by Victoria Sue
Luca stood. “I need to go talk to Sam and Christoph. We need a plan.” He looked pointedly at Taheesha. She took the hint and moved close to Kit. Darrin and Asher were brushing the horses. Gabriel and Sascha were checking all the tack. He glanced at Christoph as he walked past him, and the man got up and followed him. Gabriel and Sam left their tasks and joined them. Luca looked around at them.
“We need a plan,” he reiterated. “Is there anywhere we can get more horses from?”
Christoph shook his head. “The only place we can stop before Neira is Jareth, and Jareth is one of the poorest villages there is. It’s one of the places the children are bred to work in the boiling pits.” Sam made a sound of disgust. “They are barely able to feed themselves,” Christoph continued, “never mind animals.”
“Christoph?” Sam hesitated. “What about amassing the humans? We need a big entrance and we have no idea how many wolves will follow Luca.”
Christoph eyed him. “I must be mad, but I was thinking that myself. I was wondering about leaving you, and me and the lads pushing on ahead tonight. We can set something up.” He sighed. “If this doesn’t work, if you cannot do what you promise, the massacre at Torren will be the least of my problems.”
Luca met Christoph’s gaze unflinching and the man just nodded. “What about the guns?” Luca asked. “How many gammas do you think the Alphas have, and what about this beta-commander?”
“We have assumed all along that we were dealing with an Alpha who would have an imperative to submit to you. He will have no choice but to submit to his King,” Sam said.
“And surely, a beta-commander would be the same?” Gabriel added.
“In theory,” Luca said slowly. It sounded too easy.
“But this has been the whole point,” Gabriel said. “Every wolf will submit to the power you two wield together. It’s hard-wired, and when the humans see that Kit not only is a human, but has Christoph’s support, the change should be seamless. Nial only got the drop on Kit because you weren’t there. Whenever you are together my wolf goes nuts.”
Asher scoffed and then looked apologetic. Luca huffed. “I just hate betting lives against assumptions.”
“I can get guns,” Christoph said, “and people who know how to shoot them. We’ve just never bothered because of the risk if we get caught.”
Sam got out a map and he and Christoph poured over it, deciding where to meet up.
“Jareth.” Christoph pointed to the map. “Every human would shelter you if I give my support. I just need to get there ahead and organize my people. It’s barely a quarter mile from Neira.”
Luca looked up as he felt his cheek grow wet. It was snowing again and the flakes were coming thick and fast. Christoph looked up at the dark sky as Sam folded the map. “I think we should get going.” He looked at Luca. “The horses need to rest for a couple of hours but then I think you need to push on.” Luca agreed and Sam and Asher quickly packed Christoph’s men some food to take with them. Christoph refused the horses. “It leaves you with no spares, but I think you’re close enough to leave the extra cart here. If the temperature keeps dropping, you’re gonna have to keep everyone moving. Even slow, you should make the village in around six hours.”
Luca agreed. The man knew the area better than he and knew what his men were capable of. He liked the idea of getting Kit and Taheesha to the village. He liked that a lot. Within minutes, Christoph and his men had melted into the trees.
“Sire?”
Luca smiled at Gabriel, who stood before him with a book open. “Every time I see you, you are reading.” The young wolf had spent a lot of the journey practically buried in the scrolls and books he had got from Hendrick’s cellar. “What is it?”
“It’s a discrepancy,” Gabriel said slowly, “but it’s something I think you should be aware of.”
Luca paused. He needed to go, but he remembered the last time Gabriel had tried to tell him something and he hadn’t listened. “Tell me.”
“Well, you know we were always taught that Aristaad died and then Oliver shortly after? But then I found something that said Oliver disappeared?” Gabriel said in a rush. “I’ve found some mention of a huge earth tremor.”
Luca frowned. “Earth tremor? Askara hasn’t had an earth tremor in...” Luca had to think. “Has Askara ever had an earth tremor?”
“Only the ones you cause, Sire,” Sam added dryly, coming to stand close. Luca suddenly found the whole conversation bizarre and smiled, but Gabriel wasn’t laughing. He looked worried.
