The Delta's Daughter Chapter 45

LAMIA

Since Jody’s stupid challenge last week I hadn’t seen or heard about her. I asked Zane if he had banished her or thrown her in the dungeons, but he hadn’t. It wasn’t like me to care, but for some reason I had a concern for her.

Maybe I felt a little sorry for her stupidity and how she was shamed, but this past week I had grown closer to Bret and Cyrus, who have shared childhood memories and a lot of them included her. Even Halley and Luna Juniper have said she wasn’t a bad person, just a little misguided and had truly fallen for Zane.

I had been busying myself with Hunji and Tawny, weapons training. Hunji had been training Tawny and, I have to say, I was impressed with her skills and how easily she took to the training. So much better than when I was sparing with her, weaponry was definitely her forte. I had even given Chris his sparing match. I beat him easily but his swordsmanship skills were good, almost as good as Travis’.

The great thing about having Hunji here with us, was he taught Beta Bret new techniques to train the warriors and even added another weapons class. Zane’s pack was getting stronger by the day. I couldn’t have been more proud of the pack I would become Luna of.

It had now been over a month since my birthday and I hadn’t shifted. Inanna was becoming quite the complacent wolf and, it reflected on me, my irritability was starting to creep up and I was having increased headaches, not something I ever suffered from before. I have also become more lethargic these past few weeks. I again put it down to being overwhelmed by current events. It somehow hadn’t bothered Zane and he was as energetic and stoic as always, albeit he wore a little smile more than usual. I like to think that had to do with me.

So far, I had kept it in check, but as I sat here in the kitchen with Luna Juniper and Halley I could feel the pressure and the strain start to rise as they asked me a million questions about my Luna ceremony that they wanted to hold in two weeks' time. I’m not sure if it’s the strain of events or the fact that I haven’t shifted in a while, but I could feel myself getting a little nauseated and dizzy.

“Lamia, is everything OK?” Luna Juniper asked me, breaking me of my inner battle and resistance to puke all over the table. Her sweet disposition and caring aura shine in her dark eyes. She smiled sweetly, laying a hand on my shoulder.

I had really connected with Luna Juniper during my short time here, and I feel like she felt she had gained another daughter. She had fussed over me since the day I had arrived here. And dear little Halley had taken to me like a fly to sugar, although I would have to say she was more taken with Tawny than I.

“You know we don’t have to do this today” quipped Halley.

“No guys, it’s OK…” I gave them a weak smile, running my hands through my hair and breathing out slowly “…It’s just; honestly… it’s not my thing. Ask me about battle strategies, or weapons and I can plan anything… but this stuff…” I say waving my hands at the open binders and fabric swatches “…this shit isn’t me.” I huffed.

Luna Juniper let out a giggle and leaned back in her chair. “Dear, I understand, I tell you what… why don’t we leave this until tomorrow, maybe Tawny can join us for a girl’s luncheon and we can all brain storm?” She said, giving a small but genuine smile. “Are you sure you are ok Lamia? You look a little… pale?” she asked again, running her hands through her dark hair.

I nodded my head. That sounded much better.

“I think tomorrow would be better. I want to give my mom a call and Kira. She is sooo much better at this stuff than either Tawny or I.” I stood up and gave them each a hug before making my way out the kitchen to call my mom and Kira and let them know about the Luna ceremony and date. And hopefully get them both here to help with the preparations, the sooner the better.

I scrunch my nose up and huff. How did I ever think I could be Kellen’s queen? I think of all the things Queen Sarah does and all the functions she organizes, that just so wasn’t me. I didn’t know how I ever thought I could be that, especially if I couldn’t even deal with a simple Luna ceremony, which was the equivalent to a human marriage. The same principals really, we just mark each other instead of trading rings and a piece of paper. I was born to fight, to rule, not to pick out colors and themes or menu choices.

I pulled my phone out and decided to give Kira a call first. I needed a little cheering up, not that I was sad, but I was definitely in some kind of funk and just couldn’t shake it.

I felt the bile rise up in my throat again. This time I couldn’t hold it down and rushed to the downstairs bathroom. I had just made it and hung my head over the toilet and spewed my guts out. I sat back against the wall for a second before flushing and going over to the sink to wash my hands and rinse my face. I never get sick. What the actual heck!

‘It’s because we are with pup.’ I suddenly heard Inanna in my head.

‘What?’ I questioned; in disbelief when Inanna’s words rang through my head. ‘Inanna, how is that possible? I am on birth control.’

‘Not the night he marked you or the full moon. We were not protected, that is why we have not had heat yet.’ She said proudly. ‘I couldn’t detect it until now, you must be a month along’ my wolf concluded.

Well shit.

It’s true, usually a she-wolf would have gone into heat within 3-4 weeks of mating and marking, but it had already been a month. My hands automatically lay on my stomach.

Shock. The only emotion running through me was shock, not sure what to make of this.

I’m pregnant, with Zane’s pup. Fuck.

Not that I don’t want this baby, it’s just the timing sucks. Like really sucks! Oh goddess, will Zane be happy? Will he want this?

I’m being stupid, of course he will want this. I will need to tell him, of course, before our wolves can.

‘Inanna, can we keep this a secret for now? I want to tell Zane in my own time.’ I asked her.

‘Yes, but you will need to do it soon.’ She replies and then retreats again.

Shit. No, I’m not going to tell him yet, I want to surprise him with something special. Tonight, I will tell him tonight. I ask Inanna if I can still shift and she tells me we are good for now.

