(Audrey’s POV)

    The queasiness hit me again as I leaned over the healing formtion station in Winter’s Remedy. My stomach churned violently, forcing me to grip the marble counter until my knuckles turned white.

    “This is ridiculous,” I muttered under my breath, wiping perspiration from my forehead.

    For the past week, every morning had started the same way. The moment I began grinding moonflower petals or measuring silver-root extract, nausea would roll through me like ocean waves.

    Initially, I med stress. The uing Inter-Pack Healing Council presentation had consumed most of my mental energytely. Representing Central Territory’s newest healing innovations before the most prestigious healers in werewolf society was no small responsibility.

    But today marked the seventh consecutive morning of symptoms. My professional knowledge couldn’t ignore the pattern any longer.

    “Sarah,” I called out, my voice slightly strained. “Can you take over the morning consultations?”

    Sarah looked up from her administrative paperwork, concern immediately creasing her features. “Are you feeling unwell again?”

    “Just tired,” I lied, not ready to voice my suspicions aloud.

    “You’ve been ‘just tired’ for a week now,” Sarah pointed out skeptically. “Maybe you should see a healer.”

    I nodded absently, already mentally calcting dates and symptoms. Six weeks since myst moon cycle. Morning sickness patterns. Heightened scent sensitivity that made certain herbs unbearable to work with.

    The possibility made my heart race with equal parts terror and anticipation.

    “I think I’ll visit Dr. Moonhowl this morning,” I said carefully. “Just to rule out any underlying issues.”

    Sarah’s eyebrows rose. “Dr. Elena Moonhowl? The pack fertility specialist?”

    Heat flooded my cheeks. “She’s also a general healer,” I protested weakly.

    “Audrey,” Sarah said slowly, her eyes widening with realization. “Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?”

    I couldn’t meet her gaze. “I’m not thinking anything definitive yet.”

    “Oh goddess,” Sarah breathed, abandoning her paperwork entirely. “This is huge. Does Florian know?”

    “There’s nothing for him to know yet,” I said firmly. “Not until I have confirmation.”

    But even as I spoke the words, excitement bubbled beneath my carefully controlled exterior. The thought of carrying Florian’s pups sent warmth spreading through my chest.

    Dr. Elena Moonhowl’s clinic upied an elegant stone building near Central Territory’s government district. I had met her briefly at pack social functions, but this would be our first professional interaction.

    Her receptionist, a young Beta with knowing eyes, smiled sympathetically when I exined my appointment request.

    “Dr. Moonhowl can see you immediately,” she said. “She had a cancetion this morning.”

    The examination room smelled of cleansing herbs and moonstone essence. I perched nervously on the padded table, my hands fidgeting with the hem of my territory dress.

    Dr. Moonhowl entered with professional grace, her graying hair pulled back in an elegant knot. Her warm brown eyes immediately put me at ease.

    “Luna Stormhowl,” she said with a genuine smile. “What brings you to see me today?”

    I exined my symptoms as clinically as possible, though my voice trembled slightly with anticipation. Dr. Moonhowl listened without interruption, making asional notes on her examination pad.

    “Would you mind if I performed a scent analysis?” she asked gently. “It’s the most urate method for early detection.”

    My heart hammered against my ribs as she moved closer, her enhanced healer senses focused intently on detecting hormonal changes. The seconds stretched endlessly while she concentrated.

    Suddenly, her expression shifted to one of delighted surprise.

    “Congrattions, Luna Stormhowl,” she said with a warm smile that made my vision blur with happy tears. “You’re approximately six weeks along.”

    The confirmation hit me like lightning. All the breath rushed from my lungs in a single, overwhelming moment of joy. “Really?” I whispered, as if speaking too loudly might shatter this beautiful reality.

    “Really,” Dr. Moonhowl confirmed, her professional demeanor softening with genuine happiness. “And from what I can detect with my enhanced senses, you’re carrying twins.”

    The world tilted sideways. Twins. Two pups. My hands instinctively moved to my still-t stomach, imagining the lives growing within.

    “Twins,” I repeated numbly, hardly able to process the magnitude.

    “Healthy, strong heartbeats,” Dr. Moonhowl assured me. “Both pups appear to be developing perfectly. Your scent indicates excellent prenatal health.”

    Tears spilled down my cheeks as the reality fully sank in. After years of trauma and loss, life was giving me this incredible gift. “Are you alright?” Dr. Moonhowl asked gently, offering me a soft tissue.

    “I’m perfect,” I managed through my emotional overwhelm. “Better than perfect.”

    She spent the next hour exining prenatal care for werewolf multiples, providing nutrition guidelines and scheduling follow -up appointments. But my mind kept drifting to one burning question.

    How would I tell Florian?

    I found him exactly where I expected – hunched over territorial expansion documents in his private study. Golden afternoon light streamed through the tall windows, highlighting his concentrated expression.

    He looked up when I entered, his face immediately brightening with that smile that still made my knees weak.

    “How were consultations this morning?” he asked, setting aside his paperwork. “Sarah said you weren’t feeling well.”

    Instead of answering, I silently ced Dr. Moonhowl’s report on his desk. My heart thundered so loudly I was certain he could hear it.

