Claimed by the Alphas (Shifters of Appalachia Book 1)

by Viola Rivard

  10

  O ne hot summer morning, Mila woke with a start. For one disoriented moment, she thought her mother was there with her, and she sat up on the furs, looking around the room in confusion.

  She was alone, which was unusual. The spot next to her was still warm, and she recognized Caim’s scent still lingering in the room. In a small crevice in the wall, a single candle had been lit. Assuming she must have overslept, Mila relaxed and wiped the sweat from her brow. She debated going up to the main room right away. Her chamber wasn’t as hot as the main room because it was farther underground, and it also wasn’t crowded with warm bodies.

  Lately, it had taken a great effort for her to do much of anything. She had passed the fun part of pregnancy, where everything was new and exciting, and had landed smack in the middle of the fat and miserable part. Her life could be reduced to a series of constants—she was constantly hot and sweaty, she constantly had to pee, the baby was constantly kicking, and her breasts were constantly sore and uncomfortable. By now, Mila didn’t care what its gender was or even who the father was; she just wanted the baby out of her.

  She nudged her belly. “What do you think? Should we be lazy bums and go back to sleep, or should we go upstairs and find some food?”

  Somewhere along the line, she had gotten into the habit of talking to the baby. It had started mostly when she was alone, but after a while, she’d stopped caring and would chat with him whenever the mood struck her. She had even made up little songs to sing to him, like the go-the-heck-to-sleep song and the stop-kicking-my-bladder-and-go-the-heck-to-sleep song. Mila knew he didn’t understand anything she said, but she felt he knew it when she spoke to him.

  Although she felt more miserable every day, she couldn’t bring herself to resent the baby. As far as she was concerned, he was the only person in the den who was probably as uncomfortable as she was.

  Tonight, the baby didn’t move when she spoke to him. It wasn’t strange, as he seemed to only sleep during the night. She had tried explaining to him that he was supposed to be nocturnal, but it was no use.

  Deciding it was too hot to go back to sleep, Mila got up and searched around for something passably clean to wear. Her back had been aching for days, and this evening, it was worse than ever. She groaned and leaned against the wall, reaching back to find the stubborn spot in her lower back. The ache dulled after a moment, and she was able to get dressed.

  She waddled from the room, intending to eat copiously, get a nice back massage, and then cool off in the lake with her friends.

  * * *

  A good alpha always sees the sun off, Caim’s father used to say. His father had always lectured him more than the others, and that particular lesson was a reminder to not oversleep, as being an alpha required constant vigilance.

  If only he had listened.

  Caim had recently fallen into the habit of oversleeping, and it had everything to do with his mate. She had been sleeping well into the night for the past few weeks and did not like to be left alone. Caim also did not like to leave her alone, which was why he would usually wake her up with him. Lately, it was becoming increasingly difficult to wake her. Only Asch could pull her from their pallet without protest. When Caim tried to wake her before she was ready to get up, she cried—a lot.

  So, on the nights when Asch led the hunt, Caim would stay with their mate. Usually, he would roll over and go back to sleep, but when he could not go back to sleep, either because he was not tired or because something weighed heavily on his mind, he would stay up and watch Mila. He was particularly fascinated by the swell of her belly, which currently fostered his unborn son.

  Were he the pack’s only alpha, he would not indulge in such things. He would order one of the females she favored to stay by her side until she awoke while he tended to hunting and whatever issues had arisen while he slept.

  But he was not the only alpha, and he trusted Asch implicitly to see to the welfare and stability of their pack on the nights when the responsibility was his. So, when Caim woke late to the smell of unfamiliar blood in his den, he had feared the worst.

  As he entered the main room, he realized his trust in Asch had been sorely misplaced.

  All eyes were on Caim as he stormed across the room, fury radiating from his body. In a booming voice, he demanded, “What are they doing in my den?”

