The Deal.
1042 Words
Anastasia.
It has been four weeks since I found out that I am pregnant. I'm six weeks gone. Even though I know it's too soon to tell, I'm glad Crosswalk has not come to claim any rights on my unborn pup.
My stomach is still flat, but I can feel my baby. It's scent is not clear yet, but I am hoping it is a boy. I talk to him all the time.
I have been feeling far from ordinary these past few days. I crave the oddest things. I find myself craving raw meat. My wolf is very restless. She constantly wants to take over. I always feel the need to be outdoors, to go for hunts, to just be wild.
My hair is always a mess. My face is always flushed and my eyes are always bright. Arthur usually likes teasing me about my hair. I just let him have his fun.
That is why on a cold night when I should be asleep, I am going hunting in the forest to satiate my unsatiable cravings.
I shift to my wolf form and allow her to take over. Her name is Jade. She is very excited to take over.
She runs through the forest smoothly until we reach the river bank. Both of us are going to be mothers.
I look down at my reflection in the moon- glistening water.
We scent a prey. Jade dashes for it. It runs out of our grasp. We wait and ambush it.
We take it to a secluded place to stay and eat.
Our ears flick up. Someone is coming. The scent of the person is very familiar. I realize that we are a long way from home. Anything could happen to us out here. This is what my father feared.
Levi walks out of the trees. He is in his human form. He is holding a towel and some clothes.
We growl at him and warn him not to come any closer. How did he find us here? Has he been monitoring me?
"I want to talk. Put these on". He said and tossed me the clothes.
His scent is very strong.
I turn to run off because I am not interested in what he has to say.
He blocks my path swiftly.
"Do you know how long I have been waiting for the opportunity to speak with you and you just happen to show up where I do my moonlit swims? There's no way you are going to escape this conversation. We are both adults here". He says, towering over me.
Jade growls but does nothing.
I shifts back to myself. I am stark naked, but he can not see me because I am standing behind a tree. He picks up the clothes and hands them to me. I take them wearily. They are his clothes. They smell like him.
I resist the strong urge to sniff them. I put on the clothes and come out.
"I take it that you do not plan on telling me that we have a child". He says.
I scoff.
"We? There is no we. This baby is not yours". I say.
"It's too late to be lying, isn't it. Like I said before, we are both adults, let's start behaving like it". He says.
I fold my arms across my chest.
"I want to take responsibility for the child". He says.
I laugh out loud.
"We are doing just fine, thank you". I mutter.
"I was not asking for your permission, I am simply telling you". He says.
"I am the only guardian this child has." I say.
He smirks.
"We will see what my lawyers would think of that. Since you don't want to share, may the winner take all". He says menacingly.
"You won't win, Crosswalk". I taunt.
He narrows his eyes at me.
"I definitely will. You know that I am stronger than you in everyway." He says.
I gulp. He has a point. Even though my brother would be willing to help, he would not be willing to spend so much of our pack's money on winning a law suit.
I know I won't win.
"Fine! We'll share him". I say.
"Him?" He asked, surprised.
I think I hear a trace of excitement in his voice as well.
"I just feel it is a boy even if it it too early to tell". I say.
"I'm glad you have come to your senses. Now, let's negotiate the time I get to spend with him". He says.
"Isn't it not too early for that? We can always talk about it later".
"I'm not talking about when he is born. I am talking about now that he's still in the womb. He has to get familiar with my scent and voice so that he would recognize me as his father once he is born". He explains.
"What do you suggest?" I force myself to ask.
"That you come and spend a week with me every month at my private house until your delivery". He suggests.
The thought of spending so much time with him is appalling.
"A whole week?" I ask.
"A whole week". He says firmly.
"Deal". I say and we shake hands.
I turn to leave.
"Don't hesitate to tell me if you need anything". He says.
I just turn and leave, ignoring his offer of help.
I shift back to my wolf when I have put enough distance between the both of us. His scent still hunts me.
Jade and I run through the forest until we reach our pack house. No lights are turned on. It gives us the opportunity to sneak in undetected. My father fiercely disagrees with my hunting alone in the middle of the night. He has tried to stop me more than once, but the urge is always too strong to resist.
I climb into my bedroom through the balcony and proceed to open the balcony doors. Someone is in my room. I can smell the person faintly.
"Who is there?" I ask.
I bare my claws, ready to fight. The person switches on the light and I see my father standing there.
"Where were you and why do you smell like Alpha Crosswalk?"
- Writer
