Filed to story: Owned by the Alphas Novel
They started whispering and I turned to them. “Let’s move inside,” I said, shivering. I didn’t like being so exposed.
Mom nodded, leading me away from the main hut which used to be father’s.
“There are too many herbs down there to let werewolves in. It gives Ryleigh and Galen a headache and makes them weak. So we’ll talk in Ryleigh and Vaughn’s hut if that is okay?” She turned to them.
Ryleigh nodded and let us all go, bringing up the rear, glancing over her shoulder at the forest on the edge of the village.
We went into the hut that had a fireplace roaring in the cozy living area. There was a tattered rug with knitted blankets and cushions over a sofa. At the far end of the long room was a square wooden table with matching chairs and a vase of flowers. The kitchen was along that far wall with more flowers and plants.
Mom had definitely had an influence.
There were baby toys, and a play mat out with a changing area too. Vaughn placed Althea on the playmat and we all found a seat.
Galen and Brax looked too big to be sitting in the wooden chairs but they chose them anyway.
Ryleigh stood by the door, leaning on it as Mom put tea on. Vaughn set about lighting more of the candles around the room and shutting the curtains.
“Hank told us about the humans going missing but that was all he said,” I started the conversation.
It was silent for longer than I wanted it to be before Mom sighed and put our tea on the table.
I went for a cup and sat on the arm of the sofa.
“Quite a few have gone missing. Three every day for the last three days. Every time we put them on watch. We’ve had to stop that, now Galen and Ryleigh are the only ones we can have out there,” Mom admitted.
I shifted to get a better seat, my stomach still aching. It pulled tight and I winced, moving to sit on the sofa instead.
Brax watched me, frowning, but I shook off his concern. It wasn’t birth pain so I was pretty sure it was just my body carrying a child. That was painful on its own.
“And you think it’s the rogues?” I asked.
Mom shrugged. “We assume. Galen and Ryleigh can’t get a scent just like you in the city. They don’t seem to want to do anything other than take our lingerers. They haven’t attacked but it does leave us vulnerable as we are stuck in the tunnels.”
I nodded, putting my tea down, my stomach turning a little at the taste.
“We have an idea and wanted to run it past the wolves but without the link working, we are at a disconnect,” Galen said gruffly.
“We are. Even more than you know,” Brax said, then told them everything that had happened since they left. It was a long explanation and the more I sat there, the more my stomach hurt.
I sucked in a breath when it got bad but before Brax could ask anything, I excused myself to the bathroom.
It was smaller than I was used to after being with the wolves, but it reminded me so much of my home in the women’s village that it was almost a relief. I gripped the wooden basin, staring into the mirror.
Even I could see I was pale. My skin had clammed up, and I closed my eyes, breathing in and out with slow pulls of oxygen to try and help.
But it didn’t.
I dropped to the tub and threw up. It hurt, my stomach cramping each time I heaved, but I couldn’t stop.
I clenched my eyes shut and coughed out the last of my bile before grabbing the water pail and tipping it into the bath to wash it down.
I stood on shaky legs, getting some water to wash it out of my mouth.
Mother had been talking to the vampires and wolves, implementing new water systems in the villages, and it showed because the water was much cleaner, coming out of a tap which was new for humans.
I smiled at the changes she was making. It was amazing to see.
Even if I felt like shit.
I went out to the living areas, and everyone stopped talking.
“Are you okay?” Brax asked, standing up from the table.
“Yeah, just needed a minute,” I said.
“I’ll put some food together,” Mom said and started raiding Ryleigh’s cupboards.
I smiled at her and sank onto the couch, closing my eyes. I was so tired.
“Lorelai. I can check the baby if you’d like. After going through that mist, I would suggest it,” Galen said.
I opened my eyes and nodded.
He turned to Ryleigh and Vaughn who were talking to Althea on the playmat. “Would it be okay to use your bed to check Lorelai’s baby?” He asked.
Ryleigh nodded. “I can’t believe you are pregnant again so fast,” she breathed.
I shrugged. “Neither,” I sighed, standing up with a wince, rubbing over my stomach as Brax followed me into the room with Galen.
He held my hand and Galen leaned down to listen to my stomach. “Well, there is a strong heartbeat, that’s a good start,” he said, then frowned. “It is quite strong. Clear too. I think this child is further along than we originally thought,” Galen smiled.
I raised a brow and looked down at my stomach. “How far along?” I asked.
“Your magic seems to be making quick work of making sure this baby is developed and ready to go,” Galen said then started feeling over my stomach. It ached and I winced, holding Brax’s hand.
“If you are tender, Lorelai, you need to listen to what your body is telling you. Rest as you need to. Don’t overexert yourself,” he said.
I scoffed at that. “Sure. I’ll just tell the rogues to give me a minute,” I joked.
Neither Brax nor Galen thought it was amusing.
“Hmm,” he said, feeling more around my stomach.
I didn’t like the sound of that.
“What does ‘hmm’ mean?” Brax said, clearly thinking the same thing.
“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if this child tried to arrive soon. It is very developed. Fully formed, almost at a healthy weight to be delivered. And the child is already sitting quite low which is why you will be uncomfortable,” Galen said matter-of-factly.
“But I haven’t been pregnant for that long. How could I be close? I don’t have a giant belly like last time either?” I said in shock.
I was not ready to have this baby yet. I thought I had months more.
“Galen, this sounds impossible,” Brax said.
Galen shrugged. “Maybe. But so does a winterborn human mating to all three of you so I think you have managed to break the mold a little on that one. I think Lorelai’s close connection with her magic has made growing this child much easier on her. And faster.”
“How long?” I asked, sitting up as he stepped back.
“I would say, a month. Within that time, I believe that child will be here. Any bigger and it will cause complications,”
Galen said.
I nodded and turned to Brax. “What’s the chances of Derik not freaking out about this?” I asked.
Brax smirked. “About the same as Galen being wrong.”
“Great,” I huffed.
“Food, sweethearts, come get it,” Mom called and my stomach growled.
Mom had laid out a feast of food and we all enjoyed it with our tea while talking about the tunnels the humans were living in.
“It sounds great, Mom. I’m glad it is working but we really need to know what you were thinking about the missing humans. It’s why we are here and I have to make sure you’re safe before I can leave,” I said.
Mom sighed and took a sip of tea before answering. “We were thinking of asking the vampires for help. We help them by providing blood, but it has been difficult to send our donors to them so I’m afraid Lucien may be angry with us. We have no means of contacting him since Galen can’t communicate with Derik, who is the only link to Lucien,” Mom said, and I nodded.
Without the links, we were all a little out of our depth.
“The link will clear once the poison is gone. We hope. But we do need to talk with Lucien,” I said, tapping my nails against the table. I only had one solution for that.
“Which is why we are going to go to the vampires tomorrow,” I said.
Everyone went silent.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?