Northwood

The days following Kane’s change were pleasant to say the least. Adline saw very little of him but her freedoms still stood.

“Come on were going for a run,” urged Frosty as the pair walked through the corridors of the manor quickly. Frosty seemed to be in a real rush.

“Whoa, whoa hold on there mother! You aren’t supposed to go running are you?” Asked Adline with some concern as Frosty stared at her blankly and rather annoyed.

“Not you too, I am going out of my mind being cooped up in this house. Neal won’t let me do any kind of training and Kane won’t let me do anything strenuous!” Everything about Frosty seemed frustrated and upset with it all and Adline couldn’t tell if the hormones heightened that or if she was just genuinely upset.

“Welcome to my world Frosty! Besides the pregnancy that is my life in a nutshell,” Adline thought about it a little while and felt sympathy for her friend who wore increasingly larger clothing to hide the developing bump. “If we go for a run you are only allowed to jog or power walk, no full on running! And we are only jogging around the edge of the property, I would hate to think what Kane would do to us if he found us out in the forest,” the thought alone sent a shudder the length of her spine.

With a laugh from Frosty, Adline was distracted from her thoughts quickly, “can you imagine what Kane will be like when you’re stuffed with his baby?” The way Frosty worded it made Adline cringe visibly.

“Ugh don’t remind me, I’m sure there are certain expectations on him isn’t there?” She asked mocking what he’d told her about people’s expectations of him. “Not that it’ll happen any time soon, I don’t want kids. Not when I’ve just lost my family.” The thought of having children had never been a high priority on Adline’s list of life goals but being stuck with Kane she knew it would only be a matter of time before he wanted an heir to his territory.

“I’m sure he won’t rush you in to having kids. I mean you both still have many years ahead of you and he seems to be..........changing a little bit which is good. I’m not sure what you did to him Adline but you keep batting those big brown eyes at him! It’s doing something good!” Although Frosty joked Adline couldn’t help but let her thoughts get the better of her. Kane had changed a little bit but she was still apprehensive, he seemed more than a little temperamental and she didn’t know what to expect of him when next they met. He could be the biggest prankster she’d ever met with the mood swings he was having.

“Yeah well whatever happens I’m sure his demands will be sudden. It looks like that’s how he operates.” Complained Adline as she somewhat lost herself in her thoughts again. The pair arrived at the kitchen where a small spread sat atop the granite counter of the island, it was large enough seat six people but it seemed that no one ever used it.

“Well he has always been a complicated guy, even when he was a kid he was serious about everything. Quite strange really.” Mused Frosty as the pair heard voices approaching them from behind. Both girls turned and watched as a male and female appeared from a corridor at the far side of the kitchen. They were dressed casually which confused Adline slightly.

“Why are servant dressed casually? Don’t they have uniform?” Asked Adline as she turned her attention back to a wide eyed Frosty.

“Er......no.” She started slowly, “because they aren’t servants they’re two of Kane’s security team.” Frosty looked from to the pair standing at the corridor entrance with smug smiles on their faces. It soon dawned on her what happened as she turned quickly to look at the pair, “he didn’t!” She exclaimed as they both nodded their heads.

“Apparently he really wanted to impress her so guess what he made us do,” mused the woman as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“You looked sexy as hell in that maid uniform though,” replied the man with more than a little hunger in his voice.

Turning towards him quickly the woman glowered at him and shook her head, “and I told you that is never going to happen Dustin so you should have lapped that shit up while you could have.”

The woman was not impressed as Dustin smiled broadly and seemed to shudder happily, “oh I love it when you’re mad, it’s a real turn on.” The cheeky look on his face made both Adline and Frosty smile.

“And this is Dustin Pembroke and Esmerelda Sanchez, they love each other but won’t admit it,” smiled Frosty as she grabbed a plate suddenly and began throwing food on to it.

They heard Esmerelda growl, “you’re lucky your pregnant Babel!” She then turned her attention to Adline, “never call me by my full name, only my mother does that and if you ever see him trying to crack a move on me its cause he’s desperate for a female touch. You’re lucky you belong to Alpha Kane or he’d try with you as well.”

Dustin growled playfully as they walked towards Adline and Babel slowly, almost slinking their way to the island. It was effortless and looked like one fluid motion. Esmerelda stood in front of Adline and looked her over from head to toe, “prettier than Victoria,” she concluded quickly as she took a seat at the table, “so what are you two up to? Mischief I bet?” Asked Esmerelda asked again as she took in what the pair were wearing, “oh a light walk is it?”

Babel shook her head as she scoffed down food, “we were actually going to go for a jog around the property. She wants to go for a full run,” interrupted Adline as she motioned towards Frosty.

