I watched from the sidelines as Jenna’s pack sparred with each other. There were so many men that training was always spilt in half so one group would fight while the others did drills. Jenna allowed any woman that wanted to fight, train with the men. Hers was the only pack to do this; as well as the only pack to have a female alpha.

As they fought I stood next to Jenna, arms crossed, face impassive. “What do you think?” She asked.

I narrowed my eyes on their ‘best’ warrior and shook my head. “He’s been fighting for an thirty minutes and he’s beginning to tire; I’ve already told you that you need to work on their endurance. You should have days where all you do is make them do circuits, weights, treading water and running. Split them into three groups instead of two and base them on ability and skill. Alternate between the groups and let one fight while the other works on their fitness and stamina and the third will do drills. Not only should you teach them how to fight, you should also teach them tactics and how to work together in a team; organise hunts throughout your territory to challenge them and make a big competition out of it.”

As I gave her ideas her eyes began to light up and I knew that she liked a few of my ideas. “You’re a genius Eve.”

I nodded and kept watching the enforcers when a guard came running towards Jenna. “There are men here claiming to know Eve; humans and a rouge.” Immediately the men stopped fighting and turned to the messenger. They all knew that rouges were dangerous; not this one though… not to them at least.

I took off running to the front of the house with Jenna and the men right behind me.

When I reached the front of the house two big black trucks greeted me and the people who’d driven them were being contained by guards. When they saw me they took down the enforcers and sprinted towards me. I laughed as Jackson reached me first and scooped me up in a big hug. Soon I was being passed around until I was ripped away and shielded behind a broad back; my dad, Ace.

“Who are you and how do you know my daughter?” He growled at them.

I watched as they all stood their ground and stared at my father. I stepped out from behind him and walked back over to my friends. “These are my friends; friends, meet my father.”

They nodded slightly to him before Jenna stepped forward with three guards. “Eve do you realise that he,” She said pointing to Gunner. “Is a rouge?”

Gunner stiffened slightly and growled lowly before I elbowed him in the side. “I know.” I’d known for years. I’d grown up in a huge pack of werewolves; of course I would know the signs. I’d never confronted him because it didn’t affect his capacity to do his job so I guess it came as a surprise for him to know that I always knew he was a wolf.

I looked to Hansel to see his face darkened and his eye twitch. “You’ve been off with a rouge for the last seven years?” He was fuming; probably because he knew that I’d wanted to get away from wolves, only to work with one.

I kept my face impassive as I stepped forward. “May I remind you that your mate was a rouge for hundreds of years? May I remind you that I didn’t run away to ‘be off with a rouge’; I ran away and joined the military. That rouge,” I said, pointing to Gunner. “Has saved my life countless times and had my back through thick and thin, so don’t disrespect him just because he doesn’t follow an alpha around like a good little bitch.” I hissed.

I heard Gunner and Griff choke back laughter as I turned back to them. They were the only two in the group who knew that the men and women around them were werewolves; though the others would be able to sense that something was off about them. I knew they’d eventually figure it out, unless I could convince Jenna to let me tell them; after all, they were my family.

“So what are you guys doing here anyway?” I asked. “And here I thought I’d be free of your ugly asses!”

“You love our asses; especially Griffin’s!” They all hooted and began laughing but the smile left my face and they all noticed. That’s what got me into this mess; loving Griff’s ass.

I heard my dad growl but I turned around and shook my head with a firm look. He sighed and took a step back, standing down as he glared at my team.

Jenna pointed to Gunner and gave me a stern look. “Both of you, in my office now.” I followed with Gunner right behind me as we were escorted away from the rest of the group and into the house to Jenna’s downstairs office.

She sat us down and the guards stood in front of the door, watching Gunner and adamant in protecting their alpha. “You may leave, thank you.” They hesitated but left almost immediately; no one went against Jenna. She kept her steely gaze on Gunner who sat perfectly calm. “Are you here to cause trouble? Hurt any of my pack? Spy? Lie or deceive in any way, shape or form?”

“No ma’am.” He said clearly and calmly. “I’m here for Eve.”

She regarded him with doubt for a few seconds before nodding. “Fine, you can stay.”

Well that went easier than expected. I guess that Jen was good at reading people though, and after so many years as alpha, she’d gotten good at dealing with other wolves. “How long are you guys planning on being here?” I asked, turning away from Jenna.

“All of us have a month’s leave; I, Jackson and Griffin have taken nine months off because we all need a break and let’s face it, we know that you’re not ok.”

