Little Red

by Trista Jaszczak

  The other man, who looks younger than me, has dirty blonde hair that’s greasy and slicked back against his head.

  His body, though muscular, doesn’t hold a candle to my own build, as despite the muscle, he’s quite scrawny looking.

  The bump on his nose gives me the impression that it’s been broken a time or two as his lips curl up, revealing a set of nasty, yellowing and crooked teeth

  Jeb laughs and gives the younger one a nudge of his elbow.

  “Well, if it isn’t the Brothers Grimm themselves.”

  Colt holds up a hand.

  “We just came for caffeine,” he says diplomatically.

  “We’re not here to start anything.”

  “After all, you wouldn’t want to start something that you couldn’t finish,” Aaron adds in a stony voice

  “Aaron,” Colt warns, turning his full attention to him.

  Colt may very well be able to pull Alpha on me or even Ian, but there’s no way he’s going to control Aaron, and for some reason, I get a sense that this will not end well.

  “Knock it off,” Colt says, glaring at the three of us

  “Yeah, knock it off,” the greasy blonde one says.

  “Before we have to knock your asses off the map.”

  My rage is building.

  I fight with my own urges but open my mouth to speak.

  “Let’s see you try,” I challenge

  “Because you really took care of my interrogation room so well; that table was such a tough competitor.” Jeb laughs, rolling his eyes

  I feel my body tense suddenly as I’m instantly pushed against the glass door by Colt.

  “What did I tell you,” his voice rumbles

  Jeb laughs in an obnoxious way as Colt uses all his strength to hold me in my place

  Before I can open my mouth, Aaron’s temper, which I can always count on, replies for me.

  “You have no idea what you’re asking for.”

  “So, Jeb,” I hear Ian say.

  “Do you call yourself Jeb because that’s all you can spell?”

  Colt is quick, grabbing Ian and pressing him into the glass next to me.

  Ian glances over at me as Colt dares us to move.

  “We don’t want to start a fight,” Colt says.

  “These two are just a bit wound up.”

  “Yeah, over their knocked up little pet,” the oldest man finally speaks

  “Is that even necessary?” Colt spits out, now he’s struggling to hold in his own rage

  “Don’t get so wound up, Colt,” Ian scathes, sensing Colt’s own rage

  I begin to struggle at hiding my smile as Ian taunts Colt

  “Shut it, Ian.” Aaron’s Alpha tone makes us all cringe.

  He stands tall to show that he will not back down.

  He smirks and he steps closer to Jeb.

  “You listen and you listen good.

  I am going to take those three out of here, because this is not what Red or James need.

  But, if you so much as breathe in our direction, I will set them loose, all of them, and you won’t know what hit you.” Aaron turns on his feet, grabbing me by the shirt and tugging me out the door.

  Colt repeats the gesture with Ian

  “But, our coffee,” I hear Ian whine as Aaron and Colt pull Alpha on us both

  * * * * * *

  Before I can act, I feel myself stumbling into James’ room as Aaron finally releases my black shirt from his now white knuckles.

  Making quite the clatter, Colt drags in a protesting Ian, who I’m sure has been arguing all the way down the hallway

  James, Trent, and Eli, though they can pick up on our rage, cannot sense the reason behind it.

  James points to a small couch where Red is sleeping and presses his finger to his lips, signaling for our silence

  I look at Colt, who is supposed to be our peacemaker, and see he’s now fuming.

  I’m almost happy to be back in the dismal room, if for nothing else than to get away from Colt berating our actions

  He turns to look at all of us.

  “We are here peacefully!”

  James holds up his good arm in surrender with a laugh.

  “I am here recovering; they don’t even let me go to the bathroom alone.

  I don’t know how much more peaceful I can get.”

  “You’re the one who shot someone,” Ian shoots out of frustration.

  Out of all of us, he really needed his coffee

  “Because the psycho shot me first,” James argues as Trent offers Ian a whack in the head

  Ian turns to look at Trent.

  “Well, I for one blame Jeb.

  Fucking Jeb.”

  “Stop,” Colt’s voice booms over all of us, making Red let out a small whimper

  “Alright, alright,” Eli starts.

  “What is going on?”

  Aaron turns, and his eyes dig into mine as I push my back to the wall and shove my hands into the pockets of my leather coat.

  I glance down at Red, who is quite peaceful, and feel myself relax if only for a moment.

  I swallow my fury and look up at James who raises his eyebrows.

  There is no way to prepare them for it.

  All these years we have spent our time under the wolf curse, believing that we were the only ones because we had never encountered another pack.

  Too many new emotions have me too close to the edge and unsure of how to control myself.

  I let out a drawn out sigh as I slink next to Red and touch her cheek for a moment

  Aaron lets out of a huff of air.

  “There’s another pack.”

  James uses his good hands to rub his eyes.

  “It’s not just Jeb.”

