by LC Taylor
I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes the sky was dark, I sat upright with a startle. Cocking my head, I could hear the distinct sound of crying. It was a whisper on the light breeze that blew through the trees, but I could hear it. Getting up from the bed I walked to the door, pulling it open to hear better.
The crying sounded like it was coming in the direction of the waterfall. Although it was now dark, I couldn’t fight the urge to find the origin of the sound. If someone was really here with me, it sounded as though they needed help. Stepping out on to the porch, I pulled the door shut. Inhaling deeply, I found myself walking down the step, back in the direction of the falls to find the culprit of the crying.
The walk didn’t take me long and soon I found myself at the water’s edge. Stilling my breaths, I listened for the sound again. Sure enough, there was someone crying. I could hear it clearer now.
“Hello?” Calling out to the night, hoping whoever it was would answer me, “Who's there? I hear you crying… please, don’t be scared. I can help you.” I wasn’t sure how I could help them, but I couldn’t leave someone out here alone.
I called out several more times, but no one ever answered. The crying continued, I tried to follow the sobs, but it was too difficult in the dark. Eventually, the crying stopped, I decided to go the cabin. I prayed I’d wake up from this nightmare, this place was starting to creep me out. Once getting back to the cabin, I secured the door and collapsed on the bed again, closing my eyes I drifted into sleep again.
Chapter 31: Haven
“Haven, can you tell me what happened before she fell asleep?” Dylan was pacing the floor, rubbing her forehead as she did.
“No. Damn it, I already told you we came upstairs and fell asleep. She needed her rest.” Roxy patted me on the shoulder attempting to calm me down,
“Dad, take a breath and sit down. You're starting to worry me. And your magic is pulsating like crazy. I don’t want you to lose control and hurt someone.”
I reluctantly sat down in the chair opposite of Tessa, staring at her unconscious form. “Why are the fates doing this?” tears streaming down my face.
Kneeling beside me Dylan took my hands, “Haven, we will figure this out. Stef and Haley will be here soon. They will help her – I promise.”
“Why the hell won’t she wake up? This is making no sense. That thing is killing her!” I screamed, distraught over the thought of losing Tessa.
“Dad, you don’t mean that. That thing is your baby, my brother, or sister. Tessa would be mortified hearing you refer to the baby as a thing. That ‘thing’, as you called him or her, isn’t doing this on purpose.”
Roxy was standing beside Tessa now, she was chanting something and her magic was flowing all around her. “Dad, her heart is strong… I just can't get a read on the baby. It’s bizarre…” It was odd that Roxy, Stef, and Haley were unable to see the baby. Even Dylan, who was by far the strongest of us all, although untrained, was not able to penetrate the magic shielding the baby.
Haley arrived, she immediately went to Tessa’s beside. Whispering to Roxy, “Haley, what are you saying. What is wrong?”
She turned facing me with a solemn look, “Haven, I talked with some of the wolfen elders… I am afraid the news they shared was concerning.”
“What, tell me now.” I stood walking to Tessa on the bed.
“Haven, the elders fear that if Tessa conceived in the in-between, there may be a chance that the baby’s soul is tied to the in-between. They’ve never encountered this before. And we can't even dream-walk into Tessa’s mind. She’s there because her body knows the baby is there – just like she did with you. We’ll have to wait and see if she wakes up. Then tell her what we know. Look, you were there for months. Tessa can survive for a while in the in-between… but I fear if the baby’s soul is there, and she doesn’t realize it – they could both die. There will be nothing we can do.”
“No, I won’t accept that. Tessa is strong – she will figure this out. We must figure out how to help her. I will not rest until she is back – here in my arms. Do you understand me?” Haven was livid. His magic pulsating in the room.
“Dad, we will figure this out. I promise. We are all here to help you.” Roxy took me by the hand, “Come, dad… you need to shower – you smell like death. Tessa is not going anywhere, Stef will be back shortly. Perhaps she can shed more light on the matter.”
