Swallowing His Pride

by Serena Pettus

  “Yes, mother.” Samantha couldn’t help but sass Lynn. Sarcasm was better than the choking fear that threatened to consume her. Hell, she had two shifters in her house who had no apparent issues with open nudity, a friend who was failing miserably at keeping her eyes north, and who knew how many rogues on her land for some unknown reason. The first two were really nothing new. The last was another matter.

  Were these the same shifters from town? Were they targeting her because they think she was with one of their kind, or did they know that she’s mated to the Prime? If that was the case, and they were after her, hitting the resort made no sense, unless Liam was right and they were only trying to lure the men away from her, making their target easier to reach.

  Once she was bundled up to Lynn’s satisfaction, they returned to the living room to find Liam and Jag in a rather heated debate.

  “They’re more comfortable with you,” Jag argued.

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re the best fighter the Pride has ever seen. It would be stupid to send them off with anyone else. Not to mention nobody knows where you live. Use that lump three feet north of your ass and get a move on.” The last was little more than a snarl, and Samantha couldn’t remember ever hearing Liam so upset.

  “Fine but when it’s safe, you and Dylan head north, to the hills. You’ll find us there.”

  “Cripes, you live all the way at the other edge of our land?” She could tell Liam had more questions, but he pressed his lips into a tight line and gave one terse nod. “Fine. Take them now, and I’ll see what I can do to buy you some time.”

  “We’ll take the truck, since there’s no way the Prima will be able to make the trek on foot. I’ll move the vehicle once I have them safely settled, so don’t look for it as a way to find us.”

  “Noted.” Liam turned and headed for the front door, removing his shirt as he went. When he reached for the snap on his jeans, Lynn spoke up.

  “What? You’re going to scare them off with your pasty white ass?”

  “Been checking me out, darlin’?”

  “You wish, hillbilly.” Lynn smirked, but Sam saw the concern in her eyes.

  “Don’t worry, you’ll be able to admire my fine self later. Right now, I’m just going hunting.”

  Jag, still naked, moved to the back of the house, only to return a moment later. He’d grabbed a pair of sweatpants from the pile of clothes the men kept there. “We need to leave now.”

  Everything happened fast. Samantha, Jag and Lynn all piled into the truck. Jag drove with Sam in the middle and Lynn in the passenger seat, her gun in her lap and an extra clip sticking out of her bag.

  The only thing more frightening than that was the way Jag drove. Had he ever operated a vehicle? They bumped and bounced across the earth as the truck raced north. When they came to the creek, he turned right and went further upstream before cutting the wheel and splashing through the water in a place just shallow enough for the vehicle to clear.

  “Are you nuts? Slow down!” Lynn shouted.

  “I can’t. I smell them, and we can’t afford for them to catch us like this. There are too many of them for me to fend off alone.”

  Samantha knew it took a lot for any man to admit something like that, but for a shifter who was known to be the Pride’s best fighter? Yeah, that didn’t make her feel any better.

  It seemed like forever before he finally eased up on the gas. They were now amongst the hills she’d always admired. They were the perfect backdrop to the evening sunsets when she was outside, but up close, they were little more than stone mounds with patches of greenery interspersed on the surface.

  When the truck halted, she looked out and noted a cave in the side of one of the hills. Dylan and Liam had said Jag lived out in the wilderness, but surely—

  “Here we are,” he announced, jumping out. “Let’s get you two inside, and I’ll hide the truck so they don’t find us too easily.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Lynn exclaimed. “Your plan is to hide us in a fucking cave? There’s no telling what’s in there. For all we know, some mutated breed of spider could be nesting in there, just waiting for us to walk into its gigantic web.”

  There was the city girl Samantha knew and loved. When Lynn had complained about the bugs out in the country, she’d mainly been concerned with the eight-legged variety.

  Jag frowned. “I do not have bugs in my home.”

  “You live in this cave! How could there not be bugs?”

  Instead of answering, Jag simply grabbed her up and slung her over his shoulder. Lynn’s jaw dropped, and Sam laughed at her expression. “Well, you were practically calling him a caveman.”

