by Jana Leigh
“Ready?” Lacy said and they all braced themselves as they heard the fight inside the house. It was getting closer and closer.
Jordan focused on the door and held her breath again. When she saw Hope pull herself up out of the corner of her eye. The small child frowned and looked around. Her brothers also pulled themselves up looked around.
Hope raised her hand and bubbles appeared around all of them. The little girl was concentrating so hard. Her brothers yelled in anger as they tried to get out to help her, but Hope smiled sadly at them.
“NO! Hope!” Jordan yelled and tried to stand up, but she couldn’t. She frowned at her arms and legs and then saw Stephan and Marcus focusing on them too. Holy shit, they all had powers.
Romy hissed and turned in a circle, trying to claw his way out of the bubble. Hope must not have liked that very much because she raised him and dropped him back down, knocking his jaguar to the floor.
The door burst open and they all paused and looked to the door. There stood Braden, grinning with a crazy look in his eye.
“Jordan, Lacy, time to come home. I have waited so long for us to finally be together.
You know I tried to get you before your mates claimed you. They are not your true mates, I am. At my side, we will rule the Supreme Council,” he said and then frowned at the picture before him. He walked into the room slowly and kicked the bubble around Romy. It held firm and Braden yelled out in pain, “What the hell?” He called out into the hallway and several large naked men appeared. “Help me,” he said and went to where Lacy stood. Her eyes widened and braced herself when he tried to tear through the barrier. She was shaking, because she could not move either and looked around wildly. Romy and Shawn were the only ones who could move but they were trapped still, growling and hissing at Braden.
“What kind of spell is this?” Braden said and turned in a circle. “I have never seen anything like this. This is not a protective spell.” The other men shook their heads. They tried to get to Jordan but they were not able to either. They only one in the room without a bubble surrounding them was Hope. She stood holding on to the cribs edge and frowned at Braden. She was getting tired.
Jordan could tell. And there were too many of them to try and shield too. So she left the barriers up for those she wanted to protect and then turned to look at her brothers.
They nodded and cried.
Braden walked to the crib and smiled down at her. “Hope, I may have a bargaining chip after all. Little change of plans boys. Take the girl and let’s get out of here. Cami and her mates will give me anything I want to get their child back.” The men nodded and grabbed the little girl and carried her from the room. Braden tried one more time to kick at the bubble but it held. “Jordan, Lacy, I will be seeing you real soon. As for your two assholes, take a good look at me, I am their true mate, and I am the Alpha of the Supreme Council. Give your Alphas a message for me, will ya? When I call, don’t waste time telling me anything other than when they are bringing my mates to me. I will accept nothing less.”
He turned and walked out of the room. Jordan felt the tears running down her face.
They had taken one of the children. Her previous sense of calmness fell away. Moments later, she felt the ability to move return. “Marcus, Stephan, help us. We can save your sister before they get too far. Let us out.”
Marcus looked at his brother, then back to Jordan, and shook his head. He hit the bubble and she understood. They couldn’t break it either. Jordan wondered how long Hope could keep up the shield. Shawn and Romy shifted and Lacy began to cry trying to move to the cribs to get to the rest of the children who were also crying.
They all knew. Hope would release them when she was out of range or exhausted.
***
The New Council raced down the mountain with their Alpha to get to the compound.
They needed to get him back where they could figure out what had happened. The shifter who had thrown the potion had been taken into custody, but he had smiled and bitten on a pill that was in his mouth, he convulsed and died in front of them. At first, none of them could believe what was happening.
Then they sprang into action. As soon as the challenge was over, many of their people had headed down the mountain as per their plan. They all left their keys in their vehicles so all the pack members could leave in the fastest and most orderly fashion each group of three or four entering the first vehicle they came to and leaving. Instead of having to start and stop while pedestrians wove amid parked cars or competing for the exit lane.
Gathering their fallen mate and rushing for the compound. Cami and Jaden rushed to get Quin the help he needed from Lacy and her mother. They would need white magick to counteract the black. Shane and Trace left their truck for others and raced down the mountain in eagle form as they could return twice as fast that way. All of a sudden, the Enforcer driving the Alphas truck felt his tattoo and called out. Cami could see it glowing on his shoulder. She was told it had glowed like that when Hope was first born and she worried. They knew it was some kind of warning this time.
By the time they arrived at the compound the fight was still going. Devon jumped from the car and ordered that the tri-mates split up. One male to each of the women, to take them some place safe, while the other male to get out, and help defend the compound.
The shifters that had been at the challenge poured into the town and began shifting. It was chaos.
When the Enforcer stopped in front of the clinic, Teagan stopped his truck alongside Cloe and Teagan ran to help get Quin out and inside. Jaden tried to get Cami. But the Alpha female shifted and began to howl. She wanted her children and was going to get them. Jaden shifted and followed her as she took off down the road.
When they reached the compound and heard Devon, Reggie jumped out and ran to the fight. Levi had intended for Reggie to take Ruby to their just finished home. It was bare, but at least they would be safe. Lacy had put protective shields up just a few days ago on all of the New Council homes. But Reggie had already shifted and was helping Devon fight his way to the children, while Sid took Casey and left.
