Prologue

Four years earlier…

“How are we going to do this?” Corinda asks nervously.

“We’re just going to say you and I are pregnant, Rin.  It happens everyday.” Severn pulls Corinda into his chest, soothing her hair down.

“But what if the pup doesn’t look like you?  They’ll know.  If it looks like Case, then we’re screwed!” She’s nearly in tears from worry and fear.

Casen kneels in front of her where she sits on the bed.  He puts one arm around her waist, the other snaking around Severn’s. He pulls them tight to him and they huddle there.

“We told them that you and I were siblings.  If the pup looks like me, we explain it with genetics.  It will work out fine, I promise.  We’ll be safe and our pup will be healthy.  You’ll see, Rin,” Casen responds softly.

They don’t realize that the door is slightly ajar.  They don’t realize that the doctor is right outside the door.  Listening.

Pulling away, Dr. Bane takes his nurse with him into his office.  Speaking quietly and quickly, he says “Call Alpha Lowen.  Tell him that I have information about the new wolves that can’t wait.  I’m going to proceed with their appointment and see if I can get any more information.  Tell him I’ll be about an hour.”

“Yes, Dr. Bane.”  The nurse runs from the room and Dr. Bane collects himself before walking back to the room.

“Good morning,” Dr. Bane greets the three wolves in the room with false cheer.  “How are you feeling this morning?  Oh, Ryan.  You’re here?  Isn’t it a little strange for you to come to your sister’s appointment?”  A look of genuine surprise floods the doctor’s face as he looks at Casen.

“Just here for moral support, Doc.”  Casen smiles and attempts to laugh off his discomfort at the doctor’s statement.  He knew that they would have difficulty explaining why he was at Corinda’s OB/GYN appointment, but he wasn’t going to miss out seeing his pup on the ultrasound.  “You know that she’s the only family I have left, Doc.  I just…I just need to be here.”

Dr. Bane nods his understanding.  “So, Beth,” he says looking at Corinda, “your urine culture came back positive for pregnancy.  Congratulations!”

Corinda, Severn, and Casen smile at each other and Dr. Bane gets that weird feeling he always gets when he looks at the three of them together.  

The doctor clears his throat.  “When was your last moon cycle?”

“I think it was two moons ago.  With all the moving around and stress, it’s been all messed up, but I’ve never skipped two moon cycles before like this,” Corinda says.

“Alright.  Well, I’ll start with an internal exam.  Um…Ryan, you might want to step out of the room.  Brent, you’re free to stay.  I’m just going to go grab Nurse Rose and we’ll get started.”  Dr. Bane leaves the room and closes the door quickly behind him and Casen.  “You can wait in the waiting area.  I’m assuming you’re here to see the ultrasound?”

“Yeah.”  Casen is too excited to mask the sheer joy that he is feeling at knowing his mate is pregnant.  Too excited for a brother, the doctor thinks.

Dr. Bane shows Casen back into the waiting area before motioning Nurse Rose into his office.  “What did the alpha say?”

“I don’t know, but I heard them calling each other by different names.  I just don’t get a good vibe from them.  Something’s wrong,” Dr. Bane says.

_______________________________

An hour later, Dr. Bane knocks on Alpha Lowen’s door.

“Come!” the alpha calls from the other side of the door.

Dr. Bane opens the door and is greeted by the sight of the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta.  Swallowing thickly, nervously, the doctor kneels, baring his neck to the higher ranking wolves before him.

“Stand, Gerald.  What is this all about?” Alpha Lowen demands.

“It’s about the three new wolves that we’ve brought into the pack.  The she-wolf is pregnant.  About half-way through her pregnancy with twins - “ Dr. Bane begins, but he is interrupted by a growl from the beta.

“You took me away from the pack whorehouse for this?” he sneers.

“N-n-n-no, Beta.  I overheard them talking before I started her exam.  They called each other by different names.  They kept calling Beth ‘Rin.’  And the she-wolf called one of them ‘Case.’  They also said something about the pups possibly looking like Ryan as if they had been together.  Ryan also insisted on being in the room when we did the ultrasound and in all my years of practice, a brother has never wanted to be in their sister’s OB/GYN appointment.  I almost had to force him out when I did the internal.”  Dr. Bane’s words are rushed, attempting to get all of the information he had gleaned.  “I also found them in a somewhat…compromising position when I came back from putting the ultrasound machine away.”

“What do you mean, compromising?” Alpha Lowen asks, his brows furrowed, no longer in anger, but in curiosity.

“Well, the males were very close to each other and Ryan had his wrapped around his sister’s waist.  He was squeezing her rear end and all three of their mouths were very red.  It was obvious that they had all three been kissing.”

Alpha Lowen looks between all the males of his leadership, obviously having a mindlink conversation.

“Thank you, Gerald.  You’re dismissed,” Alpha Lowen says with a wave of his hand.

Once Gerald leaves, Alpha Lowen looks toward his leadership.

“I knew there was something wrong with them!” the beta growls out.  “Why did we let them in in the first place?”

“They were three young pups that obviously needed help.  We’re not that heartless!” Alpha Lowen rubs his hand over his face.

“Luna made him do it,” the gamma mutters laughing until he sees the glare the alpha sends him.

The delta and beta hold back their laughter, snorting behind their hands.

Alpha Lowen rolls his eyes.  “Alright, we’ve got to get some more information about these three.  I don’t mind helping them, but I won’t be lied to.  Don’t let them know that we’re on to them.  We’ll figure out what’s going on, and then we’ll take care of them.”