Page 31 of The Brave (Black Arrowhead #6)

“ W hat are you doing up this late?” Bear stood outside his bedroom door with a pillow tucked under his arm. He had on a long-sleeved shirt with sweatpants. I now knew that he once hid his body hair beneath clothing, but tonight it was chilly and everyone was bundled up in warm clothing.

“It’s hard to sit still,” I told him. “I’m too anxious. What about you?”

“I needed another pillow,” he replied in that lovely Southern accent.

“You fellows don’t have to lie on the hard floor or sofa. It’s perfectly fine to sleep in your own beds.”

He stared down at me with a tight smile. “A pack sticks together. Can I get you something?”

“No. The fruit tray you brought earlier was more than enough. I’m not even sure I should be eating.”

“What’s your craving?”

“Why?”

Bear chuckled softly. “Because when you shift right after, you’re gonna come back craving that food with a vengeance. I want to make sure we have it in the house.”

“It’s walnuts and salami. Do we have them?”

“You bet.”

We turned our heads toward the back door. Though we didn’t have a flight path along our property, smaller aircraft occasionally went by. Not at night, and this certainly didn’t sound like an airplane.

I clutched my arms when Bear opened the door and a gust of cold air blew in. Once on the deck, I watched a helicopter land in the pasture.

Tak bustled past us in nothing but his underwear. The security lights popped on as soon as he crossed the yard, and not a split second later, Lucian walked onto the deck. Luna whinnied from the stable, her cries barely heard over the spinning blades and engine.

Instead of chasing after Tak, Catcher pressed himself against me.

Lucian walked to the edge of the porch and rested his hands on the railing. “How did they land in the dark?”

From a distance, a familiar voice made me sigh with relief.

“You act like she’s dropping a baby at any minute,” Milly snapped. “Take a wild guess what makes me more airsick than riding in a helicopter.” She hiked up the steps. “Riding in one at night.” The short Relic set eyes on me and threw her bag at Lucian. “You should be in bed at this hour. Any change in your contractions?”

“They’re closer. Oh, Milly. I’m so glad Atticus sent for you.” I clutched her hand, grateful that someone with experience could walk me through this.

“You can thank your Packmaster. He paid for a private plane. The driver was supposed to bring me over from the airport, but he never showed. I could have called someone, but the next thing I know, I’m whisked away in one of those whirlybirds from hell.”

Tak picked up her bag. “It was the quickest way. Come inside. We have a room for you.”

Lucian approached Milly and cocked his head to the side. “How did the pilot find the house and land in the field without lights?”

She patted Catcher’s back. “The pilot’s a Vampire. You people will be the death of me.” Milly took my arm. “Come, come. I want you inside before you wind up with frostbite.”

Once we entered the main room, the lights were on and everyone was awake. Virgil lounged on the sofa, black circles under his eyes. Montana’s wolf sniffed the air before putting his head back down. Last I’d heard, Lakota was guarding the front yard.

I stopped and gripped the back of the sofa when another contraction hit.

Milly noticed. “How far apart? Is anyone timing them?”

I shook my head.

She gestured to Tak. “Put a clock in the birthing room. We need to time how long they last.”

Hope greeted the Relic and then led her into the makeshift labor room for an inspection. I remained by the sofa, listening to Milly give orders. It put me at ease to hear someone with a plan.

Melody wandered out in an oversized T-shirt and yawned. “What a night.” She watched Tak emerge from the hallway with a clock in his hand. “Did I tell you we ran into Hamish?”

Tak stopped in his tracks. “What did he say?”

“Joy’s practically giving birth in the bar, and he blocks us from exiting. They wouldn’t move for nothing! So Virgil’s standing there, arms shivering like weak timber, and Hamish is trying to steal Joy from us.”

Virgil scoffed. “That’s not how it happened. My arms weren’t shaking.”

“Oh?” Melody snorted. “Do tell us, my intrepid hero.”

“I just had a kink in my back is all.”

“That’s not the only kink you have,” Lucian quipped.

Tak looked like he wanted to crush the clock in his hands. “Hamish physically tried to take her?”

“No, nothing like that.” Melody plopped down next to Archer on the sectional. “He was soliciting for a spot in his pack. What a weirdo. Apparently he’s looking for some bitches .” She used her fingers to make air quotes around the word bitches . “It’s enough to make my skin crawl. With that attitude, no wonder he’s trying to recruit anyone he can. I bet women are fleeing his pack in the middle of the night.”

