Six.

"Is it weird that you look more nervous than I am?" Eloise asked Sammy, as they sat together in the TV room of the pack house.

It had been a week since Henry and Shane had agreed upon their settled dates, and now the un-welcome visitors were due in half an hour. Sammy had begrudgingly taken a day off work, to be there. An occurrence which Daniel and Shane had gotten an earful about, if this so called visit was to see her, shouldn't Sammy have had some say in whether or not she wanted to be checked upon? Or whether this was even a convenient time?

Which it was not. Gomez had a minor infection she had been monitoring, and she would still have to go to work later to give him his antibiotics. A task, the bear would not accept from anyone else. Apparently, he could smell the difference between drugged meat and non drugged meat; a small fact, that Sammy, Abigail, and even Shane enjoyed tormenting Daniel over. Thus, for now the animal needed a daily injection, and Sammy was the only one he allowed to do it, even if there was still a bit of grumbling involved.

"I'm not nervous," Sammy smiled, at Eloise, "Well, not about the visitors anyway. I'm more worried about saying something to get Shane and Abigail in trouble." She admitted.

"I'm sure you will be fine, Sammy." Shane stated entering the room with Daniel.

"Easy for you to say. You were raised with the wolf rules." Sammy responded, reaching out for Daniel's hand as he approached her. "I'm likely to earn you a declaration of war by the morning."

They all snickered at her melodrama.

"I got you, Sammy." Daniel leaned close and whispered in her ear.

But Sammy stiffened at his proximity, her face paling considerably.

"Sammy, are you alright?" Eloise asked.

Daniel went tense, his urge to grab his mate and get her somewhere safe to find out what might be wrong was almost overwhelming.

"Sammy?" He asked, clenching his fists to control his protective urges.

Sammy's fist came up to her face as she bit on the back of it, looking at Daniel in horror. Her body jerked, before she stood up shaking her head and backing away from her mate, while holding a hand up to block him from coming closer.

"No," she mumbled at Daniel through her hand, as her body involuntarily bucked.

Daniel's eyes grew wide with panic as the love of his life began moving away from him, before running out of the room entirely. Everyone except Shane looked a bit startled, he however just looked quite smug.

"Daniel, you need to go shower and quickly." He stated with a smile.

"Shower? Are you mad? Sammy just..." Daniel stated, feeling a bit lost before moving to go after his mate.

"You will only make it worse if you don't," Shane responded, in a voice loud enough for Daniel's retreating ears to hear.

It was a few moments later that Shane burst into laughter making Eloise smile, as Sammy was overheard screaming at Daniel.

"Stay the hell away from me!" She bellowed, from the toilet down the hall.

"Sammy please, let me help you!" Daniel was heard, all but begging his mate.

"You smell awful! What did you do?" She cried accusingly, "Just get out, you.... No, not done, crap." Came her panicked voice as the door was heard slamming, presumably in Daniel's face.

He reappeared in the TV room with Shane and Eloise a moment later.

"What did I do?" He asked confused.

"Eloise, you want to explain or should I?" Shane asked smugly.

"You go ahead, Alpha. I'm going to go get Sammy some water." Eloise answered, before leaving the room.

"Well?" Daniel asked, looking at his friend expectantly.

"You're wearing the cologne Sammy's Grams got you for Christmas, right? I'm guessing to make a good impression." Shane began, to which Daniel nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, I'd say Sammy's morning sickness just kicked in full force thanks to it."

Daniel paled, sniffing at the collar of his shirt.

"Shit."He grumbled, before running out of the room to go shower, all of which made Shane laugh hysterically.

He kept smirking to himself, until there was a knock at the main door and Abigail appeared with Harvey on her hip.

"They're here," she smiled supportively at her mate, her red hair high in a pony tail above her neck. "Where is everyone?"

Shane moved towards his wife, wrapping an arm about her as he breathed her in, and kissed his son's head.

"Sammy is throwing up and Daniel is showering, after making Sammy throw up. All while Eloise kindly takes care of her." Shane stated.

"Of course they are. What else would they be doing at a time like this." Abigail laughed at the absurdity, and awkwardness of their timing.

She linked her hand through her mate's and began pulling him toward the reception rooms at the front of the house.

"Come on, *Alpha*." She teased him, "Let's go and welcome our guests."

