As if moved by some intangible force Neo returned to his pack after several days of absence. Crusted, dried blood, none of which was his, stuck to his once pristine khaki and gray colored coat. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, as if trying to contain and relish the hurricane of emotion inside him. His tongue lulled out of his mouth as he padded over the damp ground of the bog. He had no recollection of the trip back to Arcanum, he couldn't remember the last time he stopped to rest or eat, he could only assume he hadn't. The taste of wolf blood lingered on his tongue, and knowing that in some small way it was Adravendi blood made it taste all the better. In some small part of his mind he knew it wasn't any closer to Adravendi blood than his own, and the thought rekindled the fire in his veins, reminding him that no matter how many times Cairo said he treated him the same way he would have treated his blood children, he had seen first hand that Cairo's actions overshadowed his words. He had forgotten what had started all this; but now it was clear. The Adravendi, a family of imperious, puritans that cared more about how others viewed them than how they acted, was once again his enemy. And he wallowed in the rage that threatened to all but consume him. Neo Speech Maija Speech

She could smell the change in the air before she saw him. Her form was slowly showing the pregnancy belly, something she was thoroughly enjoying. She carried out her duties as Beta, loving the feeling of power racing through her veins every morning. No one dared come to challenge her rank, and she felt as if she deserved only the best. After so long, she no longer had to grovel for what she wanted. Maija Artenie was a force to be reckoned with. Her baby daddy appeared in the Moor as she patrolled the inner sanctum of her pack lands. Leaf-green eyes vibrantly turned towards him as his scent mingled with blood and sweat touched her nose. With her senses heightened from the pregnancy, her nose tingled with less effort than usual, making her face remain stoic. Her pace slowed to a silent halt as she watched him approach, hunger in his dilated eyes from a fresh high. She softly snorted and let an evil chuckle slip from her closed lips. She knew exactly what he had been doing. Maija watched him with interest, eyeing every single inch of him that stood in front of her. His whole body was beating in rhythm to his heart, the adrenaline still rushing through his muscles and bones. Slowly, her tongue slipped out to lick her golden lips as she took a few steps towards him. Her pregnant belly, slightly obvious and round, bounced with each step she took until she reached his blood-stained form. "Hmmmm..." she sounded before reaching out to tenderly nuzzle a spot behind his jawbone. "You look yummy.." Tail idly flicked behind her as she nipped at the same spot she nuzzled, leaf-green eyes meeting his bright pink ones without hesitation. "Had fun without me?" she softly asked, tones dangerously close to being pushed over the brim. "You're gonna hear me roar"

It took a moment to register that his would be wife had found him, and was lavishing him with affection. "Had fun without me?" slowly consciousness crept back in, and the question rang in his ears. He chuckled, almost nervously as she waited for a response "Is it obvious?" He leaned into the contact they shared,for once feeling something other than anger or hate. He pressed his crown against her neck before his head came to rest on her shoulder. She was beautiful. But more importantly, she was his. Even if she was an indulgence he needed to share, she was the mother to his pups, and hopefully, his soon to be wife. "How are they?" he asked, eyes drawn toward her swelling abdomen. Walk this way Talk this way

Neo returned his affections, making Maija softly purr into his ear. She rested her head on his shoulder as well, their craniums nestling in the perfect nooks of the other's bone structures. Her leaf-green eyes closed and a feeling of content settled within her burning chest. She was slowly regaining all that she had lost when Taurig disappeared. Her heart had been severely bruised and cracked, but now it was getting better with each day. Her babies were growing at a steady rate, she was in a safe pack (whose morals were higher than all), and the man she was having her children with was one of those who met all of her high standards. She didn't answer his first question, but gave a soft "Hmmm" beneath her breath. His second question, however, would be answered with a more definite response. His gaze moved to her belly and she turned her head to admire the growing fetuses from an external view. "Wonderful," she softly replied, pride evidenced in hidden spots of her words. "They are getting bigger and fighting for room almost every hour...I wouldn't want them to be docile, though." Maija turned her gaze back on Neo and took in the details of his handsome, bloody face. "They will be legends, Neo...and make us proud, won't they?" Talk like this