Bitch was a common term with older packs. It didn’t hold any negative connotation among wolves any more than it did in nature. But humans had tarnished the original use of the word, so many were phasing it out.

Tak held the thought in his head a moment later before responding. “If he does that again with any of you, let me know. There’s no rule that says Packmasters can’t make offers, but he has an agenda. Anyone here considering his offer should remember that. He doesn’t care about you. He only wants to take from me.”

Milly entered the room and took my hand. “Come to bed. Tomorrow is a long day, and you need to rest.”

Once I was in the room, Cici and Robyn helped me into the bed.

Milly checked my blood pressure, heart rate, and then put her stethoscope on my belly. “I don’t have my ultrasound equipment.”

“Can I help?” Salem asked from the doorway.

“You can run to my house and bring all that equipment over. I want to look at the baby’s position.” She palpated my belly. “We have an unusual birth, and I’d rather be prepared. There’s also a large bag in there with Childbirth written on it. It has my fetal Doppler and other equipment.” After she finished the exam, she reached into the pocket of her long sweater jacket and handed him a set of keys. “Hurry. And lock the door before you leave.”

Tak gestured into the adjacent room. “Take Bear, and use my truck.”

“Be careful with my equipment,” Milly called out. “You break it, you buy it! And bring a few hospital gowns. They’re in a storage room downstairs.” Milly turned her gaze about the room. “What’s wrong with your electricity?”

“It’s better for the baby,” Tak said. “They should come into the world in soft, natural light. Easier on the eyes.”

“But your power works? My equipment doesn’t run on sunshine.”

Tak rubbed his eyes. He always looked different when he wore his hair unbound. “It works.”

“Good. Find your brightest lamp. A headlamp is even better. I’m trying to think of what I don’t have in that childbirth bag. Get me plastic or trash bags, clean towels you don’t want, a large bowl, and hand sanitizer.”

“Hand sanitizer?” Lucian repeated from the doorway. “What for? She can’t get an infection. We’re immune to germs.”

Milly gave him a stony look. “In that case, why don’t you fill your toilet bowl with soup and have dinner in the bathroom? We’re not animals. Well, maybe some of you are,” she said with a snicker. “I like everything sanitary and clean. Make sure you have plenty of ice in the freezer for her to suck on later when she’s off food. Did anyone buy diapers, bottles, or a breast pump?”

Hope arched her eyebrows at Tak. “We have plenty of diapers.”

Tak laughed under his breath and shook his head.

Milly turned her attention back to me. “Do you need the placenta?”

I blinked at her.

“Some people like to bury it. One family of lions wanted to eat it. I don’t judge either way.”

“No. Please… I don’t want anyone eating it.”

Lucian flashed a crooked grin. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Bear tried to fillet the damn thing.”

“Now you’re grossing me out,” Mercy said, rousing from her spot on the floor.

Tak turned to leave. “I’ll get the supplies. Lucian, search the storage room for a headlamp.”

Milly fluffed my pillow. “You may not be able to sleep through the night, but get those naps in while you can. This is the time to relax. Come morning, you can walk around and we’ll see where we are. If you stay up all night, you’ll be too exhausted, and we don’t know yet how many hours you’ll be in labor. I’ll sit with you through the next contractions, but if I don’t get some shut-eye, I might wind up delivering a chicken from the oven.” She turned to the women. “If you ladies are staying in here, get some sleep. I might need your assistance, and Joy needs her packmates to be calm and collected, not running on three cups of caffeine to stay awake.”

After tucking myself beneath the covers, I rolled away from the door and stared at the dark corner of the room.

Milly patted my shoulder. “Next contraction, I want you to tell me when it starts and when it stops. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got loads of experience.”

I dreamed my wolves were splashing in a cool stream while chasing each other. The baby lying on the blanket in front of me giggled at them. One wolf suddenly disappeared, and the other shook her wet coat before joining us.

A breeze rustled the pale-green leaves while cotton candy clouds drifted across a blue sky. I heard a lawn mower in the distance and people talking in low voices. When someone moved my hair away from my neck and kissed my nape, I luxuriated in their affection.

I opened my eyes and blinked at the daylight peering through the curtain borders. The dream slowly filtered out of my mind like the last grains of sand in an hourglass. A lawn mower was humming in the yard while people quietly talked outside the room. Somehow I managed naps between contractions, but it was also throwing off my sleep.