  Aaron gives his head a shake, making his hair flop.

  “There’s two more.”

  “And if these three,” Colt’s finger points at myself, Ian, and Aaron, “don’t calm their asses down, it will start an all-out war.”

  James finally looks up at me.

  “Red will be safe.”

  I give him a nod because it’s all I know how to do at this moment.

  The two women that I had in my life left me in the most tragic and heartbreaking ways possible; I couldn’t imagine losing Red after just finding her

  I run the towel through my hair once more before pulling the plain, gray tee shirt over my head and stepping into a pair of black sweats.

  When I step out into the hotel room, I see that Red is on the balcony, staring up at the night sky.

  She lets out a long sigh and lets her hands drop to her belly where she gives it a tender rub and stares slightly.

  The past week, James being shot and finding out about the pregnancy, has run a toll on all of us.

  Her feelings have all been such a jumbled mess and for good reason, too

  I trail up to her slowly as I take a minute to stare.

  She’s beautiful.

  Fine, white skin that’s completely flawless.

  Her long and shiny brown hair that’s perfectly straight and falls to her shoulder blades, and every now and then dropping in front of her face in the most perfect way.

  Her bright blue eyes that under the pale moonlight seem to shame even our wolf silver

  “Red?” I smile

  She turns to me quickly and immediately wipes at her face.

  “Ethan.”

  I see a few tears slip down her cheeks.

  I hesitate a brief moment, but finally bring my hand up to brush them away

  “Sorry,” she says softly

  “Never say sorry,” I tell her, smiling.

  “Are you okay?”

  She gives me a confused look, lets out a sigh, and finally shrugs

  I pick up on her uneasiness, all her confusion, and her anxiety.
<
br />   She’s pregnant by a man that she doesn’t know, with six crazy brothers who are murderers.

  Where there are traces of excitement of something new and wonderful, there is also sheer terror

  “I know what you’re thinking,” I tell her

  She lets out a nervous laugh.

  “I can only hide it so well.”

  “The fact that you can hide it just means you’re strong.” I give her a smile

  She grins and turns her eyes up to the inky black sky again.

  “Are you sorry about what happened?”

  I place my hand tenderly on her cheek and make her direct her gaze to me.

  “I could never regret what happened.”

  She licks her lips and swallows.

  “I mean the outcome.

  Honestly, are you at all upset that I got pregnant?”

  I immediately shake my head

  “I’m scared,” she says finally

  “You know what? I think that we’re supposed to be.” I laugh.

  “I think it’s a requirement for all new parents.”

  She releases another laugh as her nerves begin to ease.

  “Are we crazy? Am I crazy for actually saying that I’ll move to Louisiana? I barely know you; you barely know me.

  That has to be just a little crazy.

  And while I’m scared, I just…I feel so…I mean, we can barely keep our hands off each other…there’s this connection that feels so strange and so deep.”

  I release a little laugh.

  “I think we’d be crazy if we didn’t try.

  Like you said, we can barely keep our hands off each other.

  Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

  The moon may have things in store for us.”

  She gives me a smile, this one bright, wide, and completely genuine, as some of her fears begin to lift from her shoulders.

  It’s enough to make my knees wobble and a smile spread across my own face

  “So, I’m not going too far out on a limb to say that I actually like you?” she says, tucking her hair behind her ear

  My smile never fades.

  “I like you, too.”

  She laughs as she wraps her arms around me.

  “I guess that’s a really good start.”

  I give her a nod as a single tear finds its way from her eye and down her cheek

  She shakes her head.

  “I really have no idea what I’m doing.”

  “Neither do I,” I admit.

  “I know that I like you, and that you’re pregnant.”

  She wipes blindly at her face.

  “I don’t know how to be a parent.”

  “Does anyone?” I ask.

  “It’s all a learning process, Red.”

  “You really want me to come to Louisiana with you?” she questions

  “Of course, I do.” I smile.

  “Baby or not, I still wanted to find you.”

  She gives me a nod as I lean in, and I wrap my arms around her.

  Things might be a little crazy, things might be a little unconventional, but being together seems right; no matter what the circumstances are

  * * * * * *

  2 weeks later

  For the first time in weeks, there’s a sense of calmness surrounding all of us.

  James is finally being released from the hospital.

  All formal charges have been dropped, citing, self-defense, and, above all, Red’s nightmares have finally subsided.

  Over the past two weeks, we’ve also taken the time to get to know one another better and even go out on an honest to goodness date, which has made her ease into the undeniable fact that she is pregnant by me.

  Getting to know me and who I really am has made her feel better, rather than feeling as though she’s pregnant by a complete stranger

  James has already removed the sling that his shoulder is supposed to stay in for another few weeks.

  He rotates his arms slowly and glances at the clock.

  After spending three weeks in this room, out of all of us, he’s the most ready to go.

  He leans back on the bed and sighs.

