Dear Readers,
Time for the next chapter including the birth of a wolf pup. Enjoy.
KemMyst
****
Lyssa's belly stuck out in front of her and small movements could be seen on the surface from time to time. Emmett had been after her to work on her sparring but she kept putting it off. She finally ran out of excuses.
So, here she was, standing outside the circle, looking at Alex, inside the circle. Her hands were, as usual lately, over her belly. She felt their little one moving around in there. Some of the females had said it looked like it was a girl.
Her hips felt funny and she just didn't want to do it. What if he caught her there with his claws? What if she fell and hurt him? Her?
It didn't help her feel any better that Natalie and Wade were standing by.
Emmett was rubbing her back. "Sweetheart, you know Alex has the most control, is the best at teaching the pups. He won't hurt you."
Alex carefully watched the Beta pair. Accidents could happen, that was why the healers were present, but he could spar with her and make points, without hurting her. While it wasn't vital that she learn to fight in her current condition, it was a good idea. "Madam Beta, I will remain in human form, if it makes you more comfortable, but you should get some awareness of what your body is capable of in your condition. After all,.."
Lyssa huffed. "I know. I know. You never know when someone's going to come after you."
"Come."
Woodenly, Lyssa entered the circle. Alex looked at her, she was afraid. "Shift."
She breathed a couple of times and became the chestnut wolfwoman. "Good. You know you can hurt me. You know you can knock me down. I will make contact with you, my intention being only to show you where I have breached your defense. Understand?"
Lyssa closed her eyes, breathing a little deeply. "Attack me." He gestured to her with both hands.
"Can't we wait 'til he's asleep?"
[Then you won't want to wake him. Do it now, mate.]
Lyssa stuck her tongue out at Emmett then turned back to Alex who had moved to one side. Her eyes narrowed, he was trying to flank her. She moved in, watching him as he paced one way, and then the other. She tracked him with her eyes, saw him notice the children coming back from a run, and rushed him.
He smiled, stepped sideways, and pulled fingertips across her hip. She twisted, ducked, and tried to sweep his legs out from under him. He skipped away as she worked to get upright again. Her balance was off.
She shook herself and he grinned at her. She hated that grin. Smug. Superior.
Lyssa bared her teeth and circled a little, looking for an opening. Ariel called [Lyssa.] and Alex saw the change in attention. She ignored the call and noticed him coming. Ducking under his arms, she stumbled, recovered, and got upright again.
He made another direct assault and she sidestepped. But he grabbed her by the arm and swung her around, wrapping a hand around her throat. She went still but her chest heaved.
Alex released her suddenly and backed away. "You've been remiss in not keeping up with your training, Madam Beta."
Now that just pissed her off.
She growled at him and Natalie snickered. That pissed her off even more.
She narrowed her eyes and Emmett caught the look. [Don't hit him because you're pissed, mate. You need to work on your balance.]
She shot Emmettt an evil look and faintly heard the sound of an approaching body. Lyssa dropped and threw a leg out but was twisted around as Alex tripped over her. She'd had enough. She curled into a ball on the frozen ground.
Four concerned wolves surrounded her and she waved them away. Emmett crouched over her. "You're not hurt."
"No."
"We aren't done."
"I am."
"Lyssa, this isn't helping."
"I don't care." She turned one dark brown eye to him. "Besides, Ariel wanted something."
"I spoke to her. It'll wait."
None of her arguments were working. She sat up. "I'm tired. I can't take a deep breath."
She needed to work on this. She was a decent fighter, but she needed to be able to handle the change in her body. The chances were almost nil that someone would attack her but, wasn't it better to be prepared? He considered the best way to convince her. "I understand it's hard.."
"Yeah, sure, you're not pregnant."
He closed his eyes. Who knew that she'd be so difficult to deal with during her pregnancy? "It took practice when you first started sparring, to get better. You just need to work on it, again, to get comfortable, to figure out your balance."
Alex spoke up. "The Madam Alpha continued her sparring almost up until she birthed Joanna."
Lyssa exhaled forcefully. "Short sessions, mate, until you get better again."
She looked at Emmett. "OK." But she didn't sound particularly happy about it.
*****
It had taken repeated explanations and entreaties. Juliet and the mates were very reluctant to release Joanna during the last month of her confinement. Visits home were expected and encouraged but they felt slighted, as if their pack healers, they, weren't good enough to carry her through to the end of her pregnancy.
