The Chosen Series Box Set: Books 1 - 3
Page 51
“Zane, behave. Stephany is our guest.” Tanya stepped towards the big male, threading her arm around his middle. He visibly relaxed.
“I don’t like that my female came home with red eyes last night. I could smell her sadness.”
“Come in, Stephany.” Brant strode towards them. “Let’s sit.” He gestured to the sitting area behind him. “Tanya mentioned that you have something important to tell us.”
“Our female is distraught. She is so upset that she won’t even let us rut her.” Zane almost looked like a small child that had been told that he couldn’t have any candy. If it weren’t for the situation she was in, she would’ve found it to be comical.
Tanya smacked Zane on the arm. “Stop it. You’re acting like a big baby.”
Zane looked sheepish. “I don’t like to see you like this,” he said, his eyes firmly on his mate. “Come and sit.” He wrapped his arm around Tanya and made for the sitting area.
Stephany took a deep breath and followed.
Brant nodded in greeting. Tanya sat between the males. Zane kept his arm loosely around her shoulders and Brant slid his hand onto the top of her thigh, squeezing lightly. Stephany sat opposite to them on a wing back chair.
“We are ready to hear what has upset Tanya. What is going on?” Brant lifted his eyebrows. Zane’s dark eyes focussed on Stephany as well, making her want to squirm in her seat.
It was important that she put this in a way that they would understand. “I spent almost a week with the wolves.”
Brant nodded, a frown creased his brow.
“Well…” She swallowed, choosing her words carefully. “The alpha was very attractive. We rutted a couple of times. It was completely consensual.” She added the last for the record.
Zane pulled a disgusted face. “After twenty years of celibacy, you rut a wolf? The same male that wanted to take Tanya and mate her against her will?” He grit his teeth.
Stephany felt like rolling her eyes. “He would never have done anything to hurt Tanya. He is a good male.”
Zane made a sound of irritation. “You have a mate. What of Lance? The male almost died while you were off rutting a”—a growling noise resonated from deep in his chest—“wolf.”
Stephany squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes at the big male. “Lance has rutted with anything in a skirt for years. I rut another male once, and it is deemed unacceptable? How is that fair?”
“Yeah, but a wolf.” Zane growled again, shaking his head.
“I at least hope he had a big dick.” Brant muttered to himself, then he shrugged looking bored. “So you rutted a wolf, this is important how?”
“I hope he knew how to use it. Twenty years and she chooses a wolf.” Zane said more to himself than to Stephany. “I guess it’s your business,” he added as an afterthought. “Why are you so upset about this, Ysnaar?” He turned to Tanya.
“Shhh, let Stephany talk,” Tanya said.
“I’m pregnant.” She had to work to keep her eyes locked with theirs.
“What?” Brant said.
“What the fuck?” Zane bellowed. He released Tanya, moving forward on the seat. “Can’t you rut without getting yourself into trouble? First mating Lance and now this? I didn’t even think an interspecies pregnancy was possible regardless of King Katar’s assurances that Esral will birth young.” He shook his head and shrugged. “I suppose if it works with humans.” His eyes darkened. “You rutted a wolf while in heat? That’s just plain stupid.”
“Zane,” Tanya chided. “Don’t…”
“It wasn’t like that.” Stephany interjected.
Brant made a sound of anguish. “Oh, no…” He lowered his eyes. Her king knew full well that she was unable to birth a child. “I’m so sorry.” His eyes were filled with concern. “If there is anything we can do.”
She shrugged. “I need your permission to terminate.”
“We wouldn’t force you to abort, Stephany,” Zane said. “It was stupid and irresponsible, but you have our support. The coven would accept a child, regardless of its origins. There has never been an interspecies child before, but all young are considered precious. You do not have to terminate because of its wolf blood.” He grit his teeth. “We would need to make it clear that this type of inter breeding is not permitted though.” He turned to Brant as he spoke.
Stephany shook her head. “I am unable to birth a child.”
His brow creased. “Why have you not had the operation to prevent pregnancy then?”
“I was celibate for a long time. I never planned on rutting again. I didn’t think it was necessary. I messed up.” She blew out a lung full of air. “I didn’t even go into heat…I don’t know how this happened.”
“You probably fell pregnant before you exhibited any outward signs of being in heat…it’s rare, but it has happened before.” Brant’s eyes narrowed on her. “The point is that you are pregnant and this needs to be rectified. I really hope that you are not even considering trying to birth the child at all. You know how that would end.”
“I know, and no I do not plan on trying to have the child. I realize that it would be a futile exercise that could only end in disaster.”
Brant sighed, leaning back in his chair. “You have my permission to perform the procedure. How far along are you? Must be a good couple of weeks by now.”
“Two months.”
Brant nodded. “Well within the limit, but you shouldn’t wait though. The recovery time will only increase if you do.”
She nodded. “I realize that. It’s important that this stay between the four of us. I don’t want anyone else finding out. Ever.”