  11

  A sch positioned himself between Caim and Talon, prepared to fight his friend if it came to that. Bringing the former Blackthorn alpha and the females to the den without first warning Caim had not been the best idea he’d ever had, but there hadn’t been much of a choice.

  “They aren’t going anywhere,” Asch said firmly.

  He wouldn’t bother asking Caim to calm down. A group of rival wolves were in their den, the den that currently housed their very pregnant mate. Asch was fighting his own instincts to drive them out, even though he was the one who’d brought them here in the first place.

  Caim stopped inches from Asch, his face livid. “What are they doing in my den?” he repeated.

  Asch raised his chin. “I brought them here. Lotus and Fern are going to treat their wounds, and then they’ll be on their way.”

  He didn’t point out that he wasn’t sure exactly when that would be. He wasn’t even sure if the smallest one would live at this rate, let alone walk again.

  “How dare you bring them into my den without my permission.”

  Asch could tell that Caim’s initial outrage had started to simmer down into a mild anger. Inwardly, Asch relaxed but kept his tone and posture firm.

  “They barely made it across the mountain. I could have killed them, let them die in our territory, or brought them back here to be treated.” Caim opened his mouth to give his opinion, but Asch held up his hand. “I wasn’t about to kill a bunch of females and pups, or let them die.”

  Caim looked over that the refugees, most of who were huddled in the far corner of the den. Asch could tell that Caim was really seeing them for the first time. Some of the hardness left his expression.

  It was impossible not to pity the group, which was comprised of two elderly females, four juveniles, and three pups, one of whom had what would likely be a fatal infection born from an untreated gunshot wound to his hind leg. The pup had shifted into its wolf form and was either refusing or was unable to shift back. Fern struggled to assess the damage while one of the elderly females held him in her arms.

  Caim gave Asch a look that said “this isn’t over” and then directed his anger at Talon. “You will be out of my den by sunrise.”

  This, Asch didn’t fight him on. Talon wasn’t wounded, and while he wasn’t interested in taking on the responsibility of more mouths to feed, the young wolf really had no business leading anyone, let alone a pack full of vulnerable young and elderly. They’d be dead if they stayed out in the wilderness on their own.

  “I’m not leaving my family,” Talon said, standing his ground.

  “You can come back for them,” Asch interjected, trying to stem another fight. “But right now, the best thing you can do for them is let us take care of them.” Before Talon could reply, Asch changed the subject. “Who shot him? Did they send the military to Carter?”

  Talon shook his head. Pale-faced and looking much older than he was, the alpha was exhausted.

  “If they’d sent the military, we’d probably all be dead. Carter’s petition was denied, and even though there were more people dying, there was a waiting period before they could appeal. That’s what I know. What I think is that they got fed up with waiting and formed some sort of militia to raid the mountainside. We didn’t exactly ask questions when they started shooting at us.”

  “Oh my god!”

  Asch exhaled in irritation, recognizing the voice of his mate as she entered the room—not something he wanted to deal with right now.

  “Go back to the room,” Caim ordered and pinned her with a glare.

  Asch would have laughed at the command if it weren’t fo
r the fact that he didn’t want her up here either.

  Mila was predictably pissed but ignored Caim. Looking to Asch, she asked, “What’s going on? Who are these people?” She looked back to the Blackthorn members, her jaw slack. “Has he been shot?”

  * * *

  Concern knotted her stomach at the sight of the wolf that Fern attended to. At a glance, it was the size of a regular wolf, but its snout was rounded and its limbs were smaller. She had no doubt that beneath all the fur and behind those sharp teeth was a small child, and it drove her hormones crazy to see it in pain.

  She tried to move toward it, but Caim blocked her path. “This does not concern you,” he said obstinately.

  It was hard not to smack him, but she didn’t. They had been together long enough that she knew when he was simply trying to protect her. Still, it didn’t change the fact that she wanted to know what the hell was going on.

  “I think it does concern me. Maybe I’ll be a little more willing to comply with your orders if you answer my questions.”

