The next few days didn’t feel as different as I thought they would, despite being officially mated to Julian Payne, Alpha of the Reckless Stalkers.
The morning after the mating ritual, I left Julian in bed and went back to the cabin that Laura and I were supposed to be sharing. She was there, unharmed as promised, and threw herself into my arms, crying and asking if I was okay.
“I’m fine,” I said, hugging her tightly and taking comfort in her scent. “He didn’t hurt me.”
“I was so scared for you,” Laura cried, her arms tightening around me. “I can’t believe this happened.”
“I know, Laura,” I soothed, rubbing her back. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
But was it really? Was everything going to be okay? I had a feeling that everything was about to change.
She had a million questions for me and I told her everything. There was no point in holding back now. I thought she’d run out of the cabin and kill Julian with her bare hands at first, but she relaxed a little when I admitted that I had consented to the mating at the very last minute. It made my cheeks burn with embarrassment to tell her, but I wanted everything to be crystal clear between Laura and me from here on out.
No secrets. No lies. No omissions.
“He’s a piece of shit,” Laura growled, her face red with anger. “I can’t believe he did this to you.”
“It was a shitty situation,” I said, sitting down on the couch and patting the seat next to me. “But we’re stuck with each other for the time being, so I have to tolerate him. Plus, being mated to him has given me a little strength boost.”
“You’re being awfully cool about this.”
“I have to be. There’s no use getting upset over it. What’s done is done.”
Laura let out another frustrated sound, then sighed and sat down beside me. “You’re right, of course. I’m just angry that he did this to you.”
“We’ll figure something out,” I said, smiling at her and reaching over to squeeze her hand. “Everything will be fine, Laura. It will work out.”
She didn’t look convinced, but she squeezed my hand back. “Okay, I trust you. But if he gets out of line, just let me know and I’ll kick his ass.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, and I pulled her into a hug. “Thanks, Laura. You’re the best. And I’m so fucking sorry they kidnapped you like that.”
Laura hugged me back, sighing softly. “I’m just glad you’re okay. How are you holding up?”
I pulled back, meeting her eyes. “Fine. I mean, he’s my mate, so everything worked out in the end. I just don’t know what will happen now.”
“Now we figure this out together. This is going to be okay, Whitney,” she said, nodding decisively. “You deserve to be happy.”
“So do you,” I said, leaning forward to touch her face gently. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. They were all so busy trying to figure out their next move that they didn’t pay much attention to me.”
“I’m so glad.”
Laura pulled away and smiled at me. “They gave me some food and water, and I managed to get a good night’s sleep. So don’t worry about me. What matters is how you’re doing.”
“I’m okay. It was pretty intense, but…” I let out a soft huff of a laugh and shook my head. “Well, you know how these mating things go. It wasn’t so bad. We just talked most of the night.”
Her eyes widened, and she blinked at me a few times. “You talked? The whole time?”
“Most of it, yeah.” I cleared my throat, feeling my cheeks heating up. “He was surprisingly…open. It was a good conversation.”
“Well fuck,” Laura muttered, shaking her head. “I don’t know what to say. I was expecting you to be traumatized and tell me that he’s a brute.”
“No, not at all.” I reached up, brushing a strand of my hair out of my face. “I think we’re going to be fine.”
“That’s good to hear, but I still don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.”
“Well, I’ll take care of him if he does anything stupid, don’t worry.” I stood up, stretching and letting out a loud sigh. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
***
Julian was the obvious enemy, but Laura and I found a secondary villain in the witch that the Reckless Stalkers had hired to perform the mating ritual.
When we left the cabin after lunch and spotted her out in the open, the blue-haired witch had frozen in her tracks, looking terrified. Laura snarled beside me, and I was sure she was going to shift right then and there.
“Not so tough now that I’m not tied up, huh?” she yelled, taking off after the witch. The woman yelped and ran in the opposite direction, and I grabbed Laura by the arm, stopping her.
