15.

Jason P.O.V.

Four months later

I sat watching Madi's eyes move underneath her lids. What was she seeing? All this time and nothing I did would wake her. I understood her wolf needed to heal but there were no signs of life other than her eye movements and the slight rise and fall of her chest. Her skin was as pale as a sheet of paper and her hair was in a disarray of dark hair like a halo around her head. Her hand was limp in mine and felt so fragile. I always felt such a strong connection to her and now it's muted like she isn't even alive anymore. I still had that empty feeling from her even though she was right in front of me. The last months without her had been hard. I spent all of my nights and free time with her. There was a cot set up next to her bed so I could sleep with her, and there was always someone here to watch her when I wasn't able to. I felt like I had aged years since this happened to her. It felt like it had been years since I last saw her beautiful green eyes.

It had been difficult with Amanda. She had decided that while she was locked up she would refuse to eat to kill the child. Eventually, she had to be strapped to a bed and a feeding tube was inserted up her nose so she would get the nutrition that the baby needed. She was almost always kept under sedation because if she wasn't then no one in the house was at peace. Many had moved to a different location on the property because they did not agree with my treatment of her. Many felt like this was all my fault and, in a way, it is. If I had never been with Amanda she would have never fallen for me and gotten pregnant and Madi would still be awake and smiling at me happy. I could barely remember her smile. I was haunted by her anguish the day she found Amanda kissing me.

Amanda was close to delivery and her execution was planned for immediately after the child was born. I didn't want her in our life any longer than was necessary. The child is mine so I will take care of it but I would never tell it about its mother. Hopefully, Madi would wake up and accept the child as her own. As far as I was concerned the child would grow up thinking Madi was her mother. My thoughts were interrupted by a voice in my head, "Alpha, it's time."

I responded and stood up slowly to leave. I kissed her forehead lingering for a moment, breathing in her scent, before turning for the door to leave. The nurse outside of the door nodded at me as I passed and I nodded back acknowledging that I saw her. This only meant one thing, Amanda went into labor. I prepared myself for what was ahead. A day that should be the happiest day of my life, taking second only to the day that I met my mate, was the grimmest of my life. My child was being born by someone I don't love, and in the same day, I was having the mother of my child killed. I stopped outside of the room as I heard the screaming took a deep breath and entered the room.

Madi P.O.V.

I looked at everyone in the room threw pain-filled eyes. What was I doing here? I saw Jason to the side quietly looking away from me and I reached out for him, but something stopped me from doing this. I looked up and noticed that my hands were bound to my sides and my legs were bound to the bed as well. I then looked down and saw that my belly looked really big compared to the rest of my body. I was so much skinnier other than my stomach. I had lost a lot of weight. I screamed as a wave of pain took me over. I felt pressure between my legs like I needed to push, then it hit me, I was in labor. How was it possible that I was pregnant? Jason and I had never had sex and I would have had to have been out for at least 4 months.

The doctor came to stand between my legs and said, "Ok Amanda, it's time to push."

I was so confused. Why were they calling me Amanda? I saw long blond hair over my shoulder and realized it was mine. Somehow I was in Amanda's body and nobody knew. I couldn't fight the overwhelming feeling to push so I didn't protest against the name and I pushed as hard as I could. This went on for about twenty minutes before I heard a small cry and the doctor handed the baby to Jason and said, "Congrats alpha, it's a little girl."

He began to walk away and before I could scream and demand my daughter into my arms I felt suction like a vacuum on my arm except this was all over my body. When I could finally move I sat up screaming for my daughter. The woman in the room with me seemed shocked and tried to push me back down and soothe me, but I was having none of it. I pushed her away with all the strength I had in me and jumped up running and looking for the little girl. I don't know how I knew but that little girl was my daughter. I didn't carry her in me but somehow she was mine. She was my blood and I had no idea how. I followed my instincts and came upon Jason holding the baby I knew was my daughter. Flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood.

Jason turned to see me looking confused and I took my daughter from him, "She's mine, Jason. I don't know how but she is mine."

"I know. Let's go see the doctor and I will explain everything."

Jason P.O.V.

I looked into the eyes of my child that looked nothing like my eyes or Amanda's eyes in wonder. Her eyes were a strange shade of green that reminded me so much of Madi's eyes. I felt myself being sucked into them and all of a sudden I was surrounded by a bright white light. There was a woman in white in front of me with long red hair but her face was as bright as the sun and I couldn't make out any determinable features. Then a thought popped into my head, this must be the moon goddess Selene.

I heard a light chuckle, "Yes my son."

"How did you hear that?"

"I am the mother of all wolf kind, but we do not have time for these trivial questions. Our time is limited and I need to tell you something. Your daughter is not the daughter of Amanda. I know the baby was born to her but the child's true mother is Madi. She is the blood of her blood and the flesh of her flesh. Madi will know this is her daughter so do not be surprised. I must go now. Madi is awake. she will be here soon."

"But I have so many questions!"

"All in time my son."

Suddenly I was sucked back into reality and very confused. I turned around with my daughter in my arms and saw Madi. "She's mine, Jason. I don't know how but she is mine."

