by Jessica Snow
Suddenly, a wind gust swept through the area and the flames surrounding Liam went out like a blown-upon candle.
"What the hell?" he heard Crystal exclaim with shock. "I thought you told me that bitch was dead!"
Liam opened his eyes to see the dead blonde girl that he had seen in the dumpster, walking through the courtyard among the wolves as calmly as she would a stroll through a park, a small white cat her side. She was garbed in a flowing white dress that billowed out behind her, looking ethereal under the moon. A ghost?
A wolf ran up to her, barking and snarling. Unperturbed, the girl simply flicked a finger at it, and the wolf ran off in the opposite direction yelping with pain.
Crystal pulled out a match and began trying to spark it. "I don’t know what she’s doing here," she growled. "But it won’t save you." The match came to life. "Burn in hell, Liam!"
Before she could throw the match on the bonfire, it suddenly sparked in her face and her hair caught fire. Crying out in panic, Crystal began patting her hair frantically, but the more she tried the worse the fire got. In desperation, she dropped to the ground and began rolling around, but that only made the fire spread.
"Somebody help me!" Shrieking in unbearable agony, Crystal ran from the courtyard looking like a living pillar of flame. Underbrush caught in her wake, leaving a thinly burning trail behind her. Her shrieks of agony echoed through the forest, then cut off suddenly.
By this time, the girl that looked like Kat’s sister was surrounded by wolves. Most human girls would have run off screaming, but she was unafraid. Her face calm, she raised her hand and a shrill whistle assaulted Liam’s ears.
The wolves began howling and yelping with pain, running around like they had lost their minds, until one by one, they fled, leaving the field. McKenzie continued to hold up her hand, then after several moments, lowered it and the shrill sound stopped.
Liam breathed a sigh of relief. He was sure his ears were probably bleeding.
With the wolves gone, Liam could see Kat’s naked form lying in the dirt and another form, Ashley’s, several feet away. He wondered if both of them were still alive. Most of all, he worried for Kat.
"Hey!" Liam yelled at Kat’s sister as he weakly struggled against the rope. "Can you help untie me?"
McKenzie ignored him. With the white cat on her heels, she walked over to Kat and knelt down. She bent over her sister and appeared to whisper something to her. Next, she walked over to Ashley’s form, knelt and tapped her lightly. Then she rose to her feet and began walking away.
"Hey!" Liam yelled. Where do you think you are going? We’ve been looking all over for you."
The girl paused to look back at him, but then continued, her white dress bathed in moonlight making her look like a wraith.
"Get back here!" Liam called.
But she was gone. Maybe she is some kind of ghost, he thought. A really powerful, really pissed-off one. A moment later he felt his bonds loosen on their own. Not wasting any time, Liam jumped off the bonfire and quickly rushed across the field to Kat.
Kat lay half-twisted on the ground, her naked body covered with claw marks. But even now they were fading as her body regenerated. He placed a hand on her neck. "Kat, are you alright?"
Kat’s eyes fluttered open and a groan escaped her lips. "What the hell just happened?
Liam bent down and happily kissed her forehead. "You saved me." It was a little embarrassing to admit, but she was alive and his balls weren’t roasted, so he didn’t mind so much.
Kat’s face twisted into a confused expression. "I did?"
Liam grinned. "Yes, baby, you did.”
"Bullshit. We all saved you. Not that I think you deserved it, wolf.”
Liam turned around to see Ashley standing over his shoulders covered in dirt. Liam was surprised to see her unhurt since he saw her get covered by wolves.
"Some protectors we are, eh?" she asked Liam wryly. "If not for McKenzie, we’d all be dead."
"Don’t remind me," Liam groaned. It upset him, the alpha wolf that he was, to have been unable to protect Kat. As her pack leader, it was his duty to keep her safe.
"Liam," Kat mumbled, still appearing to be out of it.
He focused all his attention back on her. "Yes?"
"I’m starving."
Fifteen minutes later, Kat was busy chowing down on a fat rabbit that Liam had caught for her. The group, Liam, Kat, Elizabeth, Kevin, Ashley, Carly, and Zack, was gathered around the bonfire in the barn courtyard. Since McKenzie had left, there had been no more signs of the wolves or Crystal. Liam hadn’t even found her corpse when he had gone out hunting.
