My Lost Wolf

Chapter 18: With Arms Wide Open

(A/N: This chapter deals slightly with the situation of not being able to conceive again. )

Holden

I had hated waking Odessa up, but if the tea her mother gave him would really help the intensity of her heat, then it have to be done. As I jogged lightly down the stairs, Giles's mate, Buffy was at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ah great, you made it, thank you for doing this Buffy, Odessa is sleeping again. I have a few unforseen things I need to take care of. I'll do my best not to be late." I said to my second Beta's mate.

Buffy nodded to Holden. "It isn't a problem, Alpha Holden. I'm honored to be here to help my Luna. Go and do what you need to do. I will make sure, Luna Odessa isn't alone." Buffy said as she bowed to me.

A small sigh escaped my lips as I took in Buffy's actions. I hoped one day, to change the laws. There was no need for my pack members to bow. This was the twentith century, things needed to change. I was unsure how I was going to change things. But I was going to take care of a pressing family situation.

After excusing myself from Odessa's Studio I hurried to my parents new home. I needed to speak with my mother before going to the pack hosptial. I needed to find out how much of what Edith told me was true. No one should hate that they can bring new life into the world; when their friend can not. My mother had never lied to me before, so I hoped she wouldn't lie now. Especially, when her best friend was hurting.

Pulling up infront of their house, I got out of my car and went to their front door and knocked. Needless to say my mother was surprised to find me at their door.

"Holden, what are you doing here? You're father and I haven't moved everything from the pack house yet. You're father is still there, we didn't think we would see you yet. How's Odessa doing? You can imagine how surprise we were when we found out Odessa was your destined mate. " My mother said as she hugged me.

"I'm not here about Odessa. I'm here to talk to you." I said to her as she invited me inside.

"Sure, sweetheart what is it you need to talk about?" My mother asked as she invited me inside.

I followed her into their sparsely furnished living room. Sitting down on the couch I waited for my mother to sit down on the plush chair across from me.

There was no time to sugar coat it so I just came out and asked my question.

"Is it true that you got upset with Beta Edith when she became pregnant with the twins? Just because you couldn't concieve again after having Kayley." I had expected her to deny what I had just said, but she didn't, Lana Sliverlight remained silent.

I was taken aback by my mother's silence.

"So it's true, do you know that you left a wound so deep in your friend. That when she found out she has concieved a pup again she was thinking of getting rid of him. If she had gone through with at it would have killed her. Mother, you have such a caring heart. I can't believe that you wouldn't be happy with the two children you had?" I said to her in a confused tone.

"I am happy to have you and Kayley. I had always wanted a third pup, after a few years of trying. Your father didn't see a reason to keep trying then after Odessa lost her wolf. Edith was suddenly pregnant with twins. I may have been rather harsh to her." My mother said to me before backpedaling.

"Wait, did you say Edith is pregnant again and she was going to get rid of it?" My mother asked me.

"I did, it's a boy this time I sensed it. She has even been keeping this a sercet from Cliff. I was able to talk her into going to the pack clinic. I'm actually on my way there. I told her I would be there when she told Cliff, Ethan and Wren. I just had to get to the other side of things." I said as I stood up and prepared to leave.

"Holden, wait I didn't know I had made her feel that way." My mother called after me.

I stopped and turned to look at my mother.

"Maybe, you should tell Edith. Did you know that Edith's great, great, great grandmother failed to get pregnant. So she prayed to the Moon Goddess to let her conceive a child and for none of the females in their line to ever be barren again. What was a blessing decades ago, is now a curse in Edith's eyes. Because now it, will be passed to her daughters. I have to go, I should have been at the pack hospital already. I have pack members that need my guidance." I said as I excused myself from my mother and father's home.

Getting into my dark blue Volvo, I sped through the gates from my parent's home and headed toward the pack hospital.

Cliff

A thousand things ran through my mind, when Alpha Holden had mind-linked me to meet him at the pack hospital. I had tried to mind-link my wife and ask he if she knew anything. But when I tried to link her, I was met with silence. Edith had a block up between us, come to think of it she had been doing that a lot lately. Going to bed early, keeping things from me.

The last time something like that had happened. Edith had been carrying the twins and had been terrified. It was then that the realization of what was going on hit me.

"Oh by the Goddess, what have you gone and done now, Edith?" I mumbled to myself as I headed into the pack hospital.

"Where's Edith? Tell me right now!" I demanded the male nurse behind the front desk.

"Three doors down, to your right." The male nurse stammered as he pointed in the direction to go in.

