Chapter 18: Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Ruth Eden Glass

"Stop obsessing" Quinn chuckled, leaning back on the couch and putting his feet up on the coffee table.

"I'm not obsessing. I'm...just...cleaning" I retorted.

"Cleaning? The house is already clean" he laughed, looking at me – his dark eyes glistening with amusement.

"The house is clean for your standards. My mother's standards are different". I hoovered under his legs as he smirked up at me. I finished hoovering, as Quinn continued watching the Football game from his place on the couch; beer in hand and half-eaten burger in the other. "Quinn, do not get ketchup on the couch" I snapped at him.

"I'm not" he shrugged, gave me an overly exaggerated smile and stuffed the rest of the burger in in one mouthful.

I gave him a long look, "you're disgusting".

"I'm a man, darlin".

"Same thing" I shot back at him. He winked at me cheekily. I just rolled my eyes at him before heading up the stairs to change my clothes. Quinn was being Quinn – his cheeky, confident, sexy self. However, I was in no mood for him today. I was stressed and hormonal, which was not a good combination for a budding relationship.

I changed into a soft green dress, which was tight over my ever-swelling breasts and flowed softly over my baby bump and to my knees. My hair looked greasy again – despite the fact I'd only washed it that morning – so I threw it up in a messy bun and worked on my makeup.

"Damn darlin, you look sexy" Quinn commented, when I headed back to the lounge. His eyes washed over me in appreciation, as he put his beer bottle down and wolf whistled. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile in amusement. Quinn grabbed my waist and pulled me towards him.

I yelped in shock as I straddled him, his large hands held me in position as his eyes glistened dangerously. "What are you doing?" I huffed out, pretending to be annoyed – although I could never be truly annoyed at Quinn.

"I'm just admiring my fine-ass girlfriend". His hands squeezed my thighs seductively. I rolled my eyes and pouted my lips – Quinn pecked my lips quickly. "Stop worrying. Everything will be absolutely fine".

"I can't help it. It's been so long since I've seen my mother and I just don't want to fight with her again".

"I promise to stay here and play mediator".

"Thank you". I brushed a stray hair from his forehead. "I can't wait until I don't have any of these hormones".

"Neither can I, because that means we'll have our girls". He ran his hands over my bloated belly – which was getting big now since I was almost six months through the pregnancy. Quinn's eyes glistened as he smiled at me, "I can't wait to be a father".

"You're going to be a great father".

He rested his hand on my stomach, feeling as the twins moved suddenly, before smiling to himself. "Hi there" he spoke to the babies. "Not long now you two. Your Mommy and I are getting everything ready for you. We love you so much and--"

"Not today" I said, putting my finger over his lips to silence him. "My emotions are all over the place and I just did my makeup. My mascara isn't waterproof".

He chuckled, "later then". He kissed the tip of my nose playfully. I looked into his beautiful brown eyes and smiled softly. "What?" Quinn asked, eyebrow arching.

"I'm just glad you gave me a second chance" I admitted, "when I followed you to Mario's, I didn't know if I had waited too long. I knew you would make me happy...but I didn't realise it would make me this happy".

Quinn was quiet as his hands ran over my stomach. "I won't say anything right now, because if I do then you might cry. And if I ruin your makeup, you'll kill me". He kissed me quickly as I chuckled. "Alright, get up sexy, your mother will be here soon and if you stay sitting on my lap, looking as damn sexy as you do, I will get a hard-on". He lifted me, as I laughed, and set me down on my feet.

I carried of fussy around the house for a few hours, before Quinn's cell phone rang. "Yo" he answered – in the usual un-Alpha way he always greeted his friends. "Sure, thing, we're on our way. Thanks, D". He hung up and turned to me, plastering a bright smile on his face. "She's just turned up at the border. You ready?"

I nodded, swallowing deeply, before sighing heavily. "I think so. Let's drive, it's hot out and I'm already sweating like a pig". He laughed at me but grabbed his keys.

It wasn't a long journey to the east border – where the road bisected the territory – but it felt like it took forever. I was nervous. I knew that if my father was still alive, he'd have bashed our heads together a long time ago and forced us to kiss and make up. The problem was that my mother and I were very alike, so we bumped heads more than we agreed. But, in some ways Quinn had the calmness of my father, so perhaps he would successful play mediator for us.

