"I won't release them, and you're not going anywhere."
He was angry. His words were final; he was not going to compromise. So I had no choice but to lie and manipulate to the best of my ability.
"I know. I'm staying."
He scowled down at me. I was trapped against a wall, in his office, in his pack. What more could he ask? I knew one thing.
"I think I'm pregnant."
"Already? You haven't even gone through heat yet." He sounded surprised, but not suspicious. He knew as well as I that I had been a virgin when he met me.
I shrugged. "You know it's not impossible the rest of the time, just unlikely. And it's not like we haven't—"
My words were cut off by his kiss, and I accepted him with all the willingness I could summon. He needed to believe my threats of leaving were completely empty.
"Get on the desk."
I didn't argue, but walked over and leaned against it. He pulled off my underwear in a smooth motion while pushing up my skirt, and lifted my legs up, finding my core. I writhed against his hand, letting my body and my wolf seek what they wanted from him.
I climaxed, and he replaced his hand with his hardness, and filled me in a smooth thrust. I met him with my own, and he pumped into me.
His golden eyes watched me as he found a rhythm, and for once I felt something beyond the physical. His wolf side's desire to protect and keep me flooded through me. It was not quite the love and devotion of fairy tales, but it was at least something beyond the usual emotional void.
When he was finished with me, he kissed me again, which caught me by surprise, but perhaps it should not have because his wolf side was much more dominant than usual. I was almost sad to see it go because for once I could imagine what having a mate was supposed to feel like.
It may have been worse to see it, because I would never really have that. What we did was just sex, a physical act with no more meaning than pleasure and reproduction.
My heart was heavy as I fixed myself up and quickly left.
—————
The plan had begun to solidify in my mind, but I was well aware it was not a good plan. I saw the pack doctor and had my suspicions confirmed about my pregnancy. During my visit, I stole medication when she was out of the room, and hoped it would not be missed. I also started to get to know the guards under the guise of learning about the pack. I discovered where my mate kept his key for the prisons.
With only three days left before Alpha Gavriel planned to kill the nine, I threw caution to the wind and went for it.
The first step was to see if my mate was in his office. Luck was with me and he was not, so I quickly unlocked his desk drawer and slipped the prison master key off its keychain and into my pocket, before replacing everything.
Just as I was about to leave, my luck ran out.
"Mate? What are you doing here?" he asked, thankfully with more curiosity than suspicion.
"I came to find you," I told him, with a little smile.
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"What did you want?"
I knew the best way to distract him, so I pulled my shirt up over my head. "I'm feeling..."
Getting the message, he locked the door before coming over to me and bending me over on the desk. His hands found my zipper and he pushed down my pants. The cool air of the office hit my skin and excited me, and then I felt his finger enter deep inside. I moaned, not holding back while he worked me into fervor, and then he replaced his hands with the thick length of him, and I arched up to meet him.
His hands played with my breasts and his groans excited me, and it was not long before I contracted all around him, moaning my own release for his ears. He moved faster, and then he sunk down onto me before pulling out.
I smiled at him and there was the slightest smirk along with another flash of gold.
Dressed again, he tapped my ass. "Did you get what you needed?"
"I did." In more ways than one. I left his office.
—————
The next step was getting rid of my guards. Fortune favoured me because Joe was the least intelligent of those I had met. It did not take much to convince him to sit on the upstairs couch and watch television with a beer that I laced with a stolen sedative, while I claimed I was going to the alpha's room to take a much needed nap.
I did not blame him for trusting me, since I had been demonstrating perfectly compliant behaviour. I hoped the sedative would kick in at the right time.
Instead of doing what I had claimed, I went downstairs, and casually poured myself a glass of water and drank it. Then, when the coast was clear, I slipped out the back door and made my way directly to the prison. They weren't in the main room, but their coffee mugs were, so I slipped sedative into each one.
"Hello?" I called. It wasn't worth trying to release the prisoners during the couple of moments they were gone and possibly arousing suspicion.
"Good morning, Luna," Liam said as he walked out of the back room where they kept the security monitors. Marvin echoed his greeting. I wonder if either of these two had participated in the attack that had murdered my family.
I forced my voice friendly. "Good morning, both of you."
"What brings you here today?"
I paused. "I just wanted to say goodbye to my former pack members, since..."
Liam nodded sympathetically. Marvin looked around. "Where's Joe?"
"He dropped me off here and will come back for me since he has, um, a bit of a washroom issue at the moment."
"What did he eat now?" Liam chuckled.
Thankfully Marvin also seemed to accept my explanation with a woeful shake at Joe's foolishness.
"Want a cup of coffee?" Liam asked, habit now, since I had spent a fair amount of time talking to them.
"Yes, please," I agreed. I didn't like coffee, but I hoped they were more likely to drink it quickly if I were social about it.
"Milk and sugar?" I nodded. "I'll be right back," he said and went into the back.
Marvin glanced at me. "Should you? I hear congratulations are in order."
Apparently good news travels fast. "One cup won't hurt the pup," I promised.
As if on cue, Liam came back with my cup of coffee. It was so hot I only sipped at it, and was pleased when each guard took their own cup and began drinking while I kept them talking.
"I'm pretty nervous about the whole pregnancy thing, to be honest. It's kind of scary, but at the same time exciting because I always wanted to be a mom. Not sure if I want a boy or a girl, though. It would be nice to have a girl, but a boy would really keep the future of the pack clear."
"Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll have many pups, Luna," Liam said.
I smiled even though I did not feel it. The way the alpha was after me, I would probably spend my whole life pregnant considering he managed it without even a heat. "We do seem to be pretty fertile together," I agreed, placing my hand on my still flat stomach.
I was beginning to worry that the sedative was a dud, but then Marvin yawned.
"Well, I probably shouldn't keep you much longer and I'd like to be done here by the time Joe gets back. Will you escort me down, Liam?"
"Of course, Luna."
I smiled at him and watched as Marvin walked back into the monitor room. On the way down I faked twisting my ankle—just to kill time—before we got to the cells, hoping Liam would pass out before we reached them. The last thing I wanted was Marvin to see Liam pass out on a camera and raise the alarm.
"Luna, are you okay?"
"I'll be fine. I just twisted my ankle."
"I'll—"
"No need to bother anyone, I'll heal before anyone gets here. I just need a moment," I said, sitting down on the second stair.
Liam still looked nervous.
I tried to reassure him. "I'm just finding my balance is off with the nausea of the pup. On the way up I'll hold onto your arm, okay?"
He nodded, and then his eyes finally drooped.
I projected all the concern I could at him. "You don't look too good, Liam. Come sit next to me."
He did as I said, and a moment after he sat his whole body sunk backwards onto the stairs.
Instead of going to the cells, I hurried up and peeked in on Marvin. He was half slumped out of his swivel chair onto the desk. With no one watching, I went to the remnants of my old pack.
The former delta was still clearly healing from more abuse, but he glared at me when he saw me. I didn't waste time explaining, instead I just opened the door.
He was on his feet instantly and I forced myself to feel calm. I did not want my roiling emotions to tip off my mate.
"I drugged the guards. They're going to kill you all in three days, you need to take the others and flee."
He was in motion before I could even consider doing anything, plucking the key from my hand and hurrying to the other cells, opening each in turn.
Jason turned to me, "Are you coming?"
"I'll just slow you down and make the alpha more desperate to find you. I'll escape later." If I could, it seemed less likely than ever now that I was pregnant, but I did not tell Jason that.
His brow furrowed. "Are you sure?"
"I am. Go."
With one final expression of worry and gratitude, Jason ran after the others.