Chapter 44

**FINN**

He fucking called me Finnegan. Only my parents call me that and only when I've done something wrong. It was hard enough for me to put up with it, but now it's even worse. He irritates me to no end, behaving as if he were still the alpha and especially as if Caleb were the only alpha in the pack. And it's all the more distressing when you consider that he wasn't even legitimate in the first place.

I try to forget about this moron with my second glass of champagne. At least Elena's having a good time. Theo makes sure she's well-hydrated and always has something to eat when her nausea kicks in. The guy's developed a sixth-fucking-sense about this. I watch as she dances with Jensen and the kid is ecstatic. I can't blame her, she's gorgeous.

"She'll make a great mom." I'm startled by my mother's voice next to me.

"Yes, I'm sure she will," I say, looking at her out of the corner of my eye, and her smirk lets me know she knows she's pregnant.

"Don't take too long to announce it... it will do your father good to hear some good news."

"How..."

"Don't forget that I'm a woman and a mother. We recognize that kind of thing." She cuts me off. "I'm proud of you. I don't know if I've told you this much, but... I'm proud of the man you've become. You'll make a good father too, I'm convinced of it."

Wow, I'm not the sentimental type, but now I could cry. It's true that she didn't often say that to me, and I always thought she wasn't. But I'm not a sentimental person. Well, it has to be said that I haven't always been irreproachable... far from it.

"Thanks, Mom. It means a lot to me." I reply before kissing her on the cheek.

My attention is drawn to Elena and I see Eric approaching her. He invites her to dance and she accepts. My fists tighten along my body. She had no choice but to accept, but everyone was watching them cautiously. I think somehow everyone in the community must have wondered about Eric's involvement in James and Moira's murder and Elena's departure.

As soon as the music ends, Cal approaches her and Eric is forced to give up his seat. I breathe again when she's in Caleb's arms.

"Have you learned any new things?" My mother asks, drawing me back to her.

"We're on to something, but we'd rather..."

"Let's keep it between you for now. I understand." She finishes for me and I nod, taking her hand in mine.

I pull her onto the dance floor and dance with her right next to Elena and Caleb and we're soon joined by Theo and Mary.

**ELENA**

The presentation evening was exhausting, but above all, it was a great evening. It gave me a chance to spend some time with friends I hadn't seen in years, and to have some fun. I didn't realize it, but I hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

I'm officially Luna of the Lunar Pack, I've got my office at the pack house and I've already got a list of appointment requests. I don't know if it's to answer real problems or if it's just curiosity. I've been setting up my schedule for the last hour to enable me to deal with everything I have to deal with. There's a knock on the door and Theo enters with a small bottle of water under his arm, two hot drink goblets in one hand and a small brown bag in the other.

"I've come to stock up on your morning snack," he announces, closing the door with his foot. "You need to stay hydrated and I haven't seen you take any water. I got you a hot chocolate and white chocolate raspberry cookies... your favorite." He explains, setting everything down on my desk.

"You're fucking perfect," I tell him and am rewarded with his beautiful smile.

He sits down in front of it, taking his coffee. "I'm really starting to believe that this baby could be Caleb's the way they make you suffer."

I can't help but laugh at his remark.

"Just avoid saying that in front of him because I'm not sure he'll take it well."

"No but seriously, did you know that some women are sick throughout their pregnancy." He tells me and I growl. "Well, I hope for your sake it doesn't last."

"I hope so too," I say before biting into the muffin. Oh dear, how good it is.

"If you keep making that kind of noise, I'm going to feed you something else..." He says, giving me a smirk.

"Speaking of which... uh... it's been a long time since the four of us did anything at the same time and..." I bite my lower lip.

"I read that during pregnancy you can have an increased libido." He says seriously.

"You know, sometimes I think it's really sweet that you're so knowledgeable, but right now..." I growl in frustration. "I'm telling you that I want to be taken by all three of you at the same time and you can't think of anything better to do than tell me about an article you read?"

He widens his eyes. "Okay, I'll set it up... tonight..."

He stands up and has a hard time hiding his erection under his hands.

He is so unsettled that he leaves the office without his coffee. I laugh, shaking my head. He is incorrigible.

I'm refocusing on my schedule to finalize it when I get a message from Caleb telling me that his mother has proposed an appointment again in two days.

I hope this meeting will do Cal some good and help him understand why his mother left without him, knowing full well what kind of person his father was. Even if it's the last time he sees her, I think the discussion is necessary, and if she has proof that Eric did kill my parents, that would be the icing on the cake.