Some she-wolves run the risk of losing their pup if they shift when pregnant, due to the strain it can put on their body and not recommended after 4-6 weeks of pregnancy. Not only this, but were-wolf pregnancies only last 6 months, so the pup grows at a much faster rate and neither the baby nor the mother’s body can acclimate correctly to the shift of bones and muscles.

*Doll where are you?* Zane’s sexy voice rang in my mind, cutting me off from my own worrying thoughts. I told him I was in the common room, *Come to my office, I have your prince prick on the phone, he wants to speak to both of us.*

I sighed, I hated that he called Kellen that. I knew why but I didn’t like it. I would make sure to tell him how much it irked me that he talked like that about my best friend.

When I got to his office and entered, I shut the door behind me. Keeping what I hoped was a neutral look on my face, I didn’t give anything away. Just a couple of hours until later, then I will break the news to him.

His office was styled modernly, with a glass desk and white leather chairs, a matching sofa sat at the far end of the room next to a door that led to a small bathroom. The walls were washed out grey and a bay window overlooked the front of the pack house. Instead of taking a seat on one of the chairs, I made my way around the desk where Zane had pushed his chair back and took my place on his lap, giving him a peck on his cheek.

Zane put the call on speaker phone and I could hear Kellen giving someone orders. I smiled, he was working into his Alpha roll quite nicely, although he had yet to take the position officially. “Hi Kel, how are you?” I asked.

“Babe! Goddess, I miss you Lam’s.” A low growl; sounding from Zane at Kellen’s words. I playfully slapped his arm which granted me his signature stern and icy glare. Goddess, this man oozed sex appeal, especially when he was trying to be intimidating and cold.

“So what’s up, Kel? Zane says you want to speak to both of us?”

“Yah, so I have an update, a few actually…”

For the next two hours, Kellen updated us on the missing pups and the two were-bear girls that were being transported this week to the royal pack. They would be staying in the pack house under observation of one of the elders until the queen could either find them a permanent home or return them to their clan.

The frequent rogue sightings, as well as the note this guy Silas had left for them. I have to admit, it shocked me to learn the King, my Uncle, had a half brother and we had never heard about him, but what really made my blood boil was that his piece of shit was after me and had managed to create a powerful rogue army that included not just rogue wolves but bears and were-cats too. I wanted this man’s head on a platter, just his name left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Throughout the conversation, Zane’s jaw ticked and I could hear his teeth grinding together. This obviously affected him and grated his nerves. His hands gripped me tighter as Kellen reiterated his father’s story. The possessiveness was rolling off him in waves along with his anger. I rubbed his arm gently in hopes of calming him, but it did little to ease the tension.

We ended the call on a good note. I told him Kira was coming and that my mom was also going to be visiting next week too. When we said our goodbyes, I slumped against Zane’s chest as I was still sitting sideways on his lap.

“Doll, we will be fine right now, this Silas guy doesn’t know you are here and the King has trackers out there looking for him and his rogue camps.” His pale eyes were soft as he tilted my chin towards him; looking into my eyes.

I melted and brought our lips together softly before placing my forehead against his.

“I know baby, I just feel so useless right now. It’s not like me, you know?” I puffed out my cheeks, letting go of a big sigh. I have seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

I was honestly tempted to go search for this bastard myself. I didn’t want to endanger anyone else, not the royal pack, nor Zane’s pack I wanted to get this over and done with and kill him. I didn’t want any of this, not to be queen, not be a dire wolf, not to be hunted. I was happy, truly. I had found my mate and fallen in love. I could be his Luna, carry his pups and live happily here. Power and title meant nothing to me; it was never something I wanted. Even with Kellen, I never strived or thought about being queen.

Yah OK, so I was groomed to be an Alpha, warrior, protector, whatever they thought I would be. Growing up all I ever wanted to be was the Delta, just like my father. Yet even that was taken away from me under false hopes that I would grow up to be mated to Kellen and eventually become queen.

My choices, it seems, are not mine to make. Goddess, why couldn’t I have been a normal wolf? Life would have been so much simpler. There would have been no freak strength, no giant wolf form, no academy, although I admit, I would not have traded in the academy training for anything. I hated drama and right now I seemed to be the centre of it and I could feel myself withdrawing and ready to crack.

My wolf was no better. Her agitation was still grinding into my head, almost clawing at my subconscious to let her out so she could end this wolf Silas.

But now, we were with pup and I couldn’t go all out on the attack, I t wasn’t just me I had to think about. I had to think about our pup. Instinctively, a hand rubbed my still flat belly. I pulled it away quickly when I realized, not wanting to give the surprise away just yet, and hoped Zane hadn’t noticed my actions.

“Zane, I need to shift, I need to let Inanna out.” I told him, knowing I may not be able to shift again for a while.

He nodded his head, giving me a quick peck on the lips; “we will go for a run tonight, you and me. I will have the patrol out but away from where we can run. Sound good?”

“Yes, yes, thank you!” I said, smiling and throwing my arms around his neck, placing sweet kisses all over his face.

“In the mean time…” he hinted by moving his hand under my shirt and across my stomach, eliciting those wonderful pleasure causing sparks “…I have another activity I would like pursue…” He kissed his mark causing a sultry moan to escape my lips as I tilted my head back to give him better access.

This man was insatiable, and I had no argument against his high sex drive. I craved his touch every moment and now it was no different as he started to slip my shirt over my head. And we became lost in each other.