  “And he’s just proven it,” she snapped. “Put me down!”

  Ignoring her completely, he picked up her bag, placing her gun inside then looked back to Samantha. “This way, please.”

  They entered the cave, and Sam had to admit, she was rather nervous about what might be dwelling within. About twenty steps inside, they came up to a wall with a metal door. “You really do live here,” Samantha said.

  “Yes. With only one entrance, it’s easily guarded and virtually indestructible. You’ll both be safe here until Dylan and Liam get things sorted.”

  “Thank you.” And Samantha meant that wholeheartedly. Dylan had explained about Jag’s past, how he lived out on the land, alone, preferring to steer clear of others. For him to open his home to humans, well, that was a major thing for him.

  Lynn still hung over his shoulder, arms crossed over her chest, but Sam saw her looking around when they walked through the door.

  Inside, it was amazing. The walls, ceiling and floor were all stone, but he’d added living room furniture, rugs, and a dining table with a few wooden chairs. Around a corner looked to be a kitchen, minus any appliances that required electricity. There were lanterns scattered about, and he began to turn them on once he’d set Lynn on her feet.

  “I have some gas lamps, but we’ll save those until these die out. I generally use the solar powered or crank lanterns at night.”

  “I thought you shifters could see just fine in the dark,” Lynn commented as she really looked around.

  “We still need some light, just not much. Unfortunately, this cave doesn’t have any light coming in since I walled up the entrance. There are a few natural vents through the top that allow fresh air in, but with the plants that have grown up near them, there’s little to no sunlight coming through.”

  “Do you have a bathroom or anything in here?” Lynn asked, gazing down a tunnel. When he only quirked a brow her way, she huffed, “Oh, right, I forgot men just piss in the bushes.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, there is a bath,” he offered. Lynn perked up, her curiosity getting the better of her. “There’s a natural spring in the back of the cave. I hung a curtain so that the warmth stays in that chamber.”

  “So it’s a hot spring?” Samantha asked. “Wouldn’t that burn you?”

  Jag shrugged. “It’s really more of a warm spring to tell you the truth. I’ve taken showers hotter than the water coming up in there.”

  A tightening in her abdomen had Samantha gasping and stopping mid-step. Suddenly, she had the pair’s undivided attention. “Okay, that was a little stronger than the others, Lynn.”

  “Crap, I was worried about this,” Lynn muttered, going after her bag. “Get her to the couch,” she ordered Jag.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, hurrying over and all but carrying Sam to the massive leather sofa.

  “Between that insane ride and the stress, I think she might be going into labor.”

  “But it’s too early!” Sam cried. “Can’t we stop it?”

  Lynn gave her an incredulous look and shot back, “Sure, you got a cork that size?”

  “I’m serious. Don’t they have meds that can stop labor when it’s too early?”

  “Sure they do, but we aren’t exactly in a hospital, Sam.”

  Jag moved out of the way when Lynn app
roached. “Will she be okay?”

  “Aside from the pain, she’ll be fine. I’ll have to do an exam to see if she’s dilated any, so if you need to move that truck, now would be a great time to do it.”

  “Okay,” he replied, turning and heading out at a quick clip. Poor guy was seriously out of his element right now, and it showed. He suddenly looked as if he might pass out. It would have been comical if he wasn’t the only thing standing between them and the shifters chasing them.

  Plucking some gloves from a box in her bag, Lynn dug further and came back with some antibacterial gel. “It’s the best I can do on the fly. I’m not about to trust that spring he’s got here.”

  Samantha nodded, still trying to come to terms with her baby being on the way, but her mind just kept screaming, I’m not ready. Dylan wasn’t there, and she desperately needed him with her. Hell, she didn’t even know if she was having a boy or a girl!

  “Okay, I need you to slide your bottoms off so I can check you out.” Not something most people heard from their best friend, but after having Lynn as her doctor for the last eighteen weeks, Samantha didn’t have any secrets anymore, let alone modesty where Lynn was concerned.