  Asch came to her rescue and draped an arm over her shoulders. “They’re part of the Blackthorn pack.”

  Her brows rose. In a low voice, she asked, “The ones who killed those people in Carter County?”

  “No, of course not.”

  Another voice came from behind Asch. “The renegade wolves were from a pack my father had recently annexed.”

  Mila tilted her head to look behind Asch. A tall man with white hair and ashen skin stood between Asch and the Blackthorn refugees.

  “They rebelled after his death. I couldn’t fight them and keep my family safe, so I left,” he said.

  He was a beautiful man but also young, and she could tell his composure was a façade, whether for the benefit of her pack or to reassure his own, she didn’t know, but she did want to help. Knowing that Caim was more or less a lost cause, she glanced up at Asch and gave him an imploring look. He gave her the barest of nods.

  “We’ll figure this out,” Asch told her. “But right now, I think it would be best if Caim and I step away from the den with Talon. Brae will take you back down to your room, just for a little bit.”

  “Okay,” Mila said. She laughed inwardly, knowing full well that the second he was out of the den, she and Brae would come back to the main room.

  “Lotus will stay with her as well,” said Caim.

  His anger broke just long enough for him to give her a smug look. Mila rolled her eyes. Touché, Caim.

  12

  Mila drilled Brae with questions as they headed down the passageway. Lotus trailed behind them, obviously miffed about being Mila’s designated babysitter.

  “How long have they been here?”

  “Half hour, maybe,” Brae replied. “We found them trying to clean the little one’s wound by the lake.”

  “How bad is he?”

  “Bad infection,” she said softly. “He doesn’t even cry when Fern touches it.”

  For the first time in months, Mila felt nauseous. “He needs a doctor.”

  “I believe that’s what they’ll be discussing,” Brae said. “Fern is giving him antibiotics now.”

  From behind them, Lotus said, “It is a waste of medicine. He will not last the night.”

  Mila stopped and turned back to stare at the older woman. “That’s a horrible thing to say. They can’t just let him die.”

  Remaining firm in her position, Lotus said, “A few days ago, it might have been reasonable, but he already smells like death and decay. That medicine isn’t easy to come by. It’s here for you and your pup, not for outsiders, pitiable though they may be.”

  Mila narrowed her eyes. “You are just … just …”

  Lotus arched a brow. “Practical? Logical?”

  Mila leaned against the wall and reached for her back. “Hold that thought,” she groaned.

  “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Backache,” she grumbled. “Brae, can you rub my back for a second?”

  Brae quickly complied, rubbing Mila’s shoulders then working her way down to the small of her back. No matter where she rubbed, it didn’t ease the tightness. If anything, the uncomfortable pressure in Mila’s back seemed to worsen and spread, bordering on pain as it rippled across her pelvis.

  Mila realized what was happening about a second before her water broke.

  Brae, not as quick on the jump, freaked out. She recoiled sharply and gaped at her hands. “I-I didn’t mean to do it,” she stammered, her eyes wild.

  Mila wanted to reassure her, but she was a little busy freaking out herself. The baby wasn’t due for another month, and aside from a really annoying backache, she had gone into labor with zero warning. She didn’t know a lot about childbirth, but that couldn’t be normal.

  “Help me get her to the room,” Lotus snapped. She moved to pull Mila from the wall, but Mila pushed herself off.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “I can walk.”

  The two women followed behind her as she ambled down the passageway in a daze. When they arrived at her room, Lotus lit a couple of candles while Brae tried to get Mila to sit down on the furs. Instead, she paced restlessly.

  “Mila,” Brae said nervously. “Would you like me to go get Asch or Caim?”

  “No,” she replied. “Just give me a minute to think.”

  “I should go get Fern,” said Lotus.

  “Did I ask you to go get Fern?” Mila didn’t give a damn if she sounded like a bitch. If ever there was a time in her life when she could make irrational demands, it was now. “Just let me think.”

  Lotus clicked her tongue impatiently. “There is nothing you need to think about anymore. Not in this. We need someone down here with experience.”

