I was reclining in my bedroom, another week of pregnancy behind me. Damon had drawn over 2.3 liters of excess amniotic fluid from my womb, and while it had helped, Wulfe and he were now working on a potion to prevent further buildup, so they had been quite busy. I had spent time with the children; well, they were very hyperactive.
According to Adam, Charles, and several Salvatores, they were learning a great deal, and most of it was learning to have their own way. For instance, yesterday, Lepard had come to spend time with me because he had been on childcare duty with Damon. He was utterly bored of chasing almost naked toddlers whose diapers needed changing, as the children had discovered how much fun it was to make adults chase them.
This little attitude had also spread delightfully to Mariella's triplets, leading her to learn curses as effectively as I do when her girls wanted to be creative and paint the walls with whatever they had in their diapers.
I was just planning on watching all three *Lord of the Rings* movies, having already seen *Harry Potter*, *Jurassic Park*, and the Marvel movies, and now I was just giving it some time before watching them again. My life remained very calm, as my womb was checked daily.
The bulge was monitored, and just a few days ago, Damon and a few Salvatores had placed a reinforced McBurner's patch on it. This meant it now had a layer of Damon's collagen and enamel, preventing it from rupturing. My cervix was also a focus of attention, and its scarring was being watched, but those stitches needed to stay; that was just how it was.
They had even modified my feeding liquid further, and I was hooked up at least six times a day to lines feeding into my small intestines. There were a lot of medical interventions, but what can one expect when pregnant with five babies and having fourteen husbands who are all doctors? In the real world, not in this modified pocket where we would live for about nine or ten more years.
As Mimi Salvatore, alpha female of our pack, now over 30 strong, I resembled a beached whale lounging in my bed. I reached for the remote to turn on the TV when a knock sounded at the door. Before I could respond, it opened, and Mariella peeked in.
"Hi, can I come and spend some time with you? I need company. The other girls are watching some Kardashian thing or wedding shows again, while the Salvatores are busy with chores, cooking, and watching the kids. I'm looking for an escape, as several Salvatores are also in the mood for some action, but I'm not. It's weird, isn't it? Me, the lust queen, not in the mood for sex."
I nodded. "Fine, come in. I was about to rewatch the Lord of the Rings movies."
Mariella furrowed her brows. "I've never heard of them. What are they all about?"
Via our hive mind, I gave her a basic rundown of Tolkien's world, and she smiled. "Oh, yeah, I want to watch those."
I hadn't started the movie yet, as I was still contemplating things.
I said to Mariella, "You know, after all these years of fighting and trying to save as many as I could, I've finally realized I was never truly alone in my fight, not even in the beginning, as there were always others fighting with me, saving with me. For some reason, I thought it was just my fight, but it was actually ours. My time with Wulfe has kind of taught me lessons about the past, and about myself as well."
Mariella hummed and replied, "Yeah, but you were the one who brought them together, the spark behind it all."
I smiled tiredly. "For a long time, Magnum made me believe that too, and he used it to motivate me to keep going. But he was also kind of wrong. Sure, I was a reluctant leader at first and then accepted my role, but somehow the illusion persisted that it was my fight and mine alone, that I was the one making most of the changes. In reality, it wasn't like that."
Mariella furrowed her brow, adjusted her stance, and shifted the mattress a bit, causing me to slump.
I groaned as I pushed myself into a better position, cursing, "Fucking hell, I hate this stage when I'm as big as a whale. No position is comfortable, and even the slightest wrinkle feels like a damn stone under me."
She muttered an apology, "Sorry, I didn't mean for you to slump. Let me help you."
She groaned too as she helped me into a better, more upright position, and I finally found a position where I could be comfortable.
Mariella said, "Well, sure, there had been others, too. I mean, you're crazy busy doing everything and everyday stuff normally in base, and then all of the diplomacy and whatnot."
With a sarcastic eyeroll, I replied, "Being the leader of the biggest paramilitary resistance organization in the whole world is a full-time job, if I let it be, but now I'm on holiday from that. As you know, the Human Act, that nasty law, has gotten some amendments, lessening its devastation on supernaturals. Even though I would love to take all the glory for that myself, it's not true. It was one of my biggest allies, or rather, one of our most influential people, who got most of the new laws for supernaturals through Congress."
Mariella tilted her head, trying to figure out who I was referring to. I wasn't actually sure if she had ever met him, or if Damon had, for that matter.
"I mean, Alistair Beauclaire, head of the Fae. He's the one who gets things done at the upper level. You've probably never met him, but I have. I saved him from a nasty place and gave him my blood. Well, for a Fae, that's a debt unpaid, ever. And the Fae live long. He swore his loyalty to me, as did all the Fae under him. And as I showed him just a bit of what we were fighting against, a spark was ignited."
My voice softened as I recalled it all. Back then, I had been so much harder, colder, and didn't trust love as much as Damon had back then. My work was what I was good at, even if I was lacking as a wife.
