by C. D. Gorri
His Wolf’s instincts to protect, honor, obey, and love his mate were awesome, but the man needed to remain in control. Yes, Charley craved that explosive physical contact that was so strong between them, but Rafe fought hard against it.
Sleeping next to her sweet, soft form last night had damn near done him in. And when she’d rolled over and covered his legs with hers he almost exploded from the contact. Like a horny teenager still wet behind the ears.
Her sweet honey scent had filled his nostrils and it was all he could do not to follow his instincts and lick her from head to foot. She was delectable, funny, smart, and beautiful.
He felt ashamed of himself for making her feel as if she wasn’t. I’ll make it up to you, baby, after, he vowed as he helped her to a sitting position.
“Well, you two must be excited. It is getting close to your due date. How are you feeling, Mrs. Maccon?”
“I feel fine, well, I’m huge, but I feel good.”
“Well, your baby is firmly planted in there even though I can only get a side view. I can tell he or she is doing perfectly! Have you been taking your vitamins?”
“Yes, except I switched to the low iron brand, the other ones were giving me gas,” Charley answered.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me? Does she need more iron? Can she get it through diet?” Rafe crossed his arms over his chest as he demanded answers to his questions. Why hadn’t she told him she had gas pains?
“Mr. Maccon,” the doctor began in a calming tone, though she was careful to avert her eyes to her Alpha’s dominance.
“I gave your wife two kinds of prenatal vitamins specifically for this purpose. Don’t worry. She is getting everything she needs. The child too.”
He felt his wife glaring at him and knew he’d stepped in it again. What was he supposed to do though? How could he take care of her if she kept things from him?
“Now, Mrs. Maccon, your blood pressure is slightly elevated from the last time you were here though you are still within normal range. I’d like you to take it easy the next few weeks, supernatural pregnancies can be difficult.”
“I thought not all Werewolf and normal couples have supernatural young?” Charley asked with a hand on her belly.
“Well, that is true. There is no guarantee your child will be a Werewolf, but it is more than likely given your husbands genetics.”
“Okay, um, is it true I’ll be carrying for longer than nine months?”
“Um, well, truthfully, I’ve seen Werewolves and wives of Werewolves give birth anywhere from six to ten months after fertilization. Of course, the longer the baby is in there the better chance he or she has of being viable.”
Rafe’s jaw clenched. He hated that terminology. As if she’d understood that the doctor turned to him, with her eyes still carefully averted.
“Don’t worry, Mr. and Mrs. Maccon, I am going to do everything I can to make sure you are both healthy.”
“Thank you, Dr. Davis, may I use the restroom now?” Rafe helped Charley off the examination table as the doctor waved her towards the restroom. He watched his mate carefully until she closed the door, then he turned his attention to the doctor.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, sir, of course.”
“My wife is concerned about, well, about sex, Dr. Davis.”
“Ah, yes, well most pregnant women are uncomfortable with their size and it is really just a matter of finding the right, ah, position-”
“No, you see, she wants to have sex. She thinks I don’t find her attractive anymore, but I’m just trying to keep them safe. Can you tell her it isn’t a good idea?”
“Mr. Maccon, with all due respect, your wife is experiencing a huge surge of hormones and her body is constantly making demands of her. Many pregnant women crave sexual attention. If she feels good enough to have intercourse, then I suggest you oblige her.”
“But what about the baby?”
“Has she experienced any pain or bleeding after intercourse?”
“No. Not that I know of.”
“Then she’s fine. Trust your wife, Mr. Maccon. She will tell you when it is no longer comfortable for her.”
Rafe left the doctor’s office unassured. He took Charley to get a chocolate egg cream at the Maccon City Dairy, then back home to Macconwood Manor. He was nervous, and it showed.
He couldn’t help it. His Wolf was working overtime, watching and listening for anything and everything while they were out. His lack of sleep was catching up with him.
