Chapter six

Samantha 

The apple pie I made for Kennedy was out of the oven and cooled for an hour. The stew she and my mother prepared was ready to eat and I went up to see if she was awake. I open the door to our room and she was fast asleep with Anna trying to lift her arm to take Amanda. 

She lets out a sleepy growl and Anna pulls her hand back. I couldn't help the soft giggle from escaping and Anna looks at me for help. "At least she's aware of someone trying to take her while she's sleeping," I whisper with a smile. 

I curl up behind her and nuzzle my cheek against her shoulder. She lets out a sleepy purr and I lift her arm so Anna could retrieve Amanda who seemed like she was still asleep. She starts crying and Kennedy sits up in half leopard form, growling protectively. 

Once she realizes it's only Anna she calms down and shifts back to full human form. I felt a strong uneasy feeling through the bond and help her to the bathroom. I rub her back as she got sick and she leans against me when she's finished. "How'd you know I was going to be sick," she asks in a wavering whisper. 

"I could feel it through the bond," I say softly, rubbing her stomach gently. "Your stew and apple pie are ready for you to eat. Can you try for me, please?"

"Will you eat with me, " she asks in a choked whisper and I kiss her temple. 

"I intend to," I say softly, wiping her eyes. 

I help her walk to the kitchen and serve us both some of the stew. I watch her eat some and tears fill her eyes. "It's almost as if my mother made it herself," she chokes quietly and continues to eat the stew.

I could feel how much she missed her parents and wished there was something I could do. I take a bite of the stew and it was nothing like I've ever had before. "This is the best stew I've ever had. Will you show me how to make it," I ask and she gives me a sad smile. 

"Only if you show me how to make your pie," she teases as she continues to eat.

"No one knows how I do my pie," I say with a smile and lean in to whisper in her ear. "I'll make an exception for you."

She turns her head toward me and looks at me with passion filled eyes. She moves in to kiss me, but growls at someone over my shoulder. I turn around to see Grace's friends walk in with their mates. I watch Kennedy's reaction as Tracey places her hand on my shoulder. Her leopard eyes bled over her icy blues and Tracey pulled her hand away as if it were burned.

That's when I noticed the claw marks on her arm, like a cat scratched her. "Keep your hands off my mate," Kennedy warns. "You don't want to find out what I'm capable of doing."

"Control your mate Sam," Greg says with a snarl. 

I step in front of Kennedy in half leopard form and growl protectively. Greg cowers behind Tracey and they all scatter from the kitchen. I turn to face Kennedy, caressing her face with a clawed hand. She shifts under my touch, closing her eyes as she nuzzles her cheek in my hand.

I could feel how calm Claire was with the small contact from Miranda. I took her in my arms and she started purring with affection. "We have to switch back, but I promise when we go to bed tonight we can cuddle like this," I say as softly as I could with my leopard voice. She was the first to shift back and I follow suit. "How are you feeling now that you've had something to eat?"

"I feel much better. I should thank your mother when I see her again," she says quietly and looks over where my pie sat. "I want to find out for myself who good your pie is. My mother made apple pie like you wouldn't believe."

"Maybe we can hold a contest and see which is better? The clan can be the judges," I say with a smile.

"You're on," she says with a smile.

I cut us some pie and look at her, unsure if she was aware her cat eyes bled over her icy blues. "When you told Tracey to stay away from me, did you know your leopard eyes were showing," I ask softly and she looks away from me, ashamed. "I thought it was sexy. Can you do it again or was it out of jealousy?"

I sat back next to her with our pie and lift her chin. Tears were threatening to fall and I give her a kiss. She shutters a calming breath and looks up with her leopard eyes. "The Queen of my old clan is my mother's sister. My mother was supposed to take over, but got pregnant with me instead and my Aunt Carolyn took the first chance at her spot. She's the one who killed my parents and ordered the clan to treat me the way they did," she chokes quietly and I take her in my arms.

*Miranda*

"Her own family did this to her? No wonder she has trust issues. I'm glad she trusts us."

"My parents were going to try bringing peace between the two clans and it got them killed," Kennedy chokes between broken sobs as my mother walked in with tears in her eyes, having heard it all. "Would you have accepted their proposal? Maybe they'd still be alive."

My mother comes over and takes her in her arms. "I probably would have sweetheart, I want peace between the clans as well," she says softly kissing Kennedy's forehead. "How was your stew?"

"The baby seems to like it, thank you for helping me remember," Kennedy says in a calming breath. 

"You're welcome," my mother says softly and looks at me. "Greg came to me that Kennedy threatened Tracey?"

Kennedy growls at the mention of her name, leopard eyes narrowed in anger. My mother meets her eyes, surprised and Kennedy says through gritted teeth, "She should have kept her hands off Samantha and leave us alone."