The door opened, and Damon, Number One, stepped in. He was wearing one of my t-shirts again, faded jeans, and was barefoot. His hair was a bit longer than usual, curling slightly. I could still recall how I'd wanted to sink my fingers into his hair the very first time we met; the memory made me shake my head internally.
"Mariella told me you have issues with your position," he said softly as he walked towards the bed. "Well, I am here to help you too, and we can watch movies together."
Mariella wasn't ashamed to call Damon for help; for her, it was a natural thing to do. Perhaps I could use this to ensure my own peace.
Mariella then chimed in, "Tell me more about Beauclaire; I would love to meet him someday."
Damon nodded. "Yeah, baby, tell us. I'm not sure if I've ever met him. Now, Wulfe gave me a potion that has flagged every memory Damien manipulated, and I believed it . There are a lot of them. We've all received these potions, so if you ever notice something weird, like me or one of the Salvatores not remembering something we should, it just means Damien messed with it. It takes time for us to dig them back up."
Mariella looked a bit worried as she glanced at Damon. I guess she sensed his distress on some level. But let me tell you, I am an alpha female, and despite all the crap we've been through, Damon's and my bond is strong. We are mates in a way Mariella never will be to him.
The connection between us is raw, honest, and the hatred, weakness, and vulnerability that flooded from Damon to me surprised me. He truly hated what Damien, his identical twin brother, had done to him over all those centuries.
"Well, the past is the past, and it is sometimes fucking nasty," I pondered out loud. "But then again, it teaches us lessons. Just as I was saying to Mariella, I've had time to think, not much else, but think. I've now realized just how much others did. In a way, it makes me feel a bit redundant, but then again, I do my part, and others do theirs. It's a dance."
Damon said, "Examples, give us examples of what others have done, and why, and how. It's story time."
I sighed. Stories. Well, there were good ones and bad ones, ones that taught us lessons, and ones that didn't teach us shit.
In the soft dimness of my bedroom, cool air circulated, mingling our scents – my strawberry, Mariella's peaches, and Damon's passionfruit. It was the scent of the pack, and right now, I wasn't disturbed by it. I leaned a bit more into the mountain of pillows propping my very pregnant body into a comfortable position.
"Well," I began, "let's discuss the Human Act. As you know, it originally ruled humans via DNA, labeling all others as animals. But then again, a cat or dog has only two strands of DNA, so they had to add more, defining what is human. However, the more you add, the greater the danger of it backfiring. There was a subclause in the original Act that stipulated certain parameters for humans, like their level of intelligence or their ability to perform specific tasks. And this is where it got tricky; this is where I, along with five others – a few senators, a doctor, and a psychiatrist – hit a wall."
Damon furrowed his brow in thought. "Yeah, there's a line there, but tell us more about what you did."
I smiled to myself. "I paid my dues, meaning I studied the enemy. Senator Gwen Burrows, one of the biggest proponents of the Human Act, was actually a weak point. She had a severely mentally disabled daughter and a godson with similar challenges; it was something that ran in their family. Now, the Human Act couldn't demand that it was just a declaration of *Homo sapiens*, as there were other criteria as well. Since most supernaturals hadn't been officially classified, meaning werewolves born human were classified as *Homo sapiens*, they dropped that from the law."
Mariella stretched. "I mean, you should be a teacher; this is fascinating."
I snorted dismissively but continued my little explanation. "Well, as it may be, they tried to add a minimum IQ requirement to the law. However, dolphins, apes, cats, and dogs have IQ levels comparable to those of a three or four-year-old child. Therefore, to exclude potential loopholes for animals, the IQ threshold would need to be higher. But since the dear senator's daughter had a lower IQ than a dolphin, she didn't want IQ included as a requirement. In fact, she blocked about fifteen additions simply because her precious, 'retarded' daughter didn't meet those specific criteria. Of course, this was done through my friends, as this law was crafted by a large group of people, and those doctors and senators played their roles perfectly. The human act wasn't as soundproof as they'd intended, and many senators began to realize this. It was sheer luck it passed, and now it has been reduced almost yearly, as more and more supernaturals are coming out into the open, becoming part of the community, and even forming relationships with humans."
Damon smirked and said, "Well thought out, I must admit, to zero in on those who would be weak links in their declaration."
I nodded and continued, "It gave momentum to Beauclaire, and he's very inventive when it comes to ensuring supernaturals aren't bullied too much. Take, for example, a rather nice law called the Act of Sovereignty and Racial Equality for Humans and Supernaturals. It basically stops all kinds of racial suppression or racism against supernaturals, and there are very clear reasons for it. You see, Beauclaire showed the senators a few different fae. One class can affect the weather through their emotions, and this is a skill or power that needs to be learned and controlled. In his example..."
