by Cecilia Lane
“If.” Sawyer had thought through exactly how to sneak in and put down Everly’s alpha and father and the rest of the scum sucking fucks that hurt his clan. None of the options were any good. Logic did nothing to calm the raging bear anytime the subject flashed across his mind. “There are eyes all over. Hunters and SEA agents and regular humans have been watching for excuses to lock us up from the beginning.”
And almost succeeded a handful of times. Supernaturals had built their lives around the enclaves, and while that once gave them protection, it could easily turn into a liability. Maybe Everly’s people had the right of it. Keep moving, and no one could take them down.
Except that lack of roots and responsibility made them rife with murderous intent.
“So we play it safe. If they’re smart, the pride will leave well enough alone. We’ll let Judah fight it out with the SEA over jurisdiction and who to prosecute. If the cats are so hyped up on their need to hurt others that they try again, try on our territory?” Callum rolled his shoulders and a low growl rumbled in his chest. “I’ll put them all down myself.”
Their territory was the requirement. With laws benefiting humans on the books, any fight outside shifter territory would be deemed potentially harmful to the fragile citizens of the outside world. Harming humans was a ticket straight to the SEA facilities where dangerous supernaturals were housed.
Hell, there were even calls to abolish laws within the enclave and criminalize behavior that went back since before their ancestors found their way into their current world. Like Meghan constantly harped when they got rowdy, there was such a thing as bad publicity when half the world wanted them dead.
Still, it was a nice thought. He grinned with too many teeth. “You can have their alpha. I want her father.”
Sympathy flashed across Callum’s face. Shit. That wasn’t what he wanted or needed. The man knew some of his troubles from extra details said in moments of drunken weakness over the years.
Callum cleared his throat. Thank fuck. “What are your plans? Cole told me you got her a truck for around town.”
Gossip hounds. Though, it wasn’t a secret that’d stay quiet for long. Everly tore out of the cabins and jumped right behind the wheel before Rylee could even ask if they were riding together. The grin on her face was almost as sexy as her helpless little noises in his arms.
Reluctantly, Sawyer pushed away the memories of last night and ideas when he finally got her alone again. Plans? He had them. And not all of them were X-rated.
Callum stared at him expectantly.
The silence stretched on for too long. He had to fill it. “She’s my mate,” he shrugged and draped an arm over the back of his chair. “I plan to do what everyone wants with their mate. I’m going to claim her properly and keep her even after this business with her pride is settled.”
“She might be your mate, but she’s a complication for the rest of us.” Callum held up a hand to stall him. “I get that your bear picked her. Did her cat pick you? Is she going to stick around or split when she hears we’ve pointed the hounds toward her pride?”
Sawyer resisted another shrug. His scars itched and his bear growled low and steady. That was just one of a handful of million dollar questions that locked him up.
Nothing was as simple as girl picked boy, boy picked girl. They had massive amounts of shit in their pasts and presents. He wasn’t made for a mate, he’d been told time and again. He wasn’t made for anything but causing suffering in others. He was weak, and his scars served as a reminder of what he endured and still couldn’t fix.
His bear snarled louder. The beast knew what he wanted. He’d known the second Everly caught his eye. She was their fix, she’d keep them steady, she’d set the world right again.
If she stayed. If she picked them for a lifetime, not just a night.
By the Broken, he hated being caught in limbo. Sawyer heaved himself out of the chair. He needed to work off some energy before his mood soured further. He needed to see his mate and win her smiles.
He needed her to stay.
Sawyer paused at the door. “They made it clear she’s dead to them. They’ll kill her if she goes back. I think that forces her hand.”
Whether she’d claim him or move on was still a mystery.
Chapter 17
Everly’s door creaked when she pushed it open. She didn’t think she’d ever get over the jolt of happiness every time her truck protested opening, closing, or someone hauling themselves inside.
Which naturally made her think of Sawyer.
The truck wasn’t the only gift he gave her. She couldn’t count how many times they rolled over in their sleep and reignited with desire. It seemed neither were able to sleep through the other moving. And when he’d needed to ready for his shift at the firehouse that morning...
Cheeks flushed and her panther curled up and purring like some contented creature, Everly made her way to the cabin in front of her. She could hear the river flowing, even if she couldn’t see it through the trees. She knocked on the door and waited for her patient to let her in.
Everly expected to feel a wave of guilt when she woke. Even after Sawyer and his distracting touches departed, she only felt a bone-deep sense of rightness. She’d picked him over her family, and she couldn’t find it in herself to regret the choice.
It wasn’t like her first morning with the clan. All her fear of what waited when she returned dug into her brain and wouldn’t let her see beyond. Since then, though, she’d witnessed a clan and a town full of people who did as they pleased. Sawyer’s people cared for one another and helped each other out without expecting anything in return. Their bonds were based on love, not the power of a corrupted alpha intent on exerting control.
Everly felt like she’d taken her first step into a new world. Fog cleared from her eyes, dirt washed off her limbs, and she could breathe easily. She was her own master, and no one could order her to mate a male she didn’t want.
The choice had cost her everything, but she realized she didn’t have much to begin with. She still stung, and waves of sadness battered at her unexpectedly, but she didn’t fight with herself to return to people who threatened her life.
