What Now?

Dear Readers,

Installment 2 of What Now? I'm approaching the conclusion of this story in my writing (as some of you may recall, I write longhand then transcribe) and hope to get more chapters out soon.

Enjoy,

KemMyst

********

Stephanie gritted her teeth. This was not her temperament. She was a warrior, not a manager. The paperwork, the decisions, the little squabbles. She hated petitions and, now, that's essentially all her life would be.

Contracts, signing checks, managing repairs, talks with Esmeralda about food supplies, a discussion of healing supplies and needs with Sharilyn. Security issues. Loans to be paid. Vehicles to take care of.

It was mind-numblingly tedious. All of it.

She wanted nothing more than to never see another piece of paper for as long as she lived.

Her head hurt and her stomach felt off.

She put her head down on the desk and groaned.

"Alpha?"

Stephanie didn't raise her head. "Leave me."

She closed her eyes and listened as footsteps receded and the door opened.

Her head jerked up at Sampson's voice. "Alpha? Are you OK?" The door snicked shut as he crossed the floor.

Damn, she had been dozing.

She inhaled, "Beta, and stood. And sat right back down again.

[Healer. To the Alpha suite, please.] He moved closer.

Stephanie's face was a study in consternation as she stood again. "Did you want something?"

"Alpha. You need to be ... cautious, during this time."

"I'm fine," she said, firmly, as there was a quick knock on the door and Sharilyn walked in.

"Mayhap, Alpha. What are you experiencing?"

"Nothing."

"When she went to stand up, she fell back in her seat."

Stephanie answered, "Low blood pressure, nothing unusual."

Sampson looked to their healer, who nodded. "The pack's going to notice something soon. You need to tell them you're pregnant."

"Alpha, don't you think your father would be thrilled?"

Stephanie gave Sharilyn a grim look.

Her father was old, frail, blind. And while he had been moved to tears to have seen her again, found out she was alive, he would be overjoyed to hear she was giving him a grandpup. He already had them, from her sister and brother but, after her kidnapping and the subsequent abuse, it was almost a miracle that she'd caught and would be moreso if she could actually bring this pup to term.

Which she hadn't actually decided she was going to do yet.

Now, they were both looking at her. They expected her to say something, do something, decide now.

She knew all the reasons. Calvin, her father, a clear line of succession for Alpha. Not that she had really wanted to be Alpha, either. But it was a bad time, between the humans and just becoming Alpha. But, she'd also never have another chance to have Calvin's pup and she had loved her mate. She should have told him so.

She couldn't remember if she ever had.

"Get out," she said, quietly.

They looked at her, shocked.

"I said, Out!"

Sampson sighed and left the room. Sharilyn, however, stood for a bit, looking at her Alpha. "Have you given any consideration to the name? Your pup should have a strong name." Sharilyn then excused herself, and left. Stephanie didn't catch Sharilyn's slight smile.

Sampson had not gone far and had heard their healer's question. "Nicely done."

"So, you think it's best she keep the pup?"

"Of course, I'm sure it's best for the pack."

Name? It was too early to think of a name. She had months before she needed to worry about a name. Then, of course it would depend if it were a male or female pup.

She stood for a second, idly thinking of the future, then started thinking of what the pup's coloration might be. Suddenly, she went shock still.

Damn. She was thinking of it as a pup now. Their healer had made it real to her.

[Healer!]

Sharilyn startled, and whispered. "She's mad."

Sampson saw the look on their healer's face. "I'm right behind you."

They returned to the Alpha suite to find the sudden storm that was the new Ross Alpha. Her voice was low, angry, almost menacing. "How dare you try to manipulate me."

Sharilyn was cowering, would have had her tail between her legs if four-footed. She whimpered. Sampson stepped between them and Stephanie snarled at him. He stood still and looked at the floor, so as not to precipitate an attack. He spoke calmly and quietly. "My Alpha, while I have a responsibility to you, while we have a responsibility to you, our larger responsibility is to the welfare of this pack. And, as much as you don't want to hear it, it is our duty to tell you things you don't want to hear. The pack can only benefit from the birth of this pup. It provides a clear line of succession, stability for the future." He stopped to let that sink in, watched her eyes harden. "I know this is a hard choice but it won't be your last."

She turned away from them, yelling, "I never wanted to be Alpha!"

Sharilyn took a couple steps back. "Don't you move." Sharilyn whimpered again.

"Alpha, you gain nothing by frightening our healer, or punishing her for reminding you of the right thing to do for this pack. For counseling you. For being here, helping you and Calvin's pup."