Shane smiled as he dutifully allowed himself to be pulled forward, only taking a leading position once they were coming into the room where he was to find Henry Gray and his entourage waiting. Shane recognised all but one of the foursome, and gladly opened his arms for the embrace Sammy's gransmother was determined to give him. But, her face lit up even more as she set her eyes on Harvey.

"Oh, you are just getting too cute young man!" She smiled, ignoring the formalities that were usually required at these events.

"And, the little rascal knows it too, Alice." Abigail laughed, knowing how soft the older she wolf was on the young ones. "Would you like a cuddle?"

"Do you think I came all this way for whatever nonsense that boy has planned? Gimme." She laughed, reaching out to scoop Harvey from his mother's arms. "You are going to be the best Alpha in the country, aren't you?" She cooed, before reprimanding Abigail, "And call me Grams, we are as good as family anyway."

Henry's growl was heard at his grandmother's insult, causing Shane to answer in kind.

"Rein your aggression in around my son, Gray!" He snarled out, positioning himself between his child and the petulant Alpha.

"My apologies, Andrews." Henry answered, without sincerity. "My Grandmother's *enthusiasm* caught me off guard. Now, I presume Sammy will be joining us? And that Beta of yours, I suppose."

Abigail bristled, a growl of her own rumbling beneath her chest. She was not afraid of showing her displeasure at Henry's dismissal of anyone in her pack.

"Henry Martin Gray," came Gram's voice before anyone could respond in words. "Rein in your ego. Is it any wonder I would think so highly of another over you. The so called Alpha of our pack who not only chased his mate away, but can't contain his jealousy over a baby receiving some praise." She scolded him while rolling her eyes, before turning to Michelle who stood stiffly behind her son. "And you? I thought you raised those boys better, than to allow one of them to behave in such a way."

"Well, I guess their father had more of an input than any of us would have liked, maybe we should analyse his upbringing?" Michelle snorted.

"Don't you dare bring him up, *Mrs. Gray.* You forget, I know the..." Grams began in annoyance.

"Is that my Grams I hear on the war path already?" Came Sammy's voice as she entered the room, sensing trouble and deliberately interrupting everybody. "Damn, now owe Bast twenty bucks, I said we would at least make it to sitting down for lunch first." She stated playfully.

"There you are, Sweetie!" Alice's whole demeanor suddenly changed, as she inhaled. "Morning sickness?"

"Unfortunately," Sammy rolled her eyes, "I thought I might be one of those lucky women who avoided it. But, nope."

"And where is that *Beta*? Shouldn't he be with you?" Came Henry's smug voice, as if he had caught Daniel out for not being there.

"Henry, shut up." Sammy dismissed him instantly, making Michelle instantly go on edge.

"Samantha, please," She spoke up, placing a manicured hand on her son's shoulder. "Henry is your brother, he is concerned. He is also your natural alpha, you ought to show him some respect. I know you are new to our ways, but there is no reason to be rude or deliberately inflammatory."

Shane stiffened at this, but it was Sammy who spoke up first.

"Michelle, while I hold no animosity toward you. If you call me Samantha again, that will change. My name is Sammy. Also, your pack has no natural authority over me whatsoever, so do not even try and pretend to impose any. Your *late* mate made sure of that." She scolded her technical step mother.

"Lunch?" Abigail suddenly stated, killing any other response, with a forced and fake smile plastered over her face.

*Daniel get down here now.* Shane mindlinked his Beta, hoping he would be able to keep Sammy calm. Even if he did fully agree with his Beta female's point of view.

*I'm here.* Came the response, as Daniel came into the the room and walked straight to Sammy, like he was magnetically pulled to her side.

"Better?" He whispered, as he wrapped his arms about her waist tentatively.

"Much." Sammy smiled, leaning back against Daniel's chest. "I believe we are about to head through to the conservatory to eat," She stated, looking around the group and spotting the fourth member of Henry's group.

He was younger, in his early teens, and was nervously watching everyone's interactions. A strange choice for the entourage, she thought to herself. The boy looked completely out of place and ought of his depth.

"Hi, I'm Sammy. I don't believe my brother has introduced us yet." She stated with a warm smile to the boy, just as Eloise joined the group.

"Carson?" Came Eloise's shakey voice from the doorway she had just entered. Pulling every eye in the room towards her as she stared on speechlessly at the little brother she hadn't seen in eight years.

*Author's Note: I'm sorry about the delays. But, I do hope you are still enjoying it.*