So hardworking

Braelyn

Stepping out of the shower, I peered around the small cramped room. It was hardly big enough to turn around in, but it was clean. We'd rented a new apartment in a high traffic area, close to work, once we'd noticed the wolves around the one Douglas had chosen for us. It would have been more dangerous to be around wolves, especially considering Saint had left me in a precarious condition.

I dressed in a pair of soft, stretchy jeans and pulled the camisole top over my sensitive breasts. Turning sideways in the cramped room, I looked at the gentle swell of my belly in the mirror. It was noticeable now and hard to hide that I was pregnant. Groaning. I grabbed the sweater and slipped my arms into it, shoving my hair into a messy bun before I left the room. The stale scent of takeout food made my nose itch, hating that it wasn't the fresh food we'd had on the mountain. I missed the mountain and the protection it would have offered me in my current condition. I hated waking up every morning and going to bed every night, still worrying about the pack.

"We have twenty minutes to get to the bar, and you already know Jackson is going to be there, pissy as per usual." Toralei came into the front room, the largest in the house since the tiny kitchen with a stove and mini-fridge was only a twinge larger than the bathroom. "I'm ready to go." I announced.

"Did you take your vitamins? Did you eat?" She mothered me, which was endearing, if not bothersome.

"Yes, mother! I also took the edibles that you left in the cupboard, and we're both pleased with the herbal mixture!" I wiggled my brows, smirking at how her mouth hung open with horror burning in her eyes. "You did not!" she stated, horrified at my singsong tone before rushing into the tiny alcove to open the one cupboard in the apartment. "That isn't even funny!"

"It was, but then you didn't see the absolute look of horror on your face. I love you, and I love that you worry about the babe and me, but we're fine. I took my vitamins, and I ate two apples and some scrambled eggs. We're good, Tora. Stop mothering me. Everything is okay," I chided, slipping on my thick coat and kissing her cheek. "Now, let's go before Jackson fires us both, and we end up needing a smaller apartment."

"I don't think they get much smaller than this," Tora grumped, hiding her edibles before grabbing her coat.

Outside, I peered up at the bright blue sky, fighting a smile as the air bit at my exposed cheeks. It was freezing, yet still beautiful. The bitter cold in the air reminded me of home, and I missed sitting in front of the fireplace, lost in an amazing story as the snow fell outside the window of the lodge's library.

Passing Mrs. Peterson, I paused, moving to where she was struggling with the heavy snow mucking up the sidewalk. Her husband, Tommy, as he preferred to be called, was disabled, leaving her to do most of the heavy lifting. Grabbing the shovel from her, I smiled against the wind that whipped my hair in my face.

"I'll do it, Angela. Let me help," I offered, watching her soft blue eyes crin- kle in the corners.

"You girls, I don't know how I managed before you moved in here," she admonished, curling her arms over her chest to stave off the chilled afternoon air.

"Give me that, Brianna, Tora snapped, grabbing the shovel. I turned, frowning at my new name, still unused to it even after three and a half months of hearing it. "You, go stand by Angela and shoot the shit. You're not supposed to be doing such things in your condition." "I'm pregnant, not disabled," I argued. I allowed Tora, or Tori as I now called her, to take the shovel from me.

"Back in my day, pregnancy wasn't an excuse not to work. Nowadays, you'd think they believed you were breakable. People act like you will melt and wilt if you do a darn thing by yourself," Angela scoffed, smiling at the way Tora glared at her over her shoulder while making quick work of the sidewalk.

"Tori's a mother bear for certain," I chuckled, watching her finish the side- walk, handing the shovel back so that we could hurry off to the bar. "Have a nice evening, Mrs. Peterson. Tell Tommy hello for us," I called back, and Toralei grabbed my arm as I moved over a slick part of the sidewalk.

"Watch where you're walking." Toralei groaned. "You are going to be an amazing daddy, Tora," I laughed, watching her eyes widening at my statement.

We entered the bar with one minute to spare. Both of us quickly clocked in and started taking the chairs down from the tables, setting up for the regulars who lived for the few hours they got between home and the bar after long hours of work.

The Hub was a dive bar that had a lot of regulars. Some people just popped in to see what the atmosphere was like before moving next door to the more boisterous club with loud pop music playing and flashing lights that offered seizures and fun. I preferred this side of the club. The country music reminded me of home, and the regulars were gruff, rough men.

I grabbed glasses from the shelf and placed them into the ice Jackson had poured into a bin for them to chill. He smiled, dropping his soft gray gaze to my belly. Jackson was refreshing but very human and in his early forties. He'd started The Hub with money he'd earned from serving in the armed forces overseas, then opening up his own private security company. The Hub, how- ever, was his dream job.

"How are we feeling, momma?" he asked, causing a smile to play at the corners of my mouth. "Great, but ask me again at closing time, and I'm sure the answer will be, exhausted," I laughed, moving around him to chill some of the whiskey I knew would be served tonight. It wasn't an awful job, and it was off the beaten path, meaning few other- world beings would come in for a visit. I was doing well at learning to blend in, and we appeared human enough to pass as one of them.

I'd learned early on after arriving here that people didn't care where you came from or your history. No one asked about our past, commented on our height, or that we spoke with a slight accent because everyone else here did too. It was a beautiful, chaotic mixture of varying races.

"If you need a break, Brianna, let me know. We'll cover the slack," Jackson stated, nodding at his girlfriend. "Katic and I don't mind you getting off your feet. You work harder than most of the lazy pricks I've hired over the years, and we don't want you burning out."

"Thanks, but I prefer to stay busy. It keeps my mind off life, and for a dive bar, this place is pretty cozy," I admitted.