Oops… I Went Into Heat and My Alpha Daddies Claimed Me

KEISHA’S POV

By the time the afternoon settled over the mansion, I was beginning to feel trapped by the walls around me. I had spent so much time resting, recovering and being watched that even sitting in the same room for too long was starting to irritate me.

Nadia noticed it before I said anything, and after watching me stare through the window for what must have been the fifth time, she suggested that we take a walk around the estate and I agreed almost immediately.

At least it would give me something to do, and I was secretly relieved when she mentioned that Vera wasn’t coming with us.

For the past few days, Vera had practically turned herself into our personal escort, appearing whenever Nadia or I wanted to go anywhere and insisting on accompanying us. I appreciated the concern, but there were moments when I wanted to breathe without someone watching my every step.

We had barely reached the sitting room when we found Vera there with several bags already packed. She was standing beside them while Becca helped arrange the last few things, and Nadia stopped in surprise. "You’re leaving?"

Vera smiled and explained that she had some important things to sort out and couldn’t keep putting them off.

She promised she wouldn’t be gone for long, but before she left, she came over to me and placed a gentle hand against my stomach. Her expression softened as she wished the babies a safe delivery, then she leaned down and kissed my stomach before straightening again.

There was something strangely affectionate about the gesture, and I smiled despite myself.

"Take care of yourself," she told me. "You’ve been through enough already."

"I will." I assured her.

Nadia volunteered to walk her out, leaving me to take the walk we’d originally planned but I didn’t mind.

The estate was familiar enough that I didn’t need anyone accompanying me, and the weather was pleasant. I stepped outside alone and began walking slowly along the path, enjoying the breeze and the feeling of having some space to myself.

For a while, everything was peaceful. I could hear birds in the distance, the occasional movement of people working around the estate and the soft murmur of maids going about their duties. I wasn’t trying to listen to them, but one conversation caught my attention when I passed close enough to hear.

"The elders have been in there for quite some time."

"They’re discussing the Alpha’s mate again? A new one?"

"No. It’s about that wolf Keisha turned into at the party."

I stopped. The maid who had spoken lowered her voice when she realized someone was nearby, but the damage had already been done. I had heard enough.

My stomach tightened and for a second, I felt a sharp pang in my stomach. I immediately placed my palm over my stomach, trying to calm myself as my mind raced through everything that could be happening inside that meeting hall.

I turned around and headed toward the meeting hall and I didn’t bother walking slowly anymore.

By the time I reached the entrance, Dane was already standing there. He saw me approaching and his expression changed immediately. "Keisha, you shouldn’t be here."

I stopped in front of him. "What are they discussing?"

Dane hesitated and that was enough of an answer.

"I heard the maids talking. They’re discussing my wolf." I frowned.

"Callum is handling it."

"I want to hear what they’re saying." I tilted my chin up.

"He specifically told me to keep you away from this."

I stared at him. "And you think I’m going to stand outside while a room full of elders decides whether I’m dangerous? When have I ever done that?"

Dane rubbed a hand over his face, clearly trying to figure out how to handle the situation without making things worse. "Keisha, listen to me. Callum knows what he’s doing. He went into that room because he knew this might happen, and he told me to keep you out of there."

"I appreciate what he wants, but this is about me, so move." My tone was hard.

Dane looked at me for a long moment before sighing. "I really didn’t want to do this."

Before I could ask what he meant, he stepped forward and lifted me off the ground.

"Dane!" I yelled.

He swung me over his shoulder before I could properly react, leaving me staring at the floor behind him as he started walking away from the hall. "Put me down!"

"I’m taking you somewhere you’ll calm down."

"I am perfectly calm!" I kicked but it was futile.

"You were about to walk into a council meeting while you’re still recovering from being crushed by a chandelier." He grunted.

"I wasn’t going to get crushed. I shifted." I tried to argue with him, but Dane continued walking until the sound of the estate faded behind us.

He eventually lowered me carefully onto my feet near the lake, making sure I was steady before stepping back and I glared at him. "You are incredibly irritating."

He shrugged, his muscles flexing. "I’ve been called worse." He gestured toward the lake. "Sit down."

I almost refused out of spite, but my body was still tense and my stomach had not completely settled. I eventually sat on one of the benches overlooking the water while Dane remained nearby.

"Callum will handle them," he said after a moment. "You know him. If they try to cross a line, he won’t let them."

I looked down at my hands. "What if they don’t listen to him?"

"You know we’ll deal with it."

His certainty made me look up.

"I don’t understand what happened to me," I admitted quietly.

Dane sat beside me. "Tell me."

I hesitated before continuing. "When the chandelier fell, I didn’t think about shifting. I didn’t even make the decision to do it. One moment I was standing there, and the next I felt this overwhelming need to move. It wasn’t like anything I’d experienced before."

Dane listened without interrupting.

"I felt like something inside me had taken control because it knew I was in danger. I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t even understand what was happening until I was already in my wolf form."

"Did you feel threatened before the chandelier fell?" His voice was soft.

"No. Not like that." I looked toward the lake. "It was just urgency. That’s the only way I can explain it. My body reacted before my mind could. And then when I shifted..." I paused, remembering the unfamiliar golden eye, the strength I had felt and the confusion that had followed. "I didn’t recognize myself."

Dane remained quiet for a while. "Maybe that’s what we’re supposed to find out."

"What if there’s actually something wrong with me?" I looked up at him.

He smirked slightly. "Then we’ll find out what it is."

"And if there isn’t?"

He gave me a small smile. "Then maybe what happened was a blessing."

I looked at him skeptically. "You really think so?"

"I don’t know yet. Nobody does. But I wouldn’t decide that something is bad simply because it’s unfamiliar."

His words resolved some of the tension inside me. I wasn’t suddenly convinced that everything was fine, but at least I wasn’t sitting there imagining the worst possible outcome.

I rested my hand over my stomach again. "I just want to know what I’m carrying."

Dane nodded. "Then we’ll find out."

Right.

Now we just had to wait for Callum.