Wolf Lake Ch. 07

It's been a long time since I posted the last chapter of Wolf Lake. I want to thank all of you that have made this a favorite series and that continue to send me requests for the next chapter ~ here it is! As always, comments are appreciated. I hope you like it!

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"Sam, you can't go." Nafarius stood, hands on hips, watching as his mate threw her clothes into a beat up old backpack.

"Watch me." Sam held up a pair of worn jeans and sighed, there was no way she'd be wearing those again any time soon. Tossing them aside, she reached for another sundress and added it to the others already in her bag. "I told you, I am not having this baby here."

"We've been over this before; birth is a perfectly natural thing to do. All of our women give birth here. You won't be alone and I'll be here to help." Nafarius cursed himself when he saw the look of horror that thought brought to Sam's face.

Sam shook her head. "Giving birth in the middle of nowhere might be a perfectly normal thing for a woman born a werewolf to do, but I was once human and this former human has a firm belief in hospitals and all things modern when it comes to medicine. So, unless you can tell me that one of those women out there is a doctor..."

"Sam," Nafarius ran a hand through his hair. "Look, it's not just the fact that the pack expects to witness the birth of their next leader. No matter what you used to be, you're no longer human and you can't just walk into a hospital and give birth to a werewolf."

Sam turned to look at her mate through narrowed eyes. "I'm not going to give birth to a litter of pups, am I?"

Nafarius laughed but stopped short when his mate's glared turned into a snarl. "No, I promise, no pups. I told you, we're born in human form. It isn't until we reach puberty that we change for the first time."

Sam nodded at the reminder. She'd been beyond surprised when Nafarius first told her that he suspected she was pregnant. It wasn't that she didn't think it was possible. She'd just never actually thought about it. Lord knows, with all of the coupling they did it was just a matter of time. Still, the possibility and the reality were two very different things.

Once the shock had worn off, Sam had done a quick mental check of her cycle and sure enough - she was late. It had never happened before. A somewhat lacking social life combined with an almost obsessive belief in birth control had ensured there had never been an 'oops' moment. Within a few weeks, morning sickness had set in and Sam was able to officially announce that she was pregnant.

Nafarius was thrilled. He'd never really thought about fatherhood before. Oh, he'd always known that at some point he would want children and the pack would want an heir. Still, he was young, especially for a werewolf, and there was no rush. But none of that factored into his happiness at learning that Sam was pregnant. The thought of her carrying their child, of eventually suckling a babe to her breast, filled him with a sense of awe and wonder unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

Sam was terrified. Understandably so, she thought. She had no experience what-so-ever with babies. Until coming to join the pack, she'd never even spent time around small children. She was an only child raised primarily in the foster system. The foster system didn't house many babies; any child under the age of 6 or 7 tended to be adopted pretty quickly. Add to that the fact that Nafarius thought she was going to give birth here, in the middle of the woods...well, the phrase 'not a chance in hell' instantly came to mind.

"Sam," Nafarius said quietly.

Sam stopped packing and sat down. "Nafarius, you have to understand, I wasn't born a werewolf. I wasn't raised a werewolf and have only lived as one for a relatively short time. I don't have the natural instincts that the other women have when it comes to giving birth and raising children. I just don't know what to do!"

Nafarius knelt down beside his mate. For the first time, he could hear her fear. "It's not just werewolves that have instincts when it comes to giving birth and raising children. All animals know how to care for their young. Humans are, at the basic level, animals. Human women have been birthing babies for thousands of years, most of those before the advent of modern medicine or hospitals. Somewhere inside of you is all that knowledge. Combine that with the instincts that come from being a werewolf and the support you'll have from everyone here and there is nothing to be afraid of."

Sam listened and felt mildly comforted but it wasn't enough to stop her from going. "Okay, let's say, just for the moment, that there is a remote possibility that I would consider giving birth here, I'm still going. I'm well into my second trimester and haven't seen a doctor. I don't know about you but I want some reassurance that everything is okay."