  Mila ignored her and continued to pace. She didn’t need Fern; she needed a doctor. They had a plan. Asch had made arrangements with an obstetrician. He had rented a small cabin near town, and they were supposed to go there in a week to wait out the rest of her pregnancy.

  She snapped her fingers. “Okay, I’ve got it. The town is less than a day away. Childbirth lasts a really long time, right? My mom said she was in labor with me for almost two days. We still have plenty of time.”

  Lotus and Brae exchanged glances. “Mila,” Brae said, this time coaxingly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be traveling through the mountains in this state …”

  As if punctuating Brae’s statement, Mila had another of what she now knew were most definitely contractions. It was sharper and more intense than the one before, and she hunched over, letting out a low whine.

  “I’m getting Fern,” Brae said and dashed from the room.

  “Wait!” Lotus shouted after her, but Brae didn’t stop. Muttering a curse under her breath, Lotus hooked an arm around Mila. “Come on. Walk it off.”

  Mila laughed in spite of herself. “Walk it off?”

  Lotus’s face colored. “I just mean it will help you to walk.”

  Lotus was right; it did help to walk. After the pain subsided, she let herself lean on Lotus, just a little.

  “Do you think it’s going to be okay?” Mila asked, knowing Lotus would be honest with her.

  “I don’t know much about childbirth,” Lotus admitted. “But I can hear his heartbeat, and it’s strong.”

  Mila nodded. It was a small reassurance, but at least it was something to cling to when everything else seemed like it was going to hell.

  “Okay,” she said. “I can work with that.”

  13

  T he pup rested, prone in the old female’s arms. The only indication that he was still alive was the sound of his shallow breathing.

  “We were trying to get him to the town,” Talon said as he stroked the boy’s head.

  Asch felt for him. Talon was far too young to bear the responsibility of so many fragile lives. He crouched down and gave Talon a sympathetic look.

  “It may not be too late. We can still get him to a doctor,” Asch told him.

  Fern, who was doing
her best to dress the wound, sighed heavily. “Even if they can save him, there’ll be no saving this leg.” She gave Asch a pointed look. “If you’re going to do something, you’d better do it soon.”

  “Massie County is less than a day from here,” Asch said to Talon. “Do you know anyone there?”

  “I have never been to a human territory,” Talon admitted.

  Asch wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t uncommon for young wolves born into a stable pack to have limited experience with human society. Still, it was damned inconvenient.

  He had ordered all of his pack, with the exception of Fern and Caim, to vacate the main room, so it irritated him when he heard footsteps approaching. Scenting Brae, he turned back to arch a brow at her.

  From his position near the den entrance, Caim said, “You can tell my mate we are not gone yet, and if I find out that she was up here—”

  “Um, no, it’s not that,” Brae said. She had an anxious look about her that immediately alerted Asch.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She swallowed. “Nothing, really. Mila just …” She held up her hands. “She’s always telling me that I rub her back too gently. She tells me that I need to apply pressure with my thumbs and …”

  “Brae, is Mila all right?” Asch asked, growing impatient.

  “I think she’s having the pup,” she blurted.

  For a moment, Asch drew a complete blank as if Brae had spoken the words in a foreign language. He kept waiting for the words to make sense, but it wasn’t until Fern was up and holding back an enraged Caim that they finally sank in.

  “It’s not due for another month,” Asch said evenly. Through sheer force of will, he remained calm.

  Caim was not so collected. “What did you do?” he growled at Brae.

  Cowering, she said, “I don’t … I didn’t …”

  “Will you both shut up?” said Fern. “It’s early, but not unreasonably so. I highly doubt Brae made Mila go into labor with a backrub.” She looked to Brae. “Make yourself useful and get me soap and water, then meet me in her room.” Then, to the others, she said, “There’s nothing more I can do for the boy. He needs a human doctor. You lot need to figure out what you’re doing with him, and do it fast.”