The Haven (Book 2 of The Claiming)

Chapter Seven

I doze in and out of sleep in the evening as we sit in the living room with the others. Alec holds me between his legs against his chest from where we rest on the sofa, a big cozy blanket covering us both. No one sees Alec's hands run up and down my belly affectionately. Helen has found her old crocheting hooks and a ton of yarn in her old room (Alec and I never touched it). She quietly hums to herself in the rocking chair next to Gus's recliner. Ally plays on the floor with a set of dolls and a little dollhouse while Gus watches her from the big reclining chair that the dog has taken over. Kaya sits in a dining chair and stares at the floor doing absolutely nothing. Every now and then I catch the angry girl glare up at us, and then back down at the floor. I still can't figure out this girl's problem—well, besides the fact that her boyfriend went totally insane. Agatha has crashed in Cameron's arms on the opposite side of the sofa we sit on. Gordon reads a thick novel while sitting in the only other recliner.

Everything is quiet. This is how we've been spending our evenings lately. Every now and then someone will spring up a new conversation, but mostly it's just relaxing in the presence of others. Alec tells me this is how families actually spent time together in Bayfell, as well. I guess it's a universal act to just be near family in your down time. However, these people aren't our family. They're more like friendly strangers who have let us live with them.

"So how far along are you, Belle?" Gordon asks suddenly.

I flinch. "Oh, uh. Four-ish months, I guess."

He grunts. "Will you deliver here or go somewhere else?"

"Dad!" Helen scolds in a hiss.

"What? It's a real question! The girl might want to go to—I don't know—a hospital?"

"Dad, what hospital? I'm a doctor! I will deliver the baby!"

I touch Alec's hand that rests on my belly. "Gordon, if you want us to go, we will," I say tentatively.

He waves his hand. "Nonsense. Stay as long as you like."

I look up at Alec quizzically. Sure doesn't sound like he wants us here.

I don't really blame him, though. A screaming baby isn't something that sounds exactly appealing. And honestly, they were technically here first. It sounds a little messed up really—two psychologically damaged teenagers wander into their home, stay for a year until they show up, and then a baby shows up because of them? I'd kick us out, too.

Later on in the night, Alec and I head to bed with the same thought on our minds.

"I hate to say it, but I think we need to leave," Alec says as he paces back and forth. I sit on our bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Gordon has been really harsh to me ever since he found out about the baby, and I have a feeling he's not too happy about another addition."

I rub my head. "I know..."

"But Helen can deliver our baby, and that's what scares me! What if we leave and there's no one there to help you."

I shrug.

"Maybe she can tell me how to help in case I need to."

I give him a half smile, not sure how to respond. It sounds like he's having a conversation with himself.

"And then, where would we go? The further we go from Winslow Wood, the harder it will be for my family to find us!"

"Unless we go back to Winslow Wood," I say.

He stops pacing and stares at me, wide-eyed. "Belle, they'll kill us if we walk back through those gates."

"Not when they see this," I say, pointing at my belly.

"But we told them last time you were pregnant, and that was over a year ago. What happens when we show up with no child?"

"Just say it died," I say.

Alec weighs the idea in his mind. "All right, so we do that. But what about Vain? That guy who tried to sell us to Bayfell's prince?"

I sit up and crawl to the end of the bed and reach for Alec's hands. "We've escaped so many situations before, Alec. We can do it again if we need to."

"But can we when you're in this condition?"

"I'm more agile now than I will be in another month or two. Honestly, right now is the best time to leave."

"Leave this haven," Alec whispers, sitting down next to me on the bed. "I won't be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you outside of this place."

"Alec, I can take care of myself just fine. I've been through enough to know my strengths and weaknesses. We can do this. I can do this."

He gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "All right. Then we leave tomorrow. We're going to find our family."