Evince Me (16 page)

Leaning with my chin perched in my hands as my
elbows rested on the rail of the backyard deck, a feeling of peace
washed over me. I watched as Mr. Evans and some of the male elders
played a game of dominoes on a makeshift table. Mrs. Evans was
proudly discussing her homemade pie recipe with the female elders
at the picnic tables.

Everyone else stood around mingling. Some of the
guys were playing a game of football and their mates sat on the
sidelines in the grass cheering them on. We just finished up our
monthly pack meeting and now we were all gathered at the pack house
having lunch.

It's been a month since the guys rescued the
girls from the rogues. As that thought crossed my mind, Axel ran by
chasing after Nicole and a swarm of kids. She began warming up to
him a couple days ago after I finally convinced her into believing
Axel truly is a great guy. Besides, it's not like she could
actually fight the pull of a mate for much longer anyway. They were
in the middle of a heated water balloon fight with the kids of the
pack.

The three other girls who were rescued from the
rogues Ally, Gwen, and Miranda returned back home. Their packs were
close on the rogues trail, but somehow our guys got to them first.
It made me proud in knowing our guys are one of the toughest
bunches of wolves around. Troy returned home with his mate Amy,
they make up the cutest couple ever.

I've spent the past month tending to all my Luna
duties as well as planning my wedding. I already picked out my
wedding gown and courtesy of Anya...the maid of honor and
bridesmaid dresses are going to be red, since every other color she
tried on didn't go with her skin tone! You'd think she was the one
getting married.

Our wedding was going to be held in the backyard
of the pack house. It's a perfectly romantic setting, don't you
think? Tristan and I decided we wanted to get married soon, so Anya
and I are throwing together a speedy ceremony. We're practically
already married, it's just the formality of the reception and
paperwork that's missing.

"Daydreaming again?" Tristan's husky voice
whispered close to my ear causing me to shiver. His arms
immediately wrapped around my waist pulling me into his solid
chest. Leaning my head back onto his shoulder a smile
instantaneously spread across my lips.

"Yea, just thinking how much I can't wait to
officially become Mrs. Tristan Evans." I smirked, causing a low
appreciative growl to rumble from Tristan's chest. Every single
time I mention anything about becoming his wife, he gets so
excited. It's rather adorable how possessive he can be.

"ANNALISE!!!" My name was bellowed out the
second floor bathroom window. The voice belonging to none other
than my best friend. Almost the entire population of wolves froze
where they stood as all eyes zoned in on me.

Luke was among those who stood still, he had the
football in hand mid-throw getting ready to pass it, but a look of
worry washed over his expression. I lifted my hand and waved him
off, silently telling him I'd go and deal with whatever problem
Anya was experiencing. She's been so moody lately, poor Luke's been
so attentive to her needs, but he's also trying to stay out of her
way.

Knowing that Anya was probably overreacting for
something, I spun around in Tristan's arms and tippy-toed up to
brush my lips against his. "Hmm, seems I'm being summoned." Rolling
my eyes I gave him a grin. "Be right back."

Approaching the half open bathroom door, I
knocked softly before pushing it open and entering. "You summoned
master?" I joked with a chuckle cracking myself up, but soon turned
serious as I took in Anya's frazzled state.

Anya's hair looked as though she'd been steadily
running her fingers through them for the past ten minutes. Her
clothes were all wrinkled and her face was flushing a scarlet
color. "Geez, what happened? Are you ok?" I asked suddenly worried
about my best friend.

Pacing back and forth nervously, Anya mumbled
quietly to herself under her breath. I caught bits and pieces of
what she was saying. "Can't believe....bad timing...what to do
now?" I watched her for another minute hoping she would snap out of
it, but she was in her own little bubble.

Grabbing a hold of her shoulders to stop her
from pacing, I forced her to look at me. "What's the matter Anya?"
My voice came out strong, but my nerves were a mess. I've never
seen her this disgruntled...ever. So to see her like this made me
worry.