I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes, shaking my head slightly; he wouldn’t dare bring this up in front of Jenna.

He did dare.

“You’ve been different since the attack.”

I saw Jenna’s curious gaze and I wanted to hit Gunner; the nosy woman was likely to ask questions now.

“If you guys are planning on staying that long then the others will need to know about werewolves.” I said quickly, pulling her attention away from me.

“No.” She said almost immediately. “No way.”

“Griffin already knows and I trust the others with my life; they wouldn’t tell a soul, if that’s what you’re worried about.” I assured her. “If you don’t tell them then they’re going to catch on pretty quickly; they’re not stupid. You’d have to be blind to realise that something is different about you guys.”

She looked torn as she mulled over my words before she nodded. “They may know on one condition; you tell them, and your friend demonstrates.”

Both Gunner and I agreed before we headed out of the office and back to the front yard where the rest of my team had been detained by the pack guards. When they saw I and Jenna they stepped back to let them rush forward.

“What’s going on here Eve?”

“Are you in a cult; is that what it is?”

“What’s with these people?”

I silenced them with a wave of my hand. “All your questions will be answered soon; follow me.”

They did as I asked and silently followed me around the house, out to the forest. Jenna and my dad’s came with us but stood behind the group, off to the side; watching silently. They were probably waiting for someone to lash out or faint; that’s what usually happened when a human was told of the existence of creatures that go bump in the night. They really aren’t that bad though; they’re just people that can change into wolves.

“I know that you guys sense something off about everyone here; you’d be right.” I said. “Vampires, elves, demons, werewolves; the myths are true, they exist.” I gestured to Jenna and my parents. “Everyone here, including my fathers and Gunner are werewolves.”

There was total silence until Jackson coughed, breaking into laughter. “And I’m the motherfucking tooth fairy… good one Eve. Where are the cameras? This is something you’d pull.”

I rolled my eyes and gestured for Gunner to take the floor. “You show them; they won’t believe me until they see for themselves.”

He nodded and peeled off his shirt, displaying a toned, muscular body littered with a few silver scars. “Woah, woah, woah!” Jackson yelled, holding up his hands as Gunner pulled down his jeans. “What the fuck are you doing mate? None of us want a strip show!”

“Jack shut up for once will you?” I demanded. “I can see that none of you believe me so I’m asking Gunner to show you!”

Gunner stood in his boxers with all eyes trained on him until the sound of cracking bones and tearing muscles and popping joints echoed through the clearing. I’d seen the transformation many times but even now it was horrifying but morbidly interesting; it was like a car crash, you just couldn’t peel your eyes away.

It seemed as though bugs were crawling under his skin as his bones moved around, his face stretched into a muzzle, ears protruded from the top of his head and his teeth grew into fearsome, deadly canines. Gunner’s limbs morphed into legs with paws as he fell onto his hands and knees and long, curved, sharp claws protruded where his finger nails should have been. There were louder cracks as his spine elongated into a bushy tail and thick coffee brown fur sprouted from his body.

I watched as none of my friends moved, simply staring at the giant wolf before them. Gunner snorted and walked over to me, wagging his tail. I grinned and ran my hands through his silky fur as he shoved his wet, cold nose into my midsection. He took a deep breath and growled lowly, tilting his head to look up at my face; he knew.

“Holy shit!”

I grinned and nodded. “I told you I was telling the truth.” Even Griff was shocked; after all, it was one thing to know that they existed, and a whole other thing to see someone actually turn into a wolf right in front of your eyes.

“Holy shit! Eve you were literally raised by wolves! That’s so freaking cool! Does that mean that you’re a wolf as well?”

I shook my head and rubbed Gunner’s head as he sniffed the rest of my body; I knew that he could smell that I was pregnant and he was probably freaking out and making sure that he wasn’t wrong. “No I’m human; I was taken in by my dad’s when they found me in the forest.” They already knew this, well part of it; I’d told him that I’d been abandoned and my dad’s had found me, which is mostly the truth.

There was the clicking and snapping of bones as Gunner shifted back and quickly slipped into his jeans. He stared at me with confused eyes. “Who’s is it?”

I looked over to Griffin who simply looked confused at our conversation. “You know that answer to that.”

He nodded and looked at Griffin out of the corner of his eye. “I know; I just wanted to know if you’d found a mate. Does this mean that you’re going to leave the military?”

“What?” It was shouted unanimously but all the men who stared at Gunner like he’d grown two heads.

