Three?

Three?

As she walked down the stairs, she mind linked Graham to tell him she was going out. Anya was following her and in the living room, four more warriors were waiting and joined them. Graham asked if she wanted him to come, but Bella said she would link him if she needed him.

When they got to Thomas’ house, Bella’s father and Jessica were waiting outside. Jessica was holding a fussy Mavis.

“What is going on?” Bella asked.

“I’m sorry, but there is nothing more we can do,” Bella’s father said.

“Thomas?” she asked, and he nodded.

“When I got here today, he was just lying-in bed, looking straight into the wall. I have done everything I can think of to get a response out of him. He isn’t even responding to pain. I think we need to accept that he is beyond our help right now,” Bella’s father said.

Bella could see the pain in his face and hear it in his voice. He had become close to Thomas. They shared the bond of losing a mate.

“I understand, dad. Thank you for doing what you could,” Bella said, placing a hand on her father’s arm.

“Luna, Mavis can’t stay here,” Jessica said. Bella nodded.

“I will take her, for now,” Bella said. “Could you please pack some clothes and other necessities for her?” she asked Jessica.

“Of course, luna,” Jessica said and walked into the house.

“Are you sure about this, peanut?” her father asked. Bella nodded.

“I’m just going inside to talk to him for a moment. I will mind link his friends to come over. They will make sure he isn’t left alone,” she said.

Bella walked into the house and into the bedroom. Thomas was laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He looked deep in thought. Bella gently sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Hello Thomas,” she said as softly as she could. She reached for his hand and held it between both of hers.

“My father tells me that there is nothing more we can do for you. I’m sorry if I have let you down. Before Mikka died, I promised her I would look after you and Mavis. I feel like I have broken that promise. I would see it as a personal favour to me if you could come back to us, to Mavis,” she continued.

“But I understand if you can’t. Mikka will give you hell if you decide to join her so soon. But I know you can endure it. If you need to let go, that’s okay, Thomas. I will make sure that Mavis gets the best life possible, and that she knows that you and Mikka loved her,” Bella said, squeezing his hand.

She felt a light squeeze back, and she could feel his gratitude. Bella realised her father was right, Thomas was beyond any of their help or pleas.

“I’m going to let your friends know, you won’t be alone. Do you want me to call your parents? I know you are not on good terms, but if you would like, I can reach out to them,” she offered.

There was no response.

“I guess not. Thomas, I am going to leave you now. I’m taking Mavis home with me for now. She is safe. There will soon be someone to keep you company. Thank you for being my friend for this short period. It meant more than you know to be accepted. But then, as someone that came from the outside, maybe you know better than anyone. Go in peace my friend and say hi to Mikka from me, we all love you both,” Bella said with tears running down her face.

She leant forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead before standing up. She walked out into the living room, where his friends were already gathered. Bella slipped out of the role of a friend and into the role of luna.

She let his friends know what was happening. That she would take care of Mavis, but she needed volunteers to sit with Thomas. All of his friends said they would take turns. They promised he would not be alone.

Bella thanked them and made them promise to let her know if anything changed or if they needed something. They all thanked her for her support.

As Bella walked out of the house, her father and Jessica waited for her with Mavis and a bag of things that Mavis needed.

“Thank you, Jessica,” Bella said, taking Mavis. “Don’t forget dinner on Saturday,” she added.

“Oh, yes luna. I mean, no, I won’t forget,” she said, looking a little flushed. Bella smiled at her. One of the warriors took the bag.

“Dad, could you walk Jessica home? She hasn’t been home for a while,” Bella said to her father.

“Sure thing, peanut,” he smiled.

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to,” Jessica weakly objected.

“It won’t be a problem, will it, dad?” Bella said.

“No, no problem. I’m happy to do it,” her dad agreed.

Bella watched them walk away together. She sighed and started walking home with Mavis in her travel bassinet.

‘Gray, we will have a guest for a while,’ she mind linked Graham.

‘Who?’ he asked, confused.

‘Mavis’

‘Is it that bad?’ he asked.

‘Yes, if you want to say goodbye, you should go this afternoon. His friends are watching over him,’ she replied.

‘Are you on your way home?’ he asked.

‘Yes, we are almost there,’ Bella told him.

When they were walking up to the pack house, Graham came out and walked over to Bella. He took Mavis from her and pulled Bella into him. Graham placed a kiss on her forehead and then they walked into the pack house together.

“I let the others know,” he said to her.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Bastian and Charlotte will take Mickey with them to say goodbye. I’ll go in a while,” he told her.

