Page 1 of Beneath His Alpha's Wings
Chapter One
Lucas
Dinner was a bit of a strange affair. I was used to it being just me and Knash. The newest addition to our household, if you could call it that, hadn't felt well last night so this was the first time I really got a good look at him. We ate mostly in silence and I knew that he was studying me, even as I side-eyed him. He was roughly average size, a little lean and wiry. Not at all what I would expect a bear to look like. Certainly not huge and imposing like Knash. Of course, I wasn't all that large for a bear either.
I supposed it was because we were, what was the word, omegas; humans who were turned into shifters. Knash claimed that he was born one, which made him an alpha and gave him several perks that omegas didn't have.
Aside from one night every month, the full moon of course, omegas were pretty much like ordinary humans. Other than… As if sensing my thoughts, the baby kicked and I rested a hand almost subconsciously against my stomach. Teddy noticed.
“Are you really pregnant?”
“Yes.” As opposed to the idea as I was at first, it wasn't as if I hadn't always wanted children. Frankly, I was starting to enjoy the pregnancy. I realized that it was the first time anyone had actually asked me if I was pregnant and I couldn't resist repeating, “Yes, I am pregnant.” I set my other hand on my stomach and was rewarded with another kick.
“When are you due?” Teddy asked.
“I'm not sure,” I admitted. I cast a look in Knash's direction. “A month?” He nodded. “We can't exactly go to the doctor.”
“We can't?” asked Teddy in alarm.
I shook my head quickly and noticed Knash's small smile of approval.
“It's too dangerous,” Knash said gruffly. “You’re shifters now. We can't let any human doctors look at us.”
“That's true, I suppose.” Teddy’s eyes narrowed in thought. “I guess I have a lot to learn.”
“Me too,” I said, hoping it made him feel better. “I've only been a shifter for a couple of months, after all.”
Knash stood and cleared his throat. “I'm going to go out and patrol the perimeter. I trust you'll both stay here?”
I nodded, used to the routine, but Teddy frowned.
“Why are you patrolling the perimeter?”
“For wardens,” Knash spat. “Stay here.”
Knash went out the door and slammed it, locking it behind him with an audible click.
“Are we locked in here?” demanded Teddy.
“For our own safety.” I didn't add that I wasn't terribly thrilled with the idea either, although I had gotten used to it.
“Who or what is a warden?”
“They’re another pack of shifters,” I said. “Like a rival pack, I guess.” I wasn't sure if Knash would want me to share the information or not, but I supposed he told me and I was sure he'd tell Teddy soon enough. “They killed Knash's whole family,” I said softly. “His mates and…” I pressed my hands against my stomach, quite a bit more alarmed by the thought of it than I had been two months ago. “And the cubs.”
“That's horrible!” Teddy gasped. “Why?!”
I shook my head. “They’re just a bad pack. Sort of what life is like for shifters. Territory, and rival packs, and stuff.”
We were both quiet for a moment. Teddy put his hands on his own stomach. “Do you think I’m really pregnant too?”
“I don't know. Probably. You spent the full moon the other night with Knash, your bears probably mated. Ours did during my first full moon with him.”
“You haven't had…” Teddy hesitated and then blurte, “You don't have sex with Knash as a human right? I mean…” He cleared his throat.
“No, it was only as bears. He's never even suggested it.”
Teddy nodded slowly. We had no memory of the full moons in our animal forms, so I couldn't remember the events that led to my pregnancy. In fact, I hadn't even believed I was pregnant until the physical evidence was too strong to ignore.