“Laura, don’t. There has to be some reason that she’s still here.”
“There is,” a deep, familiar voice said from behind. I turned to see Julian, looking well-rested but understandably wary when he looked Laura’s way. “I found out she’s basically homeless and offered her one of the empty cabins if she agreed to train you in return.”
“Train me?” I echoed, not understanding.
“In witchcraft,” he clarified. “If you’re going to be running around all over the place with a target on your back, you might as well know how to use your power to the best of your abilities.”
“How do you know she’s even capable of training me?” I asked, curious. “She really agreed to do it knowing that I have barely any witch blood?”
Julian nodded his head, glancing over my shoulder at Laura before looking at me. “Yes, and I believe her. She just wants a safe place to stay.”
“So do we,” Laura snapped, taking a step forward. “Which you haven’t exactly provided so far.”
Julian met her eyes, and I saw his jaw tic slightly. “I know you don’t trust me, Laura, but I want you to know that you’re free to go whenever you want. If you leave, I’ll make sure the other pack members won’t bother you or follow you.” He turned back to me. “Just give it a chance, Whitney. You don’t lose anything by trying.”
“Fine. I’ll let her ‘train’ me, but in return I want you to leave us alone unless it’s about the demons.”
He frowned, looking displeased, but nodded. “That’s fair. I’ll leave you alone for now.”
I turned to Laura and arched my eyebrows at her, and she looked unhappy but sighed. “Okay. Thank you for your hospitality.”
Julian smiled slightly. “Of course. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a pack to run.”
He walked off without another word, and Laura sighed loudly. “I really don’t like him. There’s something shifty about him.”
“You think everything is shifty…but yeah, I agree,” I said with a laugh. “Come on, let’s see what this witch can teach me. It might be fun.”
***
It was harder for Julian to give us space than I originally thought, and when it became clear that I wasn’t going to stay in his cabin with him, he became broody and grumpy. I don’t know when I gave him any indication we would be acting like true mates now, but hope springs eternal, I guess, I thought to myself.
Two days later, Julian announced that he had to leave the cabins for a night to complete a big weapons delivery, and while it left a sour taste in my mouth, I didn’t complain. It wasn’t like I expected him to quit his job immediately.
Training with Erin was going about as well as my new mating—which is to say it sucked. Erin was young and while she clearly had some talent, she was also an amateur and had never trained anyone before.
The day Julian left, things came to a head. I was in Erin’s cabin while Laura read a book, sitting against a wall. She refused to leave my side now, even for my admittedly boring witch training.
I hated to admit that Julian was on to something because even with how amateur Erin was, I could feel a connection with the magic she tried to teach me that was a lot stronger than I expected. But still, it felt just out of my reach, and after three hours of trying to get me to meditate, Laura and I had both had enough.
“Let’s call it quits for today,” she said, giving me a sympathetic look when I winced and rubbed my temple. “I think you’ve got enough of a headache without this.”
“Yeah, okay,” I muttered, standing up slowly. My head swam and I felt nauseous. What was wrong with me?
“Maybe tomorrow will be better,” she said, trying to be encouraging. “I’m sure you just need more practice.”
I tried to smile, but I felt too sick to bother. “Sure, maybe.”
Laura sighed softly. “You go lie down, I’ll make you some food.”
I nodded and headed back to the cabin, letting myself inside and plopping down on the couch. I felt so exhausted, even though all I’d done was sit on my ass and try to focus my power. It had been almost impossible. I could feel it bubbling up under the surface, but I couldn’t grasp it and use it like Erin did.
The thought of food made my stomach turn, and I sighed softly and closed my eyes. I knew I should eat, but I was afraid I’d puke it all back up. Maybe I was sick.
I didn’t remember falling asleep, but I must have dozed off because I woke to Laura shaking my shoulder gently.
“Whit? You okay?” she asked, peering down at me with a worried expression.