When someone kissed my nape again, it startled me enough to look over my shoulder.

“Atticus? Is that you? Am I dreaming?”

His hair glistened, and he smelled like soap. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

I rolled onto my back. “When did you get here?”

“Three hours ago. I didn’t want to disturb you. The Relic said you needed every minute of rest.”

I was disoriented from a disrupted sleep all night. Milly had stayed up for a while to monitor my contractions but eventually went to bed.

Another contraction came on, and I groaned.

Atticus held my hand, and I squeezed it tight. “Breathe through it,” he said while easing up on his elbow. “Is it close?”

I panted and made a plaintive sound, scared that the contractions would only get worse. “Yes. They’re lasting longer.”

“I’ll get the Relic.”

“Wait.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him as if he might disappear in a puff of smoke. “I was frightened you wouldn’t come home.”

Atticus held me. “You were all I thought about.”

When the pain subsided, I asked, “Are you okay? Is Krys?”

He brushed his hand across my forehead and smoothed back my hair. “We’re fine. I rented a private plane to get here as soon as I heard. Krys is driving the truck back and should be here this morning. The mission’s complete, and you have nothing to worry about anymore.”

I touched his lips. “You’re the bravest man I know.”

“I’ll always fight for you, Joy.” Atticus stood and helped me sit up.

I glanced at the clock on the wall by the bed. “Who in the world is mowing the grass at this hour?”

“That would be my mate,” Melody answered from her sleeping bag on the floor. “He’s got too much nervous energy, so I told him to find something productive to do. Lakota’s obsessed with that riding mower. Do you want him to stop?”

I stared up at Atticus. “The more normal it is around here, the better I feel. Can someone help me to the bathroom?”

Atticus bowed. “I’ll leave you to it,” he said to Melody. “I’ll see if the Relic’s awake and needs anything.”

Mercy rolled over from her spot by the desk, her face buried in the pillow. Nothing could wake her up, and I was pretty certain she could easily sleep through my entire labor.

“Shouldn’t she be getting ready for work?” I asked.

“Are you kidding?” Melody walked me through the living room. Virgil was watching Gilligan’s Island and eating cookies. “Calvin knows you’re in labor, so they’re shutting down the kitchen today. Bear and Mercy are staying home for as long as this takes.”

I had changed into Milly’s hospital gown hours ago, and because of the opening in the back, I wore my favorite blue robe.

“Good thing we skipped past Halloween,” she said. “Lucian kept going on and on at breakfast about how it’s bad luck to have a baby on Halloween. He reads too many superstitious books.”

After using the bathroom and freshening up, I joined the pack in the dining room. Milly wanted me to stick with liquids, so Bear made broth, applesauce, and coconut water. A strange combination, but I wasn’t hungry. The contractions were growing closer together, which made it difficult to think about food.

Whenever one came on, whoever was nearest to me would let me hold on to them. Catcher stayed close, but now that Atticus was back, he wasn’t glued to my side.

By midmorning, the bell on the gate chimed, alerting us that Krys was home. Atticus and I were sitting in the living room on the couch that faced the front window. A warm fire crackled in the fireplace, and while it should have relaxed me, the contractions were painful and starting to make this feel all too real.

Milly handed me a glass of water and two pills.

“What’s this?”

“It’ll take the edge off,” she said. “I don’t use anesthesia or heavy pain medicine on Shifters since it hinders them from healing after delivery. You don’t want anything that’ll knock out your inner animal. These pills are custom made for childbirth and will help manage that pain without sedating you.”

I trusted Milly and swallowed the pills, eager for relief.

“Good girl. It’s a genuine miracle what you Shifters can do. Sometimes after shifting, the stretch marks go away and the belly returns to normal size. Well, any weight you gained will still be there, but I’m referring to the elasticity.”

“Don’t get her hopes up,” Melody said. “That didn’t happen to my mother with the twins.”

“Twins are another story.” Milly took the glass back and headed out. “Every body is different. There’s no wrong way to build a woman.”

Tak strolled up to the front door and opened it. “Who’s that with Krys?”

Atticus cursed under his breath and shot to his feet. After glancing out the window, he joined Tak by the door.

