Precious Love

Bittersweet

Chapter 3

Charlotte’s pov

It has been over a year now since my pack and I joined Deran’s pack. His pack accepted me right away, happy that their alpha was complete. We chose not to tell anyone about our strange bond, feeling the need to protect it. My pack members were happy, though they kept to themselves. They took on more of a protective role, joining Deran’s warriors.

Ever since I woke up this morning, I have felt off. It was after breakfast, as Deran and I were in our office working, that it hit me.

My wolf, Angelina, confirmed. “It took you long enough.” She snickered at me and I rolled my eyes at her.

I knew there was a big grin on my face now, no way for me to hide it. I soon felt my mate’s hand on the back of my neck.

“Mate, what has made you so happy.” He asked, looking at the papers in front of me, expecting to see the answer.

I put my hand on his chest to get his attention. When he was finally looking at me I said, “We’re going to have a baby.”

He didn’t respond for a moment, but it didn’t take too long for the shock to wear off. He howled loudly, loud enough that the whole pack would know that something was up. They would be able to understand that this sound was brought on by happiness, not anger or fear.

He picked me up princess style and hugged me into himself. “You have made me so incredibly happy, my Mate.”

I nuzzled him, “I feel the same.”

I had this brief feeling that something was wrong, but pushed it away. I’m going to enjoy this moment.

~~

Deran’s pov

My baby girl had just been born and I was sitting in bed with my exhausted mate. She was holding Belinda, with my arms wrapped around them both. Charlotte wanted to name our daughter after her mother, so she was named Belinda Grace Smith.

We were still looking at our daughter when we heard a howl go up. More joined, telling us of an attack. I got up, ready to defend my pack from the intruders. During all of our time together, we had never been apart. There was no choice to be made here and we both knew it. I leaned down and kissed my mate and daughter, feeling strangely like my world was ending.

As I was leaving, the four from my mate’s pack walked in, ready to defend their Luna. We nodded to each other and I ran to the front door. I shifted, easily jumping down the staircase. I followed the sounds of wolves fighting, throwing myself into the middle of the frey.

While our pack could certainly defend itself, this was the first time in a very long time when we have been attacked. Most of these males and females have never seen battle. I was proud, they were doing well and remembered their training.

I had taken down many of our enemies when I felt my soul tear. I knew then that my mate had left this world. I howled, telling all of my pain. The enemy wolves took that as their sign to leave, my own wolves letting out howls of grief. They felt the bond with their Luna break, knew that she was gone.

I ran in Thornton’s form to the pack house and shifted, running again to the bedroom I had shared with my mate. It was a site that I know won’t ever leave my mind. I slowly walked up to my mate, she was gone, but no longer holding our daughter.

As if hearing my thoughts, I heard her cry. Following the cry, I found her in the arms of one of Charlotte's female pack members. The rest had been killed.

“I guess they couldn’t smell us over the blood.” She said quietly.

I couldn’t answer her, but I took my baby girl out of her hands and held her close to me. I made sure that when I turned to leave the room that she couldn’t see her mother’s still form. We would bury her and the other dead tonight, but I already knew that I would not be able to be alpha any longer. A part of me has broken and would never be the same. I will raise my daughter somewhere else and try to figure out why this has happened.

I stayed as alpha for one more week, and while the pack was upset that I was leaving, they understood that I could no longer be a leader. I was no longer capable of being the alpha they needed.