Author's note: I've removed most of this book from Wattpad and Inkitt due to one of my other books, Siren Deep, being plagiarized. It was a hard choice for me to make, but I didn't want to leave my readers hanging. Your support is what got me this far. So here it is, the end... I'll be taking it down again in a few days as my books are going to be edited and published on amazon soon. Hopefully, I'll see you guys there. XOXO 

Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh.

- Patricia Highsmith

The wolf crouched, front legs stretched out, hind quarters raised in the air. Wagging his tail, he pounced. The adult male smashed into his young, taking them entirely by surprise as they tumbled through the soft grass. The pups – of which the eldest shimmered waveringly in and out of focus – wrinkled their snouts, revealing their tiny teeth in a series of yips and growls as they squirmed and rolled over each other in game of casual jaw sparring. They nipped at their father's tough skin, chewing on his face and ears before trying futilely to drag him across the ground by his thick fur.

The larger wolf growled, dislodging the pups with a warning snap of his jaws. They moved off quickly, scattering in opposite directions before slowly circling back. Crouching low in ambush positions, the pups jumped up again to charge their father.

Future me settled on the porch steps and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin in the crook of my elbow. My dress moved around my legs, a soft breeze ruffling the hem where it pooled at my bare feet. I knew what I was seeing wasn't real, not yet, but I did nothing to block it. It wasn't the first time this vision came to me. The young exuberance and uninhibited wolf play were always a delight to watch. It was a beautiful glimpse of our future – of Marcus in his fur, of our precious Shakul, and of the pup still tucked safely in my belly.

Tired from romping around our wooded back yard, the energetic role-reversal saw its end when Marc's wolf collapsed to the ground. The pups whined. Pulling at their father's ears and licking at his muzzle to entice him into more play. The wolf huffed and shook them off. Future me laughed at his throaty grunts as he sluggishly fended off our young's trying attacks.

His intense pale-yellow gaze turned to me then, glimmering with heat and purpose – almost human.

I blinked. A burst of wind had another bout of laughter die in my throat. That and the slow burn in the wolf's eyes. Spluttering, I finger-combed the tangled curls back from my mouth, clenching the floral fabric of my maxi dress between my knees to keep it from puffing up around me.

The wolf lifted its nose to the air, sniffing. I clenched my thighs tighter together, but it was too late. My male had already caught onto the scent of my arousal. He got up and stretched his front legs, watching me as he slowly rose to his full height. Every step he took closer was like a calculated attack on my senses. Swallowing hard against the throbbing lump in my throat, I reached up to grab the smooth dark wood of the banister. I was in so much goddamn trouble.

"There you are, baby."

I started, taking a deep breath as my vision abruptly cleared before leaning back against the center porch post. Marc's gravelly voice held an aspirate tone, a breathy delay that had goosebumps set forth like a flurry of air down my neck. It did nothing to lessen the ache that sat like a hot stone in my stomach – an ache that seemed to have followed me from my vision.

He slipped his thick arms around my waist, his muscles straining against his shirt when her drew me closer against him. I sighed and melted into his embrace, his warm chest at my back. Nuzzling my neck, his hand went to rest over mine on my belly, where our son grew. "How's my boy?"

I shivered. Marc's breath was hot against my skin, quickening my pulse. The few days stubble on his chin teased my sensitive flesh. I wiggled against him and fought to control my racing heart. Need throbbed in my veins. As it always did these days. My desire for my male was fast to ignite. As much as it miffed me to admit it, my soaked panties had nothing to do with the little turd kicking against my bladder.

Exhaling a slow breath, I tilted my head back and smiled sweetly up at him. "Delightful."

Marc caught my sarcasm and gave a snort of laughter as our unborn child stirred roughly against my womb. Arching a dark brow, he pulled his arms tighter around me. "Delightful, huh?"

I flinched and rubbed at my stomach, trying to ease my discomfort. Knowing my boy wouldn't be palliated, I narrowed my eyes at Marc. "Yeah... No. The way he kicks up against my lungs and bladder reminds me of that baby alien tearing out of Sigourney Weaver's chest."

Marc spun me around and swept me up against him, a look of horror on his face. "What happened?" He cupped my jaw in his hands and tilted my head back, searching my gaze. "What did you see?"