Charley yawned in the car. She was tired too. Rafe picked her up out of his car and carried her to their room despite her many protests. He ignored the amused glances from those members of his Wolf Guard who witnessed the entire thing.
“But I want to go to the game room and watch TV?”
“You can watch television in bed. You need rest.”
“But Rafe!”
He kissed her gently on the mouth, shushing her protests. He needed her safe. He couldn’t explain it. Not in words, but maybe if he showed her, without going to far. He nuzzled her cheek and lay her down on the comforter.
“If you lay with me for a bit, then I’ll take a nap, deal?” She yawned, and he gave in. How could he say no to her?
He gathered her close to his side and turned on the brand new flat-screen he’d had installed for her in their bedroom. He turned on one of those cooking shows she liked and muted the volume. Then he rubbed her back in slow, wide circles.
Within minutes, her breathing evened out and she was asleep in his arms. Rafe kissed her hair and tried to stem the worry from overflowing. He placed one giant hand carefully on her belly and jumped, almost waking her up, when he felt the baby kick. His heart swelled with love and pride.
Please, please, keep her safe, keep them safe, was his silent prayer over and over again.
CHAPTER 4
Early November…
“That’s it! I will kill him!” Charley raged as Seff stood and blocked the door.
“I am sorry, Charley, but Rafe had to go to a meeting and he said you weren’t to leave the room.”
“I don’t give a crap what he said! I want to go for a drive!”
“Charley, be reasonable, it’s raining, it’s dark.”
“I don’t care! Either you take me for a drive right now or I’m going to sick Buttercup on you!”
Right on cue, Charley’s pet from when she’d lived alone came down the hall. The fluffy cat had his back up and his fangs bared. It was a well-known fact in the household that Buttercup was Charley’s personal attack cat. If she was unhappy, her cat made sure the culprit was too.
Lately, the fur ball had been napping inside the closet all over Rafe’s belongings. It was difficult to look like an Alpha werewolf when you were covered in orange cat hair. At any rate, Seff had no desire to fight the fearsome creature.
“Okay, okay. I will take you for a ride in town, deal? But I’m telling Rafe you made me!”
An hour later…
Rafe pulled into the garage back at Macconwood Manor. He noticed immediately that the cherry red Range Rover, the one he’d bought his wife as a gift, was missing. She loved that vehicle, and she would never let anyone take it without her. That meant-oh shit!
Rafe ran up the stairs three at a time. He first noticed that Seff was not stationed at the bedroom door. He went in and panic flared inside of him. His Carlotta was not there. He grabbed his cell and dialed.
The meeting he’d just left was from one of his security teams, his Wolf Guard had trained them and ordered them to keep an eye on Rafe’s biggest enemy. Skoll was a rogue Werewolf, one of his father’s ex-cronies.
He was cruel and dangerous. He wanted to be the Alpha. Skoll had tried again and again to rob Rafe of his rightful place. He’d even been involved in a kidnapping attempt on Rafe’s sister Cat.
Luckily, Tate Nighthawk, one of his best Guards, had been with her. The two were happily married now and Cat was now one of his Wolf Guard, as she�
��d always wanted to be.
Rafe and Charley had spent every night together the past two months, though it killed him inside not to touch her. She’d been upset, but he insisted. No sex. He tried to convey that he was keeping his distance for her own good.
Still, they’d had a brief argument that morning and then he’d been called away. The report he’d received was very disturbing. Skoll had been seen in the vicinity and with a know practitioner of Dark Magic.
Rafe himself had gone to the motel where he’d been seen, but there was no sign of Skoll. Only some rare ingredients and a couple of empty vials remained in the room. They’d bagged the stuff and sent it to a White Witch that the Pack was friendly with for identification.
Rafe sent Kurt and Dib, two more of his Guard, to track the Dark Witch who’d been working for Skoll. They’d pick him up for questioning. Then, he headed back home to put everyone on high alert. He’d been so preoccupied with his duties to his Pack, he hadn’t thought to call Charley herself.
