A Reluctant Mate

Aria's POV (65)

I've been at the Shadow Moon pack for over a week, Mitch was shocked when I turned up unexpected with the pups, I told him what happened and he put us up straight away.

I was annoyed that Ranger hadn't contacted me, I left in the middle of the night with the pups, I would have thought that he would have been straight on the phone or here in person but he hasn't.

He finally called me halfway through the third week, "Aria, have you finished sulking? when are you bringing my pups home?" I didn't answer him, I just hung up the phone, he didn't call back straight away, it was a good 20 minutes later.

"Aria, don't make me mad" "why are you mad Ranger? The last time we spoke, you had your hand over my mouth telling me that it's your pack and I have no saying it" "that's not what I meant" "ask about the pups" a woman's voice said "when are my pups come in home?" "MY pups and I will come home when I am ready, is that Jasmine in the background? why she in your fucking office asking about my pups?" "She's concerned about them and worried that she hasn't seen them for a while" "why the fuck would she care? She's never met them and if I have anything to do with it, she never will" "you're being ridiculous, she is a part of my pack now" "then may be MY pups and I will join MY brothers pack" I hung up the phone as he was shouting down the phone, he called back but I ignored it and I left Mitch's office, crying.

Dixson caught me as I left, he pulled me aside, "Aria, what happened?" I told him about the call, "oh Aria" "I think he's falling for her" "that will never happen, he loves you to much" "I don't think so, he only asked when the pups were coming home, not me, Jasmine was in his office too I could hear her in the background" "he won't let you go, he won't want to go through what he went through the last time you left, go rest, I will watch your pups for a little while".

I started to cry again as Dixson escorted me to my room I cried myself to sleep, the nightmares I had about Ranger leaving me for Jasmine.

I woke up crying, I felt heartbroken over the nightmares, it was dark when I woke, I went to look for my pups.

When I found them they were in Lucy's room, Dixson had made a fort for all the pups, Lucy, Grover, Kascian, Caspian, Soloman, Chase and Harland.

Dixson, Cora, Mitch and Willow wasn't allowed in the fort, apparently they were told they were too old to enter. 

I sat down next to the Mitch "how are you?" I rested my head on his shoulder "not too happy, but what can I do?" Dixson rested his head on my shoulder and said "sorry that you're going through this, how about we throw a party for the pups birthday, to cheer you up?"

The pups party preparations were almost finished, Dixson had taken the pups outside to play, I hadn't been feeling well over the past week, all the stress has finally caught up with me, I took a shower in the communal bathroom, as I was drying my hair, I noticed a negative pregnancy test in the bin, I froze, I was having the same symptoms when I found out I was pregnant, I rummaged through the cupboards and I found a test and took it, it felt like the longest five minutes of my life.

I turned the test over and two pink lines were vividly visible, I didn't know what to do? Laugh or cry?

I got dressed and went back to my room with the test, 'we are with pup again" Midnight said 'yeah' 'you don't sound very happy' 'I am but...' 'It's Ranger' 'yeah, I know he will be happy but... I don't know, everything has all changed since Jasmine and Sam turned up, Ranger seems to take her into consideration and not listen to me' 'he will be here tomorrow for the pups birthday, maybe you two could sit down and talk' 'yeah, maybe you're right, I better go find Dixson with our pups'.

I put the test in my draw and went to find them, they were by the second building where the school room is, they were waiting for Lucy and Grover to finish school, Cora had Chase in her arms, it was rare for her to have a weekday off as she worked in the school, "feeling any better?" Cora asked "not really but I think the worst is over" 'Dixson do not react, I'm pregnant' he shot me as surprised look for a second then look back down at the pups that were crawling on the floor, 'when did you find out?' 'I just took a test, I'm going to talk to Willow' 'go, I will watch the pups, they can come and have some ice cream' "sorry, I need to go back to the house, I've come over all sick again" "of course go and lay down, Dixson we could take the pups with us for ice cream, Lucy and Grover would love it" "wow, it's like you read my mind" he laughed.

I found Willow in Mitch's office with Mitch and Harland, shit, I only wanted Willow, "Aria, everything ok?" "Yeah, I wanted to talk to Willow alone for a minute" "you still sick?" He started to panic, Willow smiled, I think she knew what I wanted her for, "Mitch, why do you think she wants to talk to the trainee midwife?" "Aria are you pregnant?" "Yeah, I took a test earlier" "wow, congratulations that's amazing" Mitch said as he came over to me and hugged me, "have you told Ranger?" He said squeezing me again, "no, not yet, please can I talk to Willow?" "Yeah, sure, Willow let me take Harland" "here you go, oh yeah Harland needs a nappy change, love you" Willow said laughing as we left his office.

Willow helped me get an appointment on Tuesday, I have to wait four days to see my little pup growing inside me.

In the morning Lucy and Grover helped me with the pups, being here alone without Ranger and Cash's help, I needed all the help I could get with the pups, the pups thinks its funny to get undressed as I get another pup dressed.

The pups party started at one, there were still no sign of Ranger, Dixson had told me that he only invited Ranger, Cash and Mika.

Ranger finally turned up an hour and a half late, there were more than the three Lycan’s that were invited, Jasmine and Sam were among them Lycan’s, she was stood next to Ranger where Cash usually stands, but he was stood at the back of the pack with Mika.

I walked over to them "Ranger, follow me" "who do you think you are talking to?" Jasmine said, I didn't answer her, I just shot her a dirty look and started to walk away, Ranger followed as did Jasmine, "is your name Ranger? No, it's not so fuck off" "I'm protecting my alpha, just in case something happens" "oh, so your name is Cash now, still fuck off, he doesn't need protecting to see our pups" "I want to meet them too" she said excited "I think not, Ranger if you want to see OUR pups, leave your leach behind" I said as I walked off.

I sat there watching Ranger play with his pups, he smiled but I could tell it wasn't genuine, he looked a lot thinner, like he wasn't eating, I missed him so much, did he miss me? He hasn't looked at me once, if he speaks to me he would look down or to the side.

Mitch took Ranger to the side to talk to him, top alpha to top alpha, I noticed Cora nervously hanging around me like she wanted to talk to me, "Cora, is everything ok?" "Erm, I know them two Lycan’s, Jasmine and her so-called brother Sam".

As we were talking, I hadn't noticed Jasmine and Sam had come over to the pups, "look at that ugly scar on his face, he will have to go" she laughed, I spun round "what the fuck did you just say?" "Ranger and the pups will be mine soon and that one, will be left out in the wild to be eaten" she was talking about Soloman, Ranger always called it Soloman's warrior scar, I saw red and I went for her, I ripped chunks out of her hair, Ranger went to Jasmine as Mitch and Dixson had to restrain me, when Ranger went to Jasmine not me, I was Furious.

I had the pregnancy test in my pocket, I was going to tell him alone but now that not going to happen, I threw it at him and shouted "I'm pregnant, I have a hospital appointment on Tuesday at 2, if you are not there, we are through, and you will never see the pups again, did you know she can manipulate your emotions? She's evil" "you attacked me for no reason, Ranger, I'm scared" she said clinging to him with an evil smile on her face, like she had just won first prize, "I hope you will be happy with your whore, Dixson, please help me take the pups inside, the parties over".

Ranger didn’t even say anything, I would have thought he would have come after me, but he didn’t.

The pups were crying, I was crying, I got Dixson to put the pups in my bed as I could cuddle them to calm them down, they didn't know what was happening but they knew that something was wrong, "I will protect you from the world, Mummy loves you very much" I said to the pups in bed and the unborn pup growing inside me.