A muffled groan dragged her out of her thoughts, and Everly twisted the door handle. She poked her head inside and called out, fearing the worst. “Hello?”
“In here,” Tommy yelled.
Everly zipped through the living room and into the bedroom to find Faith leaning against a dresser and Tommy rubbing her back in tight circles. A mess of baby clothes and blankets were strewn about the bed with a small handful piled neatly to one side.
“Just a contraction,” Faith said between clenched teeth. Her wince of pain faded, and she breathed heavily for a moment before straightening.
“How long have they been going on?”
“Oh, they’ve been happening all morning. Nothing to worry about. That was the worst of them.”
Everly narrowed her eyes and marked down the time in her head. Her inner panther started to attention and placed her entire focus on Faith. Something wasn’t quite right, but they’d get to the bottom of it. “Are you timing them?”
“They’re nothing!” Faith insisted. She folded a tiny outfit and then gestured to the mess on the bed. “I have to get everything in order. She can’t come until we’re ready.”
Tommy chuffed and leaned against the wall, watching his mate work. “She’s folded and refolded all the clothes and blankets three times this week.”
“I keep changing my mind about where I want everything.”
Everly nodded with a smile. New momma was in the wild throes of nesting. “You will have everything in its place when the baby arrives. Let’s go over everything, do your checkup, and I’ll let you get back to it.”
Only Faith had other ideas. Another contraction ripped through her, and she bunched up a blanket in her hands.
Crap. That was only four minutes and much more powerful than the previous one. Her inner cat
paced and twitched her tail with concern.
With Tommy’s help, they quickly got Faith down on the bed. Everly clipped out more questions about the timing and length and weaseled out answers that even surprised Tommy. The irregular and false contractions were, in fact, regular and pushing closer together.
“We’re not ready,” Faith gasped out and locked eyes on Tommy. “There’s still so much to do. What if we aren’t going to be good at this?”
He climbed on the bed next to his mate and barely winced when she squeezed his hand hard. “We’re ready,” he assured her. “We can do this. She’s going to have a wonderful mother.”
Everly swallowed the lump in her throat. Were her eyes getting misty? No, it had to be something in the air. “It’s okay. You’re a little early, that’s all. Good news is most shifters deliver early, and it’s sometimes difficult to judge exactly when you conceived.”
She felt Faith’s belly as she spoke. Truthfully, she echoed her panther’s concern. She wanted to make Faith comfortable in her final weeks, which was why she suggested a home visit. She wanted to know every detail of Faith’s birth plan and get an inventory of what would be needed. Everly would have preferred another week before she went on call for the delivery.
She smoothed fingers over the baby bump and nearly cursed. She needed to stay calm, not feed into the panic of new parents.
But the baby wasn’t head down. The little one was coming feet first. Faith needed more help than Everly could give her at home.
She lifted her head and zeroed in on Tommy stroking fingers down Faith’s arm. Everly gave him a calm smile and kept her voice even. “Call Dr. Reed and tell him we’ll be there shortly.”
“Reed?” Faith demanded. Her heartbeat spiked and the panic Everly wanted to avoid made her eyes wild. But there were no other questions because a powerful contraction balled up her hands and gritted her teeth.
Tommy rushed to his mate’s side. A touch of growl entered his voice. “Why? Why can’t we deliver here? That’s the plan.”
Everly couldn’t help but notice the difference in his need to understand. She’d been at Aileen’s side when the pride’s former midwife sent mothers to other doctors, before Wade outlawed the practice. The males in those situations were always more concerned at the inconvenience than about the wellbeing of their mates. Aileen nearly threatened to gut one who suggested that if his female couldn’t give birth without a problem, then she was weak and he’d just get another if she died.
That should have been warning for the troubles to come.
“The baby is breech,” Everly said, still talking in an even tone. She shoved away the awful memories and weight of guilt. She would not cause Faith or Tommy undo worry. The little babe should have changed position before labor started, but she was not cooperating. “We need to see exactly where she’s sitting and make plans from there. Let’s get to the clinic and welcome this one into the world, shall we?”
Everly splashed water over her face and glanced at herself in the mirror. Bags lined her eyes, and her hair was messy from being hastily tied back. A birth always took a toll on her, no matter how easy or difficult it was. She felt an echo of what the family felt down in her soul.
Still, she couldn’t help but smile as she dried her hands. Tommy hadn’t left Faith’s side once. He had actually handed Everly the keys to his SUV so he could sit in the back with Faith and hold her the entire drive from his cabin to the clinic.
A quick ultrasound confirmed what she suspected. The little one wasn’t in the correct position. Dr. Reed was ready to scrub in for a caesarian, but Everly gave it one last shot. She’d watched her mentor change positioning once, and thought she knew what to do. It wasn’t something she wanted to risk without extra equipment and backup in case the cord got tangled or she failed to flip the baby.
Faith called it magic. With a little poking and prodding, the next scan showed the baby with her head down and ready to take on the world. The next marathon left her in charge and Dr. Reed on call in case extra help was needed.