He was going to be a terrible father! He knew it already. His wife and young should have been his first concern. And they were, but he hadn’t been quick enough. He heard her cell phone go off in their bedroom and his heart dropped to his stomach. She didn’t have it with her. Fuck.
They’d regained some of their closeness and he was glad, but he’d kept this threat from her. He hadn’t known just how serious it was. He needed to find her, now!
CHAPTER 5
Charley was waiting inside the car as Seff drove her high-end SUV since she couldn’t fit behind the wheel anymore. That galled her no end. Still, she loved her baby and didn’t mind the stretch marks one bit. The rain was coming down hard now, she was glad they were headed back to the manor.
The drive was a nice one. It settled the gas pains that had been plaguing her all day and night. They usually came and went, but today they stuck around for some unknown reason. She’d been careful not to mention them to Rafe. He’d have had her at the doctor’s office immediately.
Overbearing idiot, she told herself. She just needed a ride around in the car and some ginger ale. She huffed out a breath as she began to feel the strain in her lower back. She lovingly patted her wide belly and smiled. This baby was going to be huge! The doctor had assured her, everything was just fine. Supernatural babies simply required a lot of fuel!
The woods surrounding their compound were dense and unlit. Rafe preferred it that way. There was, of course, the public road that was very well-lit and paved, but she really had to pee and asked Seff to take them the back way. It was faster by about six minutes.
He’d obliged her. No sooner had they entered the private property, when they both heard a pop and the car pulled to the right. They’d just left the highway and the private road was very dark, but it was almost certain they had a flat.
Good thing, Seff could see in the dark though, not very well through all the rain. They were still a few miles to the house and there was no way she was walking in all that weather. If only she hadn’t left her cell at home! Ugh.
“Yup, it’s definitely flat,” Seff said as he turned to face her with an apologetic smile.
It was odd that the brand-new car would have blown a tire like that, but that was just her luck. She smiled regretfully at him. He’d have to change the tire on his own.
“Sorry about this, Charley, can you hold it a little longer?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about me, I’m sorry you have to change the flat in this weather.”
“No worries. Stay put.”
He smiled and zipped up his raincoat before heading around to check the back, driver’s side tire. There was a flat tire kit in the trunk somewhere, she was certain. Anyway, Seff would see to it and she’d be home in no time.
Charley rested her head against the cushioned chair and closed her eyes. Her back was really starting to hurt. Maybe Rafe would rub it when she got home? She’d been concentrating on her breathing when she heard a thud. She tried to turn around in her seat, but she couldn’t really move. There simply wasn’t enough room.
“Seff?” She called out and pressed the button to open her window.
Cold rain splashed her face, but Charley didn’t even feel it as a man with furious black eyes and a pony-tail grabbed her door handle before she could push the lock down. Fear coursed through her body as she looked at those coal black eyes. It was him. Skoll.
“Out you go now, Mrs. Maccon,” he snarled and released her seatbelt. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward with so much force that she stumbled on the slippery pavement and hit her knees on the floor.
“Ow!” Pain shot through her back as she tried to crawl away from him. He was her husband’s enemy and that meant the would use her and her child to hurt Rafe!
“No, no, no!” She cried as she tried to scramble to her feet, but the pain came again this time hitting her even lower in her back.
Skoll caught up to her easily. He chuckled deep in his throat as he hefted her to her feet. The rain seemed to slow down, but Charley was soaked and freezing. She trembled in his grip.
She could tell by the evil gleam in his black eyes that he liked it. He was getting off on her fear and pain. She forced herself to stand still and firm. She wasn’t going to give this creep one ounce of pleasure.
“What have you done with Seff?”
“Oh, that brown-haired pup? He’s sleeping right now. A touch of Dark magic and, bam, knocked that Werewolf right on his ass! But lookee what I got here,” he dropped his eyes to her large belly. Charley tried to pull away from him, but he was too strong.
