Where to even begin tell you all how sorry I am for not posting...for about two years...life got in the way I guess and a lack of muse. But I'm back and intent on seeing my 3 stories I have on here all the way through. Hope ya'll can forgive me! This isn't the longest chapter but I just needed to get going again and post so here it is, my come-back of sorts...

The pack had calmed down considerably after New Year's Day, well as much as they could anyway with Ophelia's due date drawing near. It was a time of immense happiness, everyone was constantly grinning from ear to ear, and even Derek could be found smiling nearly every day, although there were a few tense moments. Ophelia now looked about 8 months pregnant in comparison to a human pregnancy it had made all the pack members even more protective of her. Whenever she ventured into town she was surrounded by her betas, and they glared at anyone who came too close. She would scold them as often as she could for it but usually she just laughed it off. On the rare occasion that Derek would go into town with her on his day off he'd always have one arm either draped over her shoulders or wrapped around her waist. Derek Hale didn't have to glare for people to give them a wide berth.

However the Hale pack were not the only ones making plans for the arrival of baby hale. Victor had stationed four of his pack enforcers just outside of Beacon Hills, they were far enough away that the Hale pack wouldn't pick up their scents but close enough to arrive at the Hale house within an hour. For now they sat in their respective hotel rooms patiently awaiting the orders of their Alpha. Natasha played her part of dutiful informant, however reluctant she was becoming. Victor had told her to get ready to cast a very powerful spell without actually telling her which one she'd be casting. No, Victor won't reveal his plans to anyone until the time had come for them to play their part. Natasha was told to keep a watchful eye on Ophelia and Derek, the rest of the pack didn't mean anything to him. Also she had been told to inform him of any other interested parties that may show up in town, but she kept her mouth shut about Aofie.

Hotel-

"What are you planning Victor?" Natasha mumbled to herself as she flipped through her Book of Shadows, it had been passed down to the most talented female witch of each generation for hundreds of years.

This whole thing hadn't been sitting right with Natasha for a few weeks now. She'd made the fatal mistake of growing attached to the very pack she was spying on, the very pack she would most likely be told to help rip apart when the time came. Was that really something she could do? Sure she'd helped Victor defeat rival packs or keep others in line but she'd never actually had to kill someone and although Victor didn't say she'd need to Natasha felt the distinct feeling she would have too. But this pack, this damn pack! It was teenagers! Could she really stand to see the light leave their young eyes, to rip their futures right from under them? Could she really stand to rip a newborn from her mother's arms if it came to that?

Chucking the book across the room Natasha pulled her knees into her chest and hugged them tightly to her. She wasn't a killer, yes she'd helped before with that being the end result but she had never used her magic for such a heinous act. As a witch her magic was part of her soul and there was no way she'd come out of this not shattered to pieces. Things were getting too dicey here, she should just run. Run and never look back, she thought to herself. Although a life time of looking over her shoulder didn't sound too pleasant.

Damnit why was this all suddenly so hard? It was a stupid question of course, she'd grown fond of the pack as she'd realized before but it wasn't just fondness. Natasha had never felt at home anywhere she went. After her mother had passed she began traveling all over the world trying to find that feeling, that feeling of home and love. But no matter where she went, how welcomed she was, or even if she was with relatives Natasha always felt disconnected from them, and even more abhorrently, from her magic. The reason she began working for victor was because of the pay, and the fact that she never had to settle anywhere for more than 5 months tops. But here, in this small valley town in California, in Beacon Hills Natasha felt at home. She was more connected to her magic than ever, and that damn Hale pack made her feel so many things she long since locked away. No it was not just a fondness of the pack that had her second guessing herself, but her very soul's connection, her magic's connection to this town, to the pack.

Needing to center herself Natasha grabbed her bag and headed out into the woods outside of the hotel.

Hale House-

"Ophelia?" Derek walked through the front door and struggled to comprehend the scene before him.

"Don't even try to judge when we all know you are dying to get in on this." Stiles spoke up first from his spot.

The furniture had been shoved to the walls, in the middle of the room in front of the fireplace and T.V. were two blowup mattresses that were double the height of a normal one. They were both covered in blankets, sleeping bags, and what seemed to be every pillow in the house. Ophelia sat in the center of one mattress and the rest of the pack was surrounding her in a giant puppy pile. Even Peter was in on it, lounging on the far side of the pile with Boyd's head on his legs. Isaac, Scott, and Raven were pressed as close as they could be around Ophelia. Allison cuddled up with Scott, Raven had her head on Isaacs chest, Stiles and Erica lay with their legs intertwined, Lydia and Jackson were curled around one another, Justin tucked in between the couples, and Boyd's legs lay across theirs.

While Derek stood in the doorway he cocked his head to one side wondering what had prompt this, but of course his wolf was only concerned with getting in the pile as soon as possible. Shaking his head and giving in to his instincts Derek walked over, shoved Scott and Allison ever closer to Stiles and Erica squishing them together with the boys in the middle, and sat next to Ophelia who was also sitting up. She was glowing, surrounded by her pack and her arms wrapped around her large belly. Derek wrapped her arms around her waist, bent down, and nuzzled her big belly.
"We missed you today too," Ophelia giggled, running a hand through Derek's hair.

"Not that I mind but how did this happen?" They heard Derek mumbled against Ophelia's stomach.