Stephanie ground out, "If it even lives."

Sharilyn started, "Alpha, there's..." Sampson stopped her with a shake of the head. This was a delicate time, a tipping point. And not her first.

"Alpha, please." He put back a hand and dragged Sharilyn sideways, out of the way. If their Alpha decided she was cornered, things could go badly. Sharilyn's heart was beating quickly, she was panting, and the stink of fear rose from her. He had to defuse this situation, and quickly.

Stephanie's eyes followed them and she maintained a low growl.

A quick knock on the door had their heads whipping in that direction, and Stephanie sank into a crouch. "Alpha?"

[Esmeralda, the Alpha is busy, she will see you later.]

[Of course, Beta.]

Sampson took a deep breath and blew it out. To say something or not? And, if so, what?

"Alpha, who are you angry with? Our healer? The council? Calvin?"

"Damn Calvin Ross." It came out rough, gravelly. "He.."

Sampson ran over her. "Why? For bringing the resolution? For courting you, mating you?" She began to look uncomfortable. "For dying?"

"Yes. For all of it. For leaving me with this mess. I never wanted this. Any of this. I was happy where I was."

"You were happy here. Cal didn't keep you here. You stayed. You agreed to mate him. He loved you. Did you love him?"

It was quiet, only the sound of their breathing filled the room.

Sampson raised his eyes to look at his Alpha, waiting. For an answer. For an attack.

He wasn't sure which.

The challenge in his eyes made her grind her teeth. She watched him brace himself.

The entire situation had her upset and on edge.

She swallowed, "Yes."

Sampson relaxed, visibly.

She dismissed them. "Thank you."

Stephanie sat heavily on the couch and dropped her head against the back. Blinking up at the ceiling, realization came to her at that moment. She was having a pup.

And it wouldn't be too long before everyone knew.

She would have to tell the pack. But when?

She'd really rather not do it at all.

*****

His mate walked in to dinner, looking tired and drawn.

[Beta, what's wrong?] Sampson grunted.

In the weeks since he had come to live in Ross pack, he realized he had barely scratched the surface with his mate. While Phil understood that he couldn't learn everything about Sampson quickly and Sampson couldn't tell him everything he knew but... Sampson was closed off. But, Phil had begun to decipher his moods. Something not really good had happened but he wasn't going to find out what it was.

[Can you tell me anything? Is it the Alpha?] The other wolves had been talking about her. She was upset, a bit erratic. Well, he'd go a bit crazy too if his mate died.

Sampson shook his head an put his chin in his hand, then scrubbed his face with his hands. Phil rubbed his hand across Sampson's shoulders, realized how tight his neck and shoulder muscles were. [Can we have some time, tonight?]

Sampson was eating, rather mechanically. He stopped in mid-chew and almost choked when a warm hand squeezed his thigh and slid upward a bit. [I can make you forget, for a while.]

Sampson closed his eyes, and swallowed. A flare of anger dissipated. He wasn't mad at Phil. His mate didn't have any idea what was wrong, what happened earlier in the day. Phil was only trying to help.

And it would do him good to feel good for a while.

He turned to his mate and smiled. Phil's face lit up and Sampson smiled more broadly. [Of course we can have some time.]

Stephanie stood, and looked around the dining hall. Members of the pack began to quiet, and look at her. She swallowed, looked around, and fled.

Whispering and speculation began and Sharilyn gave Sampson a significant look.

Sampson snitched the last bite of roast off of Phil's plate, grabbed his hand, and rose.

Some still scowled, but others smiled as the new mates took to the stairs.

At the landing, Phil crowded him into the corner and kissed him. Sampson went rigid, then melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Phil's waist. He knew Phil was more open than he, after all, he hadn't had to hide what he was for decades. But Sampson was horribly sensitive to perception and not everyone was pleased by their mating. Flaunting their ... affections ... would just annoy those wolves more.

But Phil was of the notion that the more they were seen together, the more the pack would get used to them. And, maybe he was right.

Phil swallowed Sampson's moan as he rubbed his hip against Sampson's crotch and felt him harden. [Upstairs, please?]

Phil chuckled and backed away. Taking Sampson's hand, he dragged his mate upstairs, kissing him again at their door, then pushing him inside. He put his hands on his hips. "Clothes." Sampson pulled off his shirt and moved to hang it in the closet. "Just drop 'em." Sampson slid his pants off and stepped out. "Boxers." Sampson looked at him and Phil licked his lips, staring at the bulge below his mate's waist. "Go on."

