Scarlet's Daughter

Chapter 4: Unwanted, but Loved

   ** Nine months after meeting Scarlet's mate**

    Everything is finally prepared. One month after the attack I found out I was pregnant, how did I know? I threw up EVERYTHING!! It was an exhausting month, because after that it motivated me to find a place to settle down. I never forgot what happened to me so for that reason I made certain that I'd be far away from them as possible. As for my plans for revenge, I will have it. For now I will stay in my hidden home 1,000s miles away from where it all began. I've created a den on a mountain side that's just above an open valley, but of course the den isn't noticeable to anyone especially to those who might actually be looking. My entrance is nothing but long piece of old bark with multiple layers of moss covering the bark, making it look identical to the surrounding trees. Most of the work was done in my wolf form, because I had to create my den, which has 3 levels: kitchen, livingroom, and 3 bedrooms. 

    Right now I sit in my kitchen sipping on tea and marveling at all my work: my den, furniture, ventilation system, plumbing system, and even got some electricity going. I'm ready for the babe to come, he or she will be safe and I'll make sure it stays that way. An just as I finished my cup of tea my water broke, getting all over my chair and pebble flooring. I'm gonna have to clean that up when I get done delivering, but before leaving I grabbed 2 blankets I made out of leaves and cotton. The first contraction hits like a bullet and I about pissed myself. "I swear if you come out before I reach the stream you WILL be grounded!" I say to my child but more to myself. I start laughing but then I peed a little and had to stop. Literally cause another contraction hit, a few feet away from the stream and I put my hand between my legs. The baby was beginning to crown, another contraction hit and I knew it was time to start pushing. Thank God I made it to the stream in time I thought to myself and submerged in the water. The stream wasn't all that deep nor wide. The stream was about four feet deep and twelve feet wide, calm, clear moving water. Not gonna so clear once I'm done, I thought to myself. Once I found a good spot to sit, I began to push with all my might yelling in the processes frightening nearby perched birds causing them to take flight. While staring up at the birds I gave another mighty push and felt the baby leave me. I picked my baby up out of water and quickly began to get the boogies. I didn't realize it before but I've been crying and sweating like a mad person. The baby in my arms is a hoot'n and holler'n but by the time I was finished checking my baby girl out she had settled down and started nursing. "Now what should I call you?" I ask myself out loud. 

    After a little while sitting in the water letting the water clean me off, I slowly got up, and waddled back to my little hobbit house. The umbilical cord still attached to the my little one and I made my way slowly to the drawer that I kept the utensils in and pulled out the sharpest knife I owned, and cut the cord leaving the rest dangle out of me. I use a piece of tattered cloth and two smooth pebble to act as a tourniquet. An hour and half later the umbilical cord attached to me drops and I discard it at a safe distance from my home. The umbilical stump on my baby girl will stay there for about 2 weeks or so. 

    Two months have passed and my baby girl is healthy and has an innie belly button. She's my little princess but it still was difficult to find a name. A bunch of times I sat my little one on my knee and say names to her to see which one she'd react to and all I get is her trying to put one of limbs in her mouth. It's adorable but frustrating. So here I sit swaddling my baby doing another round of names, "Katherine, Lucy, Alexandra, Megan, Amanda, Kori, Zora, Penelope, Annie- that's the one?" I asked the babe as she smiles ear to ear giggling. "Alrighty then! Finally, you're my little Annie." I say smiling at her, bringing my face close to hers and move my head side to side letting our noses meet in the middle.

  ** Five years later **

    "Annie, it's time for dinner!" I yelled out the kitchen door and a couple of seconds later Annie comes running in from the outside like a wild animal "FOOD!!" she yells excitedly, all I can do is giggle at her. I thank God she looks so much like me. Her hair is thick deep brown that's pretty much black, her eyes are rich chocolate most of the time. When she's angry they are almost a reddish brown and when she cries they turn a soft muddy green. Today I made her favorite, loaded baked potato with broccoli and cheese. When it was time for me to stop breastfeeding Annie I had to find formula and I quickly found a small town a couple miles away that I could walk to every month. I usually get food, clothes, and upgrade the house a bit since Annie was born. Now, I've decided to buy 2 bikes. Annie needs some exposure to other children tho they might not be werewolves, but children nonetheless. Unfortunately, she'll have to disappear when she hits puberty. For now I've enrolled Annie in a lutheran church school, and we bike together back and forth from home.  

**Six years later**

    I'm doing my usual cleaning routine around the house when I get a phone call. I pick it up and the person on the other end says "Hello Miss Nightingale?" I was hesitant to answer, anxiety takes a hold of me, what if they found me?!?! "um.. yes this is she." I finally replied, "This is Margaret from Shepherds of the Lake. Annie, umm she got her menstrual cycle at school, today. She was unprepared and needs a change of clothes." 

I let out a sigh of relief "Oooh okay... OH MY... Would it be okay if I just take her home with me?"  

"Yes that'll be perfectly fine. What time should I expect your arrival?"

"15 to 30 minutes." I tell her and hung up. 

     My baby has officially became a WOMAN!!! I'm squealing with excitement, running around the house grabbing a pair of clothes for her along with special items. I'm happily jumping around and half skipping through my kitchen thinking about what kind of cake I should make her when the realization that she could shift at any moment hit me. I quickly call for a cab to park specifically at a nearby look out. It wasn't really nearby but with how fast I'm pedaling down I'll be there faster than my usual time. So here I am pedaling like a madwoman. Just before I reached the edge of the forest, my bike squealed to a halt. I quickly hopped off, grabbed what I needed, and hid my bike in one of my hiding holes where no one will find it. 

    By the time I made it to the cab I was winded, "Shepherds ....of the Lake....Lutheran.... Church. Step on it!" I slammed the door shut and tried to catch my breath. Over all the trip to the school was a little over 30 minutes, the cab came to a halt and before the driver could say anything I told him to wait. I ran to the school, and immediately ran to the front desk. "Where is the nurse's office?" I asked rushedly, the desk woman smiles at me "Margaret's office is to your right and around the corner. You can't miss it, it has a big red plus sign above the door." she says to me kindly, "Thank you." and gave her a smile of my own and sped walked down the right hall making my way to the nurse's office. 

    When I get to the office I see Annie, my temperamental pre-teen sitting on a bench with her head down with her arms fully extended placing her hands in her lap. She was crying, and the nurse was sitting to the left of her rubbing her back while talking to her. I knocked on the door frame announcing my presence and walked over to Annie. Annie looks at me, but doesn't move except to lowering her head down again. I place my hand on Annie's shoulder and sat on the other side of her "what's wrong?" I asked. After a few minutes without a reply the nurse got up and introduced herself to me and explained how Annie got here, then excused herself. 

    "Annie," I cooed to her gently using my right hand to guide her face slowly to face me. "What's wrong? Every girl gets their period eventually, it's normal! It's nothing you should be ashamed of." she finally looks at me with a serious look and fresh tears running down her face she says "I ruined my favorite pair of pants!!!" and she begins to bawl, I couldn't help but laugh.

 "Sweetheart, we can wash your pants and they'll be good as new! I thought you were gonna tell me you shifted in front of someone!" 

"This isn't funny!" she yells at me and growls, "Oh dear," quickly pulling out the spare clothes and the special items I hand them to her. "Calm down and go change. I brought you pads to use, be quick it the change will happen soon."