Nafarius had to admit, if only to himself, that she made a good point.

"Then there is all the stuff we need." Sam looked around at their cramped quarters. The space was littered with their clothes, blankets, cooking utensils and a pile of practice weapons. "Honestly, does this place look ready for a baby?"

Nafarius looked around, "what's wrong with it?"

Sam didn't miss the slightly defensive edge to his question. "Nothing, but babies need a fair amount of stuff and I can't make it all myself."

"I'll send someone," he immediately offered. "Write out a list of what you want and I'll have some of the men go into town and get it." Thinking back, Nafarius realized that he'd sent someone into town for one of the expectant mothers last time a baby was due. Part of the problem was that werewolves didn't produce many offspring. Each mated couple might have one child in a lifetime. When that lifetime spanned centuries it was easy to understand why Nafarius might be forgiven for having forgotten what it was like when a baby was born. Add to that the fact that he'd never really cared before. He was always happy when one of his pack members gave birth and the rarity of such events meant that each one was celebrated. He'd just never paid much attention to the details that went along with it.

Sam sighed, "Nafarius, I'd never given much thought to having a baby but now that it's here I want to experience everything. I know that there is a lot I won't be able to do because of who and what we are. But at the very least, I want to walk through the baby stores and check out booties and blankets and whatever else a baby needs. I would like for us to do some of that together," she added quietly.

Nafarius sighed in defeat. "Alright," he said. "We'll go together."

Three days later and they were ready to go. Nafarius had organized a ten-day trip to the city. Accompanying them would be Maddie and Alex as well as two other pack members. Seth and Jake were both young and this would be their first trip to the city.

Despite their remote location, the pack usually sent a small group into town once a month for supplies. Less often, Nafarius would send some of the older members into the city or take them himself. He hadn't taken a trip since Sam arrived and he was long over due.

It was early morning as they stood on the edge of the clearing, the whole pack turning out to see them off. Sam stood with Maddie and Alex, her backpack securely in place and anxious to get started. It would take them two days to hike into town. They could have made the trip faster in animal form, but Sam's pregnancy prevented her from changing. Not only that, but there was no way to carry any personal belongings with them without traveling by foot.

Sam turned to where Nafarius stood giving last minute instructions to Roland. "You have the number of the house? If anything happens, use the satellite phone and call. I can be back in two days if there is an emergency."

Roland nodded. This wasn't the first time Nafarius had left him in charge. It also wasn't the first time they'd gone over these same instructions. Nafarius was obviously uneasy with taking his mate into the city. Going over the details seemed to help settle his mind.

Turning back to his pack, Nafarius gave them all a long, last look before heading off into the woods. He didn't understand his reluctance at leaving. He made regular trips to city to conduct business. On rare occasions a pack member decided to leave the pack and live in the city. When that happened, Nafarius was often the one to escort them and help them get settled. Despite his preference for home, he was actually fairly comfortable in the city. This was the first time he'd ever felt so nervous.

The answer as to why was striding beside him. Despite her obvious pregnancy, Sam was easily able to keep up with him. While Alex and Maddie elected to stay in human form and walk with them, Nafarius had ordered Seth and Jake into animal form and sent them up ahead. They would scout out the path ahead and warn at any hint of danger.

"Nafarius?" Sam had been enjoying the brisk walk through the forest when she sensed the tension in her mate.

"Hmm?"

"Why didn't you want me to go back to the city?" Sam asked.

Nafarius sighed, leave it to Sam to pick up on his thoughts. Werewolves couldn't read minds, even when mated. No, it was just that his mate was sensitive to his moods and had likely guessed at his train of thoughts. "I don't like putting you in harms way," he said.

Sam frowned. "There is little danger for me in the city. Except for a few unpaid bills that I left behind, there really isn't much that my leaving would have affected. Besides, I would say that I'm better able to take care of myself now then when I left."

Nafarius' frown grew fiercer at his own thoughts, the real reason for his fear having revealed itself. "What if you don't want to come back?"

