Where He Belongs

Thirty-Two

The large male cringed,a s if knowing the brutal force of her words. "Don't say it Xena. Please. Not right now."

Seeing her strong, confident mate in such turmoil bothered her. That and the uncertainty of their future. All the wolves int eh clearing were packing--fleeing from a threat they never deemed possible. But it was so. Those horrid, terrifying monsters were going to come and murder any wolf capable of incising an uprising. Or so the older wolves claimed. No one was taking chances however. The night a wold died yards from their home was the night that most fled the town into the deeper woods were only a rogue could navigate. Once you crossed the river, however, there was plenty of land. But rumor had it that the new tyrannical alpha of the nearest pack had stationed guards there.

But it was their only hope and they planned to go.

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Drew's feet hurt.

He felt as if he'd been walking for years rather than hours. He bent over, briskly rubbing his cramping calves. Bed shifted at first, thinking it'd be easier on his body. However his hips had been aching so horribly and in wolf form he was already plump and his tummy swung oddly when he tried to move.

In short, it was terribly uncomfortable and Drew decided to continue to his journey in human shape.

His journey to where? He did not know. He'd wasn't sure if he wanted to go and risk being curie.lay rejected. And he didn't want his life in the line either. Drew tugged on his hair as he liked around the miles of trees around him. Where was he? The light was shine low making the sky shimmer with color he may deem beautiful had he not been lost, h unbury, and worried. The air was cooling rapidly too and before too long he'd be cold as well. Drew felt like crying. He couldn't do anything right! Had Axel been there, he'd know what to do.

Correction. Had Drew still been with Axel none of this insanity would be happening.

Drew hiked on until he came to a rocky ledge. By this point he could hardly see a foot in front of him and he was so exhausted and frustrated he was sniffling, fighting back tears. There was no crevice much to is dismay so he stopped, pulling out a blanket. He lay it over the forest floor, under a ledge that gave him moderate shelter, and laid on top of it, pulling the other blanket over him.

He was still hungry but he was hit less tired and a bit less cold.

As Drew was falling asleep he ran a hand over the lump and said softly, "This is all your fault. I wish I could hate you."

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"Do we gotta go? What about Daddy?"

The pup had been repeating the phrase for a good twenty minutes as the family, once estranged, packed all they could take and joined the steady flow of rogues leaving land they'd been on for years. Jeffery watched his father, shake his head and move ahead, as if he couldn't take another word. Thomas just finished repacking the small duffel the pup had, and took his hand, leading him out of the cottage. Jeffery stood in the doorway of his childhood home. He was felt sicka and afraid. The couch pillows were in disarray as if they just been comfortably there. A mug of half-drank coffee still sat on the table, and embers still glowed in the woodstove.

It didn't feel right to just up and leave.

"Jeffery?"

His mate looked at him through hooded eyes. She was leaving her past behind too. Their pup began to fuss, no doubt due to the lack of movement she'd lolled off too. It was enough remind Jeffery how lucky he was to have them, even if his baby brother was gone. He would look for him, hope for the best. But when it all came down to it, chances were Colton was used and discarded. As much as Jeffery hated to, he couldn't help but picture Colton's little body Thorne on top of the mass grave they'd dug just outside of town. Bodies were piling up, rumor was. And the smell was traveling.

"Yes darling. Let's go find our new home."

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A small wet nose woke Drew.

He scrunched up his own nose, groaning at the annoyance, and tried to bury his face deeper in his pillow--only to find a rather sharp rock. Startled Drew's eyes snapped open before closing tight as the uncomfortable sensations came back to him along with all his pregnancy pain. "Shit," he whimpered, feeling his feet throb.

"He said a bad word, Mama! You heard it!"

Drew opened his eyes, seeing not one, not too, but seven rogues around him. One was wrestling the tattling boy into clothing while the others just looked at him. Drew sat up, startled. "Good morning." The biggest one cried, breaking the silence. He towered over Drew. "We were passing by and I caught your scent. Can't have a wolf with a pup wandering around on his own, eh? Especially an omega."

"I'm not an omega." Drew snarled, eyes narrowed.

His parents always mad it crystal clear that he was a middle rank. Nothing more but nothing less. Drew began to worry about upsetting the huge man when he started to laugh louded. His laugh filled the air around Drew. He felt a bit safer with this man around, yet he was stranger still. "Sure thing, kid. Believe what you'd like. I've never seen a middle-rank as fair skinned and haired as you before. Or that small for that matter. Anyway. We decided to stop, see if you'd like to come along with us? We ain't got much, but together, we're safe."

Drew looked around nervously at the large men. There were five all together. Two females and three pups. Drew felt overwhelmed. For some reason his arms went around his tummy. "Hey there, you okay?"

"Fi--" he cut off abruptly as he ft the wierdest fluttery sensation in his stomach. Then it happened again, stronger. "It's moving."

"They do that," a female laughed. "It's cool isn't it?"

"Cool?" Drew was hardly listening, starting down at his tummy in amazement. It was really there then. His pup was inside him a live and moving.

"Hey. I hate to rush you but they've got patrol wolves set to got through here within the next hour. We should get going. Please come along. I'd hate to see what these Warrior wolves could do to a little...middle rank like yourself.."

Drew rolls his eyes at the comment but continued to stare at his belly. It's stopped moving but he sort of wished it'd move again. "Please come with such," pled the large wolf. "You can't hunt the way you are and you can't defend yourself. Do to for your pup?"

It crossed his mine to proclaim he didn't give a damn about the thing inside him but he did. In fact, he already knew it meant the world to him. He'd to a throng to make sure it was safe. "Okay." He said softly. "But you better keep my pup safe."

-unedited-

>>Question: How do you guys feel about Drew now?<<