"I still can’t believe McKenzie is a witch," said Kat over a mouthful of the rabbit. "She never displayed any powers or anything."
“Well, neither did you, until recently.” Liam had told Kat everything that happened while she was getting chewed on by the wolves. Based on McKenzie’s actions and the strange things that had happened while she was present, they had quickly deduced that she was a witch, but how she had come into her power, and how she had shown up at just the right time, remained a mystery.
"And I still can’t believe any of this is real," Elizabeth said with a disbelieving shake of her head. "Now I don’t get to call you and Ash psychos." Elizabeth was seated by Kevin, whose eyes were glazed. Kat had been told that he had fainted when all the action went down and had not spoken a word since. I like him better this way, she thought. While he was quiet, he wasn’t lying or insulting her.
"I knew McKenzie was a witch all along," Ashley chirped in. The Guardian stood just outside their circle, casting frequent glances around them in the woods.
"Oh, go to hell!" Kat snapped. “You could have come to us and told us what was going on a long time ago. Instead, you decided to pop in just as things got crazy and start pointing your gun at people.” Ashley looked slightly chagrined, and Kat turned back to her meal. "I’m just glad to know that McKenzie is alive."
Liam shook his head with confusion. "I don’t get it. I know I saw her dead in that dumpster."
Kat shrugged. "Who knows what you really saw? It doesn’t matter in the end anyway if she’s actually okay." Kat tossed a glance over at Ashley. "Now maybe Ash can get the Wardens to release my dad."
Ashley dropped her gaze to the ground. "We’ll see," she muttered.
"Since McKenzie’s a witch," said Carly to Zack, "Does that mean you’ll be with me now?"
The teen girl was seated next to the handsome jock, who seemed more relieved than anything. When Zack had been told about what happened to Crystal, he had not reacted with sadness. "It’s no less than she deserved," he had said. Apparently, he had finally accepted that his sister had been evil as well as crazy.
Zack blushed and looked away. "Nope. I’m going to find her and I’m going to let her bewitch me."
"Ah, damn," Carly complained.
"Will you two shut up so I can enjoy my rabbit?" Kat growled.
Everyone laughed and made it a point to begin talking all at once, when suddenly, Kat let out a pained groan.
Liam was quick to rush to her side. "Kat, are you alright?"
"I feel so sick all of a sudden," Kat groaned, dropping the rabbit on the ground. What the hell is going on? Her stomach felt about to boil over.
Elizabeth stared at the half-eaten rabbit with a sickly expression. "Maybe it’s your diet."
Ashley shot her a glare and then turned a suspicious gaze on Kat. "Shut up dummy. Something is seriously wrong here."
Kat sat up. "I think I’m okay n—oh shit. Ugh—" Without warning, Kat doubled over and threw up what felt like everything she had eaten for the last few days.
"Gross!" Carly whined as Elizabeth dove away from the disgusting spray and Kevin’s legs were hit with bile and bits of food. But Kat’s ex did not react and continued to sit there like a zombie.
When Kat was finally done throwing up, she clutched at her sides and moaned. "God, I feel so sick. What the hell?"
Gla
ncing up at the moon, Ashley shook her head, her face white. "This is not good at all."
Liam was equally shocked as he stared at his sick mate. "It’s not possible."
Her face pinched with pain, Kat looked back and forth between them. "What are you two going on about?"
Liam’s next words shocked everyone present. "Kat...you’re pregnant."
Epilogue
"Get it out of me!" Kat screamed in agony. Sweat poured down the sides of her face as she huffed and puffed. Lying out on a large blanket on a cave floor with a swollen belly, she could hardly believe her current situation.
Barely six months had passed since Kat had found out she was pregnant. Despite warnings from Liam, she had not been prepared at how unnaturally fast her pregnancy would develop, and now she found herself wishing she had listened.