Taking in his directions, I was about to throw the door open. When I heard Edith talking to Dr. Harkin.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in, but you know how important prenatal care is. Especially, with this being your fourth pregnancy." Dr. Harkin said as he scolded my mate and wife.

Hearing the Doctor's words. I froze for a minute, this was what Edith had been hiding from me. Not a affair with Ripley like I had first thought. She was pregnant again, with my pup. I was aware of the giftcurse as my mate called it. I was about to move forward when a firm hand gripped my shoulder. I knew it well, it was gentler then the former Alpha's but that was how it was easy to remember.

"Alpha Holden, thank you for informing me. How did you figure it out?" I asked as I turned to look at the young Alpha.

"Edith, stopped by with some tea to help Odessa with her heats. She seemed nervous, and let her guard down. I picked up the pup's heartbeat with my Alpha hearing. I ordered her to go to the pack hosptial this morning. I promised her she wouldn't be alone when you found out. Truth be told Cliff, I think she was more afraid of my mother and what she would think. For that, I'm deeply sorry it just shows that everyone has a darkness in them. I'll be out here if the two of you need me." Holden said to me as he removed his hand from my shoulder.

Pulling in a breath, I took a step forward as I pulled down on the door handle and took a step inside the room.

Edith's blue eyes looked down the second I entered the room. Her shame washed over me through the mate bond. But I refused to let it to continue to hurt her. Walking over to the bed where she was laying, I gave her right hand a loving squeeze.

"I'm not angry with you. Just a little sad you kept something this important from me." I told her as I kissed the top of her head.

"Alpha Holden said its going to be a boy." Edith said to me with a small smile on her lips.

Dr. Harkin cleared his throat slightly before speaking. "The Alpha does have an outstanding sense of smell and hearing. Speaking of hearing why don't we give this little ones heart a listen."

Edith and I both smiled and nodded at the head pack doctor.

As he moved the doppler around on her obviously protruding pregnant belly. How had I allowed myself to not even notice the change in her body.

'It's not your fault, I took to wearing baggier clothes and I went to bed before you.' Edith said to me through our mind link.

"All right, Mr. and Mrs. NorthStar here is the heart beats of your babies. a whoosh, whoosh, sound came through the speakers of the sonogram machine.

"Wait a minute, did you just say babies?" I questioned the young doctor.

I turned my two mismatched eyes to face the doctor.

"I did Mr. NorthStar, I will warn you through the second heart beat isn't as strong as I would like to hear. I want Edith to stay in the hospital for a few days to monitor her and keep an eyes on these pups. It is possible that the second pup won't make it. You both have been through this before. Though I know it doesn't make it easier. We'll do what we can to keep you comfortable. It will be up to your pups as to whether or not the weaker on makes it."

Dr. Harkin was about to excuse himself when he stopped to speak to me.

"Feel free to bring your, mate anything that may make her feel more comfortable. With your premission I'll fill Alpha Holden in on what is going on. I'll send your family in as well." Dr. Larkin said as he waited for Edith and I to give him to let our Alpha know how Edith and our twin boys were doing.

Holden

As I was waiting to hear new on Odessa's mother. Beta Ethan and Beta Wren came into the hospital. Ethan gave me a confused look and was about to asked me what was going on, when Dr. Harkin came out and motioned for the two of them to come inside. Wren gave me a small smile as she walked passed with a hand resting on her very pregnant belly. She had at least three months before their little girl was due.

I stood up as Dr. Harkin headed toward me.

"Leon, how is Edith doing this morning and what about the pup she's carrying?" I asked the doctor in concern.

"It's good to see you Alpha Holden. Edith is doing much better this morning after some IV fluids. It all depends on her little ones whether one or both survive." Dr. Harkin said in response to my question.

"Wait, you said little ones as in two?" I asked again in disbelief.

"Yes, she's carrying twin boys. However, one of them has a weaker heart then the other. Edith and Cliff went through the same thing when she was carrying Ethan. Ethan survived his twin brother didn't, she was younger then. With her being older now, the dangers facing them have gone up. She could lose one or both of them. Let's hope we got to both of them in time." Dr. Harkin said in response to my question.

"Please let me know how things are, with them. I really need to get back to Odessa. Let me know if they need anything." I said to Leon before excusing myself from the pack house.

I needed to return to Odessa and once she was back to her normal self. I would tell her to go see her parents. I intended to see to the well being of everyone in my pack young and old. But first and foremost in my mind was getting back home to Odessa's side.