“Sorry ladies but the fun police are here to rain on your parade. No running for you Frosty. I wouldn’t want to get on Kane’s bad side so soon after that embarrassing servant stunt he pulled.” Grumbled Dustin as he took a scone and bit in to it hungrily.

“What? Did you do to get assigned to us?” Questioned Frosty around a mouth full of food.

“Err.......it’s complicated.” Grimaced Dustin quickly, a slight redness coloured his cheeks slowly while Esmerelda rolled her eyes.

“It isn’t complicated! You tricked me in to keeping watch outside a friggin house while you pretended to interrogate someone.” Shaking her head in disappointment Esmerelda looked towards the two girls and continued, “He was actually inside screwing Ethan’s ex-wife.” Babel looked at the pair in shock, Ethan was one of few humans who knew about their world and kept it secret. She couldn’t imagine what’d happen should Ethan tire of Dustin’s wandering eye.

A dirty look was cast Dustin’s way as he shrugged his shoulders quickly. “She started it!” He replied trying to defend himself feebly.

“That doesn’t mean you had to finish it!” Screamed Esmerelda loudly, “Now look where we are! Babysitting a doe eyed princess and a walrus,” her hand gestures seemed to grow larger every time she spoke to Dustin who looked at her completely clueless, “sorry Babel you look beautiful, he just gets under my skin.”

Adline saw the look of hurt creep quickly through Babel’s entire face, it soon filtered through her body as her shoulders slumped and her eyes cast towards the small bump she hid beneath a shirt that could only be described as a tent. It angered Adline as Frosty pushed the plate of food away and spat out what she had in her mouth, her bottom lip quivered as she stood from her seat and walked quickly to the door. Esmerelda followed quickly but Adline held her hand up and shook her head, “you’ve done enough Esmerelda. You watch from a distance.” Adline and Esmerelda came face to face one angry that her friends feelings had been hurt and the other angry because of where she had been assigned to, “if you ever hurt her feelings again I will rip you a new one. Understand?” A new darkness brewed within Adline as she and her counterpart stood face to face just staring each other down.

“I told you not to call me Esmerelda!” She warned quickly as a low growl ripped through her throat quickly.

“If I don’t call you Esmerelda the only other name I have for you is bitch and I’m sure you wouldn’t like that!” The fire that burned in Adline felt good, she hadn’t felt like that in a very long time and she wasn’t about to step down.

“Emmie back off! You’re challenging the future Alpha and you know what Kane would do if he found out.” Dustin grabbed her by the shoulder gently and pulled her back as Adline turned on her heel and went after Frosty.

Running out the door she heard Dustin ask Esmerelda, “Picking a fight with her isn’t worth your life if Kane found out is it?” Adline didn’t hear her response as she made her way out on to the large patio and saw Babel walking quickly towards the large open grassed area at the rear of the property.

For a pregnant woman she moved quickly! Adline followed Babel and before long caught up to her but Babel did not look happy at all as tears streamed down her face, her wet cheeks made Adline’s heart break.

It was the most beautiful time of her life and the last thing anyone should have said to her was that she looked like a walrus.

“Frosty please slow down!” Pleaded Adline as she took her friend by the hand and slowed her quick walk.

“She’s right you know. Look at me! Look how fat I’ve gotten.” Frosty was working herself in to a frenzy and upset herself even more. “I didn’t want to have kids! Not yet, and now my whole life is changing! Neal hardly ever wants to spend time with me and he sure as hell doesn’t want to touch me, I can’t deal with this!” She exclaimed as she quickly grew short of breath.

“If you weren’t pregnant I would slap some sense in to you right now.” Growled Adline fiercely, she didn’t like what Babel was saying about herself and she sure as hell hated the way she thought. “Frosty being pregnant is probably one of the best things that could ever happen in your life! It is a beautiful thing and for someone like Esmerelda to put anyone down for that just shows what kind of person she is!” Adline tried pleading with Frosty to see the brighter side of it. She really didn’t like that she would get upset but she did know that hormones were playing a big part in the way she felt.

Frosty looked at Adline with great sadness spread across her face, “I just......it’s hard you know?” She questioned quickly as her shoulders slumped.

“I know Frosty but you need to look after yourself for the sake of your baby, don’t do anything hasty or rash okay?” Adline couldn’t help but worry about Babel, she seemed more volatile and unstable than ever. It was something she told herself she would have to keep an eye on when neither Neal nor Kane were around.

Adline saw that her words registered with Babel but the look on her face didn’t change at all, “I promise that I’ll take care of myself,” she said finally cracking a smile that seemed to ease some of the worry Adline was feeling, “but can we at least go for a walk around the property? I am so bored.” Complained Frosty as she motioned for them to head towards the tree line.

“Oh wow thanks! You really know how to make me feel good about keeping you company!” Feigned Adline with a giggle, “come on then let’s go before I change my mind and lock you in the basement.” Threatened Adline playfully.