With a look of defeat, Anya's eyes began filling
with tears and the corners of her lips began tugging downwards into
an unhappy frown. The first tear spilled over starting the
waterworks to come at full blast and soon she began sobbing
uncontrollably.

"I can't believe this. I'm gonna be a fat maid
of honor!" She mumbled through sobs. "What kind of crap timing is
this?" Anya uttered throwing her thin arms around my waist as she
cried into my shoulder. I stiffened, still unsure of exactly what
she was talking about.

Without lifting her head off my shoulder, Anya
held up a stick with two visible lines in front of my face. Aww,
yay, I'm going to be an auntie. "I'm pregnant." She hiccuped
lifting her head she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her
hands.

I let out a small chuckle of relief, "Shouldn't
this be great news? Don't you want Luke's baby?" I asked a bit
confused. They were madly in love with each other the same way
Tristan and I are, why wouldn't she be happy about this.

"Of course I'm happy to be having Luke's baby. I
would've liked for us to be married first, but what can I do now?"
She sighed taking a seat on the edge of the tub. "By the time the
wedding comes around I'm going to be fat, they'll have to add more
material to my dress!" She whined, no doubt mourning the loss of
her girlish figure due to pregnancy.

"How far along are you?" I wondered, remembering
Anya's menstrual cycles have always been out of whack so she was
never regular. Her eyes shut tight and she cringed as if my
question physically caused her pain.

With her shoulders shrugged inwards, Anya
answered in the smallest voice possible. "Anywhere from four to
five months." If not for my wolf hearing I would not have heard
what she said. I inhaled a deep breath, I mean sure I noticed Anya
put on a few pounds but I attributed it to us not being as active
as we used to.

By the time the wedding comes around she'll be
anywhere between six to seven months along! "Things will be ok." I
reassured her, rubbing my hand over her back in a soothing manner.
"Easy for you to say, you're not gonna balloon up eating for two."
She grumbled.

Taking a seat next to her on the edge of the
tub, I slung my arm over her shoulder. "As god mother slash auntie
of the baby, just think of all the shopping we'll get to do in
preparation for this little guy or girl's arrival." I joked trying
to get her to smile and it worked like a charm as a smile formed on
her lips.

"Figures you'd try and use shopping to cheer me
up." Anya laughed giving me a hug. "Thanks, now I have to tell Luke
the real reason why I've been so bitchy to him lately." I was
absolutely positive that Luke would be jumping for joy that his
mate is carrying his pup or pups.

Speaking of the devil I thought as Luke appeared
in the bathroom door. I stood up and exited the bathroom to leave
them to discuss things amongst themselves. Sub-consciously my hand
rested on my own tummy as thoughts of on day carrying Tristan's
pups swirled in my mind.

"Everything ok in there?" Tristan asked coming
up the steps breaking me out of my thoughts. Nodding my head yes, I
wasn't sure if I should be the one to deliver the good news or
allow the soon to be parents the pleasure of telling them.

I got my answer soon enough when loud crash
sounded, a roll of toilet paper went flying by my head and Anya's
shouting voice followed behind Luke as he ran from the bathroom. "I
don't care how much you love the Simpsons. We are not naming our
son Bartholomew nor am I naming my daughter Lisa or Maggie."

Tristan's eyes lit up with amusement as he man
hugged Luke. "I believe a congrats is in order." He laughed as yet
another roll of toilet paper came flying out the door. This time
she caught Luke in the back of his head.

Anya emerged from the bathroom with fury in her
eyes, then she noticed the fact that it wasn't just her and Luke up
here. Embarrassment was the next expression that came over her face
as she looked down at her feet. Clearing my throat, I reached out
and grabbed a hold of Anya's hand. "C'mon let's go have some pie."
I offered her an escape.

Tapping my foot impatiently against the linoleum
tiled floor I watched as numerous amounts of people maneuvered
their way in and out of the crowded bustling airport. I've been
sitting here for the past hour waiting for their plane to arrive.
It was delayed due to inclement weather, but I didn't dare leave in
case they landed soon.