“Why the hell would Eve leave us? She’s the best captain I’ve ever had and a damn good soldier; why the hell would she leave.”

I knew that they’d find out eventually but I didn’t think it’d be so soon. Gunner saw my hesitation and answered for me. “Because she’s pregnant.”

I watched as Griffin’s face drained of colour but he shook it off and grabbed my hand, dragging me away into the forest.

I heard Jackson’s voice echo through the trees as Griff led me away. “I guess he’s going to celebrate now; probably with a repeat performance.”

I jogged to keep up with Griff’s fast pace. Once he thought we were far enough from nosy wolves and humans, he began pacing in front of me.

“Is it mine?”

“Who else would I sleep with?” I asked, staring at him like he was retarded.

He shrugged and stopped pacing, running his hands through his hair. “There’s a lot of guys here; how do I know it’s mine?”

My mouth fell open as I stared at my best friend; did he really think that I’d just open my legs for anyone? I strode up to him angrily and punched him straight in his nose. “I gave you my virginity after we’d been friends for three years. How can you accuse me of opening my legs to the people who’ve excluded me my whole life?” I shook my head and looked at him in disgust and disappointment. “I expected you to be a man when you found out that I was pregnant; both as my friend and the father. I never thought that I’d get pregnant and I never wanted to get pregnant, I did and I can’t change what happened!” I turned my back to him and walked away. I knew that Griff didn’t mean what he’d said; he was in shock, but that was hardly an excuse.

My dads were talking with my friends as I emerged from the forest, absolutely fuming. They all took one look at my face and knew that I didn’t want to talk about it and would probably punch whoever tried. I marched back to the pack house and hit the gym hard, working away my anger.

I heard the door open as I landed another punch onto the boxing bag. “What did Griff say when you told him?” I grunted at Gunner’s question.

I wanted to tell him that it was none of his business but I knew that he was just curious and looking out for me. “He accused me of sleeping around; he doesn’t think it’s his.” I landed another punch on the bag and brought my knee up. “So I told him where he could shove it.”

“Obviously not where he wants to.” He muttered, making me choke on the breath I’d taken.

“And where would that be?”

He grinned and began making… gestures. “Up in your business Capt.; what else?”

“I already broke Griffin’s nose; don’t make me break yours too.”

He held up his hands but the grin on his face said that he was anything but sorry.

-

“And then this one time there was this giant box of water guns in an Iraqi Army outpost and we ended up having this giant spray gun fight with everyone at the base; to this day we still have no idea why they were there.” I laughed as we sat around the pool, recounting stories of a few of our adventures to some of the pack men.

I lounged in the black bikini I’d been wearing for a few weeks with a cranberry juice. As the guys got to know some of the pack a big better, I jumped into the pool and began swimming laps.

“Hey Eve!” I stopped to see all my friends grinning at me. “Remember the time you and Griff snuck into the commander’s tent and duck taped him to his cot?” Ronnie, one of the older members of the team asked.

I laughed and floated on my back. “Yeah we got four weeks’ worth of cleaning duties and no action for two, but it was worth it; he was stuck for hours until someone cut him loose.” We’d moved his knives and used a hell of a lot of duct tape so he couldn’t get out just by pulling; plus we’d taped his arms down real good.

They howled in laughter at the memory and I resumed my laps with a giant smile on my face. There was a splash and a hand wrapped around my ankle. I kicked back, dislodging them and swirled around to come face to face with Griff. I looked away and began swimming towards the surface. I noticed that everyone had left and we were alone.

“Eve I’m sorry; I never should have doubted you.” I swam to the edge of the pool and leant against it as he swam towards me. “I was just shocked; I never thought I’d be a father, never even thought about protection or pregnancy.”

I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face in his chest as he pressed me against the pool wall. I’d never been able to stay mad at Griff for long and I knew that he was sorry. “I know; I didn’t either. I thought I was infertile; turns out I’m not.”

He nodded and his hand drifted down my stomach to rest on my small, but definite bump; as I got bigger I would really begin to show. “My baby’s really in here?”

I nodded as a yawn escaped me and Griff chuckled. “Let’s get you out; where’s your room?” He let me go and climbed out of the pool, offering me a hand which I took. He pulled me out of the water and scooped me up in his arms, making me wrap my legs around his waist and arms around his neck so I clung to him like a koala.

“Top floor, first door to the right.”

Griff carried me to my room, grabbed some clothes and joined me in a warm shower. He reclaimed his boxers and then we lay in bed for the rest of the day.