bChapter /bb268 /b

    Yorick

    bI’m /bbstill /bbin /bbshock /bbat /bbQuirin’s proposal/b. I knew we could trust him. I never would have gone to him bin /bbthe /bfirst bce /bif I hadn’tb. /bBut I had no idea bhe’d /bbe /bbup /bwith an idea that not only helped us pay off our debt to him but also helped us bto /bmake our bown /bbpack /bbwealthy /b

    bIn /baddition, he’s basically doubling our pack size and nearly tripling our packnds which will instantly add more ie and bcredit /bto our financal situation.

    “bI /bbdon’t /bknow what to say,” I tell him, hugging him as we stand.

    “You’re Kennedy’s brother. That makes you my brother. You’re family, Yorick.”

    “Thank you, my brother,” I say, hugging him more tightly before releasing him.

    When I step back, Cyra and Kennedy are still hugging and murmuring to each other. I look back at Quirin. “Are you working bwith /bConnor and Henry to invest also?”

    “Of course I am. Henry has been invested for a whilei,/ii” /ihe says smirking. “Although he didn’t always know it. bOn /bhis thirtieth birthday, I gave him the information on the investment I started for him when my pack started prospering. It was a nice little sum of money.b” /b

    For Quirin, ‘a nice little sum‘ is probaby more than some people make in a lifetime.

    “Is that why he threatened to punch you during his party that year?” I ask him, making Quirinugh.

    “Yeah. He’s such a bastard. It’s perfectly fine for him to do nice things for me, but he hates it when I do nice things for him. He says it bfreaks /b

    him out.”

    “I’m guessing it was a bit more than ‘nice‘,” I say.

    He just shrugs and shifts the subject. “I offered to work with Connor after we signed our alliance agreement, and he took me up bon /bit. His pack is also doing very well.”

    “That exins the upgrades he’s been doing to the packhouse and how he paid the Tech Team to improve his security.”

    “Exactly,” he says, holding out an arm for Kennedy when our mates finally pull apart. She slides into his embrace as if she was born to be there. Curious, I open my arm and Cyra does the same.

    Yep, she was born to be right here in my arms.

    “Ready to go see if Mom and Dad have emerged yet?” Kennedy asks.

    “Yes. If not, I’d still like to head over to the pack hospital. The sooner we speak to Dr. Walker, the better I’ll feelb,/b” I say.

    Quirin kisses the top of Kennedy’s head. “Let me know if you need me. I have to go kick some Academy cadets‘ asses,” he says grinning,

    “Don’t have too much fun,” Kennedy says, scowling.

    Rather than heed her warning, Quirin’s grin widens. “Why not? I have two of the best doctors in the world at my disposal today. If I hu I’ll send them over.”

    Kennedy just shakes her head as we walk into the main area of the packhouse.

    b‘/bbm/bb, /b

    There we find my mother, charming the pack members like she always does. Her hair isn’t quite as put together as it was before bmy /bbfather /bgot

    bChapter /b768

    bhis /bbhands /bbin /bbit/bb, /bband /bbher /bbcheeks /bbdefinitely /bbhave /bba /bbpink /bbglow /bbto /bbthem/b, bbut /bbshe’s /bhere band /bbI’m /bbthankful /btwant her impressit he bck /bbof /bbpregnancy /bbbut /balso bof /bbDr. /bbWalker/b.

    b“/bbHey /bbmom/b,” I bsay/bb, /bwalking bup/b.

    bShe /bbsays /bbgoodbye /bbto /bbthe /bbpack /bmembersb, /basking one of the young mothers bto /bbring her bpup /bbto /bbthe /bbpack /bhospitalter btoday /bbto /bbbe /bseen, then

    bshe /bturns bto /bbus/bb. /b

    b“/bbGood /bbmorning/b,b” /bshe says, going first to Cyra and pulling her into an embrace.

    b“/bbGood /bbmorning/b, Luna,” Cyra says, smiling and closing her eyes as my mother hugs her. I can feel the need, the desire bfrom /bbCyra /bbto /bbfeel /bba /bmother’s arms wrapped around her. It’s something she never had growing up and my mother gives the best hugs I’ve bever /bbhad/b. bWell/bb, /bbbesides /bbmy /bmate’sb. /b

    My mother holds my mate longer than a normal hug, recognizing as she always does, what someone else needs band /bgiving bit /bbto /bbthem/bb. /b

    “Thank you, Luna,” Cyra says, finally pulling away.

    “I’m always avable for a hug, Cyra,i” /ishe says, turning to me and opening her arms. “See?”

    bI /bchuckle as I pull my mother into a hug. Mine is faster and then she turns to Kennedy.

    “You already hugged me this morning,” Kennedy says.

    “So? Give your mother another hug,” she says. Kennedy shakes her head but hugs our mother.

    “Why does Quirin look so excited? He’s got that look on face, the one that makes me think someone is about to learn a lesson they didn’t know they were going to get,” my father says, watching in the direction that Quirin went.

    “Our friends said they wanted to spar with him,” Cyra tells him.

    Dad’s head snaps back to us and he smiles. “This I’ve got to see,” he says, kissing mom quickly before jogging after Quirin.

    “So, what can I do for the three of you?” my mother asks astutely, turning back to us after watching my father jog off.

    “Can we walk and talk. We’re headed to the pack hospital,” I tell her.

    “Perfect. I’d nned on going over there first thing this morning anyway. I need to make sure this hospital is prepared to run smoothly since I’ll be spending a lot of time here,” she says.

    I’m not at all surprised.

    On our way to the hospital, we fill my mother in on what happened, and Kennedy tells her what she was thinking. We stop before walking inside the hospital, wanting a n before confronting Dr. Walker.

    “First, Kennedy is exactly right about the hormones. There not just there one day and gone the next. So, it’s very possible that you still had some in your system when you went to the Academy, even if you had a cebo put in. We’ll do the blood test for your hormone levels band /bbfor /ba possible pregnancy. How do you want to proceed with Dr. Walker? This is your pack. Do you want to confront him as Alphas band /bblet /bbme /bhandle the medical side if he tries to jargon his way out of it, or do you want me to confront him?” she asks.

    I look at Cyra. “I think we should do it. Sten told us what he did. He’d have a harder time lying to us, plus we can give bour /bbAlpha /bbc /bwe think he’s lying.”

    “I agree,” she says.

    With that, we walk into the hospital.

    band /bbif /b

    b20:57 /bbWed/bb, /bb13 /bbAug /b

    “Alphas! I was hoping to see you this morning. I thought you might want toe confirm some result?” Dr. Walker asks, smiling as we wake ollibin/b. /li/ol

    “Is there somece we can speak privately, doctor?” I ask sharply. The smile falls from his face

    “Yes, yes, follow me. Is something wrong?” he asks.

    “We’re about to find out,” Cyra says.

    “I’ll wait out here,” Kennedy says.

    “Feel free to look around, Ken,” I tell her.

    “YAY!” she says excitedly. I will never understand my mother’s and sister’s fascination with medicine.

    Dr. Walker leads us to a small office that has a round table that just fits the four of us.

    “What’s this about?” he asks.