FIFTY-THREE

**-Scott’s POV-**

We’re all three waiting for Indy to be done showering. I’m not sure why, but it feels like ages before she’s done. Breakfast has already arrived and is smelling very delicious. I now feel how hungry I really am. I sigh and close my laptop. I listen to the talk between Elder Lucien and Ryan; he’s explaining her about last night. I’m very curious why Lucien sounded so.. worried when I spoke to her last night. I explained everything but didn’t go into the very details, but it was still enough for Lucien to know that something was off. I guess I have to wait.

I’m so lost in thoughts that I almost forgot I was waiting for Indy. But her scent coming into the room woke me up. I look up to the door and smile, I’m very glad she’s all safe and sound.

“Heey, are you done? Are you feeling better now?” I ask her.

Indy nods but she isn’t looking me into the eyes and stares at her hands. That’s a bit weird, in my opinion. She seems shy all of the sudden. I walk over to her and lift her in my arms. She squeaks a bit but smiles. I’m already feeling a lot better now, my wolf purring in the back of my head. I sniff her hair and I’m overwhelmed by her coconut-shampoo scent that’s covering her sweet strawberry scent. Too bad, I like her strawberry scent more. I walk back to the seat and I sit down, with Indy on my lap.

Ryan walks over to us and gives Indy a peck on her mouth. “Hi gorgeous, have you slept well?”

Indy lifts her hand and touches Ryan’s cheek. “Yes, I did. I feel rested now, thanks Ryan.”

“Alright.. we haven’t eaten yet. Do you mind, Lucien?” I ask her.

She shakes her head and smiles: “Ooh, of course not! You all need to eat to be strong. That’s fine!” She winks at Indy and I’m raising my eyebrow but I refocus on the table with all the food. “Ryan, would you mind handing over something to eat, please? It’s a bit difficult now...” I make a gesture at Indy on my lap and she chuckles. Ryan’s eyes immediately turn dark from lust and says: “Certainly, I’ll do everything for my princess…”

I roll my eyes, but can’t help laughing. All fine by me, as long as I’m having some food. Ryan brings us a big plate with pancakes, eggs, veggies and toast. I grab one of the forks he gave us and start eating. Indy’s doing the same, almost attacking those veggies.

After a few minutes I look up at Lucien, who’s now drinking some tea. “Share us your thoughts, Lucien. I would like to know what’s so urgent and why you sounded so worried on the phone.”

Lucien is taking her time to answer. She’s sipping her tea and it seems like she’s not here with her thoughts. But Ryan and I know that this is her way of communication. She needs this to order her thoughts. She can be a bit chaotic sometimes, this helps her get on track and prioritize the right way. We wait in patience while we eat the food. After a few minutes she starts talking:

“Well, I could sense the distress of Indy, to be honest. Even when I was a lot further away then you did, Alpha’s. I also could sense her attempts to mindlink me, but I couldn’t respond. It was like I hit a wall, very disturbing. I waited in patience, well, I tried. Not long after, you called me Scott and explained things to me. I was trying to make a connection in all the chaos, and started digging. But first I want to know: did you find out why Indy couldn’t shift or mindlink?”

I feel Indy stiffen on my lap and I softly squeeze her leg. This must be hard for her, I imagine. All this information, maybe she got a flashback from last night. I look at Ryan and nod.

Ryan: “Well, after we went home last night, the doctor did some scans and tests. She found out that there was a chip in Indy’s neck. Very small, but close to her brain. She took it out to investigate but immediately saw it was a silver one. As far as we know, that causes some kind of barrier for her mindlinks. But she couldn't shift because she was too tired, we think. She healed Khal's wolf yesterday and the doctor believed Buwan had no energy anymore. The doctor also ran some scans and took her blood, which reminds me of the visit I need to bring the doctor. The results should be in now.”

Indy jounces on my lap and has her eyes wide open. “This morning? Are you sure?”

Ryan nods. “Yes, this morning. Why? Is something wrong, babe? Do you have any pain? Are you hurt?”

“No, no. Nothing. I was just.. I just wondered. I hope everything is fine and the chip didn’t cause any long term problems, that’s all.” Indy replies.

We all look back at Elder Lucien to see her reaction. “I see, I see.. Well, you told me something about a woman that shimmered, right? She took Beta Jeff. That’s also something that bothered me. You know, after the incapability of Indy to mindlink and use her wolf, I knew something was off. And after the information you gave me last night, Alpha Scott, I knew Beta Jeff wasn’t acting alone. That’s how I can bring the next point on my agenda: We. Are. Not. Alone. We know that there are humans, a lot of humans. But we didn’t find any proof of other species. We assumed there are, but now we know for sure.”