He had to get Ruby out of here. Looking around to make sure, he didn’t run over one of the Council as he peeled out of the lot and drove straight for his home.
“Levi?” Ruby said in a shaky voice.
“It's ok honey. I’m gonna get you home and then we will deal with all of this, you’ll be safe.”
She was silent because she didn’t want to distract him. During the challenge, she had felt the first twinges of pain. She thought it was false labor like Cloe described so she hadn’t worried. When they got down the hill, she had planned on talking to Cloe. Then the shit hit the fan and the pains got worse.
Finally, they pulled up to the house and she sighed. Levi jumped from the car and ran around to her door. As he neared the door, he heard Ruby cry out in pain. He pulled open the door and saw she was staring at the floor in horror.
“What? What is it?” He said looking around but all he saw was a spilled water bottle.
“Labor.” She panted and grabbed his arm.
“Huh?” He said trying to figure out what she was talking about.
Ruby turned to him and screamed, “I AM IN LABOR! The Babies are coming NOW!” Levi looked in panic back to the floor and saw that the water had not come from the bottle rolling around. Instead, it was dripping from his mate’s seat. “Shit,” he said and picked her up gently. “It’s okay, I got you. Let’s move you inside where we are safe and then I will call Cloe.”
Ruby nodded through the pain, needing to focus. Cami and Jo had already talked her through this. It would be a snap. All she had to do was focus and breathe. Another pain hit her and she screamed. “Focus my ass.”
Levi paused then continued into the house and to the living area. There were still piles of blankets and sheets in the corner from where a few of the Enforcers had camped out during guard duty. He had known them so he had felt safe letting them sleep in the living
room while the house was being built.
He sat her down and then grabbed the blankets and sheets and arranged them into a makeshift bed. There was a pillow also so he put it under her head when he laid her on the floor.
“Ok, let me get my phone,” he said and looked at Ruby who was panting and glaring at him. “Right, I will run.”
She rolled her eyes and focused on the picture that they had hung when the wall had been finished. It was of the three of them in front of the house. They looked happy, well as happy as Levi could look without being in pain; she thought and then heard his pounding footsteps coming back.
“Uh, no phone, which was in our SUV with all our stuff, and not the one we drove back in. I just jumped in the first one,” he said and she yelled, “Are you fucking serious?” Levi frowned and said, “I really don’t think I would joke at a time like this.” Ruby growled and looked at him. “Not funny. OHHHHHHH.” She screamed and grabbed her stomach. Levi dropped to her side and said, “Those are really close together, I thought Cloe said we would have hours and hours before you actually had them.”
Ruby grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I have been having pains all day. Thought they were false labor. Guess I was wrong.”
“Fuck a duck,” he whispered and looked down at his mate. She was sweating and panting. “So how far apart are the contraction things?”
“Contractions, more like rip your insides out and jump on them pain. And they are about three minutes apart.” She screamed.
“What do I do?” he whispered and looked around in a panic like someone was gonna pop their head out and say ‘surprise’ any second.
“Damnit Levi, did you listen at the classes or not.” She growled.
Levi sat back and tried to think. Cloe had made them watch a bunch of films and then go through exercises. He had been grossed out because they were so graphic that he had made Reggie watch them and take notes. But he had listened, and it scared the shit out of him. The women had been screaming and yelling at their mates, he had been terrified.
“Levi, damn it, I need to get these pants off.” She screamed and Levi jumped into action.
He pulled her stretchy pants off and got them caught on her shoes. He swore when he had to slow down, get off her shoes and socks, and then pull off her pants. “Now what?”
“I’m gonna kick your ass when I’m done. Damnit, you should have been paying attention. It’s just like you.” She moaned and then looked at him. “These are your babies too.”
“I know, sweetheart. I was just scared. I mean I can’t stand to see you in pain. You know I love you and Reggie so much,” Levi said and sat there helplessly.
“NO, I DON’T KNOW THAT!! HOW COULD I? YOU HAVE NEVER TOLD ME!” She screamed at him getting red in the face.
He frowned and looked at her. “Yes I have.”
“No, you say. ‘I do too’, or ‘me too’,” she cried.
Levi scooted around so he was at her head and looked into her eyes. “Never, ever doubt that I love you and Reggie. You are my life. You saved me from a dark place, one that I don’t want to share with you because it was so ugly. But you have pulled me out, I have shown you every way I know how that you are important to me. I guess I failed at that again. But no more. I promise. I will tell you every day for the rest of our lives.” Ruby felt tears running down her face and she knew that he meant it. For the first time since their mating, she felt his love and acceptance. Bad timing, but still special.
“I will also buy you a new car or a million pairs of sexy underwear if you will tell me what to do next,” he said desperately.
She smiled and then put her hand to his cheek. “Together.” Levi nodded and leaned down and kissed her. “Together.”
