Winter has hit us full force, the snow outside reminding me that Christmas is soon. Mom had been determined to have Christmas this year, despite all the chaos going on. When I told him about Rowan leaving his mates, he had been happy for us. But he had advised me to keep my distance from Rosalie and Henry, since they were most likely distraught.

Mom couldn't have been more right. More than a month has passed since the heat moon, and my stomach has become a lot more obvious. Just a couple days ago, I had been walking back from my parent's tent, no coat because I had forgotten it at my own tent.

With my hands crossed over my chest to fight off the cold, my shirt had been pulled tight, making my bump even more obvious. I hadn't even noticed until I heard someone gasp behind me, drawing me out of my thoughts.

Rosalie had been standing on a path that was about to intersect with the path I was walking on, holding a basket of clothes in her hands. Her eyes were glued to my stomach, mouth trembling. After what seemed like forever, her eyes had finally snapped up to mine, the pain in them making me flinch.

"So that's why he left." Her hands tightened around the basket handles before she turned and left, not giving me anytime to explain.

The encounter had me feeling worthless, my heart gutted at her expression. To see your mate leave you for someone else had to be hard. Add in the fact that I am having her mate's child makes the situation for her and Henry even worse.

Now, though, Noah is sitting next to me in his tent, both of us enjoying the warmth of the fire and some stew he had made. Both of our boyfriends are gone, having been sent out on a scouting trip with a few other shifters. They are scheduled to be gone for two weeks, having to patrol long distances from here in an effort to track the movement of the humans and infected.

It is stressful, to say the least. Noah and I have been staying together while they are gone, not liking the loneliness that comes from staying in a tent alone. Neither of us has ever lived on our own, always having a companion with us.

"Grandpa apparently has decided to make cradles for the both of us," I say, setting down my now empty bowl. "I think he is just bored, especially since he just shooed me away when I asked if I could help."

Noah looks at me with raised brows. "Oh wow, I'll have to thank him." A smile spreads across his face. "And like he would ever let you do anything remotely dangerous. He is just as protective of all of you as your parents."

Chuckling, I lean back in the chair, my exhaustion creeping up on me. "Your parents are even worse."

Noah nods, his smile small, before it drops away.

"Hey," I looking over at him. "What's wrong?"

He doesn't say anything for a moment, hands dropping down to his rounded stomach. Eventually, he sighs, looking over at me with sad eyes. "I think they're so overprotective because I am not technically 'theirs'."

My brows crinkle in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You know I'm adopted, Matty. Everyone does."

Rolling my eyes, I look back over at the fire. "That doesn't make you any less theirs than your siblings. They love you."

"I know they do," he murmurs, biting his lip. "I just wonder, you know, about my birth mother. Mom says she was beautiful and selfless, since she knew she wasn't in the right mindset to raise a child. I just wonder if she is still out there somewhere, wondering about me just like I am thinking about her." His thumb rubs across his stomach. "And ever since I got pregnant, those thoughts have just become even stronger. I can't imagine ever giving up this baby. I love them so much already and they aren't even here yet."

"I completely understand." My hands settle on my stomach, a small fluttering coming from inside. That just started a couple of days ago, so soft it almost tickles. "I love her so much already. Just the fact that Rowan and I made a baby together... I don't know, it still astounds me."

Noah smiles. "That's exactly how I feel." He chuckles then, pushing himself up from the chair. "What are you guys going to do if that baby ends up being a boy?"

Squinting my eyes, I playfully glare at him. "No way. This baby is definitely a girl. Mom has successfully convinced me."

Noah just rolls his eyes, holding out a hand for me. Grabbing onto him, I pull myself out of the chair, stretching my back now that I am standing. A few of my bones crack, making me sigh in relief.

Together, we collapse onto the bed, snuggling under the blankets. Even with a fire going, it is pretty cold out. The snow just seems to add to the briskness in the air, making me dread having to leave these blankets tomorrow morning.

But it seems like I do not even have the pleasure of waiting that long.

Something is shaking my shoulder, drawing me out of the peaceful slumber I had been in.

