by Sky Corgan
Carter had leaned down a lot in the few weeks since they'd been with the tribe. Not that he'd ever been fat. Now he was just more cut. His muscles stood out, and there was almost a sinewy look to them. Bulging and veiny and mmm. Karen licked her lips, thinking about her Adonis of a husband before another jolt to her stomach brought her back to.
“Ow.” Her hand reflexively fell to where the pain was coming from.
Cadence, a wereduck whom quickly had become Karen's best friend, took notice. She quirked a bushy eyebrow as she looked down at Karen's stomach, then she smirked. “Bread be a bakin'?”
“Bread...baking...where?” Karen looked around in confusion, then inhaled deeply to see if she was missing something.
The other Weres laughed at her.
“She be dense,” Dada the werecheeta commented. One of the catty ones, always with something snarky to say, but never with real ill intentions.
“I'm not dense,” Karen huffed. “I just don't smell any bread.”
“You wouldn't smell that kind of bread, child.” Cadence tilted her head towards Karen's stomach.
Karen gasped. She hadn't even considered that she might be pregnant. After all the times that she and Carter had been together, she figured that she would have conceived long before now. She had been certain that her muddy wolf blood had been standing in their way—not that a child would really be a blessing in these conditions.
Even though it had been weeks since Karen and Carter had left the United States, she still worried that the other regional Alphas would find them. The idea of having a pup on the way wasn't exactly appealing with such a threat looming overhead.
“Now's not a good time for bread.” She scowled, splaying her hand over her stomach.
“One would never be able to tell with how much baking you and Carter do.” Cadence jabbed her in the side with an elbow, and all the women laughed.
Karen blushed. With walls made of mud, sound traveled easily throughout the tribe. Everyone knew what was going on with everyone else, including when they were having sex. It was another thing that had taken some time to get used to, and for the first few nights, Karen had felt like a complete pervert listening to the other couples making love. Carter, on the other hand, had taken it as a personal challenge to see if they could be louder.
She smirked at the thought. How she loved him. It was definitely worth it for them to run away together. Even though life felt like a constant chore, Karen knew she'd always be happy as long as Carter was by her side. He was perfect, and their life was finally coming together, but it was just too soon for...this. Her fingers scratched lazily over her stomach.
“When are you going to tell him?” Dada smiled across the table at her.
“Not yet.” Karen shook her head. Carter didn't need the stress right now, not when they still worried about being found. Maybe in a few more weeks, when they knew for certain that they were safe. If they ever really were safe.
“Are you happy here?” Carter propped himself up on his elbow next to Karen, thinking about how beautiful she looked as he watched the candlelight dance off of her face. If he could stare at her all night without her thinking it odd, he would. It seemed to him that she got more gorgeous with each passing day. How had he ever gotten so lucky as to meet her and take her as his Alpha mate, he wondered.
“Mhm.” She gave him a small nod. “Why do you ask?”
“I just want to make sure you're happy.” He passed his tongue over his bottom lip to wet it. The dry heat of Africa had been hell on his skin—hell on both of them. There were some days he thought Karen wouldn't be able to adapt, especially in the beginning. Life here definitely wasn't easy, but it was all they had now that they were outcasts from lycan society.
“I'm happy as long as I'm with you.” She rolled against him, placing a tender kiss on his chest before threading their fingers together.
Carter leaned in and pressed his face into Karen's golden hair, inhaling deeply. It had taken him a while to get used to all the strange smells here, but now that he had, he had a deep appreciation for them. The scent of dirt and animals and other Weres. Everything was so intense. Even Karen smelled more like a wolf.
He traced the outline of her face with the pad of his index finger, brushing a strand of hair away from her eyes. She smiled up at him, looking absolutely radiant with only a blanket covering her naked curves. It made Carter hungry for her flesh, made his wolf surge to the surface with the need to mate.
He leaned in to kiss her tenderly on the lips before his hand slid down to her chest, pulling the blanket off of her with one quick tug. She gasped, reaching for it as if he'd never seen her naked before. The shy gesture only made his wolf want to pounce. In an instant, he was on top of her, capturing her wrists and holding them above her head while her eyes locked onto his with mounting lust just before their lips collided in a heated kiss.
She moaned softly into the space between them, her body writhing and pressing up against his, tempting his hands to roam all over her. How alive she felt when they were together like this. It drove Carter insane—made him want to be inside of her that much more.
He sought entry into her mouth, and she gave it freely, allowing his tongue to explore the slick cavern, touching and caressing until they were both breathless. When he pulled away, he was all grins. This was definitely the highlight of his day.
“Are you ready to give the other couples a run for their money?” he teased, delicately kissing her earlobe.
“I think we both already know there's no contest.” Karen gazed up at Carter beneath heavy lashes, and when she pulled free from his grip and lightly clawed down his chest, he knew there would be no holding back tonight.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Something was different. Something was wrong.
Carter's wolf stirred before he did, catching the scent on the wind. Lycan. Strong. Many of them. They were still shrouded in darkness from the early morning, an ambush tactic.
