Chapter 33

Chapter 33
Over the next few weeks, Kathrine pretty much avoided everyone except for Toby and Jarold. There had been a reckoning with Jackson over the encounter with Letha and Lacey. Toby and Jarold both lit into him over allowing them to do what they knew Kathrine had specifically asked them not to do that led to the encounter. To say things were tense between the heirs and the Alpha would be an understatement. Kathrine's pregnancy was speeding along as any wolf pregnancy does and she was already showing and the babies were already kicking and punching her insides black and blue.

Kathrine missed being able to shift and run and her wolf missed the freedom as well, but strangely her wolf was handling the pregnancy well. It was too dangerous for the twins for Kathrine to shift so she had been restricted to her human form for the last month. Kathrine had eventually decided where to put the nursery and the guys had put together the baby furniture that had been brought over that fateful day. Though it would be another couple weeks before they could do an ultrasound to figure out what the gender of the babies were they had started doing some minor decorating. Due to that, they were at a preparation stand still and were just enjoying feeling their babies grow.

Kathrine was preparing dinner when the guys came home from their pack duties looking grim. She stopped what she was doing and stared at them, wordlessly asking what the problem is. It wasn't often that they came home looking like they were either about to cry or kill someone. When they just shook their heads and came to help finish preparing their supper she narrowed her eyes at them. They were hiding something from her, probably something important based on how careful they had been with the bond the last few days, and she was about tired of them doing that.

"Either spit it out or get out. I'm not stupid. I know you're hiding something from me and I'm about sick of it." Kathrine finally snapped when they both carried on and were intentionally avoiding her gaze.

"You can't freak out." Jarold said and gave a meaningful look to her swollen abdomen.

"They're planning a baby shower and want to do a gender reveal." Toby said with a long sigh.

"What are we? A bunch of dumb humans? No. No stupid baby shower or gender reveal. They already brought everything we could possibly need for the baby and this is definitely some stupid 'lets humanize the wolves so the human mates feel more welcome' bullshit plot from Jackson." Kathrine sneered in disgust as she went back to preparing the meal.

"Jackson said he would have it done even if he has to order you to show up." Jarold said and groaned as he seen Kathrine's body stiffen.

"You better let it be known, I will bite every hand that tries to touch me or my babies. So unless he wants a blood bath you better tell him he better not order me to do anything." Kathrine snapped as she started plating up their steaks and baked potatoes.

"Does that include us?" Jarold asked gently reaching a hand toward her stomach to feel the babies kicking but stopping short when she growled at him. "Really?"

"No dummy. They're your babies." She said and busted out laughing. She angled her body so he could feel her stomach and get kicked for touching her belly. The twins always got excited and started dancing when they heard their fathers' voices. "You two are the exception. I might actually bite you if you don't touch me."

Jarold approached and leaned in and kissed her lips. "I might bite you if you tried to stop me from touching you. Now go sit down, we'll bring everything to the table. Thank you for cooking." Jarold playfully swatted her ass to get her moving out of the way so Toby and he could get their plates and drinks.



The next week, Jarold and Toby came home with the news that Kathrine had been dreading. Jackson and Letha had ordered the three of them to come to the pack house to plan the baby shower and gender reveal that evening. Kathrine sat rigid in shock that they couldn't avoid it in any way. Toby had looked furious that Jackson was once again making such a spectacle of their lives. She had no other options though. She couldn't disobey a direct order from the Alpha of the pack. But something wasn't sitting right with her. Her instincts were warning her that a storm was brewing and that something would be coming to a head sooner rather than later.

They approached the back of the house like they normally did when they were ordered to visit and seen their parents sitting out back waiting for them. It was becoming a habit, them approaching the house like three unruly teenagers sneaking home. Jarold and Toby helped Kathrine up the steps and into a chair before they took their own seat. She was about the size of a normal eight month pregnant human, though she was halfway through the pregnancy.

"We're here." Kathrine said with a huff as she shifted in the seat to get comfortable. "What plans do you have for our pups now that we haven't been asked how we feel about?" She demanded of Jackson.

"Why is it such a crime that we celebrate the coming of our grandpups?" Jackson demanded as he split a glare between the three of them.

"Maybe because you're not consulting the parents about anything. Our wishes about everything so far having to do with our mating and pups have been utterly ignored. We do not wish to take place in the human traditions, yet you've ordered it done. Against our wishes." Toby said in an equally harsh tone.

"So, we have to obey and plan this bullshit. But we do not have to be happy about it. We do not have to pretend to want to be part of this. So if that is what you're expecting, then I suggest you release us from the command because we will not be gracious." Jarold said.

"And I will bite anyone who tries to touch my stomach." Kathrine piped up placing her hands protectively over her belly. "That includes you guys." She said baring her teeth at them in warning.

"I have had about enough of your petulance and how you've turned my son's against this pack!" Jackson shot up from the table growling at Kathrine.

"No one has turned them against this pack. You've turned them against you!" Kathrine labored up to her feet and shouted back at him.

Jarold and Toby shot to their feet to get between their father and their mate.

"I would think very carefully about how you speak to our mate." Toby growled, his voice gone low in warning.

"I would think carefully how you speak to your Alpha, girl!" Jackson said threateningly.

"You're not my Alpha. You never were and never will be." Kathrine growled back at him, low and menacingly.