Chapter 128

Daniel wasted no time in telling his mother the truth that day. That is, that he and Beth had secretly been in a relationship for weeks now, technically months since they had definitely been tip-toeing around each other in poor, secret denial long before they truly pledged themselves to each other.

Beth was not ready. She was still adjusting to being back in the Heether territory, still adjusting to the relief and anger and determination to take Andrew down even though she was undoubtedly pregnant. She had only just confessed to Anna about that, and Luna Margaretta already knew? Before Beth had had a chance to ready herself?

"It'll be all right. She'll come around." Daniel placed his hands on her belly, which had not yet begun to grow but would soon swell with the life of their growing baby. "It's important that everyone's on alert, keeping them in the dark will only make things more dangerous."

She swallowed hard. Daniel was right, but that didn't mean it make it any easier. Anna had tactfully reminded her only a few hours ago that she should be prepared for the inevitable confrontation, but Beth hadn't thought it would be so soon.

If she could have blamed the lingering aftereffects of being drugged, she would have, but it was purely nerves. Still, when Luna Margaretta found her a few hours later that night, standing in the doorway of the bedroom where Beth had been getting ready to sleep, she was ready.

"Daniel, I'll be right back. I'm going to check on Anna."

The water ran in the bathroom where Daniel had just gone in to take a shower. With any luck, she would be back before he was done.

With a slow, quiet breath, she followed Margaretta out into the hallway and down to the woman's bedroom.

***

They sat in silence at first. It must have only been a couple of minutes at most, but every second dripped down Beth's body like invisible rain, or perhaps tar. She sat on the sofa while Magaretta took up the head position in her armchair at the head of the low table, and Beth wondered if she would sink right through the cushions before the woman decided to speak.

Well, she wouldn't. Not before she said her piece.

And if Margaretta wasn't going to bring it up first, then Beth would. She had taken charge of her life from the beginning, and she had walked into this with eyes wide open. This was her second life. Her second chance. And she was going to fight for it.

"I love Daniel. I love Daniel more than I ever thought I could. I love Daniel so much that it frightens me sometimes, because I could take apart the whole world for him and never regret it." Beth straightened and found Margaretta's gaze. "Yes, I'm pregnant. Daniel told you everything and it's true, what he said. I respect your reluctance and I know this will disrupt the hierarchy of the pack, but I'm carrying Daniel's child. I'm already Daniel's mate. What's happened between us will never change, and I don't want it to."

The woman had aged. Gracefully, most might say, but the last year had given her a permanent grayness under her eyes, and there was a slump in her shoulders that hadn't been there a year ago.

The slump had come with the weight of her dead sons, her beloved children.

Beth had lost Caroline too, but when she passed, her little girl had still been alive, only taken. Maybe one day, she would be brave enough to ask Matt what had happened to her in the first life, but the terror and grief were still too fresh to pry open that wound.

For Margaretta, that pain was threefold. Warren, Brian, Carlo, all gone in the blink of an eye.

"My husband is dying." Margaretta's voice was light, belying the weight of her words. "He has no recollection of who he is anymore. In your absence, in Daniel's absence, he's crossed that threshold. He was already a different man a long, long time ago, since we lost our sons, and I thought I'd given up hope of recovery, but I must have been clinging to something. It's all for nothing, now. Mal is going to pass any day now. And I'll be alone."

"I'm sorry. But we'll hold the pack steady, keep his legacy alive. You aren't alone."

"Indeed. And you must be wondering why I'm bringing up my mate when you know I've brought you here to talk about Daniel."

"No," said Beth honestly. "This has to do with the family. Alpha Mal, you, all of us. And if I want your blessing for Daniel and me, you'll be giving us Alpha Mal's share as well."

Margaretta smiled. "You're wise beyond your years. But the truth is I brought up Mal because I've never been so lonely in my life. My sons are gone. You were married to Warren yourself and lost him, too."

Yes, but their losses weren't comparable. Beth had barely known the man. It wasn't fair to say she had suffered as Margaretta had.

"But I have one son, still. Daniel is still with me." The Luna leaned forward, gripping her armrests. "I know there will be gossip and naysaying among the other packs, and even within our own because of the seeming impropriety. You're his sister in law, sister in the pack by virtue of being Warren's widow. It's to be expected."

"Yes."

"But I've decided I'm too old for that. I don't want to see my son unhappy. He's all I have now. And if he wants you, then I cannot tell him no when I will never have a chance to say yes my other children ever again." Margaretta's eyes shone with unshed tears as she stared hard at Beth. "I've told Daniel to do as he wishes. It'll be obvious to everyone in a few months that you're pregnant, so you don't have much time to break it to the pack. You'll have to step wisely. The other nations, there are politics involved in an eligible Alpha suddenly becoming unavailable... There have been proposals for Daniel, you know. He simply hasn't been paying attention to them."

"We're all but mated. Once the war is over, we'll come clean to the pack. I won't be ashamed of loving Daniel, and I won't be shamed by anyone into being quiet. I know what comes after, the rumors and he general nastiness... so we wait for now and stay discreet about it. Until the war is over. Until we have peace again."

Margaretta nodded. "For some reason, I hear experience in the way you speak. I trust my intuition. You'll be strong enough to bear it while it lasts."

"I am."

"Then you do have my blessings, both of you. But..." She paused, face creasing with a shadow of pain. "There are days when I see you and I can think of nothing but Warren. And Brian and Carlo. I see you and it's pain, here." She placed a hand over her chest. "I've been cold to you both because I saw the signs for a long time now... I was just in denial, I think. Forgive an old woman her weakness. There will be days too that I can't treat you with the warmth I wish I could, because of that."

"I understand."

"Then there's nothing more to say. Be Daniel's strength in the days ahead. I can't lose him, too."

Beth reached over and took Margaretta's shaking hands.

"I'll be with him always."

***

"Stay safe, Bethie." Anna hugged her, eyes wide. "Another blizzard is going to be on top of us in a few days, I can't risk waiting anymore. I'll go personally to Dad and Mom and tell them everything. Daniel already drafted up the plan in code, and he's sending three different messengers excluding me to make sure one way or another, word gets to Iron Nation and Bronze Nation in time. Gold Nation is moving, we have to keep up."

Beth hugged her back, heart heavy. There was no longer any time for lingering resentment. All she could do was hug her sister and hope Anna remained safe. If only she didn't have to go, but in this weather, only the most experienced scouts and those with Alpha constitutions could make it through.

"Bethie..." Anna's voice was muffled in her shoulder. "I don't know if I ever told you I was sorry. I am. I wish it didn't take me so long to grow the hell up and stop being a brat. I wish I was more like you."

"You're stronger than I ever could have hoped. You know how brave you are, right? Breaking off all ties with Noah's family, with Gold Nation, siding with us?"

"Who else would I side with? When all's said and done, it's family and the pack who'll always be with me, not Gold Nation. I love you, okay? Don't do anything to risk the baby. You know all the women in the family always have a hard first pregnancy."

"I'll be okay. You need to worry about yourself. Don't take unnecessary risks, if you think it's too dangerous, just turn back. We'll figure something out."

Anna leaned away and smiled. "I'm done turning back. I'm not a coward anymore."

"It's not about being a coward--"

"I'm going to be like you. Always said I would have jumped at the chance to be in your shoes. So now I have to live up to it. Love you, Bethie. I'll see you when it all ends."

"I love you too, Anna. Don't forget that."