Sam was so surprised by his question that she stopped and stared. Nafarius, realizing that she no longer walked beside him, turned to wait for her.

Sam waited until Alex and Maddie stepped past them before addressing Nafarius' question with one of her own. "How can you even ask that?" Nafarius started to answer only to be cut off. "Do you have such little faith in me, in my feelings for you? Do you honestly think that I could just walk away from the life we've built together?"

"No, it's just..." Nafarius tried to put into words what he'd only just come to understand. "This is the first time you've been back to the city since you joined the pack. What if, once we're there, you realize that you made a mistake? I know that life with the pack isn't easy, even for those of us that are born to it. You gave up everything to be with me, what if you change your mind?"

Sam stepped forward and, sliding her arms around his waist, rested her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating. It was a familiar sound, one she often fell asleep to, and she could hear how it beat harder, faster, with his fear. "I will never change my mind, never regret my decision. I love my life with you and the pack. What I had before doesn't even come close in comparison. Do I miss some things? Of course, I do enjoy some of the more material comforts but not a single one of them or all of them combined could make me change my mind."

Nafarius heard what she was saying and knew it to be true. He had been foolish to think, even for a moment, that she would ever leave him. Still, the urgency he'd been feeling had yet to leave him. Roughly, gripping her hair in his hands, he pulled her head back and claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss.

Sam sighed as she felt him stake his claim. She understood his need to reassure himself and gave herself over to it. For several moments he held her to him, his mouth covering her own as his tongue explored. By the time he was done she was completely saturated with his taste.

Nafarius reluctantly released his hold on her hair. Staring down, he was satisfied by the slightly dazed look in her eyes. With an arrogant nod that at any other time would have earned him a smack, Nafarius turned them back into the right direction and started walking.

Two days later they reached the edge of town. Nafarius had timed their arrival for Sunday morning. While the small down wasn't particularly religious, most of its inhabitants would still be in bed or at the Sunday service.

The pack owned a building in the town's small industrial section. There they stored several cars, including Sam's old VW Bug, and extra supplies. It was small, out of the way and had easy ingress and egress. Not wasting time, Nafarius ordered everyone to load up the SUV and then quickly drove out of town. He was known in town, as was Roland. They had developed a relationship with the townspeople that kept any of them from asking too many questions. Still, it was always better if they could get in and out without being seen.

Sam sat and stared as the small town rolled by, quickly turning from narrow streets to open freeway. It was a three-hour drive to the city; Seth and Jake spent most of the time talking about all the things they wanted to explore. Alex offered a few suggestions while Maddie listened attentively. Nafarius was quiet, waiting until Sam fell asleep in the seat beside him before reaching over to take her hand, relieved, that even in sleep, her fingers gripped his tightly.

Nafarius drove them straight to the house the pack kept in the city. Despite their simple living style, the pack was financially well off. Werewolves were a long-lived race and centuries of saving and wise investments had ensured that they never wanted for anything. The choice to live outside of the city and off the grid was more about freedom and survival then anything else.

Sam sensed the car slowing down and woke to find herself back in the city. Not much had changed. It was actually about this same time last year, the beginning of summer, when she'd first ventured up to Wolf Lake. Coming back now, it felt like only a few days had passed instead of months.

Sam sighed in appreciation when the house came into view. It was an older, brick home built in the mid 1800s. Set back from the street and surrounded by wrought iron fencing, it offered an island of peace and solitude within an otherwise busy city. "It's beautiful," she said.

Nafarius smiled at her obvious appreciation. "It's been in the pack for years. The original owner was a pack member that had it built. Back in those days we could live in the city and still run free in the surrounding wilderness. It was only as the city grew and spread out that we were forced to move further away." Nafarius noted Sam scanning the surrounding area. "A few years ago we were able to buy the property on both sides and turn it back into a wooded area." Grabbing their bags from the car, he said, "come one, I'll show you the rest."

It was the first time any of them except Nafarius had been there. The inside of the house was as beautiful as the outside promised. The architect obviously cared about space and one room's relationship to the next. Each room was spacious and seemed to flow into the next giving the impression of endless space and room to run - something a werewolf would appreciate.

