“Don’t worry about him. I take it his dream mate doesn’t like him.”
“How long has he been dreaming?”
“They just started two days ago, but as for you it’s a good sign that she’s into you because that means she’ll make it a little easier for you to win her heart,” he said before taking a drink from his coffee. I didn’t need coffee, I needed something stronger. “But do note that she’s like all female mates, if not worse. She won’t be as submissive as our shifter mates. It’s that whole free will attitude. I would recommend fucking her into submission when she gets out of line.”
I actually laughed, but my dick was starting ache as I thought about breeding her. The sooner she was bred, the safer she would be.
“Do you happen to know how long their pregnancy lasts?” I wanted to know how long I would need to be crazy protective. Kane should have stayed, but I knew he shifted and went on a run. That would be crazy if there were two Alphas with human mates.
“Let me see. There’s a book here somewhere,” he said absentmindedly as he started looking for it. He went back to the shelf I’d been looking at.
“Ah, yes, here it is.” He pulled out this massive book that looked very old and partially burnt. It must have been around during the fire, so it was really old.
“Your ancestor was the last one to record any information about the human female. Let’s see what she had to say regarding pregnancy and pups,” Creed remarked as he opened the book and searched for the passage on the mating:
June 21st, 1665
Callum is so worried about the birth of our babe. I know he’s afraid that someone will come after me, and he’ll lose me forever. I won’t let that happen. I love him too much. I don’t know if he knows it, but I loved from the start. They may believe that I have a choice in the matter, but I know I don’t. Even though he irritated me the first time we met, all I could think about was how I wanted to see him again. He is why I exist.
August 10th, 1665
I’m growing fast and today was the first day that I felt them move. I can sense there is more than one child, or pup as I have to get used to referring our babes as. I wonder if my time will last as long as normal humans or as short as the shifters’ three months. I have a feeling that it is longer because I do not believe they are ready to be born soon.
October 14th, 1665
No, my birthing hasn’t occurred yet; however, I am starting to feel very different. Callum is worried about the threat to me and our unborn pups. He senses danger, but I think he’s being absurd. No one has been cruel to me, in fact, they have been wonderful. Even his Beta, who looked at me peculiarly, has been extremely courteous.
January 28, 1666
Still heavy with the pups. I think the birth will be coming soon, I feel more pain than I did the day before. I have not spoken to Callum about it because he already seems upset about something. Tension amongst the pack has grown to new levels. Frederick Lake, his Beta is getting a little more defiant toward Callum. It scares me that he could be harmed should Frederick betray him. My dear mate tells me that it will be well, however I fear that will not be the case.
February 3, 1666
Our life changed so quickly on the 31st of January. We have our two pups, Callum and George, but the pack has changed in more ways than that. Frederick challenged Callum. They both nearly died before Frederick reached me and the newborn pups. Something happened when he approached; for the first time I shifted. It slowed his attack, but it was then that Callum was able to strike the fatal bite.
Those that had been loyal to Lake were forced out of the pack. We now hold their properties as our own. It was unpleasant to take their lands, but it was a part of their pack regulations. Even though Lake is gone I fear this trouble is only just the beginning.
“So it seems it takes as long as it does for a human female,” I said. Then I thought about it, Rocky’s last name is Lake. “Wait, is my Beta related to the original Lakes?”
Creed took a long drink before nodded his head. “Yes, he is. Your grandfather allowed them to return to the pack. Something I never agreed with because the Grey family still held all the Lake’s possessions as their own, and I feared the resentment. They became the Betas again when your father was born.” We sat there as I thought about the tension I had with Rocky since I’d become the Alpha. Could he still harbor hatred from the past?
He looked at me with all sincerity and stated bluntly, “Just be careful with him. I don’t know what his mentality is to the past or if he’s even aware of it.”
“I will,” I said solemnly.