  Lynn was quick and efficient, something Samantha was grateful for, and announced that Sam was three centimeters dilated already. Once she was adequately covered again, Sam slowly sat up only to be caught by another contraction.

  “Easy. You’ll need to relax so you don’t progress too quickly. I’m still hoping the guys will get this mess sorted and we can get you to the clinic where Dr. Lewis can assist me.”

  Lynn had been in contact with the shifter physician during the pregnancy, having met him when Dylan brought him to the house to check Samantha. He was a pleasant enough man, but his eyes had unnerved Sam a bit. They were gray and so pale they nearly blended with the whites of his eyes. The effect was downright creepy.

  “The man sorta scares me,” Sam confessed. “I know it’s not his fault his eyes are that color, but I really wish he’d put some contacts in or something.”

  Lynn cracked up. “That’s what you’re scared of? Not that you’re in labor in a cave?” She shook her head. “I agree, his looks are a little off-putting, but I need him here to check out the baby when it’s born. He’s familiar with shifters, and there are too many differences between them and us for me to be comfortable trusting my instincts to know if the baby is healthy and doing well. I don’t know what their regular heart rate is, whether or not any medications will affect them differently. There are just too many factors here.”

  That was comforting, especially considering they were out in the middle of nowhere. “Okay, I’ll try. Hopefully, all of this is just a big misunderstanding, and the boys will pull up any minute.”

  The likelihood of that happening was shrinking by the minute, and Jag had been gone for nearly an hour already. Samantha could tell Lynn was getting worried too, but she appreciated it when her friend didn’t voice her concerns. Then again, Lynn wasn’t the only one trying to reduce any extra stress. Samantha’s contractions were growing in intensity rather quickly, and it was becoming more and more difficult to hide.

  A sound from beyond the door caught their attention. It sounded like a gunshot, and Samantha whimpered when she thought of any of the men being hurt. “Lynn, what are we going to do? If any of them are in human form, they’ll be picked off before they can even get here.”

  Her friend’s eyes turned cold, a flat expression coming over her face that scared the hell out of Sam. “I’ll try to lay down some cover. I guess it’s time to see what daddy’s little girl is made of.”

  Lynn’s father had been a marine and one hard-assed son of a bitch. He’d taught her to shoot, to hunt…and to never fail at anything. Samantha suspected that’s where Lynn’s real problem with control stemmed from, but she’d never asked.

  “I’ll come help. Four eyes are better than two, right?”

  Lynn’s face registered her shock at Samantha’s offer. “Are you insane? Hasn’t it occurred to you that they’re probably coming after you since you’re carrying their leader’s child? Sam, if they had their hands on you, I don’t think there’s anything Dylan wouldn’t give or do to get you back.”

  It was that very thing that scared Sam the most.

  Another shot blasted outside, and Lynn went to her bag, removing her gun and tucking the extra clip into her back pocket, before heading to the door. “Don’t you dare even poke your head out, Samantha. I’m locking this door, and you better not open it for any reason unless it’s one of us.”

  Too frightened to even speak, she nodded and watched as her best friend in the whole world stepped out the door and into who knew what in an effort to keep her safe.

  It was then Samantha began to pray. Surely, the universe wouldn’t be so cruel as to give her the man of her dreams and a chance at a happy life, only to rip everyone she cared about away from her.

  A loud bang nearly had her wetting herself. Then Sam heard a very distinct, “Take that you furry bastard!” It sounded as if Lynn was actually enjoying herself.

  Sam hoped Dylan, Liam and Jag didn’t take any offense at Lynn’s remark. Not that it was the last one shouted nor was it the nicest. At least, Sam knew Lynn was all right as long as she kept running her mouth.

  Another gunshot rang out, and Dylan swung his head, expecting to find a second shooter. To his surprise, it was Lynn. She used the cave entrance as her cover and had managed to hit the shifter who’d been firing a rifle, before taking aim on the massive bear closing in on Liam as he battled a puma.

