She had been feeling a little unwell as of late, and the more time that passed, the more she realized what it was. She was pregnant. And she didn't deny how it happened or who it happened with. The only male she had ever been with had been the alpha of one in the packs of the south. The Erovrare leader, Tyranis...she was pregnant with his children. She wasn't sure what to do. Hadn't been sure when she figured it out. Did she seek him out and tell him? She hadn't expected what happened the day they met, but she couldn't say she regretted it. She hadn't thought about the consequences that day...that she might get pregnant. But it happened, and now here she was. Sheltered in a cave as a storm threatened to start at any moment. It was incredibly late in the night, and as the moon cast its glow into the cave, she guessed that it was around midnight or so. Would her father be disappointed in her for this? She didn't know. And she didn't care. Just like he hadn't cared about her along with the rest of her siblings. Had they been around, maybe she would have been a little less naive and had the sense to be more careful. Besides, she wanted to stop thinking about them altogether. Why should she keep wondering what they might think when they didn't spare a second thought for her when they left her alone for so many years? Maybe she was being petty about it...she could have just gone off on her own all that time ago, but her naive hopefulness kept her rooted to that land until the other pack moved in. Now though, she was alone. And pregnant. She rested her head on her forelegs and closed her eyes, though she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep if she tried. "Talk" "You" Think

His thoughts were still heavy as he wandered the beach with the caverns in mind for a destination. He had won the fight against Hannibal but there was still an ongoing battle for his pups, and the frothing promise of the supposedly godly man to attack him if he didn’t vacate the Shrine. Erövrare was over, he had been taken apart piece by piece and now there was nothing left, there was no pride left in him, no joy, only more and more things to worry about. As the seasons changed he realized that what should have been two weeks had become two seasons, his pups were growing without him because he had been too injured defending them to fight Shaye for the right to keep them. He was no alpha and he regretted any delusions he had that he could ever be one. A familiar scent caught his senses as he entered the Caverns, someone he had met with just recently in fact. He noted that there was something different about the smell of the girl named Paradise and he knew it almost immediately for what it was. With little decorum he sat beside her, his golden eyes forlorn as they traveled over her equally despondent form. “Who’s the lucky father?” He asked, breaking the eerie silence of the cavern. Whoever he was he was sure he had no idea how lucky he was. To him being a father was the greatest gift any man could receive. Having little ones that looked up to you and followed your every word and never looked at you with anything but deep love. That had been taken from him twice now. He’d had his chance with Rain and ruined it and now again his full litter of five had been forcefully taken away from him. "Talk"  Thought "You"

She had been starting to doze off a little, the exhastion from the day and the pregnancy catching up to her. Though her thoughts were restless, she was physically tired. The changes in her body during the pregnancy was new to her, and being a loner...on her own...wasn't easy. She was afraid of having these pups. Not because of who the father was, but because she feared raising them alone. She didn't want them to grow up the way she had...but she knew in her heart, no matter how difficult it might be to raise them on her own, she wouldn't abandon them like she had been. As the babe started to fall into an uneasy sleep, a familiar voiced cracked through the silence. She opened her eyes and spotted the legs of the male as he sat beside her. Surprised, her gaze searched upward until the rested on his own, and she noticed his whole demeanor was entirely different compared to the last time she had seen him. Of course, she probably looked different, too. But she at least could blame the loneliness and the pregnancy. What about him? She sighed as she thought for a moment how to answer his question. "I guess that depends...how lucky do you consider yourself to be?" She slowly sat up, molten gaze seeking his with uncertainty. Did she look as tired as she felt? As tired as he seemed to look? She didn't know what had been going on in his life since they last met. She had considered seeking him out at his borders sooner rather than later, but she had gotten distracted with exploring and...procrastinating. But she wondered if was even a good time. The Lightning King looked defeated, and she was curious as to why. She noticed the healing wounds he had and wondered how he'd gotten those. "I must admit, it's nice to see a familiar face." "Talk" "You" Think

