My Name is NOT Cupcake novel Chapter 61

"Eli! Kennedy!" I yelled up the stairs before I wobbled back to the dining room. I was pregnant... again, and almost to full term. Kennedy came barreling down the stairs first and met me in the dining room. I was still setting up for dinner.

"I can help, mom," Kennedy said as she went to get more food from the kitchen. Kennedy-Estella was 14 years old now and every bit as beautiful as the day she was born. She had curly copper-red hair and clear, radiant blue-gray eyes. She was pale and inherited my freckles. She actually burned in the sun very easily too. She was every bit of me as we expected. She was a feisty diva, strong-willed, stubborn, and very athletic.

Kennedy finished setting the table as Elias strolled into the dining room. He held me gently and kissed me.

"Hi, cupcake," he smiled. I chuckled. He never stopped calling me that, but I learned to live with it.

"You said that ten minutes ago when you came down to check on me... again," I emphasized. Elias chuckled and shrugged. Oh yeah, his protectiveness never died down. In fact, he was even more protective over me because I was pregnant again and due any day now with our second child:

A baby boy.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Kennedy smiled and ran to the door.

"I got it!" she yelled. Elias and I exchanged a knowing look.

"Oh boy," Elias sighed. I chuckled and went to greet our guests.

"I wasn't expecting them to be back so soon," I admitted as we met up with everyone in the foyer.

"Oh, Nova, you look absolutely stunning!" Alexa gushed as she pulled me into a hug. I laughed as Mathias clapped his son on the back at the same time.

"I thought you guys would be gone for another week," Elias asked his parents. They looked at each other before they shrugged. Kennedy held onto Elias' hand as she practically bounced in place; her eyes darting everywhere.

"Jessie was getting home sick, and frankly, so were we. Plus, we didn't want to risk missing the birth of our second grandchild," Mathias explained with a laugh. Jessie was a boy who was the same age as Kennedy that we took into our home after his parents died when he was only four years old. Jessie had brown hair and green eyes. He was just as athletic as Kennedy. Jessie was a Lycan also. He actually shifted when he was 12 years old. Kennedy and Jessie have been inseparable since they met. They were best friends. Once a year, Alexa and Mathias would take Jessie on vacation and spoil him rotten. Alexa claimed it was to make him feel more apart of the whole family, but after their trip to Italy, I was convinced that Alexa just wanted an excuse to travel.

"Where is Jess?" Kennedy asked excitedly. Every time Jessie and Kennedy were separated, they got antsy and anxious until they were reunited again. I had a theory that they were mates, but we wouldn't know until they turned 18 years old.

"He's getting the bags out of the car," Mathias answered with a chuckle. Kennedy smiled before she darted out the front door. We all chuckled at her excitement.

"I tell you, that girl..." Alexa shook her head with a relaxed smile. "Has she shifted yet?" Alexa asked. My smile faltered as I shook my head. It was a common question concerning Kennedy and the answer was always the same. Early in her childhood, Kennedy showed great promise for the gene. She was a fast learner, she was athletically gifted, she had Lycan hearing and sight, and so on, but she hit puberty when she turned 14 years old almost a year ago now and... nothing. Of course, growing up with me as a mother, she knew about werewolves. I didn't care what the rules were. I told her when she was 8 years old because I didn't want her to be blindsided, or lost and confused like I was when the werewolf world was thrust onto me. Elias and I argued long and hard about telling her since the day she was born, but I eventually got my way... as usual.

"It's a strong possibility that Kennedy doesn't have the gene, Nova," Elias said softly. I glared at him briefly.

"She has the gene. She's just a late bloomer, is all," I defended. I firmly believed it, too. I just had a feeling. "She's strong... stronger than she should be. She's special, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother. I see it. Kennedy is going to make a great leader... a great Alpha one day. You'll see," I said confidently.

Kennedy and Jessie ran inside with the bags and sprinted straight up the stairs. Elias' parents, Elias, and I moved to the living room to talk more. I took a seat with Elias on the plush gray loveseat and Mathias and Alexa sat on the longer couch perpendicular to us.

"I think a female Alpha would be good for the Lycan world," Alexa shrugged before she crossed her legs. Mathias' arm went around his mate subconsciously out of habit as Elias did the same to me.

"Not a chance. You know how strict some packs are on tradition. Some packs still perform Kieowani. Having an Alpha who is a shewolf is just asking for trouble," Mathias argued. I winced slightly. Kieowani was considered a mercy killing of a Lycan after said-Lycan's mate passed away. Some packs thought of it as a favor to rid the widow or widower of their misery. I just saw it as inhumane.

"Maybe, but who knows? It might be the turn of a new era," Alexa countered. And as always, it was my mother-in-law who got the last word as the subject changed. As we were talking, a loud blood-curdling scream came from upstairs.

It was Kennedy.

She sounded like she was in a lot of pain. I jumped up and ran for the stairs with the others on my heels. Elias, however, held me back. I fought him as I tried to get to my little girl.

"Nova, the baby... take it easy. We'll go see what's wrong," Elias explained in a rush to try to get me to calm down. I elbowed him in the ribs in an attempt to get free. Before I could break free or say anything, Jessie was in front of us cradling Kennedy. She was whimpering and squirming. There was a cold sweat on her forehead and her face was red. Jessie looked scared and worried.

"W-We were playing around and she just froze and stopped breathing. When she got her breath back, something snapped and she screamed before she just collapsed," Jessie explained frantically. I was so worried about my daughter that no logical thought or explanation of what was happening came to my mind. We all just kind of froze, not knowing what to do until a loud snapping noise filled the silence followed by another scream from Kennedy. The snapping was wet and strong... it was nauseating. I thought I was going to throw up right there on the spot. Her scream was loud enough to make my ears bleed, but I didn't care at the moment. Something was wrong with my daughter. I thought of taking her to the hospital but Mathias piped up before I could voice my thought.

"Stella's shifting," Mathias announced. I was elated and worried at the same time. I was happy that I was right about Kennedy being a late bloomer, but I was also worried about the amount of pain she seemed to be in. No mother wants to see their child in pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her copper, red hair began matting to her sweaty face. Elias gently took Kennedy from Jessie.

"Okay... Jessie, run to the closest store and get ice... lots of it. Mom, I need you to grab her a set of spare clothes. Dad, I need you to get towels. All of you, meet me out at the small clearing when you have everything. Nova, I need you to stay here," Elias ordered. Everyone scampered off except me. My blood boiled as Elias started towards the front door cradling Kennedy gently. How was I just supposed to wait when my daughter needed me?