  Luckily, it looked as if there was only one rogue with a gun, because all the others were in their animal forms. With the bullet he found embedded in a tree trunk being silver, Dylan knew these men were there to kill, not kidnap, and his blood began to boil.

  Dylan had no idea who’d taught the Lynn to shoot, but right now, he couldn’t be more grateful. Having her on their side, with the other gunman down for the count, managed to swing the odds into their favor.

  When he’d arrived at Samantha’s home to find three shifters squaring off with his brother, he’d gone a bit nuts and barreled into the open, his men coming out of the trees, as well. The intruders there taken care of, Liam and Dylan had headed straight for the hills. Since Jag was absent, there was no doubt he’d taken the women to his home. While Dylan didn’t know exactly where Jag’s home was, he did know the general area.

  Being the Prime of the pride, he’d had a census of sorts so that every shifter could be accounted for in the event of an emergency. There were many places to hide out there, even some cave systems that wove through the hills and deep underground. The only downside? People got lost in those damn caves all the time.

  They’d arrived just in time to find Jag facing off with a puma and mountain lion. Unfortunately, he was in his human form. Shifting would have left him vulnerable until the transformation was complete, but being mauled in his current shape would be a harsh death.

  Roaring, Dylan had managed to gain their attention, giving Jag the opportunity to duck behind the truck and shift. Unfortunately, there were others spread out around them, no doubt looking for the women. Now, one of those women was shooting them right in their furry asses.

  When the dust had settled and all the attackers had been accounted for, Dylan shifted and ran for Lynn.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, but if we’re all clear, we need to get Sam to Dr. Lewis. She’s in labor,” Lynn answered.

  “Where is she?”

  “Locked in the cave. I told her not to open the door unless it was one of us.”

  Liam stormed into the cave, bitching up a storm regarding Lynn’s, “Blatant disregard for male egos.”

  They were at the door now, and Dylan banged until the frame rattled, adrenaline still flowing through his system. If he wasn’t able to see Samantha soon, he wasn’t sure what might happen. One thing was for certain, his lion wouldn’t wait for long.

&nb
sp; It only took thirty minutes of nerve-racking noise before pounding started at the door, but in that half hour the contractions she’d been having had doubled in strength. Because of that, it took her a few minutes to get to the door. When she got there, she heard voices on the other side, Lynn’s carrying above the others.

  “Get over it!” she shouted. “Ooh, a girl helped cover your ass while you mauled some other big fucking cats. Bet you didn’t mind when I nailed the fucking bear barreling down on you, did ya, darlin’?”

  “Both of you cut it out!” He was here! She’d know Dylan’s voice anywhere. “Lynn said Samantha’s in labor. We need to get her to the clinic. Preferably before she delivers!”

  Wow. Dylan sounded really on edge. Samantha fumbled with the damn locks, her hands shaking like crazy. When she finally managed to open it, he charged in, wrapping her in his arms.

  “Sam,” he whispered. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt?”

  “Aside from the labor pains, I’m fine. How about you? Did any of you guys get injured?”

  All she could see were some scratches that were already healing. In fact, they looked totally fine for the most part. Well, except they were naked. That was something she was trying to get accustomed to, because she had a feeling it wouldn’t be anything they could change.

  Lynn, bless her heart, did her best to keep her eyes up, but Sam caught her taking a quick peek at Jag’s ass when he walked farther into the cave, calling, “I’ll grab us all some pants.”

  “Come sit down, sweetheart,” Dylan urged as he and Liam took in Jag’s home.

  “It’s really something, huh?” Samantha said.

  “I always thought he just wandered about in his animal form,” Liam admitted. “I never imagined he lived out here like some sort of nomad.”

  “It’s a great place though, and it’s perfect for him. Just think about it, he’ll never have to worry about being taken by surprise because anyone who tried could only come at him from one direction,” Dylan mused.

  Samantha hissed as a particularly nasty contraction gripped her, and Lynn was by her side in a second. “Breathe through it, Sam.”