Because of the size of her stomach and the likelihood that people would have heard her labor screams from miles away, Kat, Liam, Ashley, and Elizabeth had come to a cave on a secluded hill on the outskirts of the city. Liam and Elizabeth had been dismissed to the entrance as soon as they had gotten there because Ashley did not want anyone getting in her way. Kat had no idea when Ashley had become a midwife, but she supposed it came with the territory of being a Guardian.
"That’s not going to happen if you don’t put more effort into it," Ashley snapped from her place in between Kat’s legs. Kat’s Guardian was dressed down in a brown robe and had on large gloves, her hair pulled back into a bun.
"More effort?" Kat gasped in disbelief. "I’m trying the best I can!"
"No, you’re just complaining."
Kat’s head spun. The last six months had been a mix of triumphs and frustrations. Her sister had vanished again. Ashley had been unable to secure her father’s release or even locate the group that had him. Kevin had gone into total denial about the night they had rescued Liam and just kept calling her. And now, she was about to pop, and give birth to...what? Werewolves? Werebears? Something else?
"Why couldn’t we have just gone to a hospital like normal women do?" cried Kat.
Ashley looked up from between Kat’s big thighs. "Because normal pregnant women don’t grow bellies that are as enormous as yours," she replied, "and we have no idea what you’re going to give birth to."
“Great—Aaah!” Another sharp pain shot through Kat, sending an ear-splitting wail through her clenched teeth.
She wished McKenzie was there. Surely, she would be able to cast a spell to ease Kat’s terrible pain. Where did you go, little sister? How come you didn’t stick around? Kat and Liam, Carly and especially Zack, had looked all over for her. Liam, Carly, and Zack had witnessed McKenzie’s presence there, but none of them had been able to catch a scent trail, and neither had Kat.
"Push!" Ashley urged annoyingly.
If Kat wasn’t in so much pain, she would have knocked Ashley’s head off. Scrunching her face, Kat bore down with everything she had inside of her and another scream ripped through her throat. "I can’t do this!" she puffed a second later.
"You wanted this, remember?" Ashley reminded her. "I warned you something like this could happen." When Kat had gotten pregnant, Ashley had argued extensively that Kat should abort, stating that in all likelihood that her conception would result in a painful miscarriage, simply because there had never been a successful cross between a bear and a wolf.
Footsteps interrupted Kat’s caustic reply. "Is Kat alright? Her screams are loud enough to wake the dead—" Liz gaped at the sight between Kat’s spread legs, her face turning white as a sheet.
I don’t blame her. I know it must look like a super massive black hole down there, Kat thought miserably.
"Stop standing there gawking like a simpleton, Liz!" Ashley snapped. "If you’re not going to be of any use, go back out!"
Elizabeth stared between Kat’s legs, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "I-I-I," she sputtered before strong hands grabbed her from behind and dragged her from the cave.
Kat muttered a silent prayer of thanks that Liam had not peeked over the flustered girl’s shoulder and in between Kat’s legs. If he had, he might never have wanted to mate with her again.
For another half-hour, Kat continued the battle, straining, pushing, and crying. Finally, she gave one last violent push that resulted in pain so great that she thought she would pass out, and collapsed, panting.
Ashley stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Okay, this isn’t working." Like Kat, the girl was covered in sweat. They had already been at this for several hours. "But I have another idea."
"What’s that?" Kat wheezed.
"It’s going to hurt," she admitted.
"Then please don’t do it—" Kat began to beg.
Without warning, Ashley stuffed a cloth into her mouth, cutting off her words. "I’m sorry, Kat."
Kat’s eyes widened in horror as Ashley placed two hands on the top of her stomach and began pressing downward with tremendous force. A terrified wail filled the cave and Kat’s world exploded with pain. Then she lost consciousness.
Kat’s eyes blinked open slowly and she groaned. Her body felt sore from head to toe, and her uterus felt like it had been ripped out. Still, this was a minor discomfort compared to the pain she had been feeling before she had blacked out.
"Do you want to see your babies?" asked a voice.
Kat looked down to see Ashley at her side with a large bundle in her arms. Liam and Elizabeth were standing over her shoulder and both of them had expressions of surprise. Kat noticed, with some relief, that her entire body was covered with a soft, baby pink blanket.
