Revolting

Boyd rubbed at his chest, trying to sooth the dull ache he'd been feeling in his chest since the day he'd laid eyes on his very beautiful, and very pregnant little mate. He wished for the thousandth time that Frankie was here to guide him and help him out. Frankie would know exactly what to do in this precarious situation. He dunked his head into the icy cold water of the small stream and rubbed the shampoo out of his scruffy hair.

He'd done his best to clean up. He'd carefully trimmed his beard and cut his fingernails, and washed himself until his skin burned from the friction. He hadn't taken any care for his appearance since he was a teenager. He and Frankie had only had one care in life, and that was to survive. But now he had something else entirely on his mind.

He pulled himself out of the water and shook himself like a dog, sending water droplets flying everywhere. He grabbed the hairbrush out of the bag and smoothed his hair back out of his face, tugging through the knots and snarls until it fell like a brown mane around his shoulders. He grabbed the deodorant and made a face as he sniffed at it. It smelled strongly of pine. Why not just rub a pinecone under your arms and be done with it? However, if this is what women liked, he would gladly slather it on.

He grunted and reached for the clothes. There were brand new boxers, still in the plastic packaging, and a few pairs of pants and shirts. The pants hung a little from his lanky frame. He looked down at his shirtless front and grimaced. He was too thin, his muscles long and lean, without a spare ounce of flesh. He pulled out a simple gray t-shirt and pulled it over his head. The cloth felt butter soft against his skin.

William was wrong. He didn't feel like a whole new man. He felt like a fraud. The same old man just dressed up in clean clothes. The beta had forgotten to give him socks, so he stuck his bare feet into the new casual shoes that he'd found in the bottom of the bag. He wiggled his toes inside the shoes, which were a little too big, but no one would know. He hid the remaining bag of clothes under some bushes.

He skirted around the camp. He didn't want the others to know what he was doing, or why he was doing it. He thought there was a very high chance he was about to be humiliated and rejected, and he didn't want this friends to witness his fall. He had barely crossed the boundary when two young men stopped him. They attempted to question him, but all he could do was gesture to his throat.

"Oh yeah, you must be the guy..." one of the guards stepped back, "William told us you might be coming. Welcome to Rebel Moon." The young man gave him a friendly smile.

Boyd gave him a long look. He'd never been given a friendly welcome into any pack. He wondered if there was some ulterior motive. But after a long stare he only nodded and mouthed a "thank you," before he continued on, following the road toward the old farm house.

The Rebel Moon pack was indeed a small, humble pack. They were very new, and had only recently purchased the old farm property to claim as their own pack lands. The old farm house sprawled across the top of a hill, looking old and tired with peeling white paint and a sagging porch. Boyd felt his hands starting to sweat as he approached the building. His mouth felt dry as he swallowed compulsively, and smoothed back his hair again. What was he supposed to do? Just go knock on the door? He stood frozen at the base of the steps.

He jumped when the door swung open. A brunette woman stepped out onto the porch. She was rather ordinary looking, her long hair pulled back in a careless ponytail, her face devoid of any make up. But she had the aura of power which could only mean one thing. She was the luna of the pack. He took a nervous step backward.

"Hi." She gave him a warm smile as she jogged down the steps and offered her small hand. "I'm Nina. You must be Boyd."

Boyd nodded, and wiped his sweaty hand on his pants before he grasped her hand and gave it a firm shake.

She held onto his hand, refusing to let him go. She gave him a very intense look. "Daisy is very special," she said in a low voice. "Promise me you will be good to her."

Boyd gave her a surprised look, and then nodded emphatically. She was his mate, how could he be anything but good to her? Her smile warmed and she finally let go of his hand. "She's out back in the garden. I keep telling her she's too round for that work, but she likes to be out there. It's kind of her special place." Nina started walking leading him around the corner of the house, toward the back yard where several big gardens were spread across the lawn.

Nina patted his arm, "Good luck, friend." she said quietly as she left him and went back to the front porch. From where he stood at the corner he could see Daisy kneeling down in the dirt, a tray of young plants beside her. Damn, she shouldn't be doing that kind of work, not in her condition! She was so engrossed in her work, that she didn't even notice him.

He leaned down and picked a daffodil from the little flower bed that edged the old farm house. The bulbs had probably been planted there decades ago, and the cheerful flowers had spread everywhere. He sucked in a deep breath and let his heart lead his reluctant feet down towards the gardens. She looked up as he approached, her pretty blue eyes almost the same color as the sky.

Boyd tried to smile, but felt his lips tremble. His heart was beating so hard he could hardly hear anything else. Her pretty lips formed a surprised "oh" and her cheeks flushed prettily. She began to struggle to get up from her squatting position. Without thinking, he reached down and lifted her back to her feet, feeling the delightful explosion of sparks when his fingers brushed her bare skin.

She gasped and closed her eyes briefly. After a long moment she opened them and stared up at him, her eyes full of questions. "You're here." she whispered, stating the obvious.

Boyd nodded solemnly, and offered her the single daffodil. Her lips twitched in the slightest smile as she took the flower from him. She kept staring into his warm brown eyes, as though she was lost in their depths. "I'm sorry about last time," she said softly. "I didn't know you couldn't talk."

He shrugged one shoulder. Glancing around the garden, he noticed a stool and gestured toward it. She nodded and waddled over to it, feeling grateful to get off from her feet. Her back was aching fiercely today. There was nowhere for Boyd to sit, but he easily dropped to his knees and knelt beside her. He reached up and took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together, and resting their entwined hands on her thigh.

Daisy sighed and used her free hand to rub at her back. "I don't know what to do now, Boyd." She said softly. "I never expected this." She squeezed his hand lightly, and he gently squeezed her back. He gazed up at her with an expression that was both shy and adoring.

"There's this," she said, tapping the daffodil against her stomach. "And William and Heath. I've already asked them to help me raise this baby." She frowned down at him. "And now there is you." She shook her head and her curls danced around her face. "How can you be okay with this?"

Boyd placed his free hand over his heart, and then placed his palm against her rounded stomach, looking at her intently, willing her to understand his meaning from his simple gestures. He would love this baby, as much as he would love this woman. If only she would give him the opportunity.

"Boyd, I--" whatever she was going to say was lost in a gasp as she untangled her fingers from his and grasped her back with both hands. He felt the shimmer of anxiety and pain vibrate through their fragile, incomplete bond. He jumped quickly to his feet, and looked around anxiously for someone to help. But the back yard was deserted. They were alone in the garden.

Another moan tore from her throat, and a dark stain crept from between her thighs and down the legs of her pale pink leggings. The flower he had given her dropped to the ground, forgotten. Daisy looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. She slipped off the stool and tried to take a step toward the house. She had not managed two steps before she cried again and clutched at her back.

Boyd swallowed down a knot of fear and immediately scooped up his mate and started striding toward the back of the house. He couldn't manage the door knob with Daisy in his hands, so he simply kicked the door in, splintering the frame. Several young wolves came running from the kitchen. "Luna! Luna!" one of them cried. Immediately the brown haired Luna came into the hallway. Her keen eyes quickly assessed the situation. "Bring her back into the room, Boyd, quickly!"