Chapter 73
Sitting on Max’s bed well our bed. We had made it to the clinic before I gave my whole bear talk. Putting the talk on hold we waited to have my blood drawn. They knew we were coming before we got there. The alpha. All tests came back negative or normal all but one test.
I have no clue how this happened. I mean I know how this happened but I don’t know how this happened. I didn’t even go through my first heat. Max has been pacing back and forth. Not helping the matter.
“What do you mean it’s not possible? The test all five of them said it’s very possible and is.” Max huffs throwing his hands in the air. The door opens and his mom pokes her head in “hey sweetie are you two hungry I was getting ready to make your father his midday snack.” “ no mom out haven’t you heard of knocking?” max almost sneers out. “ NO, NO, BO, you do not talk to your mother that way. She gave you life. She could have left you behind on a drift to help your father and never return. So no you don’t speak to your mother that way apologize. Or is that how you want our cub to speak to me?” I scream sneering at max.
Michelle stood frozen at the door and max just stared at me with his jaw on the floor. It’s now that I realize I’m staring down at max. Oh no. Raising my hands I see my merged hands. Shaking my hands I start pacing “no no no calm down it's okay things are fine I am fine. Nothing can hurt me. Breath. In, out, in, out” squatting down putting my head between my knees. Max starts rubbing my back. How do I know it was max? My bear let him touch me in the middle of my freak out. “I um yeah I’ll come back.” “no mom please help. I don’t know what to do?” “you're doing fine. Trust yourself and your wolf. If you didn’t have it in you to help her she wouldn’t be yours.” Her words click as the door shuts. Falling the short distance to my knees I turn to lean into max.
“I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to freak out.” My larger-than-normal head leans forward placing my forehead on his chest. Rubbing his hands up and down my arms I can feel the panic and fear with the bit of anger slowly leaving as I shift back.
“So I’m gonna be honest I don’t know what I want to ask about first the pup or what just happened?” he chuckles. Looking up I see amusement, not fear or anger. With a hint of what the fuck was that still heavy in his face. With a giggle, I sit back folding my hands in my lap.
“how about I start at the beginning and if you have questions along the way we can stop for those?” standing he holds his hand out to me. “the bed or couch would be more comfortable than the floor.” With a nod, I give him my hand and he pulls me up. Heading to the small sitting area under the magic window max pulls me into his lap. Not the least bit surprised. “should I call for a snack?” “Actually, we should probably include your mom just in case something happens before I or Kai have a chance to explain to the medical staff here.” Groaning he nods pulling me into him “but I just got you right where I want you. And alone.” Wiggling his eyebrows. “this. This right here.” Waving my finger in a circle pointing at him “is how this” pointing to my stomach “happened. So put it on ice, horn dog “
Laughing as I climb off his lap holding my hand out to a pretending his feelings are hurt max. “you wound me. Can’t wait to see how you make it up to me.” He smirks and bolts for the door. “ jerk come back here.” I head after him. Making it through the door when I almost run over rose. “oh my goddess! I’m so sorry” I yep catching her shoulders as she grabs mine. Somehow keeping us both up. “max looks what you did? You almost made me trample fallen.” “ what is all this yelling about?” the beta says as he enters the hall. Oh, great guess it’s explained to the whole family night. Yaaay.
“mom, dad, we need to talk to you, or well more like fallen has some things she wants to explain.” A serious note fills the room. With a nod, we all head to the kitchen dining area. This seems to be the hub of every shifter home. We eat a lot.
“Okay, so you all know I am a bear. Today while talking to make he made a joke about how a certain food, that gets passed about. It happens to be the foulest thing I’ve ever smelled. He said pregnant wolves here can’t get enough of them. Not me the scent made me.. .” “oh is this why Phil smelled of vomit and he tossed a very good pair of shoes out the window laughing?” the beta asked and .y face turned bright red.
“dad let her finish geez. You would think he didn’t teach max and I manners. Go on.” Nodding I start again. “yes that’s why. Anyways max said okay so when you get pregnant we run away to the woods for six months. I laughed cause bears are not pregnant for six months. It’s ten to twelve months depending on the food supply. The goddess and the tides.
When a sow.” Pointing to myself “ gets pregnant our sense of smell increases. It’s a survival skill. Or something. See we live in harsh frozen lands so food is not always to easiest to find. Being of the north, and a child of the cold we already have a better sense of smell than most. Frozen doesn’t smell.” Chuckling as they all do and nod. Taking a sip of water that Michelle set in front of me before I begin again.
“When jenny said that only one test came back positive I didn’t even for a second think it would be the pregnancy test she made me take.” Gasp and umms start but max and the bata, covered rose, and Michelle’s mouths. Max nodded for me to keep going.
“I know what your gonna say. Why wouldn’t I think that? Max is a beta it’s perfectly normal for a beta let alone a wolf convince right away. But that’s wolves I’m a bear. And we go through heat once a year. Usually in the warmer months. This is so well long ago we hibernated during the last months of pregnancy. Father said mother did with Matt some bears need the extra rest at the end cause we cook them so long.” Chuckling at my father’s trying to explain how bears work to me.
“We can only conceive during our heat season. So to have a positive pregnancy test I still am having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. Jenny scheduled for an ultra scan to make sure it’s not a false thing.
So now that what you see it’s called a merge shift. A child of the cold can do it but that’s it. It’s a blessing from the snow lands goddess. Like all shifters, we believe and give faith in the goddess Selene but also in snow lands goddess. I know I should know her name as I am a child of the cold. But let’s be honest no one knows what that is anymore and I’m the last so it won’t matter past me.” Wiping the tears gathering in my eyes.
“The merge shift gives us full control over our bear instincts. So instead of giving control over we share control half me half my bear. Not a pretty sight but effective.”
Pausing to take another drink. Beta Tyler asks “what is a child of the cold?” nodding “well back in the beginning polar bear shifter were the protectors of the north. And was. My family along with our pack mark and mate mark. we also have a shield with a snowflake on it. Mine is on my back left shoulder. Most bear clans of the north are small family units. Other than children of the cold. We tend to be in larger clans or in our case a pack. Our blood is both cold and hot. I don’t know how it will actually work here in the warm. But if we are cut and bleeding the hot blood steams as it freezes over creating a protective barrier.
The only time our blood will actually drip is if we cut our, own skin with our claw. But to keep our skin soft enough I have to have human skin. My bear hide is extra thick. Shielded against silver by a special oil our fur produces. And too thick to be cut. But in a hand-to-hand combat fight, at the right spots claws can cause damage. Seems not many know about bears so if I can I’d like to keep those spots on a need-to-know basis.” They all nod Michelle says “oh dear I agree with you. I would think Phil should know and maybe the doctors and of course max. You know if he feels a pain in the spot and he’s not him he will know to get to you fast and with medical. Now about my grandpup. So you didn’t think you could conceive outside the heat season. With max being a wolf does that change things?” she asked her face open and willing to know everything.
Shaking my head.