“We have old history books mentioning them but nothing in any recent years,” Sascha put in.
“It’s just, I’ve found some writing that seemed to suggest that it was Oliver who died first. Even perhaps as a result of an assassination attempt. Then there is mention of a huge earth tremor and Aristaad also dies,” Gabriel said. “There are stories that the tremor was so large, huge buildings were levelled and many people lost their lives.” It seemed odd, but so much of their history had been buried it was no surprise. “As you know, a lot of our history has been deliberately altered to hide things, but I’m not convinced there isn’t some truth in this one.” Gabriel hesitated. “Sire...if this is true, If Oliver was murdered, Aristaad’s grief may well have caused the earth tremor.” Luca was silent, shocked. His temper flared so much since he became King, and there was only Kit who could calm him. “I am hoping I can discover more when we get to Neira,” Gabriel said eagerly.
Luca gazed at Gabriel. “You’re wondering what there is left in the great library, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry. I know now isn’t the time, when it’s likely you may face a battle.”
“Actually,” Luca said, “history might stop us making the same mistakes that led us to war in the first place.”
Gabriel looked up eagerly. “Exactly, Sire.”
“I think you may have a decision to make soon over your father’s pack,” Luca teased.
Gabriel smiled sheepishly. “I have many cousins, Sire.”
“Then when we are established in the capital, you need to speak to your father when you go collect Danni.”
“Luca.”
Luca turned and smiled at his sister, and Gabriel stepped away. Taheesha looked up at the snow as Luca wrapped his arm around her.
She took a breath. “You know Kit’s had a really bad backache?”
“I know.” He looked over to where the humans were clearing the camp away. “He says it’s from sitting for so long in the cart.”
Taheesha nodded and squinted up at him. Aylin, Askara’s moon, reflected sharply in the snow. “I don’t think it’s just from that.” Luca looked at his sister, and the chill that ran through him had nothing to do with the weather.
“I spent a lot of time with Molly, and backache can be just that, and yes it’s hard for the ladies to get comfy, but Molly also told me it’s a sign their bodies are getting ready for labor.”
“Labor,” Luca repeated woodenly.
“So yes, it could be backache, but it also might mean Kit is going to have this baby earlier than anyone is expecting.”
Luca looked over at where Kit was standing. He was leaning back slightly, both hands on the bottom of his back as if he were trying to get the kinks out. “But wouldn’t he know?” As soon as the words were out of Luca’s mouth, he realized how stupid they were.
Taheesha grinned. “I’m only thirteen, but I bet I know more about having babies than both of you two put together.” Luca didn’t doubt it for a second.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes. Don’t let Kit lift anything,” he added.
He turned and found both Sam and Asher staring at him. “You heard?” Sam and Asher both had dumbfounded expressions. “Do we have anyone who knows anything about giving birth? Seen it even?”
“We’ll ask, but Sire, I don’t think so,” Asher said. “I know Henry and Attica’s got at least one kid but whether they were there or not I would have to ask them.”
“Qui
etly,” Luca ordered. If Kit was unaware, as Taheesha thought, he wanted him to stay that way. Luca would worry enough for both of them.
Chapter Eighteen
The first pain woke him up around five a.m.
Kit lay wondering what had woken him up for a few seconds. He could hear Luca and Sam talking quietly outside. He had fallen asleep after the carts had been pulled off the road, only about two hours after they had set off. In the end, Luca had no choice but to stop and pull the carts as far as they could into the shelter of the trees. The horses couldn’t get them through the deepening snow and Darrin was getting worried for the animals. They used the tents as a huge awning so the horses had some shelter. The shifted wolves would manage under the awning as well, but Luca had directed all the humans to get in the other cart. It would be crowded but he was more concerned they wouldn’t freeze to death.
He knew they were nearly at Neira and the city was sheltered by the surrounding hills—making it possible to locate the silk farms nearby. There would be no snow in the capital and it would get warmer much quicker.