"I know. Let's go see the doctor and I will explain everything." By everything, I meant what little I know.

Madi P.O.V.

I walked closely beside Jason as he held my perfect little girl with my eyes. She was quiet and her gaze shifted between Jason and I with more concentration than I've ever seen any newborn have. I was itching to hold her and my wolf was restless for her as well. I wanted to hold her close and smell the scent that only a newborn baby possesses. I wanted to feel her in my arms and look into her innocent eyes as she looked back at me. I still don't understand how she is mine but looking at her there is no denying that she is a child that is mine and Jason's. It's just so bizarre that we have never actually been together physically like that and now we have a daughter. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this. Then it hits me, my wolf is back!

'Where have you been?'

'Honestly, I don't know. It was like I was asleep for a very long time and all of a sudden I woke up when our pup was born.'

'But how did this happen? I don't understand. We never completed the mating process. We are still untouched by him.'

'I'm not sure, maybe the pack doctor can explain,' I silently agreed and said no more.

Jason and I came to a stop in front of the doctor's door and Jason knocked softly and then walked in. We shifted uncomfortably until the doctor signaled for us to sit.

"Alpha, Luna. I'm glad you are awake again Luna, you have been sorely missed. Now, what brings you to my office with the new pup in tow."

Jason and I looked at each other and Jason spoke, "This child is somehow Madi's child, not Amanda. We need to know how this is."

Realization hit the doctor all at once, "When Madi was first admitted here we found what looked to be a small pinprick on her stomach. I assumed it was just some sort of bug bite but now that I think of it I know what it was. I found it very weird that you got Amanda pregnant because people who are not mates are not anatomically able to conceive children together. I assumed that because your wolf, for a lack of a better term, was confused that it allowed for her to become pregnant. But even that being what it was was still highly unlikely. I believe that Amanda or someone stole one of your eggs with a very large needle very carefully. This more than likely happened when you were in heat and when you were in so much pain from it that in your sleep you would have never noticed it. Then somehow most likely in your sleep Jason someone had collected your sperm. After all of this, it is possible that she fertilized the egg and then had herself inseminated with the fertile egg. By all means, this is possibly what happened. But to be absolutely sure I would need to do some DNA testing."

I sat there in shock as Jason spoke, "That won't be necessary. The goddess herself already came to me and told me that the baby was in fact mine and Madi's, not mine and Amanda's. I just needed to know how something like this could happen."

I looked back at him in surprise and stood with him as he bid the doctor goodbye and we left. As we walked out the door I held my arms out to ask for my daughter. Jason looked doubtful which hurt but I held my ground hardening my gaze. He seemed reluctant but he still handed her to me. I took her and still hurt walked as quickly as I could with my daughter to our room. I heard Jason walking closely behind me obviously thinking that he was going to be going where I was. But I was so hurt by the hesitation from holding my daughter that I just wanted to be alone with her. When we arrived at our room I quickly entered and shut and locked the door in my mate's surprised face.

He banged on it a couple of times, "Come on Madi! I didn't mean to hurt you but she is my daughter too!"

I leaned against the door, "Go away, Jason! I was robbed of her pregnancy! Just let me have this time with her!"

I heard him let out a heavy sigh, "Fine, but I will be back later tonight. No matter how you feel about me, she is my daughter too, and it's not my fault Amanda took this away from you."

I let out a breath as he left. I knew it wasn't his fault what she had done, but the way he hesitated in letting me hold my daughter, that was all him. What he doesn't understand is he knew he had a child coming for months beforehand. I didn't know about my little angel until the day she was born, and I would be damned if someone thought they were going to take her away from me. I looked into her sweet face and held her close. I put my nose against her and smelt her new baby smell as she slept. I laid her gently down on the bed beside me and gently traced all of her features as she slept. I smiled as she scrunched her nose up as she slept. I knew in that moment I would fight anyone and anything for her even if it meant my death. I have a new reason to live now, and it's her.

Jason P.O.V

I sat down heavily on the bed and put my head in my hands. Why was I so stupid? I knew she would never hurt the baby, but I was stupid and hesitated in giving her the baby. I brought this on myself. But I do love her and the baby and I won't ever give up on her. I almost lost her once and I'll be damned if I lose her again. I have a family to think about now. An imperfect family but a family nonetheless and I will fight till the ends of the earth for them.

Unknown P.O.V

I grabbed onto my chest as I felt a searing pain threw my heart and then nothingness. I panicked as I tried to reach out to Amanda. But there was nothing, it was like she was dead. Then it hit me. Oh, Goddess, she's dead. I grabbed whatever was nearest to me breaking it to pieces. When I was done the room was ruined and I still didn't feel better. Those fucking bastards. They killed her. They killed my mate. She thought the baby would be enough for them to keep her alive. She must have been wrong and now she was dead and I was all alone with no one in the world to love me. I would make them pay. They don't even know what is coming. I will break them down so hard they would have no reason to go on. They will feel exactly how I do. I only have one reason for living now and that is vengeance.