Bella took the bag from the warrior and thanked all of them for escorting her. Graham and she walked up to their apartment. He put the bassinet down on the kitchen table and Bella put the bag next to it. She picked up Mavis, and they walked in and sat down on the couch.

“Jessica emailed me Mavis’ schedule,” Bella said.

“Pups have schedules?” Graham asked, surprised.

“Yes, when to eat and sleep, mostly,” Bella smiled. “Maybe it’s time we got a book or two on raising a pup. We will have two of them in about three months,” she said.

“Three months? Are you sure about your maths, Ellie?” Graham said, looking a little pale.

“Yes, quite so. Time moves fast, Gray,” she said.

“And what about Mavis? Do you think we can handle three pups?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said, honestly.

“I promised Mikka I would look after her family. It feels like I have already failed Thomas. I won’t fail Mavis as well,” Bella told him.

“Ellie, sweetheart, you did not fail Thomas. You did everything in your power to save him from himself. We can’t save everyone, no matter how hard we try. Some just don’t want to be saved,” Graham told her.

Before she could argue, he kissed her. It was a soft and warm kiss.

“If I said that I wanted to raise Mavis as our own, what would you say?” Bella asked him. He smiled at her and brushed her cheek with his thumb before looking down at Mavis.

“I have told you before, every pup we bring into our home I will love,” he said, caressing Mavis’ cheek with a finger.

“I just don’t want you to be overwhelmed,” he added.

“I know. I’m not saying we should decide what to do right now. Mikka’s parents should have a say in the matter as well,” she said.

“You are right,” he nodded.

“But she can stay for now, right?” Bella asked.

“Of course she can. She is family in more ways than one,” he said.

“I love you,” she told him.

“And I love you. I love how kind-hearted you are,” he said.

They sat on the couch for a while, entertaining Mavis. Bella read through Mavis’ schedule and showed it to Graham. Bastian, Charlotte, and Mickey came up to keep Bella and Mavis company as Graham went to visit Thomas.

When he got back, they all went down to eat dinner. When the pack saw Mavis in Bella’s arms, they all knew what was happening. Graham still stood up and talked to them and told them. The mood was solum. They all knew this was a possibility, but everyone had hoped that Thomas could hang on.

It warmed Bella’s heart when she saw the number of pack members that came up to them and offered to help with Mavis or asked if they could be of any other help. The pack had had a rough month, and to see that they still pulled together was inspiring.

After dinner, Graham and Bella spent the evening in their apartment. Trying to get used to co-existing with a pup. According to Jessica’s mail, Mavis was usually a bit fussy and had a hard time relaxing. But after slurping down a bottle of formula, she was satisfied with playing with Graham’s fingers and eventually falling asleep.

As they got ready for bed, Graham placed the travel bassinet on the floor next to the bed.

“You can’t put it on the floor,” Adina said.

“Why not? It seems the most stable option,” Graham asked.

“It feels rude to make her sleep on the floor.”

“Sweetheart, she isn’t sleeping on the floor. She’s sleeping in the pup-bed that is on the floor. Like you and me are sleeping in the grownup bed that is on the floor,” Graham said. Bella gave him a look.

“It’s not the same thing, and it’s called a bassinet,” Bella corrected him.

“Okay,” he nodded, clearly not willing to argue with her.

“Should we put it in the bed? Or should we let her sleep between us?” he asked.

“It won’t be stable, and what if we roll over her?” Bella said, worried.

“Ellie, I love you, but you are running out of options here. What about the bathtub?” he smiled.

“If it can knock out a full-grown alpha, it’s no place for a pup,” she smiled, tapping him on his forehead and making him laugh.

After some thinking, Bella had Graham move the nightstand on his side of the bed to hers and push it against her nightstand. That created a stable platform for the bassinet that Bella was satisfied with.

“Happy?” Graham smiled.

“Yes, thank you for agreeing to my irrational needs,” she said, kissing him.

“I trust your instincts,” he said as he lifted her onto the bed.

Bella woke up early the next morning from the sound of gurgling and excited blubs coming from the bassinet. Bella turned around in Graham’s arms and stretched her neck. She saw Mavis happily waving her hands around. Bella smiled and, with some effort, she fished up the pup and brought her to lie next to her on the bed.

Bella felt Graham pulling her closer to his chest and placing a kiss on her shoulder.

“I could get used to this,” he said, caressing Mavis’ head with his large hand. Bella smiled and turned her head so she could kiss him.

“You will soon have two of them to entertain,” she smiled.

“Not three?” he asked.