Krys walked in first, dark circles under his crystal-blue eyes, his black T-shirt inside out. His arms were covered in dry blood, his long dark hair disheveled. Everyone jumped up to greet him—everyone except Virgil, who swiftly fled the room.

Seeing Krys in that state made my stomach drop.

Atticus and Tak spoke privately in the doorway, and Atticus appeared apologetic about something.

“With everything going on, I forgot to mention it,” he said.

I looked to Robyn on my left. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know.” She leaned to the left to see around the group. “Someone else is here, but I can’t see them.”

Tak walked onto the front porch, and an icy wind blew into the house.

“Will someone shut the blasted door before she gives birth to a baby snowman?” Milly shouted from the birthing room.

Lakota was about to close it before he got caught up in what was happening on the porch.

A minute later, Tak walked in. “We have an unexpected visitor.” He whispered something to Lakota, who then hurried into the hall and up the stairs.

A young person walked inside wearing a bloodstained white T-shirt and what appeared to be a hospital gown beneath it. They were barefoot, and when they saw all the faces, they hid behind Krys.

Tak shut the door. “I want everyone to be respectful to our guest. She’ll be resting upstairs, so we’ll have introductions later.” He crooked his fingers for her to follow. “Come with me.”

Everyone looked to Krys and Atticus for answers.

Krys peeled off his black shirt, revealing his sinewy torso. “Slight hiccup in the plan. One of those Vamps gave her a memory wipe, so we have no idea who she belongs to.”

“If anyone,” Atticus tacked on. “She doesn’t have a name. We couldn’t abandon her, so Tak will decide what to do with her. She’s seen us, but I don’t feel right erasing a child’s mind—especially one who’s already had so much taken.”

I moaned and leaned forward.

Atticus rushed to my side and stroked my back. He was so attentive, always helping me if I needed to sit or stand and even letting me hold on to his neck and hang while I rode out a contraction.

By the time the contraction ended, I realized Milly’s magic pills had worked. The pain was more removed with each passing second.

“That one wasn’t so bad,” I said, praying the meds would last long enough for me to get through this.

“You’ve been walking around long enough. Let’s get you back in bed.” He lifted me into his arms with ease and carried me into the birthing room.

Milly was in there on her phone. While she wrapped up her call, Atticus cracked the east-facing curtains to draw more light into the room.

As soon as I sat on the bed, a bad case of chills racked my body. My teeth were chattering, and another wave of contractions hit me. It radiated through my back, lower belly, and pelvis.

Milly walked over. “No more soups or foods. Stay hydrated, but you’ll need someone to walk you to the bathroom. I brought a bedpan in case you can’t make it. No shame in that. I also need someone to get that wolf out of here before I trip over him.”

“Catcher.” Robyn snapped her fingers. “Come on. Your watch has ended.”

Catcher licked my hand before taking his leave.

When the contraction stopped, the shivering worsened. “I’m scared.”

“That’s a perfectly normal emotion,” Milly replied matter-of-factly. “It’s the fear of the unknown. The second time around is always easier.”

“I don’t plan on doing this again.”

Milly moved my gown away and used her equipment to monitor the baby. She took an ultrasound and confirmed that the fetus was still in human form. It reminded me that I needed to put my fear away before my baby shifted again. Now wasn’t the time.

The mower cut off outside.

“Finally!” Melody entered the room, dressed in grey leggings and a pink sweater that matched her hair.

“Did you choose that color intentionally?” I asked.

“Well, since everyone is being all secretive,” she said, glaring at Milly. “I’ll love it no matter what, but we need more girls in the house.”

Hope rolled up a sleeping bag. “So you can use them to model your clothing?”

Melody gave a sheepish grin.

The Relic moved the monitor against the wall. “If there’s one thing I can do, it’s keep a secret. Nobody gets to know the gender until the mother does. The reveal party should be today. You’re all invited.”

We laughed after she left the room.

Atticus sat at the foot of the bed and rubbed my feet.

“Can you open that for me?” I gestured to the bedside table.

Atticus opened the drawer. When he pulled out the black beanie I made for him and turned it in his hands, he smiled. “Yellow stripes.”

“Only three. And they’re narrow, so you won’t look like a bumblebee. You need some color in your life. Everything is always black and white with you.”

Without anyone prompting him, Atticus put it on and beamed with pride. I wasn’t sure whether it was the mustard-yellow stripes that made him seem human or the love shining in his eyes, but I took a mental snapshot and saved it in my heart.