I made my way towards the bathroom, Roxy was right – I stunk. “Fine, I’m going to shower. Then I am going to sleep next to my beloved. I have to stay near her.” Roxy left me as I closed the door. Turning on the water, I prayed silently to find a way to save her, just as she had saved me.
Chapter 32: Tessa
The sky was filled with ribbons of orange, telling me that the sun had begun to rise. While I’d slept all night– I was worried about why I was here. Stretching, I stood and meandered around the tiny cabin. Finding some canned soup in the cabinet, relief washed through me. My stomach growled as if to say thank God.
As I inhaled the cold soup, the faint sound of crying invaded the silence in the cabin. I hurried out the door, leaving the bowl on the table. The cries filtered from the direction of the falls. With the sun fully risen, I was determined to find the person responsible for the sad sounds.
Walking down the wooded path, I was careful not to make a lot of noise. Determination led my feet as I didn’t want to scare off the individual. The falls were breathtaking in the early morning. The light filtering through the trees gave the waters a shimmery pink glow. Glancing around the water's edge I was disappointed to find no one there.
The soft whimpering still resonated through the alcove. “Hello?” Maybe calling out to them would prompt them to show themselves. The crying stopped and I could hear rustling in the woods nearby. “I won’t hurt you… I heard you crying. Hello, can you hear me?” This was crazy – I was stuck in the in-between, calling out to someone.
Branches snapped at the wood line just to the left of me. Sucking in a breath, I slowly inched closer. “Please, I only want to make sure you are ok.” I prayed that whatever, or whoever it was, wouldn’t harm me – but the urge to ensure there was not a problem drove my feet onward.
I stopped at the edge of the tree line. The trees were thick and it was difficult to see what was beyond the edge. It was nearly impossible to walk into the thicket. Pushing the branches closest to me apart, I was able to peer into the dense leaves, “Hello, I am here to help you – please come out. It can't be safe in there alone. You are alone, aren’t you?”
There, crouched behind a rotting tree, was a small child. “Oh my, please sweet heart,” holding my hand out, “you can't stay there. Come here, let me help you.” Slowly, a tiny hand grasped mine and stepped out.
Once I was able to coax the child from the thicket, I took in her appearance. She was beautiful – she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old. Her hair was golden blonde, her eyes were the most brilliant green with flecks of silver in them.
“Don’t be scared. I’m Tessa, do you have a name?” She was terrified, she looked at her feet and wouldn’t speak. “Sweetheart, I promise I'm not here to hurt you. What are you doing here – I didn’t think children came here? Do you know what this place is?”
She might not know what I was asking, but it didn’t make sense for a child to be here. Unless she was sick in the real world. “Are you sick or something? Come on – talk to me.” I kneeled in front of her, brushing a stray hair from her eyes, “Do you know why you're here?” Lifting her head, her eyes found mine. She cocked her head, looking me over – still appearing confused, she nodded slowly.
“Ok – can you tell me why you're here? Maybe I can help you find your way back. Would you like that?” She just stared at me – obviously, this was not going to be as clear cut as I’d expected. “Well, if you aren’t going to answer me, will you at least tell me your name?”
Smiling she nodded, “Hope – that’s my name,” Giggling she pulled her ha
nd free and skipped to the water’s edge.
“Hope. That’s a beautiful name – so, can you tell me why you're here in this place?”
“Nope. They didn’t tell me why.” Shrugging she slipped her shoes off and stepped into the water.
“They? Who's they? Hope, you're not making sense. Who sent you here?” She was confused – she had to be. Sometimes this place made you forget what reality was like.
“I don’t know. They just told me I had to. They said you would help me home. You will help me, won’t you?” Her eyes widened, fear pooled behind the tears forming.
“Don’t cry, Hope. I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I promise I will help you. Ok?”
She nodded and took my hand again. “I’m hungry… do you have any food?” On cue, my stomach growled. Several hours had passed since I last ate, and I was famished too.
“Yes – there’s some food at the cabin I found. Come, let’s go there and eat. We can try to figure out how you got here.”
