His warning was like a blow to Sarah’s heart. Looking at her big brother for the first time in months, it hurt to see nothing but contempt in his cold eyes. For a second there she suffered second thoughts but she refused to be cowered by his disdain. She'd done what she had to do and her actions today would prove to them that she did care about him and his mate.
She straightened her back and looked straight at him. "It's not, they found her."
"What?!"
"Who are they?" Matt demanded from behind a perplexed Nick.
"Kate and her accomplices." Matt and Nick looked at her in disbelief, they didn’t make a move and all her composure fled out the window. "We don't have time for this! I snuck out as soon as word came in that they found Jessica. Please you have to believe me! They are on their way to her now."
Nicks heart skipped a beat upon hearing his mates name and his beast wanted to follow Sarah but he wasn't ready to make such a rash decision. He stood his ground, raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "How do I know you aren't lying?"
"I'm not and you don't know but I will tell you this I heard they were following Danielle and that’s how they found her."
Matt scuffed and shook his head, "we have someone on Danielle. If she was meeting with Jessica, we would know about it."
Sarah turned to look at Matt; the contempt she'd gleamed in Nick's eyes didn't hurt as much as Matt's look of indifference. He looked at her and it was as if he looked right through her. She could deal with anger from him-it meant he still cared but what could she do when it seemed that he didn't care anymore?
Her heart lay at his feet and Sarah was amazed to find that she could still stand. Hoping that none of the pain she felt showed, this wasn't about them, she raised her chin, "Are you sure about that?" She asked him, mimicking his stance. "Call them," she dared.
Matt eyed her with distrust even as he slowly pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit the speed dial button. Everyone waited in tense silence, after letting the phone ring with no answer,
Matt turned it off and bit out a curse.
He looked at Nick. "No answer, something's wrong."
Nick felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of his world, he turned to look at Sarah, "Where is she?"
His question was almost an intelligible growl. Nick could feel his canines begin to extend, his nails turn to claws and his eyes began to glow, shifting into those of a predator. His arms began to sprout fur and he could feel his whole body shaking as he fought his beast for control, fought the urge to shift.
Matt grabbed Nick by the shoulders and gave him a shake, "get a hold of yourself," he told him then turned to look at Sarah and also asked, "Where is she?"
Sarah told them where she heard that Jessica and Danielle were meeting and added, "They were barely leaving when I snuck out, it's not far from here, if we hurry we can get there in time to save her."
In better control of himself, Nick shrugged of Matts hold and took a step forward, "let's go."
"Nick wait," Matt rushed to stop him, "You can't just go in like this, we need to make a plan it could be a trap to get to you. What if they don't have her?" He tried to reason, "We need to think this through."
"I already did, there is no way I'm going to waste any more time, and if they have her they are dead." He looked at Sarah with eyes so cold they rivaled and an Arctic winter, "And if it's a trap, everyone involved is dead."
Sarah correctly interpreted his not so disguised threat and answered him with a stiff nod.
Nick looked at Matt, "I'm going ahead with Sarah; you get a hold of Axel and Christian and everyone else and meet us there."
Immediately his guards and Matt shook their heads, "you aren't going alone, we're coming with you."
"I can take care of myself; I wouldn't be the Alpha if I couldn't."
Matt crossed his arms over his chest, "As your enforcer and your guards our place is by your side. We are going with you." Nick shook his head but before he could protest, Matt added, "I can coordinate with everyone else through the phone on our way there."
"We are running out of time!" Sarah broke in, "We need to leave now!"
"She is right," Nick agreed then looked at Matt and his guards. "Let’s go."
Using their shifters speed, they were out of the woods minutes later and jumping into Nicks SUV. With dust swirling in their wake, they drove off as is the demons from hell were after them.
It was a silent and tense ride except for Matt who was busy relaying orders on the phone.
Looking out of the rear passenger side window, Nick wanted nothing more than to shift and run to Jessica but he knew that he would get there faster on car. They took the roads seldom traveled at neck breaking speeds and Nick prayed that they reached her in time.
If they harmed one hair on her head, he would make sure they died a slow and painful death. From a very young age he'd learned all kinds of torture techniques from his father and if they hurt her he'd make them pay. By the time he was done scraping the skin from their bodies with a silver edged blade, they would be begging for death.
Nick closed his eyes and prayed that he reached her in time. Jessica couldn't die, he didn't know how he'd managed to survive the last five months but he knew that he couldn't survive a lifetime without her.
If Jessica died... so would he.
Chapter 25
Jessica strolled at a leisurely pace down a less trodden trail of the nature park; enjoying the solitude and the fresh air. After spending the last five months in a metropolis she was in dire need of both. With every step and breath of fresh air that she took she felt the stress from living in the city leave her body.
When her heart had been broken, it had been the concept of getting lost in the crowd that had lured her to the east coast.
But soon after her arrival she realized that she hated living in the city. With her super heightened senses it had proved difficult to deal with the city’s many different sounds and scents.
Even worse was the loneliness, she'd never felt more alone as when she was surrounded by so many people.
