CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE - The Mage's Arrival

As the weeks passed following the decisive battle with Ragnar's pack, life at the Fairchild mansion slowly returned to a semblance of normalcy. The injured had mostly recovered, and the pack was settling into a new routine, free from the constant threat that had loomed over them for so long. However, this hard-won peace was soon overshadowed by a new source of anxiety: Anna's pregnancy. At first, the news of Anna's pregnancy had been met with joy and celebration. The pack saw it as a symbol of hope, a new beginning after the trials they had endured. Erik, in particular, was overjoyed at the prospect of becoming a father. His usual stoic demeanor would soften whenever he placed a hand on Anna's growing belly, feeling the life they had created together. But as Anna's pregnancy progressed, it became clear that this was no ordinary gestation. The first signs were subtle - a faint glow that seemed to emanate from Anna's skin, plants that would inexplicably bloom in her presence, small obj