***
Braden sat in the back with the child on the floor in between him and one of the Enforcers. They had not had a child’s seat, didn’t want to get stopped by the human police so they each held a shoulder and braced her between their legs. Roarke drove and looked in the rearview mirror many times.
“What are we going to do now?” Roarke asked calmly. This had turned out to be a cluster fuck and he was not going to get the blame for the screw up. Braden had not planned this very well. He should have known the children would use their powers.
Hell, he should have told them the children had powers in the first place. This changed everything in his mind.
This whole time they had been worried about what would happen when the New Council had been joined and they should have been focusing on the children. To have them would change the fight dramatically. They could brainwash them, he thought. Make them think their parents had abandoned them and gain their loyalty. He needed to find the perfect woman though.
Lola wouldn’t do, she was a selfish crazy bitch. Roarke was thinking of a plan when Braden answered.
“We are going to use this one as a bargaining chip. Of course, seeing her powers she will not be returned to her parents. They would not know how to harness her power effectively. But we will still make them think so and then when they bring my mates to me in exchange for their child. I will kill them and take what’s mine. The time has come to take charge. This should have been easy. I thought these men were the best of the best. They could not even break her shields. I actually saw two humans, and women at that, take out four of your best men with shotguns. Humans hanging out a window at that inn, you said the humans wouldn’t be a problem,” Braden said.
“And I won’t forget that you said there wouldn’t be any cats and that the guards would be minimal. We should have been able to destroy the entire compound and take what we wanted. As it was, we barely got in to the children, and had no time to work out a way around those bubbles. I would have my mates and all the children if it wasn’t for your incompetence.”
Roarke kept it to himself that Braden was the Alpha and should have been able to break the shields if anyone could. He had more power than they did supposedly. Roarke realized that the man was so delusional that he actually thought that he could have broken the barrier the child had put up.
“Master, where shall we take her?” Roarke said calmly. He would figure this out when they returned to the warehouse. Right now, he needed to calm down the maniac.
“Barbara will take care of her. We will tell her that she is going to be the Alpha’s child.
That could keep her busy. Then I will make the ransom call. I want to do it when their defenses are still down. If they have the chance to reorganize, we will have a greater problem. By now, Cami and Jaden must have found out in their grief that not only did they lose their mate, but they lost a child. She will do what I want to get her back.” Roarke nodded as if he agreed. He was going to have to move his own plans up now, he thought as he grabbed the phone to call ahead. They had to be prepared for this child.
From what they had told him, she could really cause problems if she wanted too.
“Lola, we have a change in plans,” he said into the receiver and fought to stop from rolling his eyes when he heard her superior tone that came back.
“Yea, Roarke, when are you going to be here? You know I can’t sit around here all day waiting for you to show up with your package. I have things to do. Now, I have the chains and stuff ready for Braden’s precious women, just get here.” Braden growled in the back, Lola was really pushing her luck about now, not that she knew it, or cared. She only wanted one thing. That was for Braden to allow her to go and finish the job she started. She wanted Cami dead.
“We had a slight change of plans. Seriously, you need to get Barbara at her best; we have one of the Chosen’s children.” He did not want to share that it was Hope. For all he knew the vindictive bitch would think of a way to hurt her. Roarke was not going to lose such a valuable property to that she-wolf’s vindictiveness.
Braden grabbed the phone from his hand and screamed into the receiver, “Get the stuff ready for a child and if you argue with me anymore you will pay!”
***
On silent feet
, Bama approached the room the women were in and listened. She heard Lola say, “Now I have the chains and stuff, just get here.” She would not allow them to chain those two women. They had obviously already succeeded in their plan and were now returning. She needed to work fast.
***
Cami bit and clawed her way to the room where her children were. When she got there, she was panting and looking around. Lacy and Jordan were by the cribs trying to calm the children down. Everyone was crying.
CHAPTER 12
Cloe and her mates carried Quin into the clinic and she called orders to the nurses and doctors. They were already seeing injured from the attack but the Alpha would take precedence.
“Room one,” the nurse said and threw open the door closest to them. Cloe stepped back and allowed Teagan to go in first. He had been trying to take the Alpha’s full weight but it had been hard. Cloe had stepped into to help and she felt the pull of the first contraction. Shit, her mates were going to kill her. But she was going to have to wait to tell them; first, they had to deal with Quin.
She turned to the nurse who stood in the doorway and ordered her to get supplies to begin giving him antidotes for a variety of poisons. Unless they knew exactly what they gave him, they would have to treat for everything.
Teagan began to hook up the IV lines they would need and silently they worked in silence, the tension was consuming in the room. They were going to have to do something fast, or they would lose him. Quin’s heart rate dropped a little and Cloe swore.
“Now!” She screamed out in the hallway.
Teagan and Cloe both stopped when they heard the howl. It was their female Alpha and she was royally pissed and upset. Cloe had never heard anything like it. The mournful noise was filling the town. She heard Jaden join her and they knew something had happened at the compound. Cloe silently prayed that it was not her mate. But she concentrated on him and felt their connection. He was okay.