I nod. That’s what I was thinking too. “But why is that an issue? As long as we don’t fight, it’s fine, right? We don’t have more right to be on this earth than any other species.”

“No, no. That’s right. But that’s not what I mean. I meant: if the other species know about the Royal-thing, then we are in a lot of trouble. And I think we can say for sure that they know now. They will come for her, again. But probably a lot more organized. Which means that we are vulnerable right now.” Lucien says.

I frown, “Why are we vulnerable? We have a big and strong pack, she’s safe here.”

Lucien smiles. “Yes, you are strong. Yes the pack is big and well organized. But not to offend the three of you, but you’re weaker now, than you were without Indy.”

I want to jump up and contradict her words but she simply holds me with a hand gesture. “Before you’re going to say anything I want to explain: together you are very strong. Stronger than any couple will be. But without Alpha Khal, that bond is damaged. However: you’all are still strong enough. BUTT! I can feel that your relationship is weak, between the three of you. There is no trust, no true bond and no pure connection. You should work on that, otherwise you will damage the bond even more. Besides, when one of you is gone, the others will get weakened very soon. That process is accelerated, because Indy is Royal.”

I think about Lucien’s words and I have to admit that she’s right about the bond-part. I knew that killing Khal probably did hurt our bond, but I’m convinced that keeping him alive would’ve been even worse. But I know that Ryan and I haven’t processed the mate-part yet. We’re simply not accepting the fact that we share one. I probably less than Ryan. But that it affected our bond that much, I didn’t know!

“What do you mean by the process being accelerated due to Indy’s heritage?” I ask.

“Every person gets weaker when their other half is far away. But at the same time they’re stronger together. You know that, right?”

I nod.

Lucien continues: “Well, it works the same with Royals, but the effect is increased. Which means that you will become much stronger when you’re around Indy, but also feel a lot weaker when she’s away. That doesn’t need to be 10 kilometres, you also start to feel the effect when she’s not within the range of your nose. You also experience each other's pain, emotions and feelings a lot more intense. That’s just how it works, there are pros and cons.”

It all makes sense now. “So that’s why we feel grumpy and sick when she is? That’s why I hate it when she’s not in the same house? That’s why the three of us, Ryan, Khal and I were also getting sick and feeling horribly when she went into heat?”

Lucien only smiles.

“Damn. That’s intense.” I reply.

“It is. But you can overcome parts of that to create a strong bond. So that it doesn’t get a burden, but a strength.” Lucien says.

It’s Ryan’s turn to ask questions. “Sooo. You’re just saying that our relationship sucks, and that that’s part of the problem?”

I hear Indy chuckle again while she looks at Ryan. I can’t help but feel a bit jealous, it seems like she has a much stronger bond with Ryan than with me. She laughs with him, she sings with him. What do *we* share?

“See?” Lucien asks. “Do you feel it, Scott? You’re jealous. Why?”

I stare at her in disbelief. How does she know? “W-what?” I ask her.

“Oh don’t play that card, mister. But that’s exactly what I mean. So yes, you’re right Ryan. The unstable and broken relationship between the three, or should I say three-and-a-half, is part of the problem. Species sense it when the leaders are weak. During the first shift of Indy, she probably awakened some aura that attracts others. I think that we’re going to have more visitors soon.”

Lucien stands up and puts her empty cup on the table. She walks to the door.

“Wait!” I yell. “What do you mean? What should we do? Where are you going?”

She looks over her shoulder. “I’m going home, trying to find out which species that woman could be. Meanwhile the three of you should work on your relationship and make it strong. You can start with asking if Indy wants to tell you something… and when you’re done talking, completing the mating-process would be a great idea. Bye!”

She waves and leaves the room, leaving us speechless.

Ryan and I both turn our heads towards Indy. “What is Lucien talking about, *Babae*?” I ask her.

Indy’s head immediately turns red and she’s staring at her hands. I hold her close to my chest, feeling that she’s uncomfortable. Ryan goes down to Indy’s eye level and takes her hands, forcing her to look at him. “Babe, what’s wrong?”

I listen to her lovely voice: “I - uuuhh.. I think I have a pup in my belly…”

My heart skipped a beat, or two. My chest is growing every second and I feel amazing. I’m going to be a dad!! I barely can contain myself and the moment I want to jump around with my gorgeous mate I hear Ryan’s shocked voice: “You have whát in your belly??”