  “You’d think after keeping me here this long, they’d be ready to get rid of me,” he grumbles

  I let out a laugh and have a seat next to Red, who leans back into the ugly couch.

  I can tell that, though she’s nervous, she’s excited by the move.

  It’s new for her, and since she’s never had a real home past the age of fourteen, she’s worried that it will be taken away from her as the others had been.

  She’s still adjusting to pregnancy, and although she wears it beautifully, it is taking a strong toll on her.

  She can hardly eat, and what she does usually doesn’t sit well with her

  “Are you okay, honey?” I hear James question as he sits up to look over at her

  “I’m fine,” she mutters.

  “Just a little...” She stops, looks at me, and jumps from her seat where she rushes to the bathroom for another round of choking, coughing, and I don’t want to imagine what else

  I step toward the door and lightly knock.

  “You want me to come in?” I ask

  “No.” I can hear the agony in her voice.

  I can feel the weakness radiating from her.

  I sigh and tell her I’ll be waiting

  “That’s like the fifth time in an hour,” Eli says

  I give them a nod and shrug.

  “She hasn’t been doing so well,” I admit.

  “Seems like the further along she gets, the sicker she gets.”

  “I mean, it could be normal,” Eli says.

  “Every woman is different.

  I mean, I remember mom throwing up for weeks with you.”

  “But all of her energy is gone,” I say

  Eli shrugs.

  “Mom was tired with Ian.”

  I make a face as I hear another round of coughing and gagging come from the bathroom

  “That’s six,” Aaron says

  “This will sound stupid,” Ian begins, “but, what if the baby is stronger than a normal baby? I mean, as of right now, until Ethan holds her, she has the curse.

  She is wolf-like.

  Red may even feel rage and feel the moon the way we do if the baby passes it to her.”

  Eli cocks his head and stares in disbelief.

  “I don’t believe I’m saying this, but he has a point.

  The baby is bound to be strong with the curse.

  The pull of the moon, the emotions, the baby would feel all that.

  Since Red is carrying him, it may filter through her.

  The farther along she gets, the baby is obviously getting bigger and stronger in every way.

  Honestly, Ethan, with her carrying him, she may in some weird way have the curse.

  You’ve said yourself that she feels certain things the way that you do.”

  “So, in other words, the further along she gets, this could get stronger for her,” I say, running a hand through my hair

  Eli shrugs.

  “I’m not an expert, but think about how the curse affects us.

  Right now Red is carrying the curse inside of her.

  We’ve never dealt with this before, so we have to take it one day at a time.”

  “You know,” James says.

  “I’m not getting these papers any time soon, so why don’t you take her down to the E.R., Ethan, have her checked out?”

  I give him a nod as she finally emerges from the bathroom with the palest face we’ve seen

  “How do you feel?” I ask

  “Like I’m dying,” she replies, heading toward a seat

  I shake my head and put an arm around her.

  “Actually, we’re going to go to the
E.R.

  just in case.”

  She looks at me, too sick to argue, and simply nods

  * * * * * *

  The wait in the E.R is surprisingly quick.

  They rush Red and me back to a room where they have her change into a gown.

  She complies, slowly undressing and slipping on the gown.

  She sinks onto the odd-looking table they have set up for her and sighs.

  “I’m sure it’s just normal,” she tells me

  “Well, we were thinking that…” I pause.

  “Since the baby is,” I stop and think, “special…” I use her special little term.

  “He might be fairly strong, unlike a normal baby.”

  She passes me a look as though she understands

  When the older woman enters the room, I can immediately tell she’s a good person.

  She smiles at Red who is now lying on her side on the odd little table

  “I hear someone is having some issues with horrible morning sickness,” she says

  Red gives her a feeble nod

  “Aw, poor dear, I hate when this happens,” she says softly.

  “And about how far along are you?”

  “Nine or so weeks,” Red answers

  “Have you had your first check up?” the doctor questions

  “We’re actually moving,” she says.

  “To Louisiana.

  Figured it best to wait ‘till we got there.”

  “We’re supposed to leave today; my brother was here in the hospital, and we were just waiting on his release,” I add

  She gives us a nod.

  “Well, you do look uncomfortable.” She gives Red’s legs a tender pat.

  “Alright, I’m just going to have you lay on your back and put your legs straight out.”

  Red nods and lies back slowly.

  The doctor helps adjust a pillow under her head which Red doesn’t seem to mind at all

  “First things first; I’ll just check your cervix.” She smiles at me.

  “Dad, you might want to look away.”

  I look at Red with wide eyes as the doctor helps her feet into the funniest things I’ve ever seen before in my life.

  I watch as she washes her hands, slides on gloves, and then grabs a tube of some gel.

  It’s then that I put my back to her and look down at Red as I give her a reassuring smile.

  When she makes a strange face, I can tell the doctor’s definitely checking around where no woman would ever want someone to check.