At first, time crawled by, every second felt like an eternity. She spent most of her days in bed where sleep was her only escape from the pain. In fact, for the first couple of weeks she only bothered to get out of bed to eat or use the restroom.
It was on one of her trips to the restroom a month after her arrival that Jessica realized that her clothes were a little too tight. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, she noticed for the first time the changes taking place in her body. She did the math in her head and shock had her stumbling back into the wall and sliding down to the floor.
A broken heart wasn't the only reason for her increased appetite and lethargy.
She was pregnant
She didn't need a test to confirm what she already knew but she made an appointment at a local clinic anyways. Two weeks later, under an assumed alias, she met with a doctor who confirmed it-she was having Nicks baby. After promising to take better care of herself and exercise she stumbled out of the clinic in a daze. She made her way to the local pharmacy where she bought the prescribed pre-natal vitamins and headed back to her place.
When she got home she sat on her bed and stared at the bare wall. She laid her hands on her stomach and wept as it all sank in. Nick had gotten everything he set out to get.
Followed by that realization was a fierce determination to keep her child safe and away from Nick. Filled with a new resolution, she sat up straight and wiped away the tears. Fisting her hands over her stomach she made a silent vow to herself.
She would never allow him to hurt their child the way he'd hurt her.
Time passed, weeks became months and all along she held strong to her resolve. Even if at times it was trying having to deal with everything on her own. Not a day went by that she wasn't thankful for the money her parents had given her, it wasn't much but with careful planning she didn't have to worry about working until after she had the baby.
>
Unlike other women she could not afford to go see a doctor every month nor could she go to the same clinic twice, so she made sure to eat healthy and stay active for the sake of her baby.
She read everything she could get her hands on about pregnancy and when she learned that her baby was developed enough to know the sex, curiosity got the best of her.
She indulged herself and made an ultrasound appointment.
Lying on the examination table she prayed for her unborn child’s health as the ultrasound technician smeared a clear jelly on her round belly. As the technician moved the probe over her belly a grainy picture came up on the screen and Jessica realized it was her baby.
She cried tears of joy when she saw her child for the first time.
But her elation lasted only seconds; her worst fears had come true, something wasn't right. The technician was frowning at the screen as she moved the probe over her belly again and again.
Jessica felt her heart drop and she looked at the screen trying- and failing- to figure out what was amiss.
"What's wrong?"
The technician shook her head and instead of answering asked, "how far along did you say you were?"
"Almost five months, why?"
The technician frowned, "I don't think so, your baby has almost reached full term, your dates must be wrong." Jessica was too shocked to speak and watched in silence as the technician took a second look. "Full term," she declared again with a smile and continued soothingly, "this can happen sometimes, your belly is not so large so your confusion is understandable but you should be happy to know that the baby is healthy. I'm going to give you a copy of the results so you can show them to your ob-gyn and you guys can start making some birthing plans."
Jessica nodded and smiled no point in telling her that she had no doctor and that she couldn't possibly be more than five months pregnant. She wiped the jelly off her stomach, got dressed and was soon on her way with her ultrasound pictures and results in her bag.
She didn't remember how she got home, terror for her unborn child held her in a tight grip and for the first time since running away she thought about going back. She wasn't completely human neither was her child. What other surprises awaited her and what could happen if she wasn't properly able to deal with them? Her baby chose that moment to move and she realized that it was no longer about her. She had to think about her baby’s safety first and if that meant going back, so be it.
That had been a week ago and now here she was.
She had runaway to lick her wounds but now she was back, stronger and with a little extra. Jessica smiled as she rubbed her belly, the baby didn't move as much as he did a couple of weeks ago and now she understood why. Birth was just around the corner.
Jessica kept walking along the trail until she reached a clearing where she'd arranged to meet with Dani, her sister was the only one who knew of her arrival -she wasn't ready for everyone to find out-and they planned to surprise her parents and Riley when they returned from their trip. And what a surprise it would be! No one knew about the baby-not even Dani- and she smiled in anticipation of dropping the news.
She smiled wryly; it wasn't as if she could hide it.
That's how Dani found Jessica, smiling and glowing with a serenity that came from the inside. 'Jessica!" She ran to envelop Jessica in a hug and stumbled back in shock when she felt a soft nudge against her midsection. Without a word, Dani reached for Jessica’s bulky coat and spread it open to expose her expanded belly. "OH MY GOD!"
"Surprise!" Jessica told her sheepishly.
"How?..."
Jessica rolled her eyes at a stunned Dani, "do I really need to tell you how?"
"Is it..?"
"No one else’s."
"Is that why you came back?"
Jessica nodded and told her everything about her time away. She told her about her ultrasound, the results and her greatest fear. The reason for her return, "The baby looked like a normal baby but it's going to be four months early. The baby is not completely human,” Jessica told her, voicing her worse fears “what if he ends up being born with fur. What if instead of giving birth to a baby I end up with a puppy?!"
Dani laughed, "You won't, trust me, and you will be giving birth to a baby." She assured her.
"How do you know?"
