanks'.
We eat, and with all of us together the mood lightened up. As we cleaned up dinner Frea whipped up some cookies, and everyone sipped coffee as we waited for them; Frea, Lavender, and I sipping on half cups with extra milk and sugar. Despite all the negativity looming in our lives... Everything felt cozy. I missed Daniel more than anything, but I wasn't alone. I felt the fire in me glowing, from the pit of my soul, I felt strong and confused, powerful, a s independent, yet anchored by the ones around me. I wanted Daniel to wake up more than anything, but I needed to be okay with living in the moment, for the babies. I need to be strong, for them. We were waiting for him, that's all that mattered.
I helped Frea roll more cookies for a new batch.
"Say hello to some of your cousins Cheyenne." Frea said as she lined her stomach up with mine, as we rolled the dough out.
"Gosh, standing like this I feel huge." I admitted as I looked at her almost fully developed bump next to mine. Mine seemed a hair bigger, but maybe it was just my smaller frame. "I always thought you'd be the first to have a litter. I was always surprised we even finished High School before you guys had one, not with the way you acted when we changed-"
"Hey, we were all betting it'd be you when you came back for Dah-ha..." Owen skidded to a stop as he teased me.
"We all expected great things from Danny, and when you came back we were all expecting even bigger things. Still are." Frea said, understanding me in a way only a friend could. She knew I was more worried about him pretending Danny isn't here, than just speaking like he is.
"Well- when Alice and Heather decide to have kids we'll see who's laughing." I said as I stuck my tongue out at Owen, who mirrored it back at me.
"Ewe- can we stop the baby talk there?" Heather said, faking a gag.
"I agree!" I piped up, feeling queasy as we spoke about the ever growing time bomb of pain in my stomach.
"Come on Heather, we can still make one for this litter-"
"Ewe!" Hunter's face mimicked his sister's now as they pretended to get sick, only making me feel sicker.
"In your dreams Leon." Heather said as she wrestled away from him.
"I feel like I need to get back to studying while this stays PG." Lavender says as I plate her some cookies.
"Remember, no mtv." I say as she takes her cookies and coffee towards the living room.
"Alright!" She calls. "I mean yes Luna!" She chimes up.
"I'm going to get Chandler from the girls room." Winny says as she eats a second cookie. We nod and she leaves quickly.
"How's things with Greg-"
"They aren't-"
"You need to let him see her..." I said to Dylan as he began to be protective.
"I do not."
"I have an idea." I say. He looks angry and hesitant to listen. "I think if no one comes with him, and he only sees her in our families homes, and we all call him Greg instead of her father- which he isn't- than maybe he could see her? She'll live her life here with her family -and maybe we all grow some sympathy and let him see she has a real family here." I say. He doesn't speak... but he nods.
"I'll talk to Winny about it, Luna." He says after I study his face for a moment. I smile and nod.
"Come on Dyl, I want to sleep." Winny says as she returns. We wave as they leave.
"We should get going too." Leon says, and Hunter nods as he steals his sixth or seventh cookie.
"Bring these to Durst." I say quietly to Sam as he goes to leave and I hand him a plate of cookies, trying to be sensitive to Lavender.
"Don't forget Hunt! The money!" Lavender calls from the living room.
"Lavender you'll wake your sisters!" I scold, but Hunt and Owen are laughing, because my discreet behavior has proven to be pointless.
"I won't forget!" Hunt says before he leaves with the others. As the room empties, and it becomes just my brother, Frea, and my dad, I feel that bit of loneliness creep in. The feeling of life before him. Then I feel Morgan kick me in my ribs and I remember nothing is like that, my life will never be that empty again.