"Well Derek when a mommy wolf and daddy wolf love each other very much- OW!" Stiles began, then stopped when Derek's hand slammed down on his stomach.

"Hey!" Scott complained as well as he got caught in the crossfire.

"Derek," Ophelia mock scolded smiling as she buried her noise in his hair and took a deep sniff, "I texted everyone to come over after school, I was craving my pack, and needed affection."

"Why didn't I get a text?" Derek's head popped up, his face inches from hers.

"Because you need to be at work so that when the baby comes you can take the first few weeks off after that. If you took off early today that would mean less time you'd have to stay home with me and the baby." Ophelia finished with a deep kiss.

"Can't argue with that, but you know I don't really have to work." Derek laid his ear to her stomach and listened to their baby's heartbeat.

"I know that Mr. Hale but I am determined for this baby to have a relatively normal life, which means parents who work. After the baby's born I'm going back to college." Ophelia rubbed Derek's back.

"Does that mean Peter's going to be a full time nanny?" Stiles head popped up with a 1,000 watt smile on his face.

"Nanny Peter, that has a nice ring to it." Derek commented straight-faced even though the image of Peter dressed up as Mary Poppins had popped into his head and made it very difficult.

"Actually wouldn't it be Manny Peter?" Scott said as everyone had broken out in laughter.

"Ha. Ha. There are many times I wish I hadn't bitten you that night Scott, if only I had known you and Stiles were a package deal. Never would have done it." Peter let out sigh.

"Party foul." Stiles shouted. "Maybe. You know what I'm not even sure sophomore year was as horrible as it seemed at the time." The collective group of people gave Stiles odd looks before bursting out laughing.

FEBUARY 1ST-

Aofie had been keeping a close eye on her family, making sure to stay out of sight. She knew about the men Victor had posted around Beacon Hills, all four of them, however they also had no idea they were being watched as well. Which would ultimately work in her favor if, more like when, the time came to take them out. No one was going to hurt her family. Not anymore.

After her pack had been decimated in Ireland, Aofie and her mate had run to America in an in attempt to flee the hunters trying to kill all Alpha Breeders and in the process their entire packs as well. They came in the wee hours of the morning, throwing explosives and shooting anything that moved with wolfs bane laced bullets. About half the pack wasn't even Were, they were humans! Children and the elderly were shown no mercy. They hoped America would be better, even though they felt nothing but shame for abandoning their pack, but she was young and pregnant. God, if only things had been different.

They had constantly been on the move in America, running for their lives. Shortly after Alexandra was born Aofie made the difficult decision to run from her mate. It had been one of the hardest things she ever had to do, but he had started to turn on her, as horrifying and difficult it was to imagine, apparently there is a limit to endless love and devotion. He wanted to… no she couldn't even think of it. Both of these events haunted Aofie every day but the screams of her pack would never match the revulsion of the screams of her child. She made a choice that night, something that she'd never be able to take back. That night her wolf had fought against those chains and howled in despair as a part of her child's very essence was stripped from her. It had to be done. Aofie would repeat over and over to herself every night she woke up in a cold sweat after those nightmares.

Flashback

"Mother how could you?!" Alexandra yelled as she stood up, her anger coming to a head.

"I did what I had to do to keep you safe!" Aofie stood up as well.

"You tore out part of my being! Part of my wolf! No wonder I couldn't do more than scent until two years ago!" Usually born werewolves powers came upon puberty typically at the age of 12 or 13, however Alexandra hadn't fully come into her own until after her 17thbirthday.

After 4 trying years Alexandra had slowly developed all of her senses to their full capacity. She'd always been able to smell, see, and hear better than any human but as well as her mother. During those 4 years she'd felt as though she was a complete failure, that she was the reason her mother didn't have a pack and kept her separated from other werewolf's. At her lowest point she'd contemplated ending her life so her mother would be free of a child unworthy of a powerful Alpha mother. But to find out this wasn't her fault, that her mother had done this to her!

"It was necessary!" Aofie yelled back, trying to hold back her own tears as her daughter flowed freely, "Alexandra, sweetheart, you have to understand-"

"No! I don't have to understand anything! You. Are. My. Mother!" Her voice was shaking but low and dangerous. "My mother! You are supposed to protect me but instead you took away part of my soul and there is no way anything you can say could even being to make that okay!"

"Lexi, I did this to protect you. The hunters would have killed you, or you would have been taken from me by a pack who wanted an Alpha breeder. I am sorry I had to do this, but if I had the chance to go back I'd make the same choice, no matter how much it broke my heart." Aofie reached for her daughter, needing to hold her as she pleaded for her to understand.

"Stay away from me." Alexandra pulled away.

"Baby-" Aofie stepped forward.

"No, just stay away from me. I'm leaving. Don't try to stop me or come after me or I swear I will tell everyone I meet what you are and what you've done." Alexandra spoke coldly staring her mother dead in the eyes.

Alexandra would never forget the sound of her mother's pained cries and howls after she walked out the front door.

End Flashback

No anyone who wanted to hurt her family would be sent to an early grave.

Reviews are extremely welcome and again I know its short but I will be posting again soon and hopefully the next one will be much longer. I'm so sorry I let this go for two years I know how frustrating it is to start a story and then realize it was left unfinished. So yeah Review and let me know what ya think!