by Noelle Marie
Katherine squeezed her eyes shut, but nodded. “Okay.”
She didn’t get a chance to ready herself, though, because a second later, another contraction rocked her body.
“Push!” Zane ordered.
Katherine grit her teeth. And then she screamed.
Everything hurt as she strained to somehow get her baby out of her. She already felt stretched beyond natural limits when she felt a strange tugging sensation down “there”.
Something was happening.
“Is that the head?” she heard Markus ask through the thick layer of pain that blanketed her. He sounded queasy.
“Keep pushing, Katherine,” Zane ordered loudly, ignoring Markus altogether. “Don’t you dare stop now.”
Katherine’s lungs burned for oxygen, and her entire body was shaking as she somehow kept it taut. She pushed with all her might, and then... sweet relief.
With a wet sort of plop, the pressure, stretching, pain, everything was gone.
A baby’s cry reached her ears, and all at once, it was like her body told her she could relax. She allowed herself to flop against the mattress. As much as she wanted to see her baby right that second, she didn’t think she had the strength to even lift her head. She allowed herself to close her eyes, just for a moment.
“Markus,” she heard Zane’s voice buzz in her ears, “hand me that string... Now the scissors.”
Katherine forced her eyes back open, giving Zane a second to clip the umbilical cord before asking, “Is he okay?”
Instead of answering, Zane carefully laid the tiny human in his hands on her chest. Katherine, acting purely on instinct, wrapped her arms around him.
“She looks fine,” Zane said, a dopey sort of grin on his face that spoke of his inner awe.
Katherine blinked owlishly. “It’s a girl?” she asked, dumbfounded for a moment as she stared down at her baby. Although she and Bastian had never found out the gender of their unborn child, for some reason she had always just assumed it was a boy.
“Definitely a girl,” he confirmed.
Once the surprise wore off, an unimaginable sort of pride and a kind of love Katherine didn’t even know existed swelled in her chest. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the awkward-looking, wrinkly, perfect being in her arms.
The baby was covered in a thin coating of blood, mucus, and whatever else, but somehow, she was still the most beautiful thing Katherine had ever seen. She was also awake and looking up at Katherine with startlingly blue eyes. She knew from her biology class at her old high school that all babies started life with blue eyes, but Katherine knew intrinsically that those particular ones were Bastian’s.
“You did it, princess,” Markus said, sounding impressed as he, too, stared down at the tiny baby.
Katherine sniffled. She couldn’t deny it. “Yeah.”
A pause. “I don’t suppose that Marcella is still on the table for potential names?”
Katherine choked on a laugh, flying high on a hormone-charged chemical imbalance as she stared at her new baby’s sweet face. “I was thinking Margaret, actually, after Bastian’s mother. Margaret Rose.” She bit her lip, feeling suddenly self-conscious about the choice. She and Bastian had never really discussed names, after all. They’d thought they had more time. “Do you think Bastian will like it?”
With a calloused hand, Markus smoothed back a piece of hair that was sticking stubbornly to her sweaty forehead. “He’ll love it,” he assured softly.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As Zane subtly delivered the placenta – Katherine hardly even noticed, so enraptured was she with the tiny being in her arms. Her little Maggie.
“Are you sure she’s healthy?” she asked for what had to have been the fifth time in as many minutes. “She’s so small.”
The impatient, little thing had come close to a month early, too.
“She’s got good color,” Zane assured, “and she’s alert and trying to look around already. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
Staring at the tiny girl in her arms, taking in the tuft of dark hair on her head, her perfect button nose, and round cheeks, Katherine couldn’t help but think she’d be worrying for the rest of her life.
She couldn’t wait.
“This is all I could find,” Markus said, returning from rummaging through the rest of the cabin in search of something to bundle the baby in. He handed Katherine a plaid button up not unlike the one he was wearing.
Katherine took it, carefully wrapping Maggie in the shirt so that it fit around her like a snug blanket. “She even makes plaid look good,” she observed offhandedly.