My mother fails when trying to hide her smile and takes Kennedy in her arms. "You don't need anyone to protect you while pregnant, you're scary enough with just the leopard eyes," she says softly and laughs lightly. "Anna told me how you went leopard on her when she tried to take Amanda while you were still asleep."

"Can we do the ceremony tomorrow? I feel much better after the stew," Kennedy says quietly, surprising both me and my mother.

"Sweetheart, are you sure? You have to drink blood from me and James as part of the ritual. Your baby may not tolerate it," my mother says with concern. 

"Rather or not the baby will tolerate it, I have to do this, for my baby," Kennedy chokes with tears in her eyes and my mother nods with understanding. "Where can I find Valerie? I feel bad for falling asleep during our conversation earlier."

"I'll get her, eat your pie," I say softly and kiss her forehead. 

I head over to the infirmary where she helps Martha and found myself surrounded by Grace's friends and their mates. I could feel Kennedy getting close and she emerges through them. She was in half leopard form, taking a protective stance in front of me. 

Tracey laughs as she steps forward and Kennedy lets out a deafening roar. In a blur of motions, Kennedy took Tracey to the ground, slashing her throat. One by one they made a move on her to attack and she took them all out before they could touch her. 

I don't know when they showed up, but the entire clan stood back. Everyone was afraid to move, afraid she'd go after them. She turns to face me in full human form and collapses. I kneel next to her and caress her stomach. I could sense the baby through the bond and let out a relieved breath. 

I scoop her in my arms and plow through the rest of the clan towards our room. Someone tried to stop me and I whirl around in half leopard form. I let out a deafening roar before I realized it was my mother. She backs away from me with tears in her eyes. 

I shift back as tears roll down my cheeks. "I could have handled them," I choke quietly. "Why did she do that?"

"She did what no one did for her, protect who she loves," my mother chokes in a soothing whisper. "I saw the whole thing and she defended her mate."

"What if something happened to her and the baby," I choke in a scared whisper. 

"You wouldn't have let that happen," she says with a light smile. 

I nod vigorously, knowing she was right. "I'm taking her to our room," I choke quietly and she nods with understanding. "The ceremony can wait."

I turn back towards our room and Anna looks at Kennedy with worry in her eyes. "Can I come with you," she asks in a choked whisper and I nod lightly. 

Everyone bows their heads as we walk by them. I kept walking and Anna kept up with me. She closes the door to my room as I lay Kennedy in bed. Tears fill my eyes and look at Anna. "I can feel her heart racing," I choke quietly. "I feel it like it's in my chest, hammering."

"Kennedy is a strong woman, Samantha. We all watched her take on six by herself before you could even register what was going on," she says in a soothing tone, taking my hand in comfort. "Focus on the baby, through your bond. Can you feel the heart beat like you do Kennedy's?"

I close my eyes and focus on the baby. I could feel three heart beats through the bond and go looking for the printout. It was hard to see, but there was definitely two babies. I look up at Anna and she had concern in her eyes. 

"What is it," she asks with concern. 

"I could feel two separate heart beats other than Kennedy's," I choke in a distant whisper as I look at her sleeping face. "They're lucky they're already dead."

"Are you saying that Kennedy is pregnant with twins and you didn't know," Anna asks softly. 

"I just figured out the uneasy feeling through the bond was her nausea," I choke with a light smile. "I don't think Martha realized she's having twins. I'm not even sure if Kennedy can sense that she's carrying twins."

"She's going to be okay Sam," Anna says in a soothing whisper. "Right now she needs you. Try skin to skin contact. Zeke did it for me when I needed help calming down."

I nod lightly and she leaves to give us privacy. I get us undressed and cuddle behind her. I caress her stomach and sweep my thumb along her bare skin. I nuzzle my face in her hair and breathe in her orchid scent.

I could feel her heart rate slow down and I let out a relieved breath. I hear my door open and pop my head up with a protective leopard growl. Martha holds her hands up in defense and closes the door behind her. 

"How is she," she asks with concern. 

"She'd be okay if Grace's friends left us alone," I choke in anger. 

"I know you're angry, but she needs you calm right now," she says in a soothing tone and I let out a calming breath. "Can you sense the baby?"

"If by baby you mean twins, then yes. They're okay," I choke with relief and she was surprised. "Kennedy is okay too, her heart rate is dropping gradually."

"I don't think anyone else will dare bother the two of you. We were all afraid to move thinking she'd go after us too," Martha says quietly. "She can move fast."

"I don't think she would have hurt anyone else. It was Grace's friends bothering us and closing in on me," I say quietly and Martha nods with understanding. "The sad part in this is she warned them that they didn't know what she was capable of. I don't even know what she's capable of. 

"Tracey touched me in a way that made Kennedy jealous and her leopard eyes bled over her human eyes and it was enough to make Tracey back off. What I don't understand is why would they corner me and how did she know I was in trouble," I ask in a choked whisper. 