"Matty," Noah whispers, giving my shoulder another shake.

"What?" I grumble, trying desperately to burrow back underneath the blankets.

"Something is going on out there," Noah says, his voice filled with worry. "Do you think the others are back?"

"They can't be," I mumble. While the cold air is harsh, the thought of seeing Rowan has me opening my eyes. "They are supposed to be gone for another week."

"It might not be them." Noah is sitting up, eyes fixed on the door of the tent. "But something big is happening."

Pushing myself up so that I am sitting, I tune into what is going on outside the tent. It sounds like everyone is up and about, but it isn't even light out yet. This place is usually silent after dark, the only sound being occasional barking from some of the dogs that people here have. But it is loud out there. The sound of people running is loud, the paths obviously devoid of snow if we are able to hear people.

"You're right," I say, pushing myself up from the ground. "Something is definitely going on.

Noah follows me over to the door of the tent, and we both peek our heads out. People are lining up to the entrance of the caves, but it is too dark to see what they are waiting for.

"New people?" I ask, ducking back inside.

"Maybe."

"Do you want to go check it out?"

Noah contemplates for a moment, biting his lip. Finally, he nods. "Yeah, let's go. It can't be anything too dangerous, or else people would be even more worked up."

"True."

We both take a few minutes to bundle up, not wanting to go out in the snow unprotected. By the time we finally make it outside, almost everyone is waiting by the caves. It seems like we are not the only ones who had the idea to come and check out the commotion.

Gwen is standing next to Papa, both of them startling when I call their names.

"Matty!" Gwen says, wrapping me in a tight hug. "You came to see what the excitement is about too?"

"Well, it did wake us up."

Noah scoffs. "Oh please. You would have slept through the night if I hadn't have woken you up."

Before I can rebuke, Papa is shushing the both of us. "Here they come."

"Who?" we all say at the same time.

"No idea. But someone obviously important."

Together, we watch as people start to come out of the cave. It is hard to count all of them in the dark, but it seems like only ten people or so. They are too far away for me to catch their scents, so it is impossible to tell what type of shifters they are.

"Oh my god," Papa says, pushing forward.

"What?" I call after him, but he is running forward, pushing through the crowd of people gathered at the entrance of the cave.

My eyes scrunch in confusion as I try to see what has Papa so worked up, but I can't see over everyone. Sobbing is coming from the front of the crowd, and it takes me a moment to realize that it is Papa who is crying. That immediately has my hackles rising, and I push forward. Noah and Gwen follow closely behind me, both of them eager to see the new people who have arrived.

"We thought you were dead," Papa says. He finally pulls away from the people he is hugging, revealing my aunts and uncle. Their baby is fast asleep in Uncle Elliot's arms, all of them clearly exhausted. Mud is caked onto their skin, their clothes torn in multiple places. They obviously went through hell out there.

Gwen and I both move forward to hug them, not minding the dirt. "Mom hasn't stopped mourning. He even wanted to go out looking for you, along with Tate. But, it's just too dangerous, you know?"

"Oh, trust us, we know," Uncle Elliot says, somehow still managing to crack a joke.

"Michael?" a distinctly feminine voice says from behind us.

Turning, I see a blonde woman, streaks of grey in her hair. She is walking towards us with wide eyes fixed on Noah. The omega looks confused, eyes looking on either side of him before settling on the woman again.

"I'm Noah, not Michael," he says.

The woman looks clearly confused, before understanding comes over her.

"Oh wow," she breathes, brown eyes wide. "You look just like him."

Noah just looks even more confused, but he doesn't stop her when she rests a hand on his cheek. "Like who?"

"My Michael." She drops her hand away from Noah's face, sniffing back tears. "My-My mate."

"Okay," Noah says, quickly moving from confused to uncomfortable. He takes a step back, coming to stand by my side.

The woman watches him with sad eyes, but they don't seem to be fixed on him, more distant than anything.

Papa finally comes to join us, his eyebrows crinkled in concern. But he doesn't look confused, not in the slightest when he looks at the woman.

In all honesty, his voice is just one of disbelief. "Ellen?"