Page 13

“ H ere, I have it,” Mera says, walking into the room with a pregnancy test in her hands, not looking at Wolfe even once as she comes over to me.

I’m locked in a room, like a goddamn prisoner, and nobody is speaking to me. Mera is the only person who has said a single word to me since last night, and I honestly don’t know why.

I betrayed her, too.

Yet she has this kindness that I don’t understand.

Wolfe came in this morning, with Knox by his side, and demanded Mera go and fetch a pregnancy test. She did as she was asked, even if she wasn’t happy about it. Now, she has returned, the answer right there in her hands. It could change everything. If it is negative, they’re going to kill me. If it is positive, I’m never free again.

Either way, it’s not looking good for me.

I don’t think I can convince the club to just let me go, why would they? Betrayal isn’t something they take lightly.

Thinking of how I hurt Talon kills me. I want to talk to him, to try and explain, but he hasn’t been in. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to talk to him again. I’ve destroyed every chance I had at being free. Not to mention the fact that I’ll probably never get Lily out now.

“Do it,” Knox growls. “Hurry up.”

Mera’s eyes flash with anger. “At least turn your backs so she can do it with a little fucking dignity.”

The men exchange a look, and then they turn, moving to the doorway, their shoulders tense but their backs to us.

“Come on, honey,” Mera says softly. “Let’s get this over with.”

She hands me a cup, and I go into the small bathroom attached to this room. At least they have given me that.

“Door stays open,” Wolfe growls.

Mera scowls, but she doesn’t argue. She hands me the test and turns her back, too. I pee into the cup, my hands shaking, my stomach twisting with dread. Then, I dip the small white stick in and wait. I watch as it absorbs the urine, slowly creeping up the stick, every millimeter making me feel even sicker.

Then, the lines begin appearing, straight away.

Two lines. No hesitation.

Positive.

I burst into tears, gasping, “No.”

Deep down, I knew it would be positive, but seeing it there, right in my face, is nearly enough to break me. My chest clenches in a way that makes it hard to breathe and I can feel my body begin to heave, even though I have nothing in my stomach. This can’t be happening. I might be a lot of things, but I’ve done nothing in my life that is so bad to warrant this.

Mera turns, rushing over to me, her eyes falling on the test. The men at the door are facing us now, their faces expressionless.

“It’s positive,” Mera mutters. “Just like she said.”

I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to do. Everything feels like it’s spinning out of control, and all I can think about is how much I’ve lost, how much I’ve ruined.

Wolfe’s voice cuts through the haze, cold and hard. “Is it certain?”

“Yes, it’s certain,” I scream, my voice breaking. “So now I am stuck here with you, and the cult is never going to stop until they take this child from me. So, you might as well fucking kill me, because keeping me here is starting a war no matter what. Is that what you want?”

The room falls silent.

“They’re going to take the baby?” Mera asks, her voice laced with concern.

“Yes,” I croak. “They think the baby will save them. This is exactly what they want. I’ll never be safe now. I’ll never be free.”

Mera looks over to Wolfe, her hand rubbing my back. “You can’t let them hurt her, Wolfe. Please.”

Knox mutters a curse, turning and walking out of the room.

Wolfe stands there, his arms crossed over his chest. “I need to discuss this with the club. She doesn’t leave until I say she can.”

“Where the fuck am I going to go?” I snap, my head hanging.

He doesn’t answer.

He turns and leaves the room, the door slamming behind him.

“It’s okay,” Mera says, her arms wrapped around me. “We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

I want to believe her.

But I don’t.

There is no way out for me now.

I’M IN THE SHED WHERE Talon and I made love for the first time, my eyes fixed on the fireplace, Mera beside me, as the men argue back and forth about what they are going to do with me. They don’t care that I’m sitting right here, that I’m listening to every word. I feel like a ghost, invisible, already gone.

“Too risky to keep her,” Knox says, his voice harsh. “She’s a fuckin’ liability. You saw how quick they found her last time. We end her now and be done with it.”

My heart lurches, and I can’t breathe. I have never bonded with Knox, that’s for certain, but hearing him say to just end my life is a knife to the heart. It only proves I meant nothing to any of them. I made a mistake, I know that, but they are honestly sitting here discussing whether I live or die as if I’m not even in the room.

Talon hasn’t looked at me once.

Not fucking once.

Wolfe shakes his head, his jaw tight. “We ain’t killin’ a girl. And we sure as fuck ain’t killin’ a child. We give her a new name, drop her off in the middle of nowhere, let her fend for herself. Let that fuckin’ cult go and find her and leave us the fuck alone.”

My stomach twists. They’re actually considering leaving me, alone, with nothing. I don’t know how I would survive, out there, pregnant with a cult after me, but it is better than dying, and if it comes down to it, I’ll take option B.