Hand in hand, we walked towards the cabin. It was an odd feeling, but I felt a strange affinity towards her. Placing a hand on my abdomen, I smiled – part of me hoped my baby would be as charismatic as she was.
Chapter 33: Haven
A month had passed, and Tessa was still unconscious. Stef or Roxy infused her with magic, hoping it would be enough to sustain her and the baby. Being unconscious she was unable to get the needed nourishment; the magic was the only thing keeping them alive.
I stayed beside her most of the time, waiting for some sort of sign that she’d break free of the darkness holding her; but so far, she just laid there – unmoving. A soft knock at the door startled me from the daydream I was lost too.
Roxy pushed the door open, stepping into the room – followed by Cassandra and Stef. “Any news?” I question, knowing there’s nothing more we can do but wait. Roxy’s saddened expression confirmed what I already knew – there was none.
“No. Only she can save herself, dad. I’m sorry. Cassandra and Stef just want to check on her, ok?”
Silently nodding, I step to the edge of the bed. Carefully, I drew back the covers. A sharp intake of breath behind me, “Jesus. Haven – why didn’t you tell us she had progressed this much?”
There, exposed for everyone to see, was the swollen curve of Tessa’s belly. Wolfen females progress through pregnancy faster than humans. It wasn’t uncommon for them to carry a cub only six months – but the size of her bump indicated this pregnancy was even more accelerated. I assumed it was the combined magic of Tessa’s wolfen blood and my blood. The combination would make our baby very powerful – and seeing as we couldn’t penetrate the magical shield protecting the baby, it was the only explanation we could come up with for her condition.
“What difference would it make? It’s not like the speed will change things – other than me losing her sooner.” I turned away, facing the window.
Placing her hand my shoulder, Cassandra tried to reassure me, “Haven – it doesn’t mean you're going to lose her faster… She’s only been pregnant for a month. So, to see her belly swollen like this… well, it’s a shock.”
Shrugging her off me, “I just want her back, Cassandra. I don’t care about the baby – losing her will crush me. Knowing I have magic and can't help her is tearing my heart in two.”
They all looked at me with pity. They missed her too, it was wrong of me to act so selfish when they were hurting as well. “Please… Haven – you have to have hope. If you lose that, I fear we will lose her.”
Hope – that was laughable. I could barely look at the swell of her belly. The life inside was killing the one person I longed for. That alone made me feel guilty. That was my unborn child – yet, I wanted nothing more than him or her gone. I was willing to sacrifice my child’s life for my mates. That made me a monster.
“What would happen if you took the baby now Stef?” I turned to face her.
“Take the baby now?” Cassandra looked at Roxy, her brow furrowed in confusion.
I repeated myself, “I mean, can you take the baby out of her now? Would that save her?”
“Oh Haven… No – that would likely kill them both. With Tessa likely in the in-between, forcing the baby out now would trap them both there until their essence faded out.”
Roxy moved to stand beside me, “That is your grief talking. Dad, I know this is hard – but Cassandra is right. You can’t lose hope.”
“Please. DON’T TELL me what to do. HOPE is all I have right now. without it – I fear I would perish along with her.” I didn’t want to hear their lectures. They didn’t understand what it was like to be stuck here and unable to help her. She saved me – only for me to sentence her to hell. “Leave. Get OUT! There’s nothing you can do – SO GET OUT.”
“Haven – we are scared too. You can't push us away, we are here for the both of you.” Cassandra stepped towards me.
Through clenched teeth and my hands balled into fists, “I said get out.”
Stef had taken Tessa’s hand in hers, “Fine – but first, let me infuse her with more magic. She needs it to stay healthy. Haven – anymore changes, and I mean anything – call me. Don’t wait.” She pointed to the baby – no longer hidden under her once flat tummy – as she backed away towards the door.
“Fine. Just leave us alone. I’ll call if something changes.” Never turning around to see them leave, I made my way to Tessa on the bed. “Oh, Tessa – what have I done to you.” I placed a kiss on her head and sat on the empty seat next to her. I would not leave her side until she awoke – no matter how long it took.