Carefully, Sampson drew the waistband over the head of his engorged length and dropped them to the floor. "On the bed." Sampson crawled into the center of the bed and lay back, fingers laced behind his head.

And, he looked up at Phil, blue eyes almost glowing with lust, surrounded by blond curls, full lips curled up. "Roll over, Beta."

Sampson looked a little confused but complied. In their relationship he was often bottom, but it had sounded like...

He felt the bed move, felt Phil's skin against his and turned his head for the kiss he expected. But Phil settled on his ass, rubbing his hands together. He then placed them on Sampson's shoulders and started to rub. "Let me know if anything hurts."

*******

Lyssa looked up as Emmett walked in the door. Emmanuel, sitting in her lap, also looked up and launched himself at his father.

Emmett got down on the floor to meet his son. Lyssa smiled as the two growled and wrestled on the floor. Emmanuel growled and snapped as Emmett held him down. Then, a twist, a roll, and Emmanuel was on top. And her pink little boy giggled as his father hoisted him up, then brought him down to rub noses. "How's Emmaline, son?"

"Scary."

Lyssa interjected, "Scared, Emmanuel?"

"Yuh."

"How 'bout you?"

"Hokay."

"Whadya do today?"

"Look rabbit. Got flutterby."

[My son, the great butterfly hunter.]

Lyssa snorted at Emmett's comment. [When did you get your first rabbit?]

Emmett looked over at his mate. "How was training today?"

"Not as good as I'd like. I don't know if they believe me, course, I don't know how the people who might come for us will act." Lyssa sighed. "What about you?"

"The usual. Check the cameras, run sweep, try and figure out who's best where."

"Everybody hates being kept from running around outside, especially since nothing's happened."

Now it was Emmett's turn to sigh. "They can still go out, they just need to be in pairs."

Emmanuel watched his parents talk, brown eyes bouncing back and forth between them. "Me n Emline?"

"Yes, son, like you and Emmaline. You, young man, just need to stay away from the roads."

"Hokay, Daddy."

"You have a lot of other places to run and explore. We don't want anything to happen to you. It would be easy for a big human to carry you away."

"Me bite."

Emmett bit his lip, trying not to laugh. Emmanuel had to know he was serious. Emmett sat up and looked his son in the eye, "I know you're a fierce cub, son, but they could still take you or hurt you. Mama and I love you. Stay away from the roads." Emmett's voice was firm.

"Hokay, Daddy." He sounded a bit annoyed.

"I'd like to go to the cottage tomorrow night," Lyssa said.

Emmanuel shifted and ran over to his mother, yipping. She looked at him, then Emmett. "I'll see if we can spare Alex and Gordon to guard."

"Do we really need guards?"

"Too close to the road, sweetheart, you know that." Lyssa rolled her eyes. Emmett swallowed his annoyance. She was helping the others with the perceived threat. She should know better herself. "If we pass six months without a problem, then we'll talk about relaxing the rules. You know all this as well as, better than, the rest."

Emmanuel wandered over to the door and grabbed the doorknob. "Emmanuel?"

"Ookie."

Hannah was making peanut butter cookies.

"Gonna stay with the other pups?" Emmanuel nodded, vigorously.

"Then come kiss your mother goodnight."

A small pup, with silver-tipped, chestnut fur pranced over, leapt into Lyssa's lap and licked her face. Having already pulled the door open, he disappeared out of it.

Lyssa watched the tip of his tail disappear and her mate walk over to close the door. Emmett leaned against it, hands behind his back, and looked her over. She looked a little tired, as most of them were, and a bit wistful, and, behind all that, worried.

He walked back towards her, slowly, and watched her dark brown eyes track upwards. They lingered a little at his crotch, and he watched her nostrils flare slightly, then up, slowing again at his chest. She closed her eyes for a second and then her eyes lit on his face. He watched he start to smile in response to his. "Movie?"

"Got one in mind?"

"Fast and Furious?" She gave him that look. "Desolation of Smaug?" She pondered that. "OK, but no popcorn." His eyes went wide in question. "It stank for three days, last time."

"Nachos?"

"Sure, jalapenos."

"Alright..."

Lyssa had the movie queued up when Emmett came back with the nachos.

They cuddled, and munched, and watched the movie. Somewhere about the time a dragon's head shifted under a pile of gold coins and gems, they fell asleep.

She rolled over and up against her mate to crunching sounds. His arm automatically went around her as she laid her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. As she began to wake, she yawned and stretched. And her fingers contacted something tacky.