They had gathered in the living room; a large room with thick carpet and deep leather seats it invited one to sit and spend some time. Nafarius indicated that they should all take a seat but remained standing. Addressing Seth and Jake, he said, "I know we went over this before but I have to reiterate. You must remain in human form at all times. While the grounds are heavily forested there is not the assurance of privacy here that we have at home. Over the years, I've installed various security measures and upgraded as necessary but they are not fool proof and there is no guarantee against trespassers. If someone should come across you in animal form it is likely that they would either shoot or call animal control. Either way, there would be little we could do to save you. Are we clear?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Nafarius seemed satisfied that his warning had been taken seriously. Indicating that they should all follow him, Nafarius gave them a quick tour of the house. There were several smaller rooms, a library, a garage with two cars besides the SUV they'd arrived it and even a hot tub off the back deck. Upstairs were the sleeping quarters and three full bathrooms.

There was room enough for everyone with plenty of space left over. Nafarius and Sam took the master suite with Alex and Maddie next door. Seth and Jake decided to share a room. As single males, they spent most of their nights at home sleeping in the common area, neither one of them wanted to sleep alone.

"I need to run a few errands, will you be alright?" Nafarius watched Sam as she explored their new quarters.

Sam flashed him a smile over her shoulder. "You forget, this is my city, I'll be fine."

Nafarius glared at the reminder and crossed the room. Sam gave a squeak in surprise when she found herself picked up and crushed against her mate's chest. "Just remember," he growled, "you're coming home with me after we're through here." Not giving her a chance to reply, Nafarius pressed a quick kiss on her lips before dropping her on her feet and striding out the door.

"Humph!" was all Sam could think to say before going back to her unpacking. That done, she went in search of Alex and Maddie.

Nafarius dropped Jake and Seth off downtown. The boys had enough cash on them to keep them busy for the better part of the afternoon. Tomorrow, the group would set about the business of resupplying the pack; some of it they would take back with them, and the rest would be shipped to the building in town. For now, he was content to let the two young men experience and explore the city.

Nafarius spent the next couple of hours with his attorney. Once he'd agreed to join Sam in the city he decided to use the time to take care of some business, including updating his will and setting up a life insurance policy. He needed to know that if anything happened to him Sam would be taken care of.

His last stop was a quick meeting with Thomas, one of the historians in charge of recording and maintaining the history of the lycanthropes. Thomas wasn't a werewolf, his animal was a leopard, but as the historian for the Pacific Northwest region he remained neutral and Nafarius knew he could trust him. Quickly, Nafarius explained the situation with Sam and asked Thomas to do some research. Thomas agreed to take a look; more importantly, he agreed to keep his findings confidential until speaking with Nafarius. Nafarius left feeling hopeful that within a day or two they might have some answers.

Back at the house, Nafarius found Alex sitting at the dining room table, an assortment of books and papers spread out in front of him. "Where's Sam?"

"Out," Alex didn't bother to look up.

Nafarius felt a sliver of alarm. "What do you mean out?"

Alex had spent the past two hours trying to wrap up his entire life, both personal and professional. Unlike Sam, he had a number of family ties that he couldn't just sever. He was tired from talking to his mother, making excuses to his sisters and avoiding his brothers. That, combined with trying to come up with a plausible story to explain his future absences, caused him to miss the quiet warning in his leader's question. "She took Maddie, said she wanted to go out and do some shopping."

"And you let her go?"

Apparently, Nafarius' growl was sufficient to get through to Alex. Looking up, he found his leader standing in the doorway to the kitchen, gripping the frame hard enough to crack it. "I didn't try to stop her, if that's what you mean."

"That's exactly what I mean. It's your job as a member of this pack to protect your mistress." Nafarius took a slow, stalking step towards Alex.

Alex, recognizing that things were about to go very, very wrong, stood. "With all due respect, Sam can take care of herself. I trust her."