"I wish I could answer your questions Samantha," Martha says in sympathy and I nod with understanding. "Bring her to me when she wakes up."

"Thank you for coming to check on her," I choke quietly as she was walking out the door and she gives me a sympathetic smile. 

I fell asleep shortly after Martha left the room. I woke to Kennedy's uncontrolled sobs as she traces her finger over my jawline. I sit up, taking her in my arms and feel as she shifts against my chest. I shift and she lets out a calming breath. 

"I couldn't let them kill you, not like how my clan killed my parents," she sobs in her leopard voice. 

"I know," I say softly, nuzzling my face at the top of her head.

"Your mother was teaching me how to feel the baby through the bond. I was on my way to tell you that there were two babies when I saw them surround you. Claire took over until I passed out. She comes out when she feels it's the most dangerous situations. She's killed before to keep us safe, I just never thought she'd need to here," she chokes in a scared whisper. "Are they going to banish me?"

"My mother saw you defend me, the whole clan did," I say softly as I caress her stomach. "Anna showed me how to feel the baby through the bond when we got you back in the room. Martha wanted to see you if you're up to it. She didn't realize it was twins either."

"Can I stay like this? I don't want anyone bothering me," she asks in a choked whisper.

"No one is going to bother you, I promise," I say in a soothing whisper and she lets out a calming breath before switching to her human form. 

I switch back with her and lead her to the shower. I set the water to her liking and undo her braid. We step in the shower and I help her wash off the now dried blood from her face and hands.

I was in the middle of helping her wash her hair when I heard my mother walk in. "How are you feeling sweetie," she asks Kennedy with concern. "The whole clan is worried about you."

"They don't hate me after what I did," she asks between broken sobs and I hug at her back.

"Everyone knows you were defending yourself and Samantha. Are you able to sense them like I showed you," she asks with concern. 

"They're okay," I choke quietly as Kennedy turned to sob in my chest. "She told me Claire took over, that she only takes over when she feels it's too dangerous for Kennedy. They were scared of losing me the way she lost her parents."

"I made more stew for you, the others loved it and I wanted to make sure you had some for when you woke up," my mother says in a soothing tone. 

Kennedy laughs through her sobs and chokes quietly, "I'm glad they like my mother's recipe. Having something she used to make is comforting."

"Will you come down when you finish?"

"We'll be right down," Kennedy chokes with a light smile. 

I hear as my mother leaves the bathroom and moments later we exit the shower. We dry off and Kennedy helps herself to some of my clothes. They seem to be comfortable for her so I let her wear them.

I brush out her hair and braid her hair. It seems to soothe her when I do her hair and right now keeping her calm is what's best for her and the twins. The last two days have been stressful enough for her and I want to make sure she stays stress free now that the cause of her stress is eliminated. 

She slips her hand in mine, hugging to my arm as we walk downstairs. Some clan members were in the kitchen, eating and she hugs tighter to my arm. When they notice us they greet her with smiles and she loosens up on my arm some.

"We all saw what happened and glad you're okay," Taylor, one of Anna's friends says softly. She comes over and hugs Kennedy. "You'll make a great Queen when you and Sam take over."

"Thank you," Kennedy chokes quietly, hugging her back. 

"If you're up to it, can you teach me how to half shift," Taylor asks with a smile as she pulls back to look at Kennedy. 

"Let me get through this first trimester," Kennedy says with a light smile. 

Taylor bows her head with respect and looks at me. "Your mother assigned some of us to keep an eye out for anyone else who has a problem with either of you. I don't think there will be any further issues, but Anna, Tina myself and a few others volunteered at the proposal," she says softly and I nod lightly. 

"Thank you. It means a lot to me that there are members who accept her without going through the ceremony yet. I'd like to keep things calm for her sake," I say quietly as others approach us. 

They offer Kennedy handmade gifts for a nursery and tears fill her eyes. Acceptance is all she ever wanted and now that she was getting it made her emotional. Part of it could be pregnancy hormones, but I wasn't sure. I rub her back in comfort and thank them for her. 

My mother, who witnessed everything, enters the kitchen with a light smile and hands Kennedy a key. We both look at her confused and she motions for us to follow. She brings us to the empty room next to ours and opens the door. 

Two cribs and empty baby furniture filled the room. I took the gifts from Kennedy before she dropped them from the surprise of the waiting nursery. She takes a slow walk around the room, stopping in front of one of the cribs. She looks over her shoulder at my mother as tears roll down her cheeks. 

"Some of the members set this up for you, to lighten up the atmosphere after what happened with Grace and her friends. I had to tell them there were two babies or there would only be one crib," my mother says apologetically. 

Kennedy runs into my mother's arms, sniffling back tears and my mother rubs her back in comfort. "You're welcome," my mother says with a smile.