Brant grit his teeth for a few beats but finally nodded. “I will contact Isla personally. She is the most trustworthy of the birthing mothers.”
Such a…wrong…title for females of their kind, responsible for more sterilizations than they were births. They were most likely responsible for more terminations, which were rare, rather than births as well. Yet, they were known as birthing mothers none the less.
“I would appreciate it.”
“I will contact you later today with the details. In the meanwhile, take some time off. This can’t be easy.” Brant kept his eyes on her. The male knew her well after all these years of working together. He knew about her mother. Maybe he even knew of her deep seated desire to be a mother herself, even though she had never admitted it openly.
It was something that she had discovered about herself in a moment of weakness. One of the females staying at the manor house had just birthed a boy. Patrick, the happy couple had named him Patrick. As was customary, since births were so rare, Stephany had gone to visit mother and son. The female, whose name she couldn’t remember, had asked Stephany to hold the infant. Stephany had declined but the young female had insisted thrusting the squirming pink creature into her arms before disappearing into the bathroom.
Looking down, large blue eyes had stared back up at her. Soft downy hair covered the little one’s head. It’s tiny, chubby hands were fisted at its chest. Baby Patrick was perfect in every way. She’d heard females talk of becoming broody. Of a deep seated need to reproduce being awakened so that every fiber of a person’s being craved it. The baby had made a gurgling sound. The need rose up in her, almost consuming her. For just a second, her hands tightened around the child.
It was impossible. Could never be, no matter how many times she wished it to be true. When the female had returned, she’d quickly handed the child back and left as soon as was polite. She’d tried to tuck her desires deep down inside herself and had failed.
It only just occurred to her that it was possible that her reason for choosing celibacy was not truly because of her accidental mating with Lance. It had to have been so she wouldn’t have to be sterilized. She knew she could never birth a child, yet the act of rendering herself sterile had seemed abhorrent to her. Subconsciously she’d blamed her lack of control during rutting as the reason not to ever rut, when this was the real reason.
There was too much risk attached to rutting without being sterilized and so she’d chosen celibacy. The realization shocked her.
She shook her head and returned to the conversation, “No, it’s not easy.”
“What of the father?” Zane said, his voice a low rumble.
“Ward.”
“The alpha”—Zane narrowed his eyes as he said the male’s name, then he shook his head—“Ward.” He paused, “He deserves to know.”
“Why?” she bristled. “It won’t change the outcome.”
Zane frowned. “This is his child too.” He may not have realized that he did it in that moment, but he glanced at Tanya’s stomach. “It would be the right thing to do. I would want to know.” He added on a growl, looking back up at her.
“Zane has a point.” Brant said while moving forward in his chair.
“I would rather spare him. He has moved on with his life. It would be better if he didn’t know.” The thought of telling Ward, of hurting him in that way, needlessly. No, she couldn’t do it.
Zane raised his eyebrows. “Think on it. I would be prepared to overlook his not swearing his allegiance…short term. He would be”—Zane paused—“welcome”—he growled the last word—“to be here for the procedure. It is his duty as a male and his right as the father.”
“He isn’t a father, I am terminating. I don’t need him here. I told you, we rutted a few times. Really great sex, but it’s over and that’s all it was.” She lied. “He probably wouldn’t want to be here anyway. Has most likely mated with one of the female wolves by now.”
A deep frown creased Zane’s forehead. “He doesn’t deserve to call himself a male. If I see him again, I will yank his balls off. He doesn’t deserve the honor of being a father.”
Brant growled. “I can’t believe you would rut with a male like that. I will kill him while you are juggling with his bloody balls.”
Stephany gasped. “Ward is not bad or without honor. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Do not try and defend him,” Zane growled. His whole demeanour softened. “You made a mistake. You allowed this male to talk you into rutting.”
“That’s not how it went.” Frustration and guilt welled up inside her. She’d just made the situation between both parties worse.
Zane held up his hand. “You have our word that this will stay between us.”
“What of Lance…?” she asked.
“He will never know. I would urge you to be honest with him though. He loves you, Stephany. I am sure he would still want you back,” Zane said.
“Oh, how nice of him.” She shook her head. “No. No one is to know.”
“Think on it,” Zane urged, his face solemn. “The male loves you very much.”
“He only thinks he loves me.” She shook her head. “With respect, my lord, I do not wish to discuss this with you.”
“I will request that Isla sterilize you while you are under the knife.” Brant steered the conversation away from Lance.
Stephany shook her head. “No need, I will not be rutting again.”
Brant shook his head. Concern edged in every feature on his face. “It would be for the best. You can’t birth young anyway. Don’t fight this Stephany. This can’t happen again.”
She didn’t know it was possible, but what was left of her heart splintered even more as she nodded in agreement. What choice did she have?
The next day…
“I was getting worried that you might be ill or something.” Xavier said as he watched her drink from his vein. “It has been days since you last took from me, and you do not take as much as you used to. I hope that all is well.”
