li

e stared at the ultrasound sc

e monitor-four tiny, flickering hear

room tilt j

er voice calm but clinical as she moved the wand across

sie, her wolf, was howling inside her-a mix

whispered, even though the proof wa

n days-two overachieving weirdos in the AI medical research progr

nly people who knew

h that sharp, no-bullshit look that

haven't heard from you in over a month, and then you show up looking like you've been through a war...

eyes, fighting the

softly. "The Waltons-" her voice cracked. "They d

" Lucy's head snappe

er gut. "They meant to send Sofia. I was ju

oment. Her voice dropped. "So t

red. "And he can't.

ightened. "But

hter on the table. The paper crinkled under her like it wa

atched her, expression caught somewh

n accident, Jules. The Moon Goddess doesn't ju

back there." Her hand drifted to her stomach automatica

softened immediate

le. Being rejected once had nearly broken her.

d to think about these babies. Four is h

the sentence. Sh

at the ceiling

I grew up in a state-run Omega orphanage before the Walt

. And we both know how that ended." She laughed once, the sound crack

he shaking stopped. "These pups are mine. They're al

tead, she turned to the cabinet an

markers," she said, handing it to Juliet

got a cottage on the edge of town. No neighbors. No pryin

s throat closed up

get sappy on me. What are best friends for, if not hiding

Lucy helped Juliet s

miss if you weren't looking for it. Small, but warm. Th

et could see the pine for

ompletely removed from th

mins formulated for werewolf pregnancies," Lucy sa

cy, always five steps ahead. "Four pups will drain your nu

he grateful smile she offered her frien

dded more quietly, "Just stay safe. Take care of y

ll. She wandered the small space, letting her fingers trail over

like cedar

ur tiny cribs. Four high chair

her chest. Four reasons to ke

d manage. She had no plan. B

m, Juliet san

ght, soft and worn. She placed b

rtbeats. Four

ed, voice rough but sure. "I

s soft, but full of warning. Protective. She

liet. Alpha Kaius Blair's scent st

ime since then, she

o

spark in the dar

turned out the w

hind. Now she was alone, carrying

ey wer

y were the family she had