But Nathan explained his promise to her father and that Joanna would feel better being with her own mother near the end, in more familiar surroundings. They finally relented.
Nathan's commute would be longer as a result, but it wouldn't be for long. So, it was a Monday afternoon when the Mini arrived bearing the two Severn wolves.
Nathan got out from the driver's side and opened the passenger door to help his very pregnant mate out. It took three tries to pull her from the low seat of the car. Joanna was immediately swarmed with females of the Wyeth pack. Ariel, of course, was first to embrace her daughter, followed by Lyssa, difficult because of her own burgeoning belly, then Madeline.
As Nathan got the bags out of the car the swarm of females worked their way into the side garden. It was an unusually warm November day. There was the murmuring and laughter of a female-dominated gathering. A small pleased shout went up as Hannah brought out a couple of platters of treats. Simon followed with drinks. He dropped them off and fled.
Joanna and Lyssa were installed in cushioned Adirondack chairs while the others clustered around in a shifting mass.
Nathan was collected and shown to the room they would be staying in. He dropped the bags and Emmett and Erich took him out for a run.
By the time they got back the group had thinned out around the two pregnant females.
Emmett gave Joanna a brief, chaste kiss as Nathan asked after Lyssa's health. They then moved and embraced their respective mates.
Ariel put a hand on Nathan's shoulder. "Thank you, Nathan, for bringing my daughter back for this time. I'm sure Juliet is unhappy with you."
"Mom is certainly not happy with us but she understands Jo wants to be close to her mother. I have to call when the pup decides to come."
A doubled howl punctuated the air. Joanna smiled. "Anna?"
Ariel nodded. "Roland's keeping Sally occupied."
Jo laughed "Rolly's pup-sitting?"
Erich chuckled. "Volunteered."
Jo raised her eyebrows. There was more to this than met the eye. Roland was typically more self-involved than that.
Joanna settled back after a trip to the bathroom. "So, how are you doing, Lys?"
"She's a kicker."
"She? It's a female?"
"I've had at least half a dozen females tell me it looks like I'm carrying a girl."
Joanna made and noise and the bulges in her belly moved. "Oh, he's awake. Hey, any of that beef left?"
***
It was three days later that the shower was held.
Joanna had, of course, had a shower already at Severn. But these were her former packmates, the wolves she had grown up with. They wanted to celebrate with her.
She sat at the head table, flanked by Ariel and Lyssa, one end piled high with gifts. And they talked and they ate, and the circumference of her belly was measured.
Presents were opened after a potty break. Little outfits for males, teething toys, cleaning products, little blankets, a couple of stuffed toys.
After all of them had been opened and thanks given, Lyssa expected the females to start dispersing. But Emmett and Nathan appeared, carrying more wrapped packages.
They were placed in front of her.
Surprised, she saw Joanna turn to her, smiling, "Your turn."
Lyssa's presents were similar in kind but geared more toward a female. She also got a sling that she could carry the baby in.
Their mates joined them as the party began to die down.
A number of adolescent males wandered through and left crumbs in their wake. Both Lyssa and Joanna pouted. The beef scallion wraps had been tasty. [Hey, Lys, how do you feel about devilled eggs?]
Lyssa said, "MMmmm", and her stomach rumbled. Emmett kissed her. "Mm, sweetheart, I love you. How's the little one?" He ran his hand over her belly.
"Oh, um, good." She reached up to touch his face.
Nathan had rearranged Joanna, sliding under her and pulling her back against him. "Settled on a name?"
The young couple looked at each other and smiled. "Yeah," Nathan said.
It was 15 minutes later that a platter of two dozen devilled eggs appeared. Settled between the two pregnant females and their mates, it emptied pretty rapidly.
Joanna sighed. "Mmm. Just when he's taking a nap and I'm ready to, Natalie wants to check me again."
Ariel responded, "Sleep, Jo. Natalie will see you after."
Joanna eyes closed. She was warm, comfortable, supported by her mate.
Lyssa levered herself up. "Where are you going?"
"Got some things to work on for the council."
*****
She was bound, face to the wall, blindfolded. Her wrists were cuffed above her head. Her ankles were also cuffed; thighs kept wide and opened by a spreader bar. A black leather corset nipped in her waist and squashed her breasts up, slightly flattening them. Clear spike heels had her bent forward slightly, her behind pushed outward. The red seam up the back of her stockings made her legs look longer than they were. A black leather skirt fell to mid thigh.