She pulled her fingers to her nose and sniffed. Cheese.

Lyssa opened her eyes and focused on the orange splotch on his chest. A couple of grey hairs were stuck with the cheese. The screen on the television had, thankfully, gone blank. Now that she was more aware, she could feel the crushed chips under her body. Hm, maybe the popcorn would have been a better idea. They were going to have a heck of a time getting the bed cleaned. A shower was also necessary. They'd need to get cleaned up themselves. Hmm.

She nosed her way across his chest. Emmett groaned, swallowed, and his hand found her elbow, sleepily rubbing it. She worked her way over, until she was laying crossways across his chest. Just as her tongue extended from her mouth, she felt the rumble in his chest as he spoke, "What are you up to, my mate?"

Lyssa licked at the bright orange spot on his chest. "Cleaning."

Emmett raised his head and looked at her, then the spot on his chest. "Who thought nachos would be better than, ah?!"

Lyssa's hand had moved down his body to grasp his morning hardness. Another lick and the cheese smeared a bit more. "I think the sheets are toast."

"Toast, too? That's a lot of crumbs."

"Then we'll need crackers and cookies, too." And she moaned, as his fingers traced the wet lips between her thighs, stroked the bud of her pleasure.

"Maybe we should stop eating in bed."

Another lick, "Mmm, think so?"

He kissed the top of her head as his fingers delved further. Meantime she was stroking his length.

"Mmm. Let go, sweetheart." Lyssa's grip loosened and he crushed her to his chest, kissing her deeply. And he felt himself throb in the space between their bodies. He pulled her up further, to crunching noises, moist and succulent flesh poised over his mouth. [I smell something I would enjoy eating.]

Lyssa clutched the headboard, which had been fortified with a metal framework. [So, more eating in bed?]

The morning light made jewels of the feminine dew on her nether lips. Her fragrance thrilled him, made him harder. He inhaled. She fidgeted. "Em." She sighed at the single sweep of his tongue across her lips. And he savored his taste.

He heard her tighten her grip on the headboard, heard the need in the syllable she repeated. "Emmm."

And he began, feasting at her entrance. Licking, sucking, pressing his kisses. His hands held her in place, open and dripping. His tongue caressed her, drawing moans and writhing from his mate of five years.

As she shuddered he knew he had her at the pinnacle and he said, quietly, [Let go , mate.]

Glazed, dark brown eyes looked down at him. [Let go.]

Her hands relaxed and he quickly brought her backwards and slipped her onto his hardened member. He sucked in a breath as she shrieked and rippled around him, nails biting into his pecs.

Lyssa swallowed, shuddered, and sucked in air, opening heavily lidded eyes with a satisfied smile. She continued the smile as he firmly grabbed her hips. He lifted her, then brought her down again, and again. As sensitive as she now was, another orgasm had her bucking on him as he pushed his knot inside her. And, as her muscles clenched around him, he came with a roar.

After a short recovery period, he pulled her down on top of him and kissed her. She stroked his hair and cuddled up against him. They fell into a sated doze.

******

The day was warm and sunny. Wolves went out on their limited, allowed runs. Some ran sweep, others guarded, or took positions as spotters. Mates, with the females in heat, fucked. Others sparred, taught cubs, did chores. The day was typical. But for one thing.

It was during lunch that the Alpha of Ross stood. And waited. Before the dining hall fully quieted, before she lost her nerve, she blurted, "I'm having a pup."

The hall then went dead silent as wolves nudged each other and all eyes turned to her. Her family had not been of high status, in the Wyeth pack she had remained Omega, a warrior. This kind of attention and scrutiny unnerved her.

Just as suddenly, conversation started again. Ever mindful of politics, Phil stood, raised his glass and toasted, "The Alpha heir."

Others joined in, repeating, "Alpha heir!" Sampson saw that Sharilyn was being questioned. [Beta, is this true?]

[You doubt your Alpha?] The wolf who'd asked the question, Kent, started, as if struck. It had not been a wise question to ask.

Stephanie sat again, looking dazed. Sharilyn watched their Alpha for any sign of distress. There was no sign of pain on her Alpha's face so she relaxed a bit.

A first pregnancy was always an unknown, you never knew if a female could carry a pup to term, if they'd have twins, or bleed, or be unable to eat for weeks from the sickness. Both the females and their mates would worry over every little thing as they wouldn't know what to expect. The males were almost worse, in some respects, as their natural overprotectiveness for family would go into overdrive.