THE SECOND MATE OF A PREGNANT LUNA

Chapter 07

Martin's eyes glowed yellow the moment I finished saying the words. He didn't answer anything afterward, he just stared at me, as if he was going to cry. I couldn't tell if it was a cry of emotion or of the pain he was feeling.

Angus had told me once that talking during a movie was good to distract from the pain. It had worked a few times, so I could try it. "Have you been like this since yesterday?" I asked, now turning away from the subject of help.

"I reverted to human form and was brought here. It didn't take long for it to start changing," he said, looking away, feeling a few more spasms. "I think it was three times completely, so far," he finished saying.

I smiled, warmly. At that moment, I moved closer to him, I knew what was coming next. "Martin, that's all that's left," I said. "Once that one is over, there will be no more for now," I finished saying. There were four complete changes, referring to the four stages a moon had. Some werewolves had confusing transformations, but I knew that a transformed initiation took five changes in their first moon. Maybe I was becoming an expert on new werewolves.

"So, I think you should leave the room because it won't be long," he warned me. I didn't care.

"Martin, I'm with a baby in the other room, with Carl. I'll stay here with you," I said, holding his hand, steady. "I'm not leaving here," I repeated.

"Is Henry here?" he asked me, with difficulty in his voice, which was already thickening. Even I could feel the transformation approaching.

"He is. And he is waiting for you, Martin. So please have the last change, be strong," I ordered, so serious that I didn't understand why I was so worried about him.

He smiled, and then a tear fell from his yellow eyes, and he ducked in pain, ready for a higher amount of pain and bodily changes. I held his hand as tight as I could. Then, a few agonizing minutes later, there Martin was completely transformed into his werewolf form. On closer observation, I could conclude that he was as big as Angus. It was tricky to identify werewolves, many of them looked alike, but Angus had the tattoo.

Martin still looked like Martin, even in that form. It was different with Angus, who looked quite animal-like. Thinking further, Carl also looked more animal when I saw him in his werewolf form. Maybe Martin was some kind of exception.

The look in his eyes moved me. He looked as if he would talk to me normally, but I knew it wouldn't be like that. I wanted to get closer, but I still felt a little afraid. Angus was the only werewolf that didn't scare me in any way, and I liked that I didn't need to have the others around. Watching them from afar was more than enough. Not Martin, he was my responsibility. I sat on the floor, waiting for when Martin would change for the last time. He, in turn, remained in the same place, just staring at me, doing nothing. Perhaps Martin was someone insecure, he was quite different from the other guys, who were more rough, manly, and everything. Maybe because he felt insecure, he had a gun, and maybe he wanted to prove his bravery when he shot Angus. Could I blame him for killing an animal that was supposed to be attacking a pregnant woman? Was it his fault, or the fault of all the neighbors who kept it a secret? Deep down, the possibility had always existed, but no one had cared enough. They thought that just keeping the werewolves away on a full moon would be enough. Now we knew it wasn't. I guessed it was about twenty minutes before Martin's spasms returned. He shuddered a few times until finally, the regression of bodies began. It seemed as painful as the reverse. I watched, trying to show him strength, but I confess that it was difficult, sometimes it seemed as if I was also feeling the pain. It was very visual. "Lacey," I heard him say. The moment he called out to me, I moved closer. He fell to the floor, weakened, but human. Then Carl walked into the room. "It's over. Lacey, I'm sorry, but you need to go now, I'll take care of him," Carl said, still holding Henry in his arms. At that moment, Martin, more unconscious than awake, held my hand, so tightly that I couldn't let go. "I think I can do that for now," I said. "Can you stay with Henry a little longer?" I asked.

"Sure, but you'd have to give Martin a bath," he told me, controversially. "That won't be a problem," I replied. Carl then nodded positively and showed me where the bathroom was. I nodded and watched him leave us alone. What was I doing? I dragged Martin into the tub, making him comfortable. The hot water was running over his body and he was shivering a little, perhaps in pain. I waited for the water to fill a good amount and then turned it off. "You don't have to do this, Lacey. I can do it myself," he said, visibly weakened. "This is no time to be brave, Martin, accept my help," I said impatiently. "It's just that you'd better not do it," he warned me, seriously. He seemed determined to do that. "What are you talking about?" I asked, confused. Then, without disguising his gaze, his eyes went into the tub, specifically to the bulge in it, a bulge I hadn't paid attention to before. "Martin…" "I'm sorry, but you know, we have no control over this," he said, still embarrassed. "So it's better that I do it myself." "No, Martin, you can't," I said, trying to ignore that this was because of me. I tried to start soaping his body, but he stopped me, and I kept trying. "Lacey, stop," he ordered, still trying to stop me. Suddenly, I saw his eyes glow the yellow of a wolf, and he stood static, looking at me. I thought he was transforming again, but he wasn't. I felt the shock, I felt the vibration in my body, the force coursing through me. The last time I had felt that sensation was when I had had a mate with Angus. I knew second mattes existed, but…. "Martin…" But he just looked at me and pulled me close. My eyes were already closed when my lips brushed against his. I didn't flinch, and I felt my body want to be exactly where it was.