the baby shower, and I was glowing.
Jatix and Shawn helped put together a baby shower just for me because it was one of the things I wanted if I was ever with child. Even though I barely had any friends, all of Jatixâs friends were invited.
I had invited Jade and any friends she wanted to bring with her. I wore a light blue maternity dress with a headdress made of white flowers. It was simple but cute.
âThatâs too many snacks,â said Silus, staring at the huge array of brownies and snacks I was organizing on the kitchen island.
âDoesnât Jatix have like fifty friends?â I said. âWe need to be prepared.â
I maneuvered around the table carefully, with my huge belly jutting out. The men had been pampering me for a full nine months, taking care of me nonstop, and they always got anxious if I seemed like I was doing too much. It was sweet but also a little too much for me. I wanted a bit more freedom.
âThe house is sparkling clean now,â said Shawn, running around with a feather duster. He was the biggest help when it came to the party today. Silus tried to help, but instead, he managed to find time to sit down. Jatix was out buying last minute groceries. Darius was adjusting the furniture under Shawnâs careful watch.
The doorbell rang, and my heart jumped in excitement. Our first guests had arrived.
âIâll get it,â said Silus.
He opened the door, and Jade walked in, followed by three of her friends. I recognized one of her friends. Jade wore casual jeans with a blue blazer matched with blue earrings.
âAhh, Keera!â she screamed, setting down her gift bag and giving me a big hug, enveloping me in her raspberry scent. âKeera, these are my friends Sylvia, Gretchen, and Tiana.â
âTiana, oh my goodness,â I said, turning to her. She looked flawless, wearing a pink sundress and sunglasses on her head. She was one of my patients, and I had attended her birth celebration months ago. The whole island celebrated with the Frostcrown Pack. Her alphas were well-known on the island, and I wasnât sure if I wanted the same type of celebration or something low-key.
âDr. Keera!â Tiana exclaimed, hugging me back.
âWhereâs the rest of your pack?â I asked.
âThey decided it was best not to show up. Considering their history,â Tiana said. âAnyways, itâs been months!â
âHowâre your twins?â
âThey grow so fast! Theyâre already running around and knocking everything down. Little Adam is a wreck,â she laughed. I smiled, remembering how his eyes shined with mischief at the birth celebration and Alanaâs chubby little face.
I touched my belly, excited to finally have one of my own.
âIs Jatix treating you okay?â asked Tiana. âIâm sorry if Iâm being rude or anything.â
âNo, youâre good! Jatix takes care of me so well,â I smiled. I understood her hesitation one hundred percent. Jatix wasnât the typical normal alpha. He had told me their history with Tiana so I understood.
Soon, more and more guests trickled in as I introduced myself to the other girls. Silus had turned on the music, and Jatix arrived with juice and drinks for everyone.
I stuck with water or lemonade the entire time. I was starting to feel a bit of cramping in my abdomen as I sat on the sectional in the living room, talking with Jade.
âIâm glad youâre doing well,â said Jade. âI was so scared for you whenâ¦that night after the ball.â
I bit my lip, remembering all too well what she saw.
âThe nightmare ended after that night,â I said. âIâm actually glad we went to the ball. I may still be stuck in my dadâs house. Who knows?â
âItâs a huge relief.â
âHowâs work, though? Did they replace me yet?â
âThey couldnât find a doctor fast enough. You should just apply again,â she said, taking a sip of her drink.
âIâll think about it,â I said. âOh, by the way, I owe you for the dress you bought me.â
I noticed that everyone was glued to the TV. I stopped and stared at what was going on, making my way to the TV. Upon noticing me, they made room for me, so I didnât need to jostle my belly through people.
âWe are sorry to inform you that King Saku, ruler of the Royal Pack and Howlâs Edge has passed away,â the newscaster was saying.
I hadnât known the Royal Pack all too well, but I suddenly felt sorry for Princess Lyra losing one of her fathers. The guests looked shocked, some of them with their hands over their mouths.
I was about to run upstairs when I spotted a guest with a head of stringy red hair.
My blood ran cold. My motherâs killer was here. This was no imagination.
Heart pounding, I couldnât move from my spot as I saw him casually talking and mingling with the crowd. The music was loud over my ears, so I couldnât hear what he was saying.
âYou donât have to pay me back for that,â said Jade, waving her hand dismissively when I made my way back to her.
âNo, I want to,â I said, trying to keep calm. âIâll be right back. You go have fun with everyone and make yourself comfortable.â
I quickly waddled to the kitchen, where Silus was passing out snacks to everyone. I saw Shawn in the kitchen, scrambling to find more snacks.
âKeera, what do we do? Weâre completely out,â he said. âShould I just have Jatix buy more?â
âYes. Shawn, whoâs that guy?â I said, pointing him out in the living room.
âOh, Grogan? Heâs Jatixâs best friend,â said Shawn, barely glancing at him.