I blinked slowly, then sat up and smiled at her. “Yeah, fine. What’s up?”
“I brought you some dinner.” She held up a plate of pasta and a cup of broth. “And some medicine, if you want.”
“Thank you,” I said, accepting the food and setting it on my lap. My stomach turned over just looking at it, but I hadn’t eaten for hours, and I knew I needed to try.
“How are you feeling?” Laura asked, sitting down beside me and pulling her knees up to her chest.
“Fine,” I lied, forcing myself to take a bite of pasta. I swallowed it down, ignoring my body’s protest. “This is good. Thank you.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “You don’t have to lie to me, Whit. I know you’re feeling like shit. And I don’t blame you. You’ve been through a lot in the last week.”
I nodded, taking another bite of the pasta. “True, but I usually bounce back faster than this.”
“Heavy magic is new. I bet it’s draining. Why don’t you just go lie down for the night?”
“I’ll be okay, really.” I swallowed down the pasta and took a sip of the broth, letting it soothe my throat and stomach. “I’m fine, Laura. I’m sure it’s just because of all the stress. It’s been a lot.”
“I know,” she said, sighing softly. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to stop it.”
We ate in silence, the mood heavier than either of us wanted it to be. I was ready to get back to hunting demons, not just sitting around trying to be something I wasn’t and waiting for Julian to return.
With my stomach calmed for the moment, I helped Laura clean up. We returned to the couch to watch a movie, but after I fell asleep before the halfway mark, I gave up and went to bed for the night.
My sleep was restless. I tossed and turned all night, plagued by dreams of demons, and waking up sweating and crying.
Laura slept on the pull-out couch in the living room, and when I finally woke up she had already made us breakfast and was curled up on the couch with a book.
“You’re awake,” she said, smiling at me. “How did you sleep?”
“Terribly,” I admitted, standing up slowly. I rubbed my stomach, which felt tight and bloated.
Laura frowned at me, her brows pulling together. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I shook my head and smiled at her. “It’s just the stress, like I said.”
“Maybe you need a day off? Just relax and take a break from training? You could use a little R&R.”
I sighed, walking over to the couch and sitting down beside her. “I know you’re probably right, but we have to get this demon situation under control. People are dying. I don’t want to be the one responsible for that happening.”
“I know, but you can’t keep pushing yourself like this, Whit. It’s not good for you.”
“I’m good,” I said, sighing softly. “I just need some breakfast. Did you save any for me?”
“Yeah, of course.” She stood up. “Go sit down. I’ll bring it to you.”
I did as she asked, letting her take care of me. She had always been protective of me since we were little, and it was nice to be cared for. I was so used to being the strong one, the one who looked out for everyone else, that it was a nice change of pace.
Laura brought over a plate of waffles, along with a small bowl of fruit and a cup of tea. “This will help your stomach,” she said, setting the tea in front of me. “And eat slowly. You don’t want to make yourself sick.”
“Yes, Mom,” I said, grinning at her and digging into my waffles. I took her advice though, and ate them slowly, letting them settle.
It should have worked, but after a few forkfuls, my stomach started to turn even more violently than before. I jumped out of my seat, clamping my hand over my mouth and running to the bathroom where I vomited up my breakfast.
“What’s wrong!?” Laura asked, coming in and kneeling down beside me. She grabbed my hair, pulling it away from my face and rubbing my back soothingly.
I vomited again and then flushed the toilet, leaning back against the wall and groaning softly. “I don’t know what’s going on with me.”
“I think I have an idea,” she said gently, “But we can talk about it when you’re feeling better. Why don’t you brush your teeth and take a shower? Maybe you’ll feel better after that?”
I nodded, standing up slowly. “Yeah, okay. That sounds nice.”
She smiled, then turned and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
I did as Laura suggested, letting the hot water soothe me as much as it could. I felt a little better after my shower, but the nausea had returned full force and I was sweating again. My whole body ached, and I was ready to climb back into bed and sleep until this was over.