He opened fully amber eyes, and Karen stirred in his arms, perhaps sensing the danger too. Carter barely had a chance to pull away from her and sit up before she was groaning awake. As quietly as possible, he shushed her, and panic took over her expression with the realization of what was going on. The wolf inside of him bristled, growled, threatened to spring to the surface. Karen reached for her clothes and quickly began getting dressed. Perhaps catching them naked and vulnerable had been part of the council's plan. Maybe not. This was one of the few times that Carter cursed his hatred of clothing. Precious seconds were being wasted pulling on his pants, seconds that could have been spent rushing out of their hut to wake the others.
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.” Frank Benson filed into their hut behind Elliot Williams as if they owned the place.
Carter instantly put Karen behind him, holding his arms out to his sides as if they could keep them from getting to her. It was too late for hope though. They were cornered.
“This is a place of sanctuary. You can't harm us here,” he told them, trying not to sound too desperate.
There was a limited amount of moves that they could make in the small space. If Karen screamed, the council would come down on them with a swift death. If Carter shifted to protect her, there was a good chance she'd get harmed anyway. Her lack of ability to shift made her defenseless.
“We're not going to harm you here.” Elliot shoved his hands in the pockets of his suit, looking all business. While the other members of the council seemed to be frothing at the mouth for their blood, he remained dignified, respectable, and with as much human compassion as he could manage after having to hunt fugitives down halfway across the world. “We're taking you back to the United States for your trial.”
“For our execution,” Carter corrected him, baring his teeth and letting a growl slip from between them.
“Essentially.” Frank quirked his head, strolling around Elliot to give their meager belongings a look of ridicule. “Oh Carter, was it really worth losing everyt
hing for this human bitch?”
Carter's wolf surged forward, sharp claws shaping his nails as he lurched for Frank. Elliot was between them in a second, his hand pressing hard against Carter's chest. The gold rings around his pupils said he wasn't beyond shifting to protect the pack. If Carter lost himself, it was as good as asking for an immediate execution.
“Show restraint, pup. You know you brought this on yourself. There's nowhere else to run. This will go better for all of us if you just come peacefully.” Elliot stood proud, his wolf facing down Carter's in a silent battle of dominance. It was no contest. With so many wolves standing behind Elliot, and Carter and Karen in such a vulnerable situation, Carter had no choice but to back down. Any blood shed in their home would be their own. There was no hope of escape when they were confined to such a small space.
“Or, we could always just slit your throat right here.” Frank pulled back his blazer to flash his weapon, a sheathed knife, his hand already on the handle, challenging Carter.
“That's enough of that,” Elliot barked at him. “There will be no bloodshed here unless it's absolutely necessary.”
“What are we going to do?” Karen took a step forward, whispering over Carter's shoulder. He could hear the fear in her voice, and it absolutely killed him.
“I'll go with you,” he told the council, his eyes to the floor in submission. “I'll go with you, and I won't put up a fight. I'll plead guilty to whatever charges you throw on me. Just don't take her. This isn't Karen's fault. Let her live the rest of her days out in peace with the Namak tribe.”
“Carter, no!” Karen threw her arms around him, clinging to him, refusing to let get. The choice wouldn't be hers though. The council would pry them apart, and Carter's heart would break into a million pieces when he left her behind forever. It would all be worth it though if she lived.
“Look at him, trying to barter as if he actually has any leeway.” Frank grinned at them nastily, circling as if he was about to attack. It was all for show though. Carter knew that. He was just trying to appear more Alpha than he actually was, taking way too much pleasure in this.
“Frank is right,” Elliot sighed. “You may have said the words to make her your Alpha mate, but she spoke them back to you. I'm certain she knew the consequences of that, as all lycans do. You're equally guilty in this. We can't leave without her.” He shook his head, looking genuinely remorseful.
Desperation welled up inside of Carter. He felt backed against a wall. If they left with the council, they'd both die. There would be no chance for salvation. Carter had been around long enough to know that no regional Alpha would ever not be put to death for such a transgression, especially after fleeing the country. Karen would die along with him. And worse, they would make him watch as they killed her.
Out of options, he let the beast take over. Fur poked through his skin—the wolf forcing its way to the surface. Heat rolled through him as the wolf fought for air, and just before he was about to burst into a complete shift, he felt Karen's hand slide into his.
“Don't, Carter,” she said softly, the strange gentility of her touch somehow pushing the wolf back inside of him. “I don't want violence. We both knew this might not work. Let's just go with them. The Namak tribe has been good to us. We shouldn't shed blood on their soil.”
“Listen to your woman, Carter,” Frank practically spat.
Carter's shoulders slumped in defeat. The thought that they had gone through all of this only to be caught absolutely infuriated him. Weren't they supposed to have some kind of protection here? Wasn't that the whole point of them coming?
It didn't matter anymore. If Karen didn't want him to fight, then he wouldn't. He just hoped she understood the consequences. They were going to die, one way or another. It was far better to go out in a blaze of glory, he thought.
