Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 17

Was I ready for something like that? The thought was intimidating, but I found myself not detesting it.  I smiled as I tried to imagine what our pups would look like. Would they take on my brunette hair or Kieran's pitch black that seemed to run in his family. I

I focused on the line of the horizon as I gathered my thoughts, squinting my eyes when I saw what looked like figures approaching in the distance.

I didn't move when I felt Kieran next to me, his focus trained on me.

"Who are they?" I asked, diverting his attention off of me and onto the oncoming trio of tall figures.

"The only reason they would be here is because something has happened that they don't approve." Kieran said quietly.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"The Council. He said as he stood up. They are the enforcers of our kind. They made the laws that were to be kept by us all and were some of the most well respected and wisest of our kind.

"I'm going to go get our fathers. Something's up Kieran." I said backing inside as the strangers grew closer.

Just as I walked inside Daniel, James, and my father were striding towards me, eyes locked on our new guest as they neared Kieran and I.

I watched Elise in confusion, trying to read her facial expression.

"Why would the Council be here?" I asked quietly.

"I have no clue, but it mustn't be good." Elise spoke as she began moving off the porch.

I followed quickly, freezing when I saw one of the Council members, a tall golden haired man with fierce blue eyes holding the tip of a long blade against Kieran's neck suddenly as they both growled.

I cried out when the man pushed the tip into Kieran slightly, a small trickle of blood making its way down Kieran's neck.

"Please, don't. Please." I said coming forward, putting myself between Kieran and the man.

"You're his Luna." The man stated as in disbelief.

"Yes, if you have a question, you can ask me." I said gripping the blade and slowly bringing it down.

I sighed in relief as the man nodded and put the blade into its sheath.

"We hear your mate hides a female shifter. We demand to see her and do not take us for fools. We do not wish to harm." He said.

I knew I couldn't lie.

Kieran growled at me, recognizing the look of acceptance on my face.

"It's me." I said.

The man's eyes shifted down, analyzing my frame.

"Prove it." He said.

I breathed in deeply, focusing on my shift, but my wolf howled inwardly at me as she refused.

I tried and failed again.

"I can't, I'm not sure what's wrong." I said quietly.

"How about a little help?" The man said.

I screamed in pain when I felt electricity course throughout my body, my skin feeling as if it were on fire, a growl ripping from my mouth as the pain ripped from my core. It was over in seconds, but my body was still coursing with pain.

I fell to the floor, body still taught as my muscles contracted, but something didn't feel right, I felt sick and began cramping immediately and had the urge to vomit.

Elise dropped to the ground next to me, her hand splayed out over my stomach as she cursed.

"I need to check her out, I think she is pregnant." Elise said.

Kieran was frozen, eyes trained on my stomach, then looking back up to the Councilman.

Kieran launched himself at the man, and I couldn't bring myself to look, already knowing what the man's fate would be.

I knew there was no point in doing a check up. I could feel it. I looked down, seeing my jeans soaked red at my inner thigh, my pelvic region burned with a sharp stabbing pain as I tried to move.

This couldn't be happening. My father lifted me without hesitation, James running off the porch in a hurry as Elise barked orders at her mate.

I winced in pain, feeling myself beginning to spiral out of control as my thoughts raced with my worst fear.

This couldn't be happening.

I ran to the bathroom the moment he set me down, barricading  myself in there and I began stripping myself as I turned on the hot shower, standing under it, watching as the water ran crimson red down the drain.

I cried, seeing and feeling the loss as it came from me.

I didn't know what to do, or even what to feel.

I felt broken in a way, like I had lost a part of me that I didn't even get to know yet, a part of me I didn't know I wanted until just a short time ago.

I shut the shower off when the water finally began to run clear.

I stepped out the shower, crying when I saw Kieran seated on the edge of the tub, hands and shirt covered in the dried blood of the councilman.

He looked up at me, tears stained his face.

I choked back a sob at the sight of him.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as he pulled me into his arms as I began to cry.

"Shh, darling, you are not to blame. None of this is your fault" He said as he took me in his arms.