âThe redhead?â
âYep,â he said.
I looked up again and saw that Grogan was approaching the kitchen.
âListen, Iâm going upstairs to grab some cash for Jade,â I said. Shawn nodded, sticking his head back into the fridge.
Breathing hard, I climbed up the stairs. My palms were clammy, and sweat beaded down my back. I closed the bedroom door behind me and went into the walk-in closet for the cash.
They would think I came with all sorts of problems and baggage. First, my dad, and now this stalker.
Maybe I warn Jatix. I walked over to my phone lying on the nightstand and called Jatix.
It rang and rang. There was no way he could hear his phone over the music.
I was too freaked out to go back downstairs. Maybe I would hang out here until the party was over.
As I sat on the bed, contemplating what to do, I heard a knock on the door. Oh my god, I forgot to lock the fucking door. Grabbing my phone, I ran into the closet and closed the door. There wasnât a lock, but I leaned against the door with my body. I heard the bedroom door opening, and I covered my mouth with my hand, trying not to make a sound.
Heavy footsteps came in.
None of my men wore shoes when coming into this room.
âKeera, Iâve been looking for you,â said a soft silky voice. I shut my eyes tight, nearly about to cry. I recognized that voice anywhere. I had nightmares and dreams about him. The redheaded monster.
, I begged in my head. Hands shaking, I felt my phone vibrate in my hand.
Jatix was calling me back.
âI know where you are,â said Grogan in a sing-song voice. Before I could answer the phone, he burst into the closet, knocking the phone out of my hands. I screamed but he covered my mouth with his hand quickly. It was all a blur as he lifted me and threw me on the bed. âYour dad said I might find you with the Lustfur Pack.â
âMy dad sent you?â I gasped, scooting away from him. But it was useless. He pounced on me, moving his hands up my legs.
âHe was pissed you sent your little pack after him,â he sneered. Up close, he looked horrible, with scars littering his face and one eye glazed over.
? His hair flew crazily around his face as he sat on top of my thighs.
âPlease get off me,â I said. âIâm pregnant.â
âYour dad wanted you gone when you were sixteen. Did you know that?â
Grogan had to be lying.
âHe only started hating me after you killed my mother,â I said.
âThatâs not true,â said Grogan. âHe hated you ever since you were born. He was scared he would cheat on his wife with you. It was a mistake that your mother died. We made a deal that I would only take you. He owes me a shit ton of money too, and youâre the payment.â
So it wasnât my fault at all that Mom died. It was all Dadâs fault. From the beginning, it was fault. And now I was offered to pay off his gambling debt.
âLet me get some toys for my pleasure, too,â I said, trying to think of a plan. âItâs right here.â
âHurry up, my cockâs waiting,â said Grogan.
I rolled over and quickly opened up the drawer in the nightstand. I grabbed the pocket knife that Iâd seen on my first day here and rolled back to face him. Grogan lifted my dress, spreading my legs.
Lifting my arm high, I stabbed at his chest as hard as I could with the little knife.
He growled, pulling the knife out of his chest. It didnât seem to faze him, even though blood dripped all over the bed.
â¦I was so dead.
Keera hadnât answered my call.
I wondered why she was calling me as I opened the garage door for more guests. My mansion was full of people, and it was a happy time for our little growing pack. I made my way into the house and into the kitchen. I couldnât see Keera around the living room either.
âJatix, we need more snacks and shit,â said Shawn, running around like a headless chicken.
âCalm down,â I said. âWhereâs Keera?â
âUpstairs, I think.â
Was she okay? She said she wasnât feeling well earlier. It was probably early labor.
As I reached the top of the stairs, I heard scuffling going on in the master bedroom. My heart in my throat, I raced to the door, flinging it wide open. There was Grogan on top of my omega with a knife glinting in his hand.
â
?!â I roared. âGet off her!â
âCome any closer, and Iâll slit her throat,â said Grogan, pushing her in front of him, the knife over her neck.
Keera looked terrified, her eyes wide with fear.
Anger and rage filled my body.
I felt my body shifting, my clothes ripping apart as I shifted into my werewolf form. Only alphas could shift on Howlâs Edge.
Grogan scrambled off the bed, falling headfirst on the floor in his panic.
The redheaded asshole was trying to run away. I flew towards him, and he also began to shift into werewolf form. I didnât let him, as I fastened my teeth around his neck. I telepathically communicated with my pack, which I could only do in werewolf form.
said Shawn and Silus in unison.
Darius was the first to burst into the room, wielding his gun. He blocked the bed from any access to Keera.
Shawn and Silus came in next, in their werewolf forms, both a light brown fur color. Grogan growled and snapped at me as Silus and Shawn held him down. I bared my teeth, crushing his neck. Darius took aim and shot Grogan right in the chest.
I couldnât believe I was friends with this dickwad.
He was dead to me.