Even knowing she’d been helping delivery all afternoon and into the night, Everly was surprised to see darkness outside the lobby windows. Another shock was to find the entire Strathorn clan crowding together with balloons and flowers and stuffed animals. The teasing and jostling quieted in a wave with one elbow to the side spreading through the group.
“Mia Conri is happily snoozing with Mom and Dad. They’ll be ready for visitors in another hour or so if you want to stick around.” Everly wouldn’t leave. That was her other duty to her mothers. She’d play guard for as long as they needed, and she had no problem biting someone who tried to mess with mother or baby before they were ready.
She waited until the celebratory shouts faded to a dull roar. “You’ll all have an opportunity to see her, but Becca? They’d like to see you now.”
“That’s right, suckers. I’m special and you peasants will need to wait until I’m done.” Becca’s voice conveyed an air of royalty, but the shifting and bracing herself to get from seated to standing were anything but regal. Nor was the tongue she stuck out at them before disappearing down the hall.
Everly followed after, but not before she gave Sawyer a private smile. He lingered in the back of the crowd, part of it and quiet. His eyes flared brightly when she focused solely on him.
She understood what it felt like to be seen. He made that feeling blossom in her, too.
Everly hung back by the door of the recovery room. Tommy wrapped Becca in a tight hug, then led her by the shoulders to the chair he just vacated. A radiant smile lit up both Faith and Becca’s faces.
“Do you want to hold her? She just woke up.”
Becca sniffled and nodded. She sighed as soon as the little wiggling bundle settled in her arms. “Hello, beautiful baby Mia. I’m going to be your cool aunt when these two sticks in the mud won’t let you do awesome things like sneak out late at night to see boys or eat ice cream for dinner.”
“I told you she’d start corrupting her from the first moment they meet,” Tommy chuckled.
“That’s okay. We’ll have two feral beasts to civilize in retaliation.” Faith laughed at Becca’s glare.
“You scared me. That’s not allowed.”
Faith reached for her sister. “It’s going to go fine for you. Only one emergency allowed, and I already claimed it.”
“That’s just like you to be the responsible one and take on all the difficulty for yourself. Selfish jerk.”
“I couldn’t let you have all the attention. You really killed the martyr possibilities when you got your life together. You’re the selfish one.”
There was zero sting in either’s words and a whole mess of affection. Everly silently pushed away from the door and out into the hall. They could have their moment. She wouldn’t ruin it with crying.
The pain she expected to feel after being disowned by her family hit like a tsunami. She’d stayed distracted all day, but seeing the twins tease one another with obvious love was a knife to her heart.
She’d never have that easy back and forth with Emery again. Her sister had already been quiet when Everly came along, and that quiet continued into adulthood and her mating to Wade, but they were as close as possible. They shared secret whispers while tucked into the cramped bunk of the family’s camper or traded snacks when one preferred what the other was given. They hugged and cried and laughed, right up until Emery left for Wade’s RV. Then her sister’s quietness changed into an air of sadness.
Everly’s panther hissed at the sudden pain of loss. She wanted what Faith and Becca had. She wanted her sister happy and whole. Her banishment ensured she’d never see Emery’s smile again.
Then arms wrapped around her and the scent of a breaking storm filled her nose. Sawyer pulled her close to his chest, cupping the back of her head and simply comforting her with his touch.
Everly wrapped her arms around his waist and held on to the rock she’d found when the rising waters of despair threat
ened to drown her.
Chapter 18
Everly’s hands nearly shook by the time she climbed the porch to Sawyer’s cabin the next night. When she finally left Faith, Tommy, and little Mia—at Sawyer’s insistence—she collapsed into bed and promptly fell asleep. The man didn’t even wake her when he left the next morning for his shift at the firehouse. She was grateful for the uninterrupted slumber, but it made her cat twitchy. The animal within her wanted Sawyer’s touch and comfort, and Everly was too jittery to deny she needed it, too.
Inside, the scent of barbecue and flowers rolled over her senses. Sawyer padded out of the bedroom, freshly washed and smelling utterly delightful. Wet hair brushed back and a single drop of water made a journey from his collarbone down his naked chest.
Reluctantly, she pried her eyes away from him and gestured to the flowers and food on the table. “What’s all this?”
He stalked forward. The predatory gleam in his eyes sent a shiver down Everly’s spine. He demanded her full attention, and that pesky panther shoved distracting images at her. She was torn in denying the sendings from her cat insisting that Sawyer was their mate or giving in to the need rushing through her body.
But Sawyer didn’t do anything more than take her by the hand and lead her to the table. A large, colorful bouquet spanned almost the entire width, with trailing ends smoothing out over the wood like the train on a dress. Plates were filled, too. All he needed were candles and dim lighting for a romantic date setting.
“This is for you. For everything you’ve done since you arrived.”
“Since you brought me here, you mean,” she said without thinking.
“That.” He moved behind her, shifting her hair to the side. He brushed his lips on the back of her neck. “I think what you did yesterday was fucking sexy. Bringing new life into the world.”
“I didn’t do anything.” Was that her voice? It was too breathy. She wanted to lean into the heat blasting off his chest. “I just ushered Mia in. Faith did all the hard work.”