Chapter 34: Tessa
We ate cold soup as we sat across from each other at the table. Hope didn’t say much, obviously hungry since she didn’t complain about the temperature of the food. Clearing away her now empty bowl, “So, Hope. Can you tell me anything at all – that may help me get you home?”
She just shrugged her shoulders. “Nope. I don’t know. Why are you here?” Her innocence was cute – her feet didn’t touch the floor, and she was swinging them back and forth as she spoke.
“Well… I think it’s because I am ill – well, kind of.”
Her brows shot up, “What do you mean ill? Are you dying?”
I chuckled at her candid response, “No… well, I hope not anyway. I’m pregnant, and my body isn’t adjusting well.”
She hopped off the seat and rushed towards me. Startled I moved away from her, “What are you doing?” I backed against the counter as she touched my stomach.
“It’s empty.”
“What – what does that mean?” I batted her hand away from me.
“Your baby is not in there. It’s empty.”
Instinctively my hand went to the small swell of my belly, “Hope – that’s silly. You can't tell if there is a baby inside me.”
“I can. And she is not in there. You have to find her.” She ran, bolting out the door and towards the woods.
“Hope – Wait…” I ran, nearly falling down the steps trying to catch her. “HOPE!”
She was lost in the thicket – there was no way I would catch her. “Please HOPE come back!” I doubled over as searing pain riddled my body. My stomach tightening – knocking the breath from my lungs. I fell to my knees, clutching my abdomen, and curled into a fetal position.
Hope’s words riddled my mind, she had said there was no baby in my belly. I prayed that she was wrong and that the baby was ok. I was stuck here, the last thing I wanted was to lose my baby.
I laid in the dirt, silently wishing for someone to help me. The sun had begun to set. The sky was painted with amber streaks and a purple hue kissed the horizon. I must’ve dozed off on the ground. The pain that previously crippled me, had subsided allowing me to stand.
Glancing around, I didn’t see Hope anywhere. “Hope?” I called out, only to be met with silence. She was gone – alone in the woods. I couldn’t get past the feeling that something was wrong. Even my wolf, who had been silent this whole
time, was whimpering in my mind.
I made my way to the cabin, determined to gather some supplies and food – then set off to find her. I couldn’t knowingly let her wander the woods alone. Not knowing what dangers this place held – even if I hadn’t encountered any, I set off.
Once inside the cabin, I began searching for anything I could use. Finding a backpack in a cabinet, I began to stuff it with items. Once I felt I had enough, taking one last look around the tiny space, I walked out. Closing the door behind me, I stepped off the porch. Unsure which way she went, I decided to head towards the waterfall.
As I came through the brush, the beating of the water splashing against the pond beneath it was the only sound echoing through the woods. Hope was nowhere to be found. Her disappearance was perplexing, not only did she make no sense in her explanation as to why she was here, now her disappearance compounded her existence.
Sitting at the water’s edge, memories invaded my thoughts. I longed to hold Haven – I’d just saved him from this hell, only to find myself trapped once again. A faint whimper carried on the wind. I tilted my head towards the sound, trying to seek it in the vast space. My wolf whined in my head, urging me to stand. Closing my eyes, I called out to her – wishing she would take over my form. She was a better tracker, she would find Hope much faster if she would only take control.
Much like trying to shift with Dylan, I could not call her forward. Nausea riddled my body, lurching forward I vomited what little contents were in my stomach. Reeking of vomit, I stripped myself of my clothes and walked into the pond.
The water was cool as it kissed my skin. Submerging myself, my mind drifted to the last time I was here. Haven and I had bared our souls to one another in these waters. Closing my eyes as I floated, I recalled the way it felt when he touched me and desire filled my body. My fingers found their way between my legs, tickling the sensitive areas of my sex.
Slipping in a finger, I moaned from the sensation filling my body – the sound reverberating off the rocky wall beneath the falls. Drifting further under the falling waters, I pushed my fingers deeper – my hands rubbing my center. Pressing myself against the rocky wall, my hand moved faster, finding a rhythm that was bringing me closer to release.