'Where are you
beautiful?'
Tristan's voice filtered into my mind as
my eyes focused on a plane pulling into the terminal I was sitting
at.
'Still at the airport, flight was
delayed.'
I answered mindlessly. Being able to
communicate this way is pretty handy when you think about it. Saves
us from using up the minutes on our cell phones.

'Why ya miss me
already?'
I teased in a playful manner. Tristan was
busy running patrols with Luke so I decided to come to the airport
alone. There's no way I planned on asking Anya to accompany me.
Since finding out she's pregnant there's one of two places you'd
find Anya. Either in the kitchen stuffing her face or sitting on
the sofa with her legs up watching TV.

The pack doctor determined that Anya is only 9
weeks along after he performed an ultrasound. Thank goodness for
that, the complaints of her being a fat maid of honor have died
down dramatically. One would think she's already eight months along
the way Luke's behaving.

Luke's been extremely protective of her since
hearing the news of her pregnancy. She's not permitted to do
anything that might jeopardize the safety of his pups. So, that
pretty much means Luke has Anya on lock down.

"You from around this area?" A deep voice with a
British accent asked catching me off guard. Turning to my left I
was greeted by a good-looking blond male with stunning blue eyes
sitting next to me. Am I that oblivious in thought? When the heck
did he take a seat there?

"Um yea, I grew up here. I've lived here all my
life." I answered with a small smile as I thought of how much I
loved Port Clyde, it holds so much history for me and the life I've
come to know as my own. Wolves...who would've ever thought?

"Just stopping here, flight's been delayed due
to the bloody weather. Although if I had someone like you as a tour
guide, might make staying a few days worthwhile. Seems like a nice
place, you fancy it here?" He asked making friendly conversation. I
nodded my head and grinned at his use of the word bloody and fancy.
"Danny." He held out his hand.

"Annalise." I stuck out my hand to shake his
extended one. "It's nice to meet you and yes I fancy it very much
so. I suppose I could show you around Port Clyde if you decide to
stay." I offered as a friendly gesture.

'I always miss you when you're
not by my side.'
Tristan's delayed response caused me
to jump a bit from his intrusion into my mind. Aww, even after all
this time he still manages to get me with his romantic comments.
Chewing down on my bottom lip I tried thinking of a sweet thing to
say back, but a voice interrupted my thought process.

"You know you're not supposed to leave home
alone." His tone of voice was like he was scolding a young wolf in
trouble for breaking the rules. "Where's Axel?" Tristan asked with
his arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at me with a
pointed look. His gray eyes trailed from Danny sitting to my left
and then back at me piercing my soul. Do I sense a bit of anger or
was it jealousy? What happened to the sweet attitude from seconds
before?

Diverting my eyes everywhere but in his
direction. I glanced up at Tristan guiltily. "At home with Nicole,
I didn't want to bother him." I answered with a bit of a pout to my
lips. Yes, I snuck out the house without my protector. So what, it
was just a simple trip to the airport. I didn't want to take away
from Axel's time with his mate.

Nicole and Axel are just getting well acquainted
with each other. Believe me I know what it's like to be a newly
mated couple, you don't want to leave each other's sides. I haven't
been in any imminent danger lately, so there wasn't a need to
trouble anyone for an easy task.

"It doesn't have anything to do with troubling
anyone sweetheart. It solely has to do with safety...your safety."
Tristan squatted down in front of me, taking my hands into his.
Placing his right hand on the side of my face forcing me to look
into his eyes, he wanted to assure I understood the seriousness of
the situation. "And I know Axel's at home with Nicole. Why do you
think I'm here?"

Wow, he sure keeps a watchful eye on me. Can't
get anything past this Alpha, he's on top of everything. Well what
do I expect, Tristan's always been protective of me. I'd hate to
see how he acts when I get pregnant. Almost as if he could sense
Tristan's powerful aura, Danny stood up and with a meek smile gave
me a friendly wave and took off towards the newsstand area.