Chapter Forty-four Lindy pulled up in front of what would be her parents home and parked her car. Pulling the keys from the ignition, she sat there for a few minutes, thinking. She had left Nate sleeping soundly, and he would be joining her here after sunset and before moonrise. Moonrise of the full moon. Her last full moon as a werewolf. She looked up at the blue sky with its scattering of clouds, trying to burn the image into her memory. If all went well, soon she'd only be able to look at such a scene in pictures or in movies. And oddly enough, that prospect didn't make her as sad as she thought it would. She was at peace to spend all eternity with her husband. Now all that was left was to tell her parents. She got out of the car, removed her sunglasses, and headed towards the front door. Unlike her own house, and Bryn and Anton's, her parents were almost completely moved in. They hadn't had to pack up any furniture and trek it south to the property. Their furniture had been purchased recently and shipped directly to the new home from the store itself. There was still a lot of arranging and settling to be done, but it looked much more lived in than the houses next to it. Stepping onto the porch, she knocked on the already open door, and then walked towards the sound of the voices. She passed the dining room and the great room, heading for the kitchen. She found her mother putting away dishes and unpacking various boxes, while Amanda made cookies to feed everyone while they worked. Jess half turned when she heard someone enter the kitchen. "Hey, Lindy. What are you doing here? I thought we wouldn't see you until after sunset." "Hey, Mom. Hey, sis." She leaned forward and snatched one of the cookies on the cooling rack. Ignoring her sister's indignant 'hey!" she looked around. "Where is everyone?" "Alex and Walter are putting the furniture up in the living room. Chandra's upstairs taking a nap." Jess put up the last of the dinner plates and turned to face her daughters. "So what brings you by, Lindy?" "Um, I wanted to talk to you guys...but you're busy, so it can wait a little while." She inwardly winced at being such a chicken, but she wasn't looking forward to this at all. She nibbled at her cookie, trying to look casual. "Well if it was important enough for you to drive down here now instead of waiting for Nate, then let's hear it. This stuff can wait." Jess stepped around the counter, gesturing for Amanda to do the same. "Why don't we go into the living room and sit down? I know I could use a break." "Okay." Grabbing a few cookies for the guys, she followed Jess and Amanda out to the living room. Alex was pulling a lamp out a packing-peanut filled box, and Walter was attaching the back of the reclining chair. "Hey kiddo, what's up?" Alex said. Lindy shifted uncomfortably, taking a seat in the chair Walter had just finished assembling. "I stopped by to talk." Amanda plopped down in the rocking chair opposite Lindy's as Jess, Walter, and Alex took over the large couch on the wall perpendicular to them. "So what do you want to talk about, Lindy?" Walter asked. It was much easier to spill your guts when staring at a golden brown cookie. Or so her mind seemed the think as she focussed on the food instead of her family. "I think you guys might know about this already, since I sort of talked to Mom about it while we were in Hawaii. Um, that Nate is going to Transform me, into a vampire?" She chanced a glance upwards and noted that they were all still looking at her expectantly. She'd been correct when she'd assumed Jess would discuss the possibility with the others. "Was that all you wanted us to know?" Walter asked. She shook her head, and took a deep breath. "Tonight is going to be my last run. We've decided that we don't want to wait anymore, and he's going to Transform me as soon as possible." "This soon?" Jess said softly. Lindy, still staring at the cookie, nodded. The three adults shared a look. "We've been expecting this since you first introduced us to Nate, Lindy," Walter said slowly. "We just weren't quite expecting it quite this soon." Alex swallowed and looked at Lindy. "This is what you want? You're sure?" "Yes," Lindy said softly, looking at her parents for the first time. "I love him, and I want to be with him for all time. We're not willing to take the risk of Natasha trying again and succeeding." Jess nodded. "What about Liam?" She sighed softly. "It won't be easy, but we'll manage as best as we can. Obviously, he'll be raised mostly as a human...but he'll still have the influence of wolves. I know it's a huge presumption, but that was part of the reason we wanted you to move back here to begin with. So he could learn from a large supportive pack. I thought I might be able to wait a while before being Transformed...but I don't want to wait." She looked down at her cookie again, avoiding the hurt look in their eyes. "You know I've never been completely comfortable with what I am, and maybe I won't be as a vampire, either. But I'll be with the man I love more than anything. And that's worth it to me." "How, exactly is he going to... Transform