I got dressed and pulled my damp hair into a braid, then headed into the living room to talk to Laura. She looked up at me from the couch and frowned, setting down her book.
“You look worse,” she said, shaking her head.
“I feel worse,” I admitted, sitting down beside her on the couch. “I’m just going to get some more rest, and I’ll be fine.”
“Actually, I think we should go into town. I have a suspicion about what’s going on.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, frowning at her.
My friend looked troubled, but she put on a happy face for me. “We’ll talk about it when we get there. Grab a soda out of the fridge for the ride, it might settle your stomach.”
I let Laura drive, sipping my cold drink and staring out the window at the scenery, trying to ignore how much the dirt roads were making the car jolt. When we made it into town, Laura pulled immediately into a drug store parking lot and marched us to the family planning aisle, where she shoved a box of pregnancy tests into my hands.
I looked down at the box, and then back up at her, a cold flush of nerves coming over me. “No way. It was only a few nights ago and—"
“And we’re werewolves,” she pointed out. “We test positive almost immediately, remember? Something about stronger hormones and all.” She took the box out of my hands, ripped it open, and handed me a test. “Here. Go to the bathroom and pee on this while I go pay for them.”
“Fine,” I grumbled, taking the test and walking to the back of the store.
I peed on the stick as she instructed, and then set it on the counter in front of the mirror and washed my hands. I turned to stare at it, my stomach twisting in a knot. What if it was positive? I couldn’t have a baby. I didn’t want one, and especially not now, with the world literally going to hell in a handbasket.
Letting Julian bite me was a necessary evil, but having his baby was out of the question.
The test still had time to develop, but I could already see the little pink plus sign forming. I closed my eyes and leaned forward, resting my hands on either side of the sink and letting out a slow breath.
Laura knocked on the door, and I snapped out of my mini panic attack. “What?”
“You okay?” she called, her voice muffled by the wood.
“Yeah, it’s just…it’s positive.”
There was a moment of silence, and then she cleared her throat. “Okay, well. That’s what we expected, right? Don’t worry Whit, it’ll be okay. You know you’re not alone here.”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Yeah, I know. Thank you.” I picked up the test and tucked it into my pocket before leaving the bathroom.
Laura was waiting for me at the front counter, looking worried. She smiled at me, but I could see the concern in her eyes. “It’s going to be okay,” she promised, stepping forward and giving me a quick hug.
I forced myself to not cry. “Of course it will. Let’s get out of here.”
I followed her outside, letting out a slow breath. This changed everything, but I wasn’t going to let it ruin my life. I’d figure this out, just like I figured everything else out.
“We’ll go to the next town over and see a doctor there,” Laura said, getting into the car and buckling up.
I got in the passenger seat, strapping in. “What? Why? The pack healer is just fine.”
“Because you need to know how far along you are, and a doctor can tell us that. Plus, I bet they’ll have something to help with your morning sickness.”
I sighed softly. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. Let’s just get back to the cabins so I can…I don’t know. Wallow in my self-pity.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. A quick trip to the urgent care clinic, we’ll get you some nausea meds, and then head back to the cabins. It will give you some time to figure out how to tell Julian—"
“No!” I snapped, whipping to face her. “We are NOT telling Julian.”
Laura frowned at me. “Whitney…if you don’t want to tell him, I get it. He’s horrible. But if you want to keep this a secret we need to get back to Silverfang Creek territory as soon as possible."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I know, but I just…can't deal with that right now, okay? Please, Laura?"
"Of course. We won't say anything about this for now. But eventually, he's going to notice that you're pregnant."
"I know, I just…need a little time to think."
She nodded. "Okay, let's go." She reached over and took my hand, squeezing it. "You've got this, I promise."
I returned her smile, but it was just for show.
I really wished I could believe her.