Stephany swallowed another small mouthful, using the opportunity to retract her fangs. “I am fine. I’ve never enjoyed drinking much. You know that.” She pulled away from his exposed wrist, watching as the two holes on his arm closed.
Glancing back at Xavier, she caught his frown. “You can’t be finished already?”
Stephany shrugged. “You are right. I’m not feeling quite myself. I have an appointment with a healer in the morning.” Not entirely a lie since she did have an appointment with Isla. “I’m sure I’ll be back to normal within a few days.” Once the termination procedure had been performed. Her heart clenched and she looked away while standing. She hoped he wouldn’t notice how emotional she had become.
“Sorry to hear that. Hope you get better really soon. If you need anything, you let me know.” Xavier’s grey eyes tracked her as she walked towards the door.
“Thanks, I will.”
“Something to mention to the healer.”
This stopped Stephany in her tracks, she slowly turned, not really wanting to hear what he had to say.
His brow creased. “It’s probably nothing, but your scent has changed. It’s so subtle that I doubt anyone else has noticed. I can’t really put my finger on it, I’m sure if I drank from you then I would know exactly what it is that I am scenting. It is familiar somehow.” His nostrils flared as he drew air into his lungs.
Do not panic, she told herself.
“No need.” It surprised her how even her voice remained. “The healer will taste my blood. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Xavier shrugged. “Suit yourself. Like I said, if I can help in any way.” He smiled at her as he picked up his discarded shirt, showing her the wide expanse of his back. The lower half was covered in inky black lines as were both of his biceps. Females swooned for Xavier. Many were highly jealous of their relationship, even though they were just friends. Maybe that was it. Xavier sometimes brought a female to his bed, but she was the only one he had befriended. Then again, she had never warmed his bed.
She forced a smile. “You will be the first to know if I need anything. How are things with Esral?”
“Fine. I’m not sure why I’m still assigned to her safety. Must be the queen’s instruction, she’s still hoping for another royal mating.” He rolled his eyes.
“I don’t know why you don’t just ask her out already, I know you like the elven princess.”
“I have, several times and she has turned me down each and every time.” He sighed, “Go figure. She asked for permission to choose her own mate and to be permitted to date and has yet to agree to dating anyone.” His eyes turned stormy.
“Others have asked?”
His silvery eyes turned cobalt. “Only half of all the unmated males. I have heard them talk”—he let out a tense breath—“since they have never had a female from another species before, they are fighting over who will take her first.” He growled, gritting his teeth. “At least she’s turned all those bastards down.”
This time Stephany smiled in earnest. “Males! Keep trying. She might change her mind.” Stephany could see that the big male had a thing for the elven princess.
Xavier shook his head. “Nah, I don’t date anyway so it’s probably for the best.”
“Suit yourself.” She couldn’t help but to smile. Why were vampire males so pig headed? “Don’t come crying to me when she accepts one of the other males’ offers though.”
“You forget.” He threw her a feral grin. “I am her main guard and therefore will chaperone. Should a male so much as look at her wrong, let alone lay a single finger on her, they will bleed.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you were jealous.”
A look of surprise crossed his handsome features. “Never.” He chuckled. “Are you serious?” He chuckled some more, shaking his head. “I have been told to protect her virtue and will do so with my life.”
“Not because you want her for yourself?”
The feral gleam from earlier turned all out predatory. “I want her”—his nostrils flared—“I have never met a female who puts fire in my veins like the little princess does.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a few beats before opening them again. “I have yet to decide whether I prefer her in that little silk robe or her figure hugging clothes though.”
“Well then?”
“You should see how disappointed you look.”
The male shrugged. “There are plenty of willing females. Esral deserves more than just a quick rut. I will make sure that she is honored and adored before I allow a male anywhere near her.” His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.
Xavier was completely smitten, even if he didn’t realize it himself. Hopefully he would soon, before it was too late.
Feeling comfortable in the discussion, Stephany thought back on what had been bothering her since her return. She hadn’t been able to speak up about it with Brant, but Xavier was a different story. “Before I go, your opinion please. I befriended one or two of the wolves while I was in their care.”
“My opinion?” Xavier shook his head for a few beats before raising his eyebrows, looking concerned. “You made friends with a wolf?” He sighed.
“Well sort of. They aren’t that bad.”
Xavier raised his eyebrows again. “If you say so, Steph.” He clearly didn’t believe her.
She took a deep breath. “Are there still plans to wage a war against them?” She tried to sound as indifferent as possible.
“Why would we?” Xavier shrugged his big shoulders, pulling his shirt over his head.
Stephany paused, not wanting to seem too eager. “They attacked us. They tried to take Tanya and ended up kidnapping me. Lance was nearly killed. There’s a long list against them.”
“It was a misunderstanding. There will be consequences, which will be discussed when the alpha swears fealty to our kings. The longer it takes for the male to get his ass here, the more difficult they will make it for him. But an all-out war?” He shook his head. “We have no desire to annihilate the beasts.” He raked his hand through his hair and shrugged. “Besides, I am sure it is just a matter of time before the alpha swears his allegiance.”