Chapter 158

Shawna POV

We pulled into the driveway of what looked like a storybook house. It was painted a soft yellow, with a beautiful yard and a flower garden that appeared to wrap around the house in a hug. The front door was painted a deep blue and featured a floral wreath on the door. We hadn't even made it up the walkway when the door was thrown open and my sister came flying down the sidewalk to throw herself at me, nearly knocking me over. She was a wolf, her strength evident. I wondered how she hid it from her mate/husband. "I can't believe you're here!" Lynn practically gushed. She hugged me so tight I almost couldn't breathe.

"Hi Lynn," I choked out. She pulled back with a huge smile.

"You must be Michael," she said, turning to him and holding out her hand. "I'd hug you, I'm a hugger, but you're huge!" she giggled. "Not sure my arms are wide enough." My sister was petite. Only five feet tall, but she was a spitfire and always had been.

Michael laughed that deep, throaty laugh of his that I love so much. He took her hand and shook it, then brought her hand to his lips in a kiss. "Very nice to meet you Lynn."

"Oh," Lynn said smiling. "A Gentleman too." She turned towards the door, "Hank, come out here please."

Oh her command, a burly man who stood about six feet tall, came sauntering out the door. He had dark brown hair and even darker brown eyes. His mouth came up in a big friendly smile. He was clearly in need of a shave, a two day beard growth graced his handsome face, barely hiding two dimples. He had his hair cropped short on his head, like a military man, and wore jeans, logging boots and a flannel that was unbottoned over a black tshirt. "Alright darlin', I'm coming." I immediately liked him for Lynn. He was twice her size, but seemed like he was a gentle giant next to her bigger than life spirit.

"Clint," he said, offering his hand to Michael. Michael shook his hand, grinning. Clint turned to me and just picked me up and swung me around. "Shawna, you look so good. Lynn has been so excited." He set me down and then looked embarrassed. "Sorry, I just, well......" he rubbed the back of his neck. "Lynn's been so excited for you to be here, after everything especially." I looked at my sister with a quizzical look.

"Everything?" I asked.

"Yeah, you know. You disappearing and whatnot, and look at you, you look well." Michael and I both stared at my sister. She smiled sheepishly.

"Um, he knows," she said, wincing. "About us," she pointed in a circle to herself, Michael and Me. "I had to tell him, he's my mate," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," Clint said again. "You are all safe with me, I would never betray my beautiful wife or her family. She's made me the happiest man in the world. I cannot say I was even shocked when she told me, I always suspected things in this town were different. That steakhouse for one thing, everyone who works there is a little off." He smiled, the corners of his eyes creasing. "Let's go inside. I've got some meat to throw on the grill. Hope you like burgers, the meats from my ranch."

"You have a ranch," I say looking around, seeing only the house and a small garage behind it.

"Yep, over the ridge there," he points to a mountain behind the house. "Got the cows up in the mountain right now, keeps them cooler during the day. Being summer and all. I have three hundred acres here, barns are behind the treeline to the south."

"That seems a far walk to take care of your cattle," Michael says as we walk inside the house.

"I've got ranch hands, they stay in the bunkhouse. There's a road behind the garage that leads up to it all. I plow it when it snows, drive the truck up to it. If it's really bad in winter, we have snowmobiles," Clint walks to the kitchen, my sister beaming beside him. She's definitely in love.

"Nice," Michael says as we stand in the huge kitchen with a center island.

"Care for a beer?," Clint asks. "Or do you drink beer?" he looks puzzled for a minute. Michael laughs.

"I drink beer, and yes I will have one," Clint turns to the refrigerator and pulls out two heineken's.

"How about you Shawna?" he asks.

"No beer for me, thank you. Water or tea is good. Lynn you're not having a beer?" I turn to my sister.

"No," she puts her hand on her belly. "We're having a baby?" she grins from ear to ear. "Don't tell Mom," she whispers it as if Mom is in the next room and will hear her.

"I won't. You know Ben and Cassidy are having a girl," I tell her.

"Yeah, I know. Poor Cassidy," Lynn rolls her eyes. "Mom has been such a bitch to her."

"I know," I reply. "But I think I fixed that." I look over and see Clint staring at my sister with stars in his eyes. "So how far along are you? You still have a flat stomach."

"Thirteen weeks," Lynn says. "I don't know if I should be seeing the pack doctor or a regular doctor, but for now I'm just seeing the obstetrician down here."

"I don't think it matters," I say honestly. "But I can ask my friend Ashlynn, she's a veterinarian and she has a lot of knowledge too. She just had a baby," I smile at the memory of being there for that. "Our births are the same as a humans, it's not like you give birth to an actual pup."

"True, but it would be good to have all the facts. I'm just worried because you know how Mom is, and Clint being human and all," she looks up at her husband. "He's the best man in the world though."

"Thanks babe," he says as he walks over and bends down to give her a sweet kiss. "Now how about I get the burgers on the grill, you and your sister can catch up." Clint grabs a plate that I hadn't noticed on the counter previously and walks out the sliding glass doors off the kitchen to a huge deck. Michael follows after kissing my temple and swatting me on the ass.

"Oh Shawna," my sister says conspiratorially, "he's hot." She giggles and pulls me to the dining room table. "How did you meet him? He's an Alpha right? You have to tell me everything?" she's gushing with excitement.

"Actually, he was a guardian or protector for a councilman," I tell her. "He was there when I was rescued," I swallow, trying not to cry. "Umm, he was amazing and he said he knew I was his mate. He was so patient with me. I don't want to tell you what I went through Lynn, because honestly it was the worst thing, but that man, he's the reason I'm whole again. I truly believe that." She squeezes my hand. "He's an Alpha, but not "the" Alpha. There are three sons. He's going to be leading their warriors when we get to his pack in Georgia. He's been released from his contract as a guardian."

Lynn claps her hands together in excitement, "This is great news." She leans forward. "Tell me big sister, does he know you're pregnant?"

"What?" I say, surprised. "How do you know?"

"Trust me, it's all over your face. You're glowing! Plus, I can smell the change in your scent." Oh no. If she can smell it, others can too. Now I'm even more glad we left when we did, the last thing I need is for the Alpha of our pack to demand I stay there and deliver my pup on his pack land. That's the kind of crazy thing he'd do, to grow his numbers. Talk about barely escaping.

"Does the Alpha know you are pregnant?" I ask Lynn. She shakes her head no.

"It's why I can't tell Mom. I'm not going to have my baby up there in that backwards place. Clint's even considering selling the ranch and moving us away, to make sure I don't have to go back there again."

"Lynn, did something happen to make you want to stay away from there?" I ask. "It's not like you have a crazy ex or something."

Lynn leans in, "I overheard the Alpha talking about buying young she-wolves, it's why as soon as I met Clint and knew he was my mate, I left."