woman was relaxed in the high-back lounge chair. Her hair was plaited into thick cornrows, which only drew out the reddish glow in her light-brown complexion. Her dark eyes held a gentle calm as she bounced a plump, brown-skinned child on her thigh. As Freya watched, the woman placed the babe upon the floor next to his sibling. Werewolf cubs could easily pass as human children, except for the fact that they advanced a great deal quicker. While human children crawled, were cubs were already up and moving about. Weres’ first fangs appeared before humans even began to teethe, and the children tended to be covered in fine down from birth. Melissa’s cubs looked to be no older than two, Freya supposed, and already they were frightening little critters. The sight of Helena laughing appeared in front of her eyes. “They’re all bat shit,” Freya said of the Sohons.
Her roommate laughed but nodded in agreement. “Freya, right?”
“Yup. Melissa?”
“Yeah.” She pointed to the two cubs on the floor and introduced them as well. “This is Ryant, and this is Bryant.”
Freya looked at the two children, unable to discern any obvious differences. “How do you tell them apart?”
“They are identical, but their personalities are different. Bryant is definitely an alpha, and Ryant is seemingly a beta.” She gestured to the sudden growls coming from at her feet. She pointed down at the cub who had been ruining the hem of her dress. Bryant had switched his aggression to his brother. But the other cub held his ground, even if slightly aloof, just as a beta would.
Impressed, Freya watched the mini pack dynamics in action. “I didn’t know they displayed so early.”
Melissa reached down and rapped Bryant on his nose. The pup quieted, and his mother relaxed into her chair. She seemed to relish its comfort and having her lap free. “Yup. They do. Sometimes even in the womb.”
Freya nodded, recalling Gaea’s tales of Fenris. While her mother-in-law had said that carrying Fenris for nine months had felt like carrying a lightning bolt, Freya had felt that there might have been some exaggeration in the mix. Freya looked down at her belly and considered her own child. He did have a bit of an attitude, but for the most part, he was easy to carry. She introduced her child, running her hand over the curve of her belly. “Well, this is Bun.”
Amused, Melissa replied, “Aren’t they all?”
Freya had no answer. Since the day she had first felt her cub moving within her, she had been humbled by the love she felt for him. The need for sport still flared within her, but drawing blood and breaking bone could wait awhile. Just feeling Bun growing stronger, bigger every day, experiencing his hunger and discomfort, was pretty damn intimidating on its own. Thinking back to the lobby and all the expectant mothers, she wondered why none seemed to share the same nervousness or fear as she.
Freya allowed herself to lie back on the bed. She had to move the diaper bag aside in order to get comfortable, but the feel of the pillows beneath her head and shoulders set her at ease. Thoughts of getting up were swiftly muted. The mattress was divine, not to mention firmer than the one she had back at the lodge. The situation here wasn’t really so bad. She just needed to unwind a bit. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of the surf outdoors despite the cubs’ minibattle. Even with the noise of the cubs, she was certain a restful sleep could be found in the room. It would be better still if she could just bring herself to get up and shower first.
The decision was a hard one, but after a while, she managed to open her eyes. She was about to sit up when her hand brushed against the diaper bag. The sound of a rattle caught her interest. She rolled over to her side and pulled the bag on its side for a peek inside. Onesies, wipes, a soft brush and comb set, beef-flavored pacifiers, teething rings, baby toiletries, towels, a blanket,
Her roommate laughed but nodded in agreement. “Freya, right?”
“Yup. Melissa?”
“Yeah.” She pointed to the two cubs on the floor and introduced them as well. “This is Ryant, and this is Bryant.”
Freya looked at the two children, unable to discern any obvious differences. “How do you tell them apart?”
“They are identical, but their personalities are different. Bryant is definitely an alpha, and Ryant is seemingly a beta.” She gestured to the sudden growls coming from at her feet. She pointed down at the cub who had been ruining the hem of her dress. Bryant had switched his aggression to his brother. But the other cub held his ground, even if slightly aloof, just as a beta would.
Impressed, Freya watched the mini pack dynamics in action. “I didn’t know they displayed so early.”
Melissa reached down and rapped Bryant on his nose. The pup quieted, and his mother relaxed into her chair. She seemed to relish its comfort and having her lap free. “Yup. They do. Sometimes even in the womb.”
Freya nodded, recalling Gaea’s tales of Fenris. While her mother-in-law had said that carrying Fenris for nine months had felt like carrying a lightning bolt, Freya had felt that there might have been some exaggeration in the mix. Freya looked down at her belly and considered her own child. He did have a bit of an attitude, but for the most part, he was easy to carry. She introduced her child, running her hand over the curve of her belly. “Well, this is Bun.”
Amused, Melissa replied, “Aren’t they all?”
Freya had no answer. Since the day she had first felt her cub moving within her, she had been humbled by the love she felt for him. The need for sport still flared within her, but drawing blood and breaking bone could wait awhile. Just feeling Bun growing stronger, bigger every day, experiencing his hunger and discomfort, was pretty damn intimidating on its own. Thinking back to the lobby and all the expectant mothers, she wondered why none seemed to share the same nervousness or fear as she.
Freya allowed herself to lie back on the bed. She had to move the diaper bag aside in order to get comfortable, but the feel of the pillows beneath her head and shoulders set her at ease. Thoughts of getting up were swiftly muted. The mattress was divine, not to mention firmer than the one she had back at the lodge. The situation here wasn’t really so bad. She just needed to unwind a bit. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of the surf outdoors despite the cubs’ minibattle. Even with the noise of the cubs, she was certain a restful sleep could be found in the room. It would be better still if she could just bring herself to get up and shower first.
The decision was a hard one, but after a while, she managed to open her eyes. She was about to sit up when her hand brushed against the diaper bag. The sound of a rattle caught her interest. She rolled over to her side and pulled the bag on its side for a peek inside. Onesies, wipes, a soft brush and comb set, beef-flavored pacifiers, teething rings, baby toiletries, towels, a blanket,
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