Panic gripped Kat as Ashley’s use of the plural. "Babies?"
"Here," Ashley said, gently handing her burden over. "See for yourself."
Kat nearly let out a shriek when she saw what was in the bundles. Three. Furry. Things. Triplets...and cubs at that. They stared up at her, their bright little eyes fixed on her curiously. They looked like a cross between wolf and bear cubs—something that shouldn’t have been possible. Looking at their small faces, Kat felt elated, confused, shocked, and horrified all at once. Ashley was right. If they had been born in a hospital they might have ended up in a government lab.
After a moment, Kat looked around at the solemnly gathered faces. Was this real? Was this a dream? The pain she felt in her body told her it was not. She looked at Liam. "Were they supposed to come out looking like this?" From everything she had heard from Liam, she had assumed that her baby, or babies, in this case, would come out human and have the potential to be shifters, not come out as cubs.
Liam’s golden eyes were filled with both surprise and pride as he gazed at his offspring. "I don’t know. But as far as I know, there have never been hybrids of this kind before."
Kat tore her gaze away from Liam’s face when one of her cubs let out a chirpy growl. Considering their fuzzy faces, she found her heart quickly overcoming her shock. They were absolutely adorable! Who cared if they weren’t human. After all, Kat wasn’t technically a human either. "They are so cute!" Kat gushed.
"Aren’t they, though?" Liz sighed. The blonde girl had gotten over her shock and was now totally smitten by the cubs. "Can I hold one of them?"
Ashley jumped to her feet and dusted the dirt off her outfit. "Not now. Let’s give these two lovebirds some privacy and time to enjoy their accomplishment." Ashley gave Liam a quick glance before pulling Liz along. Kat was surprised how far the Guardian she had come in trusting Liam. It was a relief.
"But I want to hold one," Elizabeth protested, throwing a glance behind her. "They’re so adorable!"
"No you don’t, trust me," Ashley told her as they walked away.
Kat giggled as the two disappeared from sight and stared down into her newborns’ faces. "They look just like their daddy."
Liam dropped down beside Kat, a proud smile coming over his face, and pointed at the middle cub. "This one has big cheeks...like his mother."
Kat punched Liam in the arm. "Hey, that’s not fair."
>
"Just being real.”
There was a pause and then they both laughed, enjoying the triumph of the moment. After their joy had waned a little, Kat again felt the weight of their dilemma.
"What are we going to do about this?" Kat asked. "Will they ever turn into humans or will they always be this way?"
Liam scratched the back of his neck. "I honestly don’t know, Kat. I wish I did, but I don’t."
"Just great," Kat muttered. Now she had a captive father, a missing sister and three baby cubs to deal with. Talk about complications.
Suddenly, Liam looked around the cave. "But it looks like we found ourselves a new home until we find out."
Kat’s jaw dropped. "Seriously? New home? I hope you’re just joking."
Liam laughed and shook his head. "Nope. We can’t have baby cubs running around the city or in our townhome, now can we?"
"But," Kat protested. "I can’t live like this!"
Liam grinned. "A little wilderness never hurt anyone, especially shifters like us."
Kat glowered at her mate. "I don’t like it."
Liam placed both palms on the ground behind him and leaned his magnificent body back with an easy grin. "What’s not to like? We have a new place all to ourselves, rent free. We can say or do whatever we want without worry of our enemies finding us. And best of all, we now have a place where we can train your inner bear."
Kat sighed at the dreamy look on her mate’s face. They had so much more to do. They still needed to find McKenzie and help her father out of his predicament. "Can we at least get a couch?"
Liam sat up. "The hell do we need a couch for?"
"So, I can be a couch potato and eat bonbons when I get depressed. I’m sure these fuzzies, as cute as they are, are going to be more than a handful. I’ll have gray hairs before you can count to ten."
Liam threw his head back and laughed. "You’re absolutely ridiculous Kat."
Kat pouted in his face. "I know, but you still love me for it."
As Kat gazed into her lover’s beautiful eyes, one of her cubs let out a cute little hiccup that pulled on her heartstrings. She cradled him against her breast, and after a moment he latched on and started nursing.