As we drove up, I saw my mother standing next to her old black sudan. She was as small as I was, with bleached blonde hair curling around her small face. She wore a flowy pink summer dress and clutched a purse tightly to her chest – she looked as nervous as I was.

"She looks just like you" Quinn commented, giving me a quick smile of reassurance before we climbed out the car. "Mrs Glass, it's a pleasure to finally met you. Ruth has told me so many great things about you" he charmed, offered my mother his hand as I stayed silently beside him.

"Alpha Danvers, thank you for letting me into your territory" my mother replied respectfully, bowing her eyes as she shook his hand. My mother had very little experience with Alpha's – she'd only ever met Alpha Samuels and Alpha Zev back in the Black Blood Pack, but she'd never knew them. Even when my closest friends, Devon and Ramone, became the Commanders of the Pack, I had already left so she had little to do with powerful Wolves.

My family had never been very dominant, and that had been fine for us all. When I first met Quinn, I was just as nervous and submissive – Alpha's were a foreign concept to us, someone you respected from a far distance, someone you told stories about but never knew. However, with Quinn it was easy to forget he was an Alpha what with how laid back and friendly he was.

Quinn shook my mother's hand, before stepping back and away from us. His dark eyes shone in encouragement, before he went and leant against the car. I turned away from him and to face my mother – who looked close to tears.

"Hi Mom" I said, smiling softly. She made a sort of squealing noise before she practically tackled me into a hug. I grunted in shock as she threw her arms around me, sobbing as we embraced. I inhaled deeply – her comfy scent a childhood nostalgia that warmed my soul.

"Oh, baby, look at you". She pulled back and looked over me. "Honey, you're glowing". Her hands touched my stomach lightly as her green eyes glistened with tears. "Do you know if it's a girl or a boy?" Her hands continued to caress my stomach.

"It's twin girls" Quinn answered, when I stayed silent. My mother squealed, more tears flowing as I stood still – emotional and overwhelmed. Quinn came up behind me and put his hand on my lower back. "Ruth's a bit overwhelmed today" he told my mother.

"Oh, that's okay honey". My mother reached out and ran a hand over my cheek, I automatically rested my cheek against her hand. "Oh honey, you're burning up in this heat" she exclaimed. "Alpha Danvers, maybe we should get her out the sun".

"I couldn't agree more" Quinn replied, before gesturing to his car. "I'll drive back to our house; I'll get someone to bring your car around later".

"Thank you, Alpha Danvers".

"You can just call me Quinn" he replied, as I climbed into the car and cranked the AC up. My mother blushed in reply, before silently climbing in the back of the car. She chatted happily with Quinn as we drove – but I was close to tears the entire time. Quinn noticed and placed his hand on my thigh for comfort.

I was such a mess of emotions and hormones; happy that I was seeing my mother, sad that we had been apart for so long, grieving as she brought back memories of Abel and Drew but mostly apprehension about the twins coming. Add all that with my hormones and I was a mess.

Quinn was a good mediator – just like he promised – and over lunch and the afternoon, he led most of the conversation and kept both of us distracted at all time. But, as evening was drawing in, a knock came on the door.

"I got it" I yelled upstairs; where Quinn was with my mother, discussing the half-decorated nursery. I opened the door to see Ken looking very concerned. "Hey Ken".

"Eden, hey, we have a...well...I think we have a problem" he frowned.

"Oh, I'll just get Quinn".

"No, I need to speak with you". He touched my arm to stop me leaving, he gestured me out the house. I frowned, stomach circling nervously, but followed him out and shut the door behind me.

"What's wrong?"

"Someone followed your mother here. He's at the border, I found him when I went to get her car and--"

"It is him?" I asked, my voice as hollow as I felt. I could hear my heart beat in my head and I felt my knees going weak.

"Him? I'm assuming you mean your mate. Andrew is his name, right?"

"Yeah".

"Are you okay? You look like you're about to faint". He steadied me with his hands.

"Ken, just tell me straight. Is my mate here?"

He gave me a solemn look. "Yes, your mate is here".

And, then, I did faint.