you, Lindy?" Alex asked. Although he knew that this was coming, he was still shocked that it was taking place so soon. "We're going to try it using a silver knife. We don't think it will work if he just feeds from me." "So successful or not, you'll be dead," Jess said, biting her lip. Lindy nodded. Jess took a deep breath and looked at both of her mates. They nodded at her. "This is a lot harder for me to say than I thought it would be, but if it's what you want, and you're willing to take the risk, then go for it, Lindy. After everything you've been through, you deserve to be happy." "Thank you." Although she knew Jess meant it, it wasn't quite relief she was feeling. There was more of a sense of sadness. She couldn't help but think she was disappointing them. She swallowed heavily, meeting their gaze. She looked pointedly at Amanda, knowing that her sister had never known her any other way. "Does anyone have anything else to say? I mean, I'm sure this is kind of shocking even if you were expecting it." It was Amanda who asked the question they had on their minds. "Are you still going to be able to Change when you're a vampire?" "I don't think so," Lindy said. "If it works the way Nate and Anton think it does, freezing our bodies in time at the moment of death, I'll be in human form from then on. I don't know about any of my other abilities." She looked around at her pack. "Any other questions?" Each of them shook their heads. "I think we'll ask them later, Lindy," Jess said slowly. "But right now all I want to do is give you a hug." She smiled a bit tearfully, standing up and embracing her mother. She gripped her tightly for a long time, both of them unwilling to let go. But even as she tightened her grip, she saw Alex stand up and place his hand on Jess's shoulder, waiting patiently for his turn. She hugged each and every one of them, feeling as if she were going away on a very long trip...or dying. And, in a way, she was. They remained close throughout the rest of the night, making dinner together after assembling the remaining furniture in the house. The smell of roasted garlic was drifting through the air as she heard Nate's car pulling to a stop outside. She looked at her mother, who was peeling carrots into the sink. "Go on, Lindy," Jess said. "We'll eat and then it'll be moonrise." Lindy got up from the table and gave Jess a quick hug. "Thanks, Mom, for everything." Jess nodded and held back her tears until Lindy was safely outside. Running down the stairs, she made it to her husband's car before he had gotten Liam out of his baby seat in the back. "Hi Lind," he said, pulling her against him. "Hi," she said a bit shyly, not sure how to tell him exactly. "They know." He arched an eyebrow. "And?" "They're dealing." He frowned slightly. "Am I okay to go in, or do they pretty much want to flay me alive now?" She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Nate, run in fear." He stuck his tongue out at her before bending down to unlock the harness on the baby seat. Liam was already reaching up aggressively, eager to be picked up. Plucking him out of the seat, he settled the boy on his hip and turned back to Lindy. "He's been making weird little noises the entire way down here. Like grunts and whines. You think he knows what's going on?" "Oh yeah, I'm sure he's feeling the Change wanting to start. I can too. See this?" She held out her hand, palm down. There was a noticeable tremor in it. "That's due to the moon, not talking to my parents." He shook his head, then grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I'm very proud of you, Lind. Now I just hope I can be as brave as you are." He gave her a small smile. "The camera's in the front seat. Can you grab it?" "Sure." She opened the door and reached for the leather case. "Did you give any thought to inviting Anton and Bryn?" He paused. "That is, if your family agrees to it?" Lindy rubbed her eyes. "Oh, man, I knew I forgot to ask something." "That's okay, Lind. It's not like you didn't have other things on your mind. We can ask right now." "Yeah, but that's not going to leave them much time to get here." Lindy sighed. "I guess we should tell them about our plans, too." "Yeah, and you forget they don't have to pack for a sucking, pooping, whiny, screaming, squealing little stinker." He poked Liam in the stomach, making him giggle. "Yeah, I'm talking about you, buddy. You're a pain in the butt. Always giving your mother a hard time, waking up in the middle of the day, acting so damned cute that your grandmother's littered our house with toys. We oughta kick your sorry butt out on the street." Liam laughed again, bouncing with glee at being the center of attention. "Jeez, Nate, you'll give the poor kid a complex." She plucked Liam out of his arms and marched towards the house. "Come on, Liam...I think Grandma has a present for you." Lindy opened the door to the living room to find Chandra standing in the living room, looking confused. "Chandra, how are you feeling?" She jumped slightly at the sound of Lindy's voice. "Um... I feel weird." "Weird how?" Alex stepped into the room and nodded he