The Haven (Book 2 of The Claiming)

Chapter Eleven

Sunlight peeks in through the large window above our heads. I squint and try to make out Alec's face, bathed in rays of sunshine. An outline of his eyes blink at me. Then he snuggles closer to me and tucks his face into my shoulder.

Footsteps sound in the rickety hallway, and someone enters the room. "Ugh. Can you two be more disgusting?"

Clarissa.

So she's starting to vocalize her opinion now? That's nice.

I place a hand on my belly and sit up slowly. Alec follows suit, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the blinding light that fills the living room. Clarissa stands erect in the doorway to the hall, her slender arms crossed over one another.

"What are you, twelve?" I grunt.

Clarissa huffs and passes through the living room into the neighboring kitchen.

Alec chuckles. He leans over and kisses my cheek. "You don't have to be mean."

"Well, she doesn't have to be immature," I hiss.

Mrs. Bentley floats into the room like it's the most glorious day in history. "Good morning, lovelies! I hope my kids had a nice rest."

I feel a small wave of joy at being referred to as her "kid". I guess she is the closest person I have to a mother.

Alec tosses the blanket off him and stands up with a brief stretch. "It was perfect. Thanks, Mom." He hugs his mother tightly, probably remembering how long it's been since he's seen her. I know he missed her and his father deeply. I missed them, too.

I get out of the sofa bed, and the three of us put it back together in sofa-form. We then follow Mrs. Bentley into the kitchen. Clarissa sits at a makeshift island on a rotting wooden stool. She glares at us and makes an audible choking noise.

Mrs. Bentley rolls her eyes. "Come on, now Clarissa." Alec's mother shifts a smiling gaze to us. "Something about a baby on the way always brings couples closer together. You must respect that."

"Whatever," the girl grumbles.

But from the look in her eyes, I remember that she was never Claimed. She was sent to the Lower District to be used as a "breeder". I've heard the rumors, and they're not pleasant. One of my friends always told me that you are supposed to get pregnant the first night you're there. So my question is how come after weeks of being there, she never became pregnant.

Is she jealous that I am? That Riah was?

But what a terrible fate—to become pregnant and never meet your child face to face.

I protectively wrap my hands around my belly.

What about my biological mother? Did she ever want to meet me? Or was I one of tens that she birthed in the Lower District.

My mind starts spinning. How many siblings to I actually have?

"Belle?" Alec nudges me gently.

I shake my head, trying to somehow toss out the bombarding thoughts in my brain. "Sorry! Zoned out for a second there."

He laughs and places a hand delicately on the small of my back.

"Here," Mrs. Bentley says, pulling out a chair at a small kitchen table in a nook of the room, "You two sit down here and let me see what I can fix you both for breakfast."

"You actually found food?" Alec asks, eyes round.

Mrs. Bentley shrugs. "Barely. We take shifts going out to find food and other things when the weather is permitting. I think today it'll be Riah, Chance, and your father."