He couldn’t help but smile at her, his heart fluttering lightly as she rose to greet him. She was undeniably beautiful, far more beautiful than any other woman he had ever seen, her children would no doubt be just as wonderful to behold. He looked away bashfully a soft smile creeping over his features, a momentary reprieve from his dread. “Truth be told I don’t consider myself very lucky at all lately.” As he spoke he realized the meaning behind her words and lifted his head to look at her wide-eyed. “Paradise are they-?” The question hung in the air between them, his pulse racing, his heart drumming in his ears. Another litter? Another chance. He dropped his head slowly and took a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry it’s just…One of my litters was recently taken from me by another alpha…I’m-“ He trailed off. “I’m not a good man, I’m dangerous to be around, people want me dead.” It was true, all of it, his uncle as far as he knew, Hannibal no doubt, Leera, all of them sought to destroy him in one form or another, and all of them would revel to hear that a new litter made him doubly exposed. He shook his head, his teeth clenched tightly, “They’ll never be safe…My children will never be safe…” He could feel a choking sob climbing up the back of his throat but he forced it down. No.  He couldn't cry anymore. He needed to be strong "Talk"  Thought "You"

She couldn't help the smile that started to creep up when he turned away, though she swore she could see a smile of his own forming. It was amusing to see him look so bashful. “Truth be told I don’t consider myself very lucky at all lately.” She rose a brow point in a playful manner, then he seemed to really understand what she meant. “Paradise are they-?” Her smile grew a little bigger, her eyes glowing as she nodded in affirmation. Her smile slowly faded away, however, when started to drop his head. She listened quietly to him, her gaze never wavering as she steadily gazed at him. She hadn't known that he had another litter. She didn't know what was going on in his life. She didn't know him very well at all, but he was the father to her soon-to-be pups. Fate had decided to intertwine their lives, and despite his belief that he was dangerous...that others wanted him dead... “They’ll never be safe…My children will never be safe…” She heard him try to choke back his tears. It sounded to her...like he was alone, too. Just like she had been for so long. Quietly, she reached out towards him and sought to press her head into the thick fur of his neck. He was warm despite the chill in the cave. "Tyranis...we don't know each other well, but...I would like to get to know more of you," She turned her molten gaze towards his face, "These will be our children. Anyone who tries to harm them will have to go through me," She wasn't the best fighter...yet. But she would learn to protect her children. "You've been wronged. Abandoned. Just as I have. You think yourself dangerous, and that there's no good in you. But the truth is Tyranis, nobody is perfect. We are who we are, and sometimes we change for better or for worse for those we love." For her? It would be her new children. She wouldn't be so lonely anymore, and maybe, just maybe...she would know what it felt like to love, and feel loved for once. "Our pups will grow up strong, just like we did. And as long as we're alive, as long as I breathe...I will always fight for them when they're unable to fight for themselves." She was stubborn and hot-headed. She'd be damned if someone tried to steal her children away from her. "If anyone dared try to take them from me, I'd rip their throats out." Her words were icy calm. She wasn't usually a violent creature, but motherhood would no doubt change that if it meant protecting what she loved. "Talk" "You" Think

He felt his heart flutter at her words. They were strangers, completely unknown to each other, brought together by a future litter and bonded by a common goal to protect their offspring. He swallowed hard then leaned into her touch, his head twisting as he embraced her, his eyes closing tightly as his spirits soared, captivated by the scent of her fur, and the scent of his future children. “Paradise…Thank you…” He spoke softly and he wondered for a moment if she could feel how his heart raced and beat against his ribs like a frightened bird. He wondered silently if this new beginning for the both of them was the start of something far grander than he anticipated, and with a single fading thought he realized that Paradise would make a wonderful and worthy wife. "Will you join me? In my pack? As broken as it is?" He asked, feeling the question leaving him rather than being spoken an icy finger of terror wrapping itself around his heart "Talk"  Thought "You"