Mariella sighed and interrupted, "I mean, sorry to interrupt you, but the world is one damn ugly place when you need laws to ensure supernaturals aren't bullied or that racism doesn't take over."
Damon pulled her closer, as they were side-by-side, kissing the top of her head. I kept my expression neutral, unfazed by their display, and continued my story.
"Beauclaire illustrated a potential future scenario: imagine a Fae child, aged ten to fifteen, attending school. This Fae would live on a Kentucky farm, and on their way to the school bus, they would have to walk past several fields. If this child were bullied at school, their distress would make their powers uncontrollable, potentially leading them to ruin these fields through sudden floods or fierce winds. It wasn't malicious; their power simply manifested in such destructive ways."
Mariella shook her head. "Amazing, and true. Beauclaire certainly played on human greed. Humans want their fields to flourish, and honestly, it's just fun for them."
I nodded. "It's a human weakness we've exploited. It's useful because humans can't change that much, and we're getting quite good at finding the right pressure points. For instance, as you know, enzymes have been studied and harvested from the supernatural for a very long time. Then, three years ago, the FDA enacted new regulations on drug manufacturing. No more enzymes were permitted unless the drug was life-saving, meaning for critically ill patients, and with specific criteria. This excluded things like ED drugs or blood pressure medications, but allowed for specific forms of adrenaline or heart stabilizers for children. Essentially, the drug had to immediately save a life, and that life had to have a decent quality and quantity. How was this accomplished?" I took a breath.
Damon furrowed his brows. "But that hardly stops Sark from coming after your enzymes. Still, I'm sure it helps. Please, go on."
I grunted as my position shifted again, and something dug into my hip.
"Damn my pregnant, bloated body," I muttered.
Damon asked, "Are you in a bad position or what?"
I nodded and tried to push myself up, but pain lanced through my pelvis.
Damon placed a hand on my chest and said firmly, "Stop wiggling. Let me help you; you're ripping your stitches again."
He then used his telekinesis to lift me into the air, smoothed the blankets beneath me, and ensured I had enough support.
"Well," he mused, "a whole body pillow might help, but then again, one husband sleeping next to you might do the same trick, right, babe?"
I didn't reply, still a bit surprised.
As he lay back down beside me, he said, "You were telling me about enzyme regulations; go on."
I took a breath and began, "Well, again, our team was instrumental in this. You see, over the last 70 to 90 years, as fae have integrated more into society, they've become pretty damn excellent healers, and I don't just mean physically, but mentally. One type of fae can ease PTSD in humans much more efficiently than any pill or psychotherapy session. However, Beauclaire showed the FDA that predominantly, those fae who were best at this healing and helping were the main targets for enzyme harvesting. Those harvested enzymes were then used in drugs that didn't save lives or significantly improve the quality of life. For example, one type of drug was originally meant as a gout medicine, but it was repurposed for healthy humans, offering ultimate relaxation without addiction. It essentially made people feel utterly drunk, but without any negative side effects like vomiting or a hangover. This was then rebranded as a targeted stress reliever to prevent work-related disorders and mental fatigue, and it was sold at an exorbitant price."
Mariella interjected, "So, humans had to choose between giving up their 'drunk pills' to prevent someone from committing suicide after a war, or becoming utterly mentally impaired?"
I nodded. "Exactly. Beauclaire then identified senators and congressmen who had relatives suffering from PTSD. A few sessions with these types of fae and their relatives became something of national treasures. Since those enzymes were easy to track and find, over the next 30 years or so, the FDA conducted checks. They would go into pharmaceutical facilities, take samples, and if the enzymes or those drugs were found, the entire operation was shut down immediately."
Damon remained silent, lost in thought. Mariella leaned into his arms, while I maintained a neutral expression, betraying none of my own inner turmoil. I retreated once more to my private mental sanctuary, pondering my choices.
"If I let you go so you can be with Mariella, am I weak? Am I cruel? Am I cold?" I mused, observing Damon.
Through our Hivemind and mating bond, I sensed his uncertainty. His promise no longer guided him, and he seemed scared and unsure. Meanwhile, Mariella clearly desired and needed him. The complexities of our pack life were, as usual, overwhelming. And, as usual, there was more to the situation than even Mariella or Damon knew.
My limited reading had only left me confused, scared, and irritated. True to my nature, I prioritized others' needs above my own. I allowed my normal pheromones to radiate, concealing my own happiness or relaxation. In essence, I was deceiving them, but I believed it was for the best. They needed to be together more than they needed to worry about me.
Damon finally spoke, "Well, baby, I guess we'll let you watch your movies. This wife of mine is hungry, and I need to go feed her. So, go ahead, watch movies, take it easy. We're here to watch over you."
Mariella looked pleasantly surprised.
She quickly got off the bed and exclaimed, "Well, maybe one day we might watch those movies together. But yes, I am hungry, my belly is growling, and besides, the triplets need me."
I nodded, letting them go. It was easier this way, for all of us.