I blinked a few times and shook my head, reflexively kneading the spot right below my ribs where my boy was stretching the skin of my belly to its limit. "Relax, I'm kidding." I winced as he landed another kick, sensing his father's presence. "You know I'd tell you if I knew something bad was going to happen."

"Would you? Would you really?" He stepped back and held me at arm's length with a look that insisted on the truth. "I know you hate when I worry, baby, but I need to know you'll be safe. It's killing me that they have to cut you open this time. I hate that you have to go through this again. You need to tell me if something's wrong."

His rich russet brown eyes implored me, begging me for assurance that I wouldn't leave him – that I wasn't going to die.

I rolled my eyes at him. It wasn't that I was insensitive to his fears, but I had learned that expressing any kind of sympathy only made it worse. Only escalated his deep-rooted anxiety. He didn't believe me when I told him everything was going to be okay. As if he thought I was just keeping him in perpetual hope until I could let him down easy. I wish I could tell him about the vision, about finally getting his wolf back, but it would only serve to upset him more. Marc felt his wolf inside his mind, but he wasn't holding out any hope of ever shifting to his fur again. It hurt him too much and I didn't want to add to that. It'll happen, and when it did, I'd get to rub his face in months' worth of I-told-you-so's.

"Millions of women deliver by c-section every day. We did the research, remember? There's nothing to worry about." My expression softened into a slow smile. "You didn't do anything to me. We made this little munchkin together. He's the fruit of our love. You need to get the ridiculous image of me being butchered out of your head."

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. "I worry."

"I know."

"I can't lose you."

I lowered my head to his chest with a knowing smile. "You won't."

"Shit! I'm so fucking bad at this."

I giggled. "You're great."

Naughty thoughts of how I could distract him from his worry quickly flooded my mind. Reliving the few moments Marc's wolf had spent almost staring me down into a spontaneous combustion, I couldn't wait for my vision to come true. My mouth went dry. Marc had been holding out on me, afraid of losing control, of his wolf finally breaking free and claiming me in his fur. A little ironic considering he barely entertained the possibility.

I swallowed hard.

Cause that would be bad, right?

The rutting beast would be too rough – too big for me.

Heat flared low in my belly and I felt a flood of arousal in my core. I shifted on my feet, rubbing my thighs together. The friction caused by my panties rubbing against my pulsing nub made me even wetter. I couldn't stop thinking about the beast's large veiny phallus pinning me to the forest floor, canines stroking the vulnerable column of my throat as it fucked me into submission.

Just chewing over the likelihood of it ever really happening brought a muffled moan to my lips. Every time I had those visions, knowing it was only a matter of time, I'd fantasize about it.

Crap! I was in so much trouble.

"Ems, you okay?"

Warmth crawled up my neck and I avoided his gaze. I watched the muscles in his chest and arms move like solid cords around me. I scratched at my wrist in nervous habit.

Okay? Pfft! Horny me wasn't so sure.

"Hey, talk to me," Marc urged gently.

I shook my head. "You're not going to like it," I sassed, a little forlorn.

He wasn't. Especially since our boy was growing almost too fast for my body to keep up. I already had some vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain that had Marc turn the entire clinic on its head. No way was I getting any when our boy had gotten almost too big for me to carry. If I hadn't put my foot down, Marc would've talked the doctor into placing me on prolonged bed rest for something as stupid as breast tenderness and backaches.

I sighed. One little scare and he'd cut me off.

It wasn't fair.

I was a severely pregnant woman with a frustratingly healthy sexual appetite.

Marc tipped my chin up to meet his gaze. "Tell me."

I almost whimpered at the way his forceful tone stirred my desire. Damn hormones.

I hesitated, biting my lip.

My hand stroked slowly down his chest, trailing his contracting stomach muscles all the way down to the bulge that had throbbed to life hot and hard inside his loose-fitting fleece shorts. A mischievous smile curled around my lips when I ran my finger over the twitching fabric and Marc sucked a sharp breath through his teeth. My heart took off in my chest. "I could help you with that."

"Dirty girl." Dipping his head, he nipped at my shoulder. "Let's go to bed."

"Yes, please."

Chuckling, he swept me up in his arms and shook his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

I grinned widely at that. "Anything you want, mate."