Kit felt a little pressure in his bladder and sighed. He must have had to pee a zillion times yesterday and it looked like today wasn’t going to be much better. He rolled to his side, having also worked out yesterday that the easiest way to get upright without help was to get on his hands and knees first. He knew Luca was getting increasingly worried and he was amazed that he wasn’t. He was stuck in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of guys who knew nothing about childbirth except what caused it and how to hand the liquor around afterwards. It could be worse though. He bit his lip to stop groaning and got up onto his knees. Human women go through this for nine months.
It didn’t bear thinking about.
He shuffled onto his knees and shivered as the blanket fell off. He had gone behind a stack of boxes in the corner and peed into a bottle last night, now that Taheesha was sleeping with them. It suddenly seemed a long way.
“Are you okay?” Taheesha whispered.
“Go back to sleep. I’m just—oh,” Kit shut up in shock as he felt something run down his leg.
“What is it?” Taheesha sat up.
“Nothing!” Shame and panic flooded him. What the hell?
The lamp came on in the corner and Taheesha peered at him. “Kit—”
“No, don’t look.” Kit whimpered. He wanted to cry. He was a grown man. He couldn’t believe he’d actually...
“Oh honey, I think your water broke.” Taheesha stared at the wet patch on the sheet under him.
“My...”
“Your water. The sac that cushions the baby breaks at the start of labor. Well, at least it does in a woman, and I guess it must be the same with you.”
“But where the hell is it coming from?” Kit all but shouted.
“Hush, sweetie.” Taheesha rubbed his back gently.
“What? What’s wrong?” Kit swung his head to see Luca had leaped up the steps and now stood at the opening to the inside of the cart.
“Right,” Taheesha said, all business like. “Unpack the spare blankets and pass me the bag Molly gave you.”
Luca didn’t move. Taheesha arched an eyebrow. “The baby’s coming.”
Luca looked panic-stricken. “But it can’t. We’re not... I mean...”
“Molly says babies and cats do as they like.”
“Cats,” Luca echoed, as if Taheesha were speaking a foreign language.
“Asher?” Taheesha called out, and Asher put his head in.
Asher took one look. “What do you need?”
Taheesha immediately rattled off a list, but she was interrupted when Kit let out a sharp cry and rocked forward onto his hands.
“What’s wrong?” Luca asked urgently. He looked back at what Kit assumed was a crowd. “Is there someone who’s delivered a baby before?”
Even Kit could hear the leaden silence. Taheesha grunted in disgust and turned to her brother. “You know someone out there who’s even seen a delivery, never mind assisted in at least six.”
Luca opened his mouth. “But, you’re...”
“Your best shot,” Taheesha snapped, getting annoyed, then she took a steadying breath and beamed at Kit. “I’m sorry, but he drives me nuts. I don’t know how you put up with him.”
Kit blew a steady breath out. His belly didn’t hurt exactly, it just felt hard. “I need to pee,” Kit said miserably, and Taheesha turned away while Luca quickly helped him. “How are we going to do this?” he asked when he had finished.
“Do you think you can lay down for me?” Taheesha grabbed a dry blanket from the armful Asher appeared with and laid it down for Kit to lie on. “Luca, help him. Asher, go boil some water.”
Asher disappeared and Kit felt gentle hands turn him over. He sighed as he laid down.
“He needs to get those wet pants off.”
Kit groaned. The only thing he could fit in was a pair of loose sweatpants that Luca had hacked off at the knees to make short enough for him, but much as he loved Taheesha and he knew nudity wasn’t a thing around werewolves, there was no way his cock and balls were gonna hang out around her. Taheesha threw a small towel at Luca and turned around. She grinned mischievously. “On his back with no pants. Cover what you need to with that.” Kit felt Luca ease his pants down and then draped the towel across his cock.
“Taheesha?” Darrin called from outside. “My dad delivered both my little brothers and I was there. Can I help?”
Luca jumped up and held the canvas open for Darrin to come in.
“I need to see. Can you raise your knees?” Taheesha insisted.