Zane snorted. “I would say you’re looking at her through a mother’s eyes, but she is pretty cute.”
Markus smirked. “I can hardly believe that Bastian helped make her. You sure you don’t have something to tell us? We’ll keep your secret. After all, we’re bonded by the horror of the birthing experience now.”
Katherine rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop a hint of a smile from pulling on her lips. “I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who actually experienced birth,” she pointed out.
She only hoped she could look back on it someday and not associate the event with mind-numbing terror. Despite everything, the entire situation was so outrageous that it was almost funny – in a very, very dark way.
Then a loud, fury-fueled howl pierced the air, and suddenly, nothing about it was even a little bit humorous. Whatever coziness they were enjoying was sucked from the room, leaving behind nothing but cold air. Goosebumps broke out on Katherine’s arms as she hugged Maggie to her bosom.
Because that howl certainly didn’t belong to Bastian. Katherine didn’t think it belonged to anyone from Haven Falls.
Dread filled her when another rapacious howl sounded, this one minutely closer to the cabin that served as their shelter than the last.
“We’ve got to go,” Zane announced curtly, standing and wiping his bloody hands on the thighs of his jeans. “Markus, grab Katherine’s pants. Her coat, too.”
Markus seized said articles of clothing from the floor. “Give Zane the baby,” he ordered, pulling Katherine into a sitting position and throwing the coat over her shoulders.
Before she could obey, or protest – or do or say anything, really – yet another howl reverberated through the air, this one even closer.
Katherine stared down at the little girl she was clutching tightly to her chest, knowing already what she had to do. She took a deep breath. “No.”
“No?” Markus repeated, sounding a cross between annoyed and incredulous. “Katherine, we don’t have time for this. Come on-”
“I can barely walk, Markus!” she exploded in return. “Even if one of you carries me, we’ll never get away in time. Besides...” Katherine paused, swallowing. “He only wants me.”
She already knew deep in her bones that the howl belonged to Gerard. He’d discovered she was gone, and now he was coming for her. She knew it wouldn’t be hard to track her scent, either, especially not once he reached the spot in the woods where her water had broken.
The very thought of him finding her made Katherine want to puke.
“What are you saying?” Zane demanded, but judging by his furrowed brow, he already knew.
Katherine licked her lips. “I’m saying that it only makes sense for you to leave me behind.”
Both the men standing over her erupted into an explosion of activity at her words.
“Are you crazy, woman?” Markus demanded, throwing his hands in the air. “We just got you back!”
“After all of this,” Zane said, gesturing vaguely around the room with his hands, “do you really think that leaving you behind is a viable option for us? That we would just let you fall back into the arms of whatever sadist did this to you?”
“How much blood have you lost?” Markus asked in disbelief, then turned and redirected the question at Zane. “Has she lost a lot of blood? That’s the only explanation I can think of
for-”
“Stop!” Katherine insisted, but it was like they didn’t hear her.
“-this insanity. I mean, Christ,” Markus continued, turning and getting in her face, “do you want this Gerard person to find you?”
Tears sprang into Katherine’s eyes at the tasteless remark. “Enough!” she yelled, projecting her voice so that it was loud enough to be heard over their affronted rambling. “Just stop,” she reiterated. “You guys don’t get it. Of course, I don’t want to wind up back with Gerard.” She directed this comment at Markus. “I would never ask you guys to leave me behind without good reason.”
Zane’s eyebrows shot up. “Well?” he demanded. “I’m waiting to hear this supposedly good reason-”
“Maggie,” Katherine interjected sharply.
Zane shut his mouth with an audible snap. He and Markus stared at her.
“What about her?” the latter hedged.
All three of them shifted their attention to the baby snuggled up to Katherine’s chest, chewing innocently on her tiny fist.
“We have to protect her,” Katherine said softly, running a finger down the gentle slope of her nose. “First and foremost, that’s what we have to do: protect her.”