    Florian nced at the document with casual interest. Then confusion flickered across his features as he read the header. His golden eyes snapped to mine, questions written clearly in his expression.

    “Audrey?” he said slowly, his voice barely above a whisper.

    I watched emotions y across his face like clouds moving across the sky. Confusion gave way to dawning realization. Realization bloomed into wonder. Wonder exploded into pure, uncontainable tion.

    “Twins,” he whispered, as if afraid speaking louder might make the news disappear. “Twins,” I confirmed, my own voice thick with emotion.

    For a heartbeat, we stared at each other across the study. Then Florian was moving, crossing the room in three quick strides to sweep me into his arms.

    He lifted me carefully, spinning me around the room with infectiousughter that echoed off the walls.

    “We’re having twins!” he shouted, his joy soplete and unguarded that I fell in love with him all over again.

    “Careful,” I protested through my ownughter. “Dr. Moonhowl says I need to avoid excessive excitement.”

    “Impossible,” Florian dered, finally setting me down but keeping his arms wrapped securely around me. “I refuse to contain my excitement about this.”

    His hands moved to cup my face, his thumbs brushing away the happy tears that continued to flow.

    “Are you happy?” I asked, though his radiating joy made the question unnecessary.

    “Happy doesn’t begin to cover it,” he said seriously. “Audrey, you’ve given me everything I never dared to dream I could have.

    “We gave this to each other,” I corrected softly.

    He kissed me then, gentle and reverent, as if I were made of precious crystal that might shatter if handled roughly.

    “Twins,” he murmured against my lips. “Our pups.’

    Sharing the news with our extended family created immediate celebrations throughout the territory den. Yvette appeared within hours of my pack message, her eyes bright with happy tears.

    “My grandbabies,” she whispered, pulling me into a careful embrace. “I’m going to be a grandmother to my biological grandchildren.”

    Her emotion was infectious. Watching my mother process bing a grandmother to her own daughter’s pups felt like healing anotheryer of our lost years.

    “They’ll know their grandmother from birth,” I assured her. “They’ll never question their family the way I had to.”

    Elder Shadowcrest’s reaction was equally touching. Despite her frail health, she insisted on making the journey to Central Territory immediately upon hearing the news.

    “The best news I’ve received in decades,” she dered, settling carefully into our mostfortable chair. “New life continuing our bloodline.”

    She reached into her travel bag and withdrew a collection of ancient protection charms.

    “These belonged to my great-grandmother,” she exined. “They’ve protected seven generations of Shadowcrest pups. Now they’ll protect the eighth and ninth.”

    Even Sarah took unprecedented time away from Winter’s Remedy to help n for our pack expansion. She arrived with an armload of pregnancy wellness books and enough prenatal vitamins tost through the next decade.

    “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you suspected,” she protested good-naturedly. “I could have prepared proper nutrition ns weeks ago.”

    “I didn’t want to get hopes up prematurely,” I admitted.

    “Well, now we can get hopes up topletely unreasonable levels,” Sarah dered. “I’m going to spoil these pups absolutely rotten.”

    But Leo’s reaction proved the most precious of all. When Florian carefully exined that Aunt Luna was growing two tiny cousin pups in her belly, the boy’s eyes went wide with wonder.

    “Two cousins?” he breathed, as if we had promised him the greatest treasure in existence.

    “Two very small cousins who won’t be able to y for several months,” Florian rified gently.

    Leo nodded solemnly, already taking his uing responsibilities seriously.

    “I’ll protect them,” he announced with eight-year-old gravity. “And teach them everything important.”

    “What kinds of important things?” I asked, charmed by his earnestness.

    “How to track rabbits through the forest,” Leo began, counting on his fingers. “How to make Uncle Florian smile when he’s grumpy. How to get extra honey cakes from Great-grandmother Riverwind. Where to find the shiniest rocks by theke.”

    He paused thoughtfully before adding, “And how to howl properly so other wolves know they’re part of our pack.”

    My heart swelled with overwhelming gratitude. These children would be born into the loving, supportive family I had never experienced as a pup.

    “I think you’ll be an excellent big cousin,” I told Leo seriously.

    “The best big cousin ever,” he confirmed confidently. “I’ve been practicing with the nursery pups at pack meetings.”

    As evening settled over our territory den, Florian and I retreated to our private chambers. The day’s excitement had left me emotionally drained but deeply content.

    “I can’t stop thinking about them,” I admitted, settling against Florian’s chest as he held me close.

    “Neither can I,” he murmured, his hand moving to rest protectively over my still-t stomach. “Two little lives we created together.”

    “Are you worried?” I asked quietly. “About being parents?”

    Florian was silent for a long moment, considering his words carefully.

    “Terrified,” he admitted honestly. “But also more excited than I’ve ever been about anything.”

    “Even more excited than when you finally caught that legendary silver-tail deer when we were children?”

    “Even more excited than that,” he confirmed with a chuckle. “Though that was pretty significant excitement.”

    I smiled against his chest, remembering his childhood triumph. Now we were creating new memories, new triumphs to share with our own pups.

    “I love you, Florian Stormhowl,” I whispered into the peaceful darkness.

    “I love you too, Audrey Winter Stormhowl,” he replied. “All three of you.”