Kit shot a mortified look at Luca. Luca clasped his sister’s hand. “Honey, she’s a werewolf, and I’m here.”
Taheesha smiled. “I’ve seen this at least six times this year.”
“With how many men?” Kit gasped out, a low ache starting in his back and spreading to his belly. Taheesha shrugged and Kit let Luca raise his knees. Luca kept the towel in place.
Taheesha raised her eyebrows and she met Kit’s eyes. “That makes things simple.”
“What does?”
“You’re going to have the baby naturally.”
“From where?” Kit wailed, gripping Luca’s hand tight.
“There’s a hole forming. There’s not much room yet, but giving birth is a long process. Everyone thinks it’s over with quickly, but it can take hours and hours.”
Kit looked at Luca, alarmed. Hours and hours?
“My youngest sister took a day and a night,” Darrin said.
Kit groaned and Taheesha clucked in sympathy. “We’re just saying no one needs to panic. Darrin, I don’t need you yet, but stick close.”
Darrin grinned and left the cart.
“We can’t go anywhere because of the snow. I have everyone warm and protected. You’re safe. You have nothing to worry about,” Luca said determinedly. He took a long, relaxing breath. “Taheesha knows what she’s doing, and Darrin’s going to help.” Kit swallowed and Luca grabbed the water pouch and helped him take a few sips. “Why don’t you roll onto your side and I’ll rub your back?” Luca glanced at Taheesha and she beamed her approval.
“It would be a good idea if everyone gets a little sleep. Think it’s gonna be a busy day tomorrow.” She nudged her brother playfully.
Luca helped Kit roll on his side and padded him with blankets. Taheesha lay at his front and put her hand on his belly. Lassitude suddenly rolled over him.
“You are so good at that,” Kit sighed.
Luca lay flush with Kit’s back, just enough room for Luca’s hand to rub soothing circles on his back. Kit blew a long breath out. He thought he was asleep before he drew the next one in.
****
“Sire?”
“What is it,” Luca asked as Sam poked his head through the cover.
“A word, Sire.”
Luca turned and kissed Kit. “Go back to sleep.” Kit smiled, his eyes drooping as Luca watched him.
Luca stepped out
of the cart and jumped down. “What is it?”
“Elliot and Sascha have just returned. I sent them to scout early as the snow has stopped and I want to know how far from the main road we are.” Luca heard the catch in Sam’s voice and he suddenly felt cold. “There’s a huge group of soldiers camped in the way over the next set of hills towards Neira. Sascha said there were wolves amongst them, about two hundred of them, and about three hours away. They’re not making any attempt to hide or be quiet. They will pass right by us and there is no way the wolves won’t scent us.”
Luca made an angry noise in the back of his throat.
“I hate to say this, but I think Christoph has betrayed us, Sire.”
Just at that second, a sharp cry came from inside the cart and Luca turned and leaped for the cart. Kit lay curled on his side, his face a mask of pain.
“What’s happened?” Luca clasped Kit’s hand in alarm.
“Oh fuuuck,” Kit swore and gasped. He never swore. Kit’s bright blue eyes were screwed up and a faint sheen of sweat beaded his flushed face. Taheesha elbowed Luca out of the way, and yanked the covers back. Kit was wearing one of Luca’s shirts and it covered him completely.
“Bend your knees, sweetheart,” Taheesha coaxed, and Luca helped him roll on his back. “Asher?” Taheesha called.
Sam put his head through the entrance. “I’ve left Asher standing guard with Sascha,” he explained. “Elliott is readying the horses. He will saddle them whenever you give the word.”
“Make sure there are scouts posted,” Luca instructed and turned his attention back to Kit.
Taheesha rattled off some orders to Darrin and she put her hands on Kit’s belly, pressing gently in different places. Darrin arrived back with a big pan they had used for boiling water on the fire and three pouches of cool water. Luca took one and the cloth Taheesha passed him while Taheesha quickly poured some of the hot water into a smaller cup and washed her hands with it.