12: TWELVE

As Dr. Meredith left the room, Marisol sat there, shocked. She didn't know why it hit her so hard. She knew she would get pregnant, but she thought she already lost the baby. What differed now was the fact that when she felt the baby was gone, she realized just how much she wanted her own.

She was pregnant. It worked.

Abigail and Nolan smiled at her, but stayed quiet, giving her time.

"Do you think she blacked out?" Abigail asked. Nolan chuckled as Marisol smiled.

"I just...I thought..."

"You know what you have to do now, huh?" Nolan asked, handing Marisol her jacket.

"What?" She asked.

"Tell Grey."

In the car, Marisol, as usual, sat in the back. She leaned her head against the window, enjoying how the glass cooled her skin. Her heartbeat perked as she got an idea. "Hey, is there a drug store nearby?"

"Yeah, CVS is close. Why?"

"Could we stop? I want to get something."

Nolan hummed, and shortly after, the car slowed down and stopped. She assumed they had arrived, but it was confirmed once her door swung open. Abigail gently helped her out of the car, and Marisol rushed through the doors of the pharmacy.

"Which CVS is this?"

Abigail raised an eyebrow. "The one on Broad Street. Why?"

She knew this drug store. She didn't need help to find where she was going. She unfolded her walking stick and made her way to her desired aisle. When her hand felt the soft texture, she smiled to herself. Stuffed animals. Perfect.

She turned to her friends. "Is there a wolf stuffed animal?"

Nolan and Abigail shared an amused look. "Yeah, why?"

"Grey's file said that his favorite animal was a wolf. Can you give it to me?" Abigail grabbed the grey plush animal and handed it to Marisol. Marisol had on her thinking face as she turned around. "Are there washable markers?"

"Again, yes, but why?" Nolan asked, grabbing Marisol's wrists, leading her to the coloring aisle. As soon as Marisol wrapped her hands around the packet of markers, she smiled.

"Is there any clay?"

❥

The next day, once Marisol was home from work, she realized Grey was still working. She decided it was a great time to start working on her project. She closed her bedroom door, only to groan in frustration. She was blind– she forgot.

She opened her door and called Abigail's name. It was strange to her, but Abigail had the best hearing. As Marisol expected, Abigail rushed down the hall. "What's wrong?"

"I need help." Marisol pulled Abigail into her room, shutting the door. "I want to make a little sign that says something cute, you know to tell Grey, but obviously, I can't."

"Why?" Abigail rolled her eyes and facepalmed. "Right, you're blind, I forgot. Yeah, I can help you out." As Marisol sat on her bed, Abigail continuously asked questions to make sure the project was perfect. "What color do you want the words in?"

"A forest green," Marisol said.

"We are working with a drug door coloring box, Marisol. Be less specific."

After a few minutes, Abigail asked another question. "What color do you want the string?"

"Blue," she said.

"Alright, this is done, and if I can say so myself, looks pretty cute."

"Good," she said with a bright smile. "There's more to do."

That evening, Abigail not only made a cute sign for a fake wolf but also made a little baby chess figurine. Marisol was more than happy with the outcome. Abigail stood up, admiring her handwork with a prideful grin. "Anything else you need?"

"Just one. Can you take me to Grey's bedroom?"

Abigail opened the large oak door, and Marisol was surrounded by his delicious scent. She wished she could see how he chose to decorate. She walked in and tripped on something, but Abigail caught her effortlessly. Marisol laid the wolf on the bed before walking out. "Do you think he's going to like it?"

"He'll love it."

"What do you want to do with the other stuff?"

"Just hide it somewhere. That's for another day."

"Alright, well, come on, it's time for dinner."

As Marisol sat at the table, she couldn't help but laugh at something Nolan said. When the laughter quieted at the table, she realized Grey still wasn't home. "Does anyone know when Grey will be home?"

"He said he was working late today."

"Oh," Marisol said. She had to admit; she was a little disappointed. She was excited to see him. She felt like she hadn't seen him in so long. She missed him. Once dinner was finished, she had gone back to her bedroom and took a shower. She got changed and braided her hair. She waited for a few hours, but when it was eleven, she gave up and went to bed.

❥

The Alpha growled, frustrated. They never found the person responsible for Andrew's death, and Grey was growing impatient. As the rain thickened in the forest, his dark hair stuck to his forehead. He could feel steady droplets fall down his spine.

Other guards surrounded him, chasing down as many scents and leads as they could. With the fresh rain coming down, any scent would be loss.

"First they kill our pack member, and then they attack our Luna," he growled.

"Alpha, do you think the two are connected?"

"It's no coincidence."

"There's no way both just happened to occur days apart," another wolf, Michael, agreed. All the guards growled as their Alpha finally confirmed what was on all their minds. "What do we do?"

"The wolves who attacked Marisol are dead. We have no leads." Grey sighed as he felt the rain become even fiercer. "Let's get back to the house and recollect ourselves. We will start again tomorrow."

As Grey turned to lead the pack back to safe territory, a scent filled his nose. All wolves immediately got into their tactical positions, looking for any possibility of threat. Grey was in the back, as Alphas were, looking everywhere, protecting his wolves.

The wolf with the best nose raised his head to the sky. "It's a lycan," he confirmed.

"It's multiple," another growled as several wolves appeared through the thick canopy. They landed in front of Grey's guards with a thud, still in their human forms. Greyson stepped forward, immediately recognizing the tattoo on their faces. He knew the pack they were from.

"We heard there was a tragedy in your pack."

Greyson nodded. He didn't let his cold demeanor change as he stared the wolf down. Grey was far taller than him, and he grinned, demonstrating his dominance. "Strange. We hadn't told any other pack."

"Well, that's probably for the best, Alpha," the man sneered. "you wouldn't want them to know that your strength is weakening."

Greyson didn't falter. Again, he smirked with a dangerous tint. "If your Alpha wants war– to take over my land, to enslave my guards, to take my women –tell him to stop acting like a pussy and tell me himself."

The other wolf looked at the others that accompanied him, pulling out a sealed envelope. He handed it to Greyson. Grey didn't open it. He didn't even regard it as important.

"Take this as a formal declaration."

"It was already unofficial the moment you came here."

The man shrugged, turning around, walking back into the night. "If I were you, I'd keep that precious mate of yours locked up."

Greyson lunged forward, only to be grabbed by members of his pack. He growled loudly, causing the droplets of rain on the leaves to fall from vibration. "Touch her, and I swear to Goddess, I will take the people you love and make you watch as I slaughter them one-by-one. If one hair on her head is moved, I will not only take your land but kill each and every one of your pack members."

Grey watched as the others retreated. He growled once again. "Wake the pack," he ordered.

"The Luna too?"

"No. Let her sleep."

❥

Grey ordered everyone to make their way downstairs, silently. He told everyone to communicate through their link to ensure Marisol wouldn't be awoken.

– What is going on?

Greyson could hear the various questions filtering through his head. He stood on the staircase, looking down at his pack. Not everyone was here. Some lived outside of the house, others lived in the human city, but everyone in his pack could hear his announcement.

– We have found those responsible for Andrew's death.

Grey watched as Abigail grabbed Nolan's hand. Grey continued on, even though the mental discussion.

– Pack Gifre attacked Andrew to send us a message that was only confirmed tonight.

– What was the message?

Grey looked at Nolan; he was the one who asked the question. With a stern face, Grey answered, his voice never wavering.

– War.