Relenting, he allowed Elliot to take hold of him while Frank flanked Karen's side. It pissed him off even more that the sleazeball was going to be escorting his wife, but at this point, he felt completely helpless. Resistance was futile, and arguing, even more so.
They filed out of the hut, held by the arms like prisoners. Relief rushed through Carter as his eyes landed on the predator Alphas of the Namak tribe, circled around their hut, creating a barrier. Amare's hulking form stood dead center to present himself to the pack.
“You're trespassing,” he grumbled, glaring directly at Elliot, perhaps realizing that if anyone was the leader of the council, it was him.
Elliot handed Carter off to Greg Roosevelt and stepped forward to meet with Amare. Carter could smell the nervousness on him. It was like the sweet scent of hope. Perhaps he and Karen weren't doomed after all.
“We came to escort these fugitives back to the United States,” Elliot told him with as much confidence as he could muster.
Amare's plump lips quirked into an amused smirk. “You have no jurisdiction here. Surely, you know what this place is. Otherwise, you wouldn't have bothered sneaking in.”
“We weren't sneaking,” Frank hissed, shifting his weight as if his wolf was about to spring to action.
All around, the eyes of the Weres glowed, their beasts just beneath the surface, anticipating conflict. The show of dominant aggression riled up Carter's wolf. His own eyes went amber, feeding off the sheer energy around him.
“We don't want any trouble.” Elliot held his palms up in surrender. “But these two are criminals and need to be dealt with accordingly.”
“I am well aware of the crimes you think they committed. You are not leaving here with them though.” Amare crossed his arms over his chest as if to say that was final.
“Enough with the talk,” Frank spat. In an instant, his knife was drawn, and in that same instant, Carter's shift took over, and he ripped Frank's arm clean from his body.
The area erupted into sound, growling and hissing and trumpeting as everyone seemed to shift all at once. In the mess of confusion, Carter managed to push Karen away into the safety of the circle that the Namak tribe had created. When their bodies touched, he smelled something in the air. Something more than wolves and lions and elephants and other werebeasts. He smelled his own blood. The tiniest hint, and not coming from him.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Karen was pregnant. And he knew in that moment that he would protect her and the baby with his life, even if it meant getting ripped to shreds just to buy her enough time to get away.
The wolves surged forward, and Carter prepared himself for impact, baring his teeth threateningly, even though there was no hope that he'd win. A shadow was cast over his head for a split second before a huge lion landed in front of him, a giant paw swiping at his aggressors and sending one of the wolves rolling onto its side with a high-pitched yelp. Amare had shifted into his elephant form, and he stomped the ground aggressively, threatening to charge at the wolves. The whole pack together couldn't take him down, and when they realized that, they backed off.
Carter was absolutely amazed at how the tribe had stepped forward to protect him and Karen, pushing them to the back where they'd be safe. He kept his body in front of Karen, postured for attack, just in case things went wrong. It wasn't necessary though. The pack knew they had been defeated. They shifted back into human form, and Frank's screams took the place of all the animal sounds. With nothing else to do but retreat, Elliot and the rest of the wolves went to Frank's aid, trying to stop the bleeding from his severed arm.
The other Weres began to shift back to human form as well, realizing that the scuffle was over.
Amare picked up Frank's arm and threw it at him. “We'll help you cauterize the wound, so he doesn't bleed to death. Then you go, and you don't come back.”
Elliot nodded, too concerned with saving Frank's life to argue.
The rest of the tribe that wasn't busy tending to Frank's medical needs created a protective circle around Karen and Carter. Carter shifted back finally, wrapping his arm around Karen, trying to help soothe the trembling that had overtaken her. Ca
dence led them to her hut, which was on the other side of the village, away from the carnage.
When they were inside, Carter faced Karen, grabbing her by the shoulders, his eyes scanning over her body for any sign of injury. “Are you alright?”
“I'm fine.” She nodded, though the tremors continued to roll through her. “Just a little shaken.”
He pulled her into an embrace, holding her to him as if he would never let her go. That's when he finally began to give way, the adrenaline dying off and overwhelming relief taking over. Tears came to his eyes unbidden as he thanked the heavens that they were alright.
“We're fine. We're going to be fine,” he said, more to himself than anyone else. “It's finally over.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The dust had settled, but the fear was still there. Karen sat inside their hut, folding clothes and staring blankly at the dirt floor, the events of the day playing through her mind like a nightmarish montage. She remembered the look of desperation on Carter's face when they had been cornered. She could still feel the sheer heat of his palm—the change rolling through him.
Everything was surreal. And even though those minutes when they had been commandeered by the pack felt endless, now that she thought about it, everything had happened so fast. She hadn't even had time to react to Frank pulling the knife on her, threatening to strike her down right there, before Carter had been on top of him. It had been a flash of teeth and fur and blood, and then she had been thrust away from the action, and the other women of the Namak tribe were pulling her to safety while her husband circled around to stand guard in front of her.
Seeing all the other Weres shift was like watching the part in the Lion King when the Circle of Life starts to play. Except this was the horror version, a myriad of different animals standing around, waiting tensely to exact carnage on each other. Thank God it didn't come to that.
