More Than Just Baser Instincts.

When I fully came back to my senses, I noticed a few peculiar things.

Five, to be exact.

The first was my mother, who was clinging to Gerald's arm—coincidentally, peculiar thing number two—and peering over at me with a smile that was somewhat subdued. It was almost as if she wanted to be happy yet something was stopping her. Regardless, I saw peculiar thing number three and four when my eyes drifted to the left where Arianna and Leonard were offering smiles that all but said "be strong, Elaine." Why did I have to be strong? I moved my eyes back to my mother, sweeping over blank stare of my father before my eyes landed upon the man at my side—peculiar thing number five.

"Hey," Tiberius murmured gently, gripping my hand tightly as he dragged my palm to his lips to press a chaste kiss upon my skin. Then, he brushed the back of his hand over my forehead.

Only then did I notice the thick sheet of sweat that had plastered itself onto my skin. I grimaced and wiped at my face, pushing the sweat-drenched hair from my eyes.

"Tiberi—"

I cleared my throat, cringing at the hoarseness of my voice. Just what was going on? My hand instinctively moved to cradle my head, which was throbbing horrendously.

"Here."

A glass of water was all but shoved into my hands, and I drank it greedily, more than relieved by the crisp chill of the liquid as it flowed down my scratchy throat. Once I finished, I cleared my throat and handed the mug back to Tiberius.

"How are you feeling?" Tiberius pressed, reaching out and helping me sit upright in the bed.

I was...back in the infirmary? I gripped his arms tightly, wincing at the sudden pain in my side. Tiberius gave me a sad smile.

"Like I was in a train wreck," I choked, leaning back against the wall. "What happened?"

Tiberius stood then, and he leaned over me to tuck the blanket further against me when I shivered. He fussed over me for a minute longer, fluffing my pillow and brushing loose locks of hair behind my ears, before I finally had to push him away—despite the protests that fell from his lips.

"Please don't strain yourself, Elaine," he whimpered, peppering kisses to my face.

"What happened?" I repeated, a growling undertone clinging to my voice. He was acting strange...

"Please just—"

I pushed him away again and cut my gaze to my sister.

"Arianna, why am I here?"

"You don't remember," she told me sadly, smiling like I was an ignorant child.

"Arianna, please," Tiberius mumbled as he continued to try and fuss over me. "Maybe we should—"

"Just let her see the cub, that'll jog her memory."

My eyes darted to Tiberius, but he was busy giving Gerald an exasperated look.

"Tiberius..." The male cringed before slowly turning to face me with such a guilty look on his face. "What is he talking about?"

"Elaine—"

"Tiberius!"

"You... You went into labour last night," he whimpered, his full attention flitting to me once more as his hands fluttered until grabbing mine. "And..."

He turned his back to me and began fiddling with something. I tried to peer around him, but suddenly he whirled back around holding a wad of white blanket.

"No."

"Elaine, this is our child. He's your—"

"No, that thing is not mine!" I insisted, wrapping my arms around my abdomen.

But it was perfectly flat once more, like it had been before I came here. A soft whimper slipped past me, and I was helpless to stop the embarrassing sound. I heard a similar sound come from my mother. I glanced to her, but she had thrown her face into Gerald's chest and was sobbing. He held her absently, his eyes fully focused on Tiberius and the cub. My poor mother... I guess misery ran in the family.

"Elaine, just look at him. Please look at him, our cub," Tiberius whispered, pushing the bundle into my arms.

I was afraid to look at the child. What if... What if my son looked nothing like Quince? Then it would mean... It would mean Quince and I could never be the same. I would have to stay here, and Quince would have to take another mate. Like his father had been forced to do.

"Go on," he urged, smiling as he reached forward and pulled the blanket from the baby's face.

My curiosity got the best of me, and I reached down, brushing my fingers over the child's forehead and pushing the remaining blanket away.

Piercing, soulless silver eyes stared blankly back at me.

And I began sobbing.

"What's wrong? Do you not love him? But you must!"

Tiberius tried to push his burden farther into my arms, and he even grabbed my arms and forced them to wrap around his cub as I continued to sob and try to push the cub at him—his damn father!

"Elaine! This is our child! Do you not love him?" Tiberius growled, snatching the child from me as it started wailing and screaming.

I curled into a tight ball and wailed and screamed just like the child in his arms.

"Why are you so upset? This is ridiculous—you already knew you were due!" Gerald growled, his arm suddenly gripping mine so harshly. "Stop crying!"

"He was supposed to have olive eyes and strawberry hair!" I sputtered between sobs as I clawed at Gerald's grip. "He was supposed to be Quince's! Get off of me! He was supposed to be Quince's! Quince, not Tiberius!"

"You damn bitch!"

I cringed away from the hand that was raised against me, but the impact didn't come. There was a low growl instead.

"Tiberius, let go of me."

"I won't let you hit my mate."

I had to look away when Gerald's fist swung and made direct contact with Tiberius' jaw, though the man just bore it with silent obedience. Seemingly unhappy with the performance, Gerald shoved Tiberius away and trudged up to me again. I yelped when he grabbed my throat and jerked me toward him, and my hands scrambled to try to pry myself free.

"You should just be grateful that I let you live after all the grief you've caused," he snarled in my face. "I guess bitch just runs in your blood, huh?"

"Gerald," Tiberius warned, his voice low and...menacing. I wished he would stop defending me; it only added to my guilt. "That's my mate and the mother of my child. Leave her alone."

"That's funny, I'm fairly certain that I should be the one saying that."

Gerald was suddenly ripped from me, and I dropped like a ragdoll to the bed. Tiberius rushed to my side with that silver-eyed beast in his arms, and he held me with his free arm, begging to hear that I was okay. But I wasn't okay.

My heart couldn't take any more of this, and seeing Quince pounding his fists into my father's face...

If this turned out to be just a sick dream of mine, I would drop dead before I even awoke.