When neither Markus nor Zane objected to the sentiment, Katherine forced herself to drag her eyes away from the baby in her arms and back up at the two men staring down at her. “As far as I can see, the only way to do that is if you guys take her and go. Run as fast and as far away from here as you can. As long as I’m not with you, G-Gerard,” she stumbled on his name, “won’t follow.”
Even as she said it, instincts that she didn’t even know she had screamed at her not to let go of her baby. Her arms felt rigid, locked around the little being resting on her chest. “Please,” she choked when neither man made a move to take Maggie from her. “For me.” With that, she finally managed to force her stiff arms to move, peeling the baby off her chest, and after pressing a single, chaste kiss to her forehead, Katherine thrust her newborn at Zane, who stood there, looking frozen in indecision.
He didn’t immediately take the baby. Instead, he glanced at Markus over Katherine’s head. The two men must have communicated something with their eyes because a moment later, when Zane ripped his gaze away from him, he looked resolved. Katherine didn’t know if it was the suddenly determined set of his shoulders or the stubborn line of his jaw, but she knew Maggie was in safe hands when he sat gingerly on the bed and carefully scooped her out of Katherine’s arms. “Okay, okay, you win.”
Relief and grief battled within Katherine as she took in the sight of her child in Zane’s arms. She offered him a jerky nod of acknowledgement. “Thank you.”
As soon as Zane stood, the baby started fussing. “It’s okay,” he said, attempting to sooth her. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” Then he looked at Katherine with serious eyes, like he was trying to assure her with them that he knew precisely how sacred the task he was being entrusted with was. “I’ll protect her with my life,” he promised her quietly.
Katherine nodded stiffly. “I know,” she sniffled. “Now, go!”
Zane carefully tucked the baby inside of his shirt — most likely to provide her with some extra protection from the elements – and then he turned, looked once more at Markus and Katherine over his shoulder, and ran.
Katherine watched as her newborn daughter disappeared from her life just as quickly as she’d come into it. “Good bye, sweet girl,” she whispered softly to no one. “I love you.”
She desperately wanted to break down and cry, but Katherine found it impossible to let herself go when Markus remained, standing there stupidly, her pants still in his hands.
“What are you waiting for?” she snapped. “Go with Zane! Get out of here while you still can.”
Markus snorted, crossing his arms over his chest like he was unimpressed by her outburst. “You didn’t think I would really leave you behind, did you, princess?” He didn’t wait for an answer, kneeling and taking her forcefully by the arm before trying to shove the limb through the sleeve of her coat. “Come on, we’ve got to move.”
Confusion bombarded her. Why would he-? He couldn’t-!
Katherine shook her head in denial, attempting to give voice to her thoughts. “Markus, you can’t-”
He ignored her. “Are you going to put on these pants or am I going to have to put them on for you?”
Katherine bristled. “Markus, you don’t get it! Gerard – he’ll kill you.”
Markus stiffened at her sharp tone. “Well, then I’ll die!” he exclaimed, finally turning to acknowledge her. “That would still be better than allowing the bastard who did this to you,” he gestured crudely at her bruised form, “to get you back in his possession. I’d rather die a hundred times than knowingly – willingly – allowing that to happen.” He paused, making sure that that sunk in. “Now, are you going to help me or not?”
Katherine stared the self-sacrificing idiot down, trying to remind herself of the man’s own words: “You can’t make other people’s decisions for them, princess.”
Afraid she’d choke on the lump of gratefulness in her throat, Katherine merely nodded. Markus handed the brunette her pants, and ignoring the blood painted on her inner thighs, she pulled them up her legs. Meanwhile, Markus slipped the moccasins Serena had borrowed her back on her feet.
Once she was dressed, Kathrine tried to pull her sore body up into a standing position. She didn’t get very far, though, before Markus intervened, pulling her into his arms. She didn’t bother to protest – she wasn’t completely sure her wobbly legs could support her full weight, anyway – merely resting her head against his shoulder. Then they exited the cabin the same way they’d entered it only a few hours before, with Katherine cradled carefully in Markus’s arms.