She heard a coarse laugh escape Babel’s lips as she shook her head, “please little lady! You don’t even know where the basement is.” Bluffed Babel quickly, she didn’t know just where Adline had been now that she had some kind of freedom in the house, she could have ventured all over the place for all she knew!

The pair turned their back on the fast approaching Dustin and Esmerelda who stalked towards them. Dustin they didn’t mind but Esmerelda seemed to be in a right mood having been assigned to them, either that or she didn’t like being challenged by another female. Adline had yet to figure out which one it was. As they hit the tree line Adline was more than surprised to see a footpath running the length of the property, it was adorned with small beds of flowers on the house side of the path. The purple flowers were a nice touch in Adline’s eyes as she smiled slightly.

“He had it installed after you got here,” mumbled Babel as she linked her arm with a very surprised Adline. “He isn’t as heartless as you think he is but he is learning to let you in a little bit.” She smiled brightly at her friend who looked more than a little confused.

“Why is he so standoff-ish?” Asked Adline quickly hoping that Babel would give her more insight in to Kane, “was it Victoria?” A memory of that night flashed through her mind quickly as she thought of the blonde haired woman who spat venom at her for no apparent reason.

Throwing her head back with a laugh Babel shook her head, “well yes and no.” She offered as her eyes began to wander. “He is going to kill me for telling you anything.” She continued with ease.

“Well no he won’t kill you cause you’re pregnant and he looked pretty chuffed about that.” Teased Adline lightly as she squeezed Babel’s arm.

“You can’t tell him what you know though cause he’ll know who told you.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “So you have to know that before Victoria there were others.......exactly three others. Kane has grown up knowing that one day he would be Alpha and for some people that means dollar signs and for others that means power and that left Kane with a problem. When he was younger he always saw the good in people but when girls started taking notice of him that all changed.”

Adline didn’t even think of how that would have affected someone so young, she’d had nothing to worry about in her pack as the title would have fallen to one of her brothers eventually and they seemed to love the attention they received.

“Claire was first, she only wanted Kane for his school lunches.....they were twelve,” laughed Babel. “The second was Brigit, her family moved back to Norway when she was fifteen, the third was a little more serious and she kind of hung on to him for dear life,” Adline noticed that Babel cringed at the thought of the person.

“Who was it?” She pushed gently for answers.

“This may change the way you see her but it was Esmerelda.” Babel turned back to the pair following them and gave a gentle nod, “she isn’t too bad either but when she gets shitty well.......she gets really shitty. Pretty volatile really.”

Adline’s eyes grew big and round at the revelation, “and she isn’t still clingy?” To say it confused Adline a little bit was an understatement, if she was clingy what changed?

“Well she is still clingy but in a different way. She’s got two kids now and they are pretty much her main focus........besides protecting Kane that is.” The revelation that she had two kids somewhat threw Adline sideways, she was not expecting that at all. Esmerelda looked spectacular for having two children.

“Is she married?” Asked Adline quickly as she tried to extract as much information from Babel as possible.

“Her husband died the week before they were to be married, she vowed never to take another after that.” Adline couldn’t help but feel complete heartache for Esmerelda.

“How horrible, that must have been soul crushing.” Adline knew well what it was to lose someone close but she couldn’t imagine losing the person you were supposed to spend the rest of your life with.

“I think she’s just lucky she has the kids still, they keep her grounded, and they keep her sane.” The mood between the two seemed to grow darker the longer they dwelled on the thought so Babel shook her head clear and remembered what she was telling Adline. “So the last one was Victoria and well, I hear you had a run in with her before she was banished.”

Letting a laugh escape her lips Adline’s eyes widened a little before she nodded her head, “oh boy was she a piece of work! Why is she so mean?”

“Esme finished with Kane while they were still in school. Victoria and her family were new to town and she pretty much latched on to Kane straight away. She managed to convince him that they were true mates and that he needed to love her. Pathetic really that she was so desperate in high school.” Frosty laughed at the memory quickly, “after school they got pretty serious but we all knew she was with Harvey as well.”

Again Adline’s eyes grew wide as she took in the information, “that was so many years ago and he cut it off completely just before I got here didn’t he?” Adline had heard about Victoria, she didn’t know the full story but she knew enough.

“Well yeah they were on and off for years. She promised that she would be good but as soon as they got comfortable again she got bored and would go find Harvey again, it really messed Kane up. She was good at mind games.” Babel took a deep breath before continuing, “What completely finished it was the death of his father. Victoria wasn’t present at the funeral which angered Kane. He went looking for her after and found her in his bed with Harvey.” The news shocked Adline completely, no wonder why Kane was so mean to her when first they met. He had trust issues. Major trust issues.