“Can’t trust she won’t run back to them,” Zane argues. “You saw what she did. She’s likely to go back and get them to help her come after us. Revenge is a bitter fuckin’ need.”

“Fuck you,” I spit at Zane. “I’m not a goddamn monster. I was trying to help an innocent child.”

“Shut your mouth,” Talon growls, still not looking at me.

“Why don’t you look at me, or don’t you have the fucking guts to face me before you do whatever vile thing it is you’re all planning.”

Talon’s eyes move to mine, and we sit there in intense silence, my entire body shaking. He doesn’t back down, nor does he look away. Not until someone else speaks.

“She stays until the kid is born,” Kael says, his voice calm but firm. “We give them the baby, then let her go. Period.”

Mera’s eyes whip to him. “You cannot take a child from its mother and give it to them. I will never allow that. Never,” then she turns to Wolfe. “If you agree to that, we’re done. I mean it.”

His jaw ticks.

“You think they’ll back off and leave us alone with her here?” Knox growls. “You’re stupid if you do. We’re sittin’ ducks as long as she’s with us. Give them both of ‘em for all I care.”

Ouch.

“We’re not deliverin’ anything,” Wolfe snaps. “We’ll use her to get them right where we want them. If they want the kid that much, we will use that to our advantage.”

“Kill the fuckin’ lot of ‘em,” Talon growls. “ Then she leaves.”

His words are a knife to the chest, but I don’t flinch or move. I keep my head down, staring at my hands.

“It’s a plan that could work,” Kael adds in. “They want that baby, they’re goin’ to try whatever they can to get it. All we have to do is have them all in one place and finish this once and for all.”

“And the way we get them in one place is her,” Knox jabs a finger in my direction.

“You are not risking her life for your stupid plan,” Mera snaps.

“Mera,” Wolfe growls. “Love you, baby, but if you open your mouth one more time, I’m tossin’ you and you will know nothin’.”

She presses her lips together, but there is a fire in her eyes.

She won’t back down easily.

“Do whatever you have to, just make sure Lily gets out alive. I don’t care about me,” I mutter, pushing to my feet. “Now, if you’re all done planning how I’ll die, I’ll go and rest.”

I turn, walking to the door.

“She doesn’t get left alone,” Wolfe orders. “We’re goin’ to move to a more secure location, get her out of here. Can’t have them throwin’ in a sneak attack.”

I turn and face him, my eyes narrowing. “We’re moving?”

He nods, sharply. “Tonight. Talon, prepare the trucks, we’ll create a distraction and you will move her on foot until you are closer to town, only then, will you get into a truck and take her to our secure location until we can come up with a plan.”

Talon’s eyes are unwavering, but he gives a sharp nod.

“You can’t be serious?” I gasp, putting my hands up. “You want me to go with him? He’s just as likely to kill me the second we’re alone.”

Nobody answers, probably because nobody cares.

Frustration bubbles in my chest and then before I know it, tears are falling, hot and heavy.

“I made a mistake, okay? I know I did, and I’m sorry. But I never planned on letting anyone get hurt, I would have found a way, I would have. I just wanted to help Lily. I wanted to help her more than anything. I can’t breathe knowing she’s in there, and I’m out here, and she’s dying because of me. One day someone will threaten something you love, and you might just understand. You fucking hypocrites.”

The room is silent, and I feel everyone’s eyes on me, but I can’t look at them. I can’t lift my head. The weight of what I’ve done, of what I’ve lost, it’s crushing me. I hear Mera’s voice, soft and soothing, but I can’t make out her words.

“Fuck,” I hear Talon hiss, but I don’t look up. I can’t.

I turn and rush out, stepping into the fresh air and taking a gasping breath. Mera follows, and as soon as she reaches me, she throws her arms around me, holding me tight. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispers, her voice fierce.

“How?” I whisper. “No matter which way this goes, my life is over.”

“I won’t let anyone hurt you. I’ll work this out. It will be okay.”

I wish I believed her.

The door swings open, and I stiffen, expecting more rage, more accusations, but it’s Wolfe.

“You got one hour to pack your shit,” he says, his eyes meeting mine. “Then we’re moving out.”

I nod, wiping my face, trying to pull myself together.

“Get her sorted,” Wolfe says to Mera, and the two of them hold eye contact for so long, it is borderline uncomfortable.

Mera nods, turning us away and leading me towards my room. She helps me pack a bag, the silence between us deafening as I take only what I need. I can’t help but think of the child growing inside me. I know it changes everything, and I wish I had it in me to remove it from the situation, but I can’t.

Already, I feel something I can’t explain.

A deep connection.

That’s my child.

Which means I am left with only one choice - I have to survive this.

No matter the cost.