"I just do." Dani replied and rushed to change the subject, "What about Nick?"
"What about him?"
"Have you decided what you're going to do? Do you plan on telling him?" Jessica shrugged, "if you plan on staying here he is going to find out. Before I left the house I talked to Nick and he told me he wasn't giving up."
"Did you do what I told you to?"
"Yeah, I made sure no one was following me."
"I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you. You didn't manage to lose them, but don't worry, I had someone take care of them."
Both Dani and Jessica snapped around to look at Kate. "What are you doing here?" Jessica asked her.
"I am here for the baby of course. If my estimations are correct the baby is old enough to survive without its mother but don't worry, I will raise the Heir as if he were my own." Kate shook her head, "of course this would have all been easier if you'd fallen for Shane. Who would have guessed that you were Nick's true mate? Nick thought he was so smart, trying to lead us away from you. But we are the ones who will have the last laugh and I have to thank you for making it so easy. For believing my lies, Nick never wanted me but now he will change his mind when he finds out that I have his heir."
Jessica put a protective hand over her belly and growled, "Over my dead body."
"That is the plan, it always was." Kate’s pleasant tone didn't match he words or her psychotic smile.
Without warning Kate shifted and charged towards them. Out of nowhere Dani stepped in front of Jessica and pushed her back in an attempt to protect her and the baby. A second later the brown wolf slammed into Danielle, it dug its teeth into her stomach and shook her like a ragged doll.
Danielle screamed in agony and tried to free herself but it was a futile attempt. Fearful for her child, Jessica stumbled backwards and watched in horror as Danielle’s blood went spraying everywhere. Then Danielle’s cries suddenly stopped and the wolf flung her away like a discarded chew toy. It turned its sights on Jessica and slowly walked towards her, Jessica backed away, the wolf could have pounced at any time but Kate was toying with her.
Jessica looked around trying to find a way to escape; she had to protect her baby. Looking around she noticed something for the first time, she was surrounded by them. Her eyes landed on Danielle’s prone body and she snapped, she wasn't going down without a fight, last time she'd run away when confronted with the ugly but not this time.
For the second time in her life, her powers emerged and she allowed her wolf to take charge. Jessica closed her eyes in an attempt to shut away the pain she felt when her bones turned, twisted and shifted. When she next opened them she was seeing through the eyes of her wolf. It happened so quickly, one minute she was standing upright and the next she was on all fours.
After that her survival instincts took over.
Kate barely had time to react, within the blink of an eye Jessica pounced on her. They crashed into each other, each going for the others throat. Jessica finally managed to gain the upper hand and pinned the other wolf to the ground. She clamped her jaw over her throat tore it out. Blood spilled into her mouth, Kate’s whines filled her ears and Jessica growled in satisfaction.
Kate’s' struggles to free herself were ineffective and soon her body went slack. Her death brought her no sense of triumph. She was still surrounded by wolves’ intent on harming her and they were closing in.
Jessica stepped away from the dead wolf, backing away from the one that were advancing on her she realized that Kate had managed to bite her a couple of times and that she wasn't healing as fast as she usually did. Jessica went to stand over Dani's body and panic kicked in when she realized that Dani was dying-
and so was she. She tried to shift back but she couldn't, she didn't know how and she was too weak from her wounds, too weak to fight, too weak to even stand.
She could sense their joy as they watched her struggles to stay upright. Acting more like hyenas than wolves, they watched and waited patiently for her to go down. Even untrained, a Lykaon was hard to take it down, her father was proof of that and they couldn't take any chances.
Jessica's legs went out from underneath her and she laid down next to Dani her head on her paws and closed her eyes.
Not a second later she heard a great commotion, wolves were growling and snarling. Jessica opened her eyes and time to see the last of her attackers being killed.
"Jessica!"
Nick stepped into the clearing to find Jessica in wolf form lying next to Dani, both of them dying; surrounded by treacherous wolves. Nick lost it, he shifted and in the blink of an eye he charged those looking to harm his mate. He showed them no mercy and went straight for their throats.
The confrontation ended as soon as it began. ,'
When all threats had been taken care of, he ran to kneel beside Jessica and ran his hands over her fur, while Matt checked on Dani, "Oh god baby, you have to shift. Jessica if you don't shift you will die."
Jessica whined and looked at Nick with pain filled eyes.
"I don't think she can." Matt said from beside him.
Jessica looked at Matt and whined again as if in agreement.
"Why not?"
"I don't think she knows how."
Jessica whined again.
Nick took a deep breath and talked her through the process. Jessica used every spare ounce of energy and followed nick's instructions. Nicks gasp of shock upon seeing her stomach was overshadowed by Christians' cry when he stepped into the clearing and saw Dani dying on the ground.
"Dani!" Christian ran to her side, pushing Matt away he looked at her stomach wound and unsuccessfully tried to stop the bleeding with his hands, "oh god, Dani no, you can't die. You have to fight."
Matt put a hand on his shoulder, "it’s no use, the medics won’t get here in time, and she’s lost too much blood."
The Heir Page 24