Chapter 21 Chapter 21
Marcus's POV
The pack house had transformed into controlled chaos. Flowers arrived by the truckload, caterers argued in the kitchen, and somewhere in the middle of it all, my pregnant mate was trying to manage everything while battling morning sickness she refused to acknowledge.
"The roses go in the ceremony space, not the reception hall," Ava directed, one hand pressed to her stomach.
I appeared at her elbow with crackers and ginger tea. "You need to eat something."
"I need to make sure everything's perfect."
"Everything is perfect. You're here, I'm here, and in three days we'll be married properly." I guided her to a chair. "The pack can handle flower arrangements."
"But the arch needs to be positioned exactly right for the moonlight, and the seating has to account for pack hierarchies without offending anyone, and..."
"And Rachel is handling all of that," I interrupted as Rachel appeared with her clipboard.
"He's right," Rachel said. "Everything's under control, Luna. Your only job is to stay healthy and stress-free."
Ava looked between us suspiciously. "You two conspired about this."
"Absolutely," I admitted. "Along with your father and Nathan."
"Nathan's involved in wedding planning?"
"He's handling security," I explained. "Roberts's coalition has been too quiet since that meeting Nathan infiltrated. I want to be prepared."
As if summoned, Nathan entered with Beta James. Both looked concerned.
"We might have a problem," Nathan said quietly. "Three unknown wolves were spotted at the eastern border. They left before patrol could intercept."
"Scouts?" I asked.
"Most likely. Testing our defenses."
"Double the patrols. Triple them around the ceremony space."
"Already done," Beta James confirmed.
Ava stood, but I gently pressed her back down. "We've got this handled."
"This is my wedding too," she protested.
"And your safety is my priority. Our safety," I corrected, my hand finding her still-flat stomach.
Nathan's eyes tracked the gesture. He was one of the few who knew about the pregnancy, and his protective instincts had surprised me. The brother who'd once been my enemy now helped guard my mate and unborn child.
"I've also increased cyber security on all pack communications," Nathan added. "If Roberts is planning something, we'll know."
"Good." I noticed Ava had gone pale. "Everyone out. Luna needs rest."
"I don't need..." Ava started, then bolted for the bathroom.
I followed, holding her hair back as morning sickness took its toll. "Still claiming you're fine?"
"This is normal," she gasped between waves of nausea.
"Doesn't make it easier to watch." I wet a washcloth with cool water, gently wiping her face. "Dr. Winters said this should ease after the first trimester."
"That's two more months."
"Then I'll hold your hair for two more months."
She leaned against me, exhausted. "You don't have to."
"I want to. Every part of this journey, good and bad, I want to share with you."
"Even the vomiting?"
"Especially the vomiting. It means our baby is strong, making their presence known."
"Our baby," she murmured. "I still can't believe it sometimes."
"Believe it." I helped her to our bed. "Rest now. The wedding preparations can wait."
"What about the cake tasting this afternoon?"
"Postponed. Sleep is more important."
She curled into my side, her hand over mine on her stomach. "I love you."
"I love you too. Both of you."
As she drifted off, my phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number: "Beautiful bride. Shame if something happened before the wedding."
I deleted it without showing Ava, but my wolf snarled. Roberts was making threats now. That changed things.
I carefully extracted myself from Ava's sleeping form and found Nathan in the security office, monitoring multiple screens.
"We need to talk about Roberts," I said.
"The threatening message?" Nathan didn't look away from the screens. "I intercepted it too."
"You're monitoring my phone?"
"Everyone's phones. With permission from Beta James." He finally looked at me. "Roberts isn't just planning disruption. He's planning an attack."
"When?"
"Best guess? During the ceremony. When everyone's distracted and emotional."
"We could postpone..."
"That shows weakness. And Ava would never agree."
He was right about both points. "What do you suggest?"
"Let me reach out to my Silvercrest contacts again. Some of them are in Roberts's inner circle but loyal to the new ways. They could give us advanced warning."
"That's dangerous. If Roberts discovers you're spying..."
"Then I'll deal with the consequences." Nathan stood, and for a moment I saw my own determination reflected in his features. "You're my brother. Ava's my sister-in-law. That baby she's carrying is my nephew or niece. Family protects family."
"Family," I repeated, testing the word between us.
"I know I don't deserve to claim that title yet..."
"You're earning it," I said quietly. "Every day, you're earning it."
His eyes widened slightly. "Marcus..."
"Sarah would want me to forgive you eventually. I'm not there yet, but I'm trying."
"That's more than I hoped for."
My phone rang. Dr. Winters. "Marcus, you need to bring Ava in immediately."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, but I've discovered something about the baby. Something important."
I woke Ava gently. "We need to see Dr. Winters."
"Is the baby okay?" Panic filled her voice immediately.
"She says yes, but there's something she needs to tell us."
We drove in tense silence, Ava's hand gripping mine tightly. At the clinic, Dr. Winters met us with a reassuring smile.
"Everything's fine," she said immediately. "But I've been researching Lycan pregnancies, and I found something in your mother's medical records, Ava."
"What kind of something?"
"Your mother was carrying twins when she died. It's a family trait. Lycan royalty often have multiples."
Ava's hand went to her stomach. "Are you saying...?"
"I'm saying we should do another ultrasound. A more thorough one."
Twenty minutes later, we stared at the screen in shock. Two heartbeats. Two tiny forms.
"Twins," Ava whispered.
"Twins," Dr. Winters confirmed. "Both strong, both healthy."
I couldn't speak. Two babies. We were having two babies.
"This changes the danger level," Dr. Winters said carefully. "Twin Lycan births haven't happened in fifty years. When word gets out..."
"It won't get out," I said firmly. "No one knows except us three and Nathan."
"Marcus," Ava said softly, "we can't hide this forever."
"We can hide it until they're born. Until they're strong enough to protect themselves."
"That's not realistic."
"Then we make it realistic." I was already planning. "After the wedding, we could travel. A honeymoon that lasts months. Return when the babies are born."
"Run away?"
"Strategic retreat. Just until..."
"No." Ava's voice was firm. "We don't run. We face this together, with our pack."
"Ava..."
"These babies are symbols of the new unity. Hiding them makes us look weak or ashamed." She took my hand, placing it on her stomach. "We protect them by being strong, not by running."
She was right. I knew she was right. But my protective instincts were screaming.
"Compromise," I suggested. "We keep the twin aspect secret for now. Let people think it's one baby until we're more secure."
"That's reasonable," Ava agreed.
Dr. Winters nodded. "I'll adjust my records accordingly. Officially, you're carrying one very active baby."
As we left the clinic, Ava squeezed my hand. "Twins. Can you believe it?"
"Your mother would say it's fate. The next generation already embodying unity, two souls, one purpose."
"My mother would probably laugh at us panicking over wedding flowers when we should be panicking over two newborn Lycans."
"We'll handle it," I said with more confidence than I felt. "Together."
"Together," she agreed, then smiled. "Though you're definitely on diaper duty."
"Deal. As long as you handle the midnight feedings."
"We'll share everything. The good and the bad."
"Just like a real marriage."
"This is a real marriage," she reminded me. "The ceremony is just a formality."
"A formality I'm looking forward to. Seeing you in a dress you chose, saying vows we mean..."
"Having cake that doesn't taste like revenge," she added with a laugh.
"That too."