“Let go of me, you piece of shit,” she said between clenched teeth.
“Ah, the bitch reveals herself! You know, when I set up camp right in Rafe’s backyard I thought maybe I’d get a stray or two, but I never dreamed I’d catch his whore!”
He pulled her with him further into the trees. Charley had no choice, but to follow. She gritted her teeth against the sharp pains that were coming more and more frequently and tried not to think the impossible. She was going into labor in the middle of the night, in the woods, during a thunderstorm, with her husband’s worst enemy.
Skoll was tall and muscular, though there was something slimy about his whole appearance. As if he were bathed in evil. He shoved her onto the ground in a little clearing where he’d assembled a lean-to of sorts. Charley sat up and tried to keep the pain from showing on her face, but she was certain now that what she was feeling were contractions.
“Don’t bother praying, it’s two weeks till the moon. He’ll never find you in time!”
Rafe, I am so sorry, she said in her mind as she watched Skoll light a gas lamp. The smell of the kerosene made her want to gag, but she kept silent. She didn’t know what shape Seff was in, but she hoped he was able to get help.
She didn’t have much time left. Maybe she could try to reach him through their matebond? Charley closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. She was worried they weren’t as strongly connected as they’d been before.
Back at the manor…
Rafe had no time to call for help. He ran for the front door and nearly plowed down Liam and Conall. Conall’s blonde spiked hair was even taller than usual and Liam was holding a video game in one hand as the two of them talked shit over who was going to kick whose ass.
“Have you seen Seff or my wife?” He growled the words. He could hardly keep his Wolf from showing through his bright blue eyes.
“Um, no man, wassup?” Conall asked.
“Seff said Charley wanted to go for a ride earlier, but that was while ago,” Liam replied.
“He’s not answering his phone, I need to find her now. There’s been news about Skoll it’s not safe.”
“Shit, um wait, let’s track their phones.”
Rafe held up Charley’s cell phone in his hand. He was barely able to form words in his frenzied state. Liam and Conall swallowed.
“I have to go find her now!”
“Wait one sec!”
&n
bsp; “I don’t have time. She needs me, I can feel it.”
“But it makes no sense to leave without having an idea of where to go,” Liam protested, but Rafe didn’t hear him.
He went out into the rain and closed his eyes. He needed his mate. She was out there, somewhere. He had to find her. He felt a pull and knew instinctively it was her. She was in pain. No!
“Rafe, wait! Seff has his cell. He always does. Just give me one second,” Conall had his own phone in his hand and was calling Randall, the resident techie genius.
“You trace the phone, I’m going to fine my mate,” with that he tore of his shirt and ran towards the woods. One second he was on two legs the next he was on four. His Wolf was huge and black as the night as he ran in the direction his matebond was pulling him towards.
Liam whined at Conall and nodded his head towards their Alpha. He was amazed that the man could change with the moon so far away. It was true the curse was almost broken, but Werewolves needed to learn how to live with their beasts all over again. Rafe’s accomplishment was awe inspiring.
“I think he’d headed the right way, yeah, we’ll meet you there,” Conall hung up the phone and he and Liam ran after their Alpha. He was way ahead of them, but they’d still make better time on their own feet than if they stopped to get a car. They only hoped he’d find her quickly.
All the members of the Wolf Guard loved and respected Charley. She was the best thing that ever happened to Rafe. They would do anything for her and the little one. The two men sprinted down the road as their Alpha made his way through the woods.
Rafe leapt over knotted roots and branches that littered the woods in the back of the manor. His property went on for miles and miles, preserved for the Pack to have a safe area for runs and hunting. He’d never thought the breach they’d found earlier that night would go all the way to his property.
Rage burned inside of him as he ran harder than ever before through the cold rain. The drops felt like a thousand needles piercing his hide. His mate was close. Their bond was getting stronger, but she was in distress. He could feel her pain and the bitter taste of her fear.