Another of Gerard’s howls pierced the air as he loomed ever nearer.
“We need to lead him away from Zane and the baby,” Katherine reminded Markus quietly. Seeing as Zane’s tracks went south – he was likely headed in the direction of the safe house where Gabriela still awaited them – Markus nodded and turned north.
He ran, his pace much faster than the one he had adapted when he’d followed Zane to the cabin earlier that morning. Katherine imagined that the boots he had found at the cabin helped.
Although it had to have been well past dawn by then, the sun remained hidden behind thick clouds, and the forest appeared appropriately ominous as Markus dashed past tree after tree. He held her close to his chest, trying not to jostle her as he ducked under low-hanging branches and kicked up snow. Regardless, she was feeling lightheaded after only a few minutes.
There was no sense in complaining, though. It wasn’t like they could stop.
She and Markus were both quiet, neither acknowledging her blood-soaked pants or the intermittent howl that reverberated through the forest; the sound was growing closer and closer, and served as proof of the imminent danger that was stalking them.
Dread filled Katherine’s veins like lead, causing her to grow heavier with each howl that resounded through the air. An appropriate metaphor, Katherine mused, as she truly felt like dead weight in Markus’s arms.
Fanciful thoughts of metaphors fled her mind, however, when Markus stepped foot into a small clearing, and all at once, three strange wolves were upon them. They were huge, and mean-looking, none more so than the giant, russet-colored one in the middle.
He was larger than any wolf Katherine had ever seen, with paws half the size of Katherine’s head and a snout that looked the length of her forearm.
She didn’t even have to look into his feral, yellow eyes to know it was Gerard.
All three wolves were crouched in threatening poses, baring their teeth and resting their weight on their haunches as they prepared to pounce. The trio surrounded them, Gerard in front, the gray wolf on the right, and the auburn-haired one on the left.
Without turning his back on the wolves, Markus took two steps backward and gingerly s
et Katherine down against the trunk of a tree. He pressed his nose into her hair, inhaling her scent – Katherine didn’t know which of the two of them the action was intended to comfort, or if it was wholly involuntary – and then he straightened, facing the wolves slowly encroaching upon them without a flicker of fear on his face.
“Bring it on, motherfuckers,” he dared with a reckless, broken sort of grin. Then he shifted.
The other wolves were on him immediately. Markus was prepared for them, though, and managed to buck the first – the ginger – off his back without much trouble. The gray wolf, however, managed to dig his teeth into Markus’s right shoulder.
Markus released a furious growl before using his superior strength to throw that wolf off of him as well.
He was only one person, though, and slowly, but surely, the other two wolves began gaining the upper hand. They fell into a pattern of tag teaming him, attacking when he was distracted by the other.
Katherine could do nothing but watch helplessly from the sidelines. It was maddening.
Perhaps the most infuriating thing of all, however, was the way the largest wolf – Gerard – merely sat back and let his two underlings do his bidding. It was almost a taunt; like he was saying Markus wasn’t worth his time. He wasn’t even watching the fight. Instead, Gerard’s eyes seemed to be fixated on her from across the clearing.
As unnerving as his stare was, however, and as insulting as his actions – or inaction, rather – were, she was mostly just grateful that Gerard had yet to join the fray. Markus didn’t stand a chance against three wolves, let alone if one of them was as physically dominating as Gerard.
As it was, he was starting to have a hard time holding his own against two. He was still standing, but Katherine could see blood shining where it had doused his coat.
It was strange – the mix of guilt and gratitude she felt – watching him defend her.
Katherine watched in horror as the gray wolf managed to lock his jaws around one of Markus’s front legs. Markus dug his own teeth into the wolf’s ear, and he released him with a whine, but Katherine could see that Markus was hurt.
