*Sam's POV*
I cowered pushing my back against the tree, but Jupiter circled me. In all my years I had never seen a wolf smile much less do it in a sinister way. He made his way around a few more times snapping at my legs, but intentionally missing. Finally, he stopped in front of me preparing to make the final blow.
I didn't have anything left to fight back with. I had just been an accomplice to killing my own mate. That in itself was enough to earn me my death. Then I left the girl behind to fight alone. I had this coming, and I welcomed it.
He wagged his tail wiggling his butt slightly as he leaned into a crouching position. His lips curled up revealing yellow teeth. I sank down and closed my eyes. If I braced for it maybe it would go quickly. The pain in my face and abdomen were unbearable, and this would at least make it go away.
His hot breath lingered across my face for a split second before a rush of air, a whimper, and snap that made my stomach turn. Was this death? It didn't feel any different.
I was still in pain with my eyes shut tightly. I could still feel the bark stabbing me in uncomfortable places, but it was quiet. So quiet.
I large hand gently touched my paw, and I shot my eyes open. Ryan...but what was he doing here.
"You asked me once what my name was. It's Edric." His face was soft for a second before pulling his hand back. "My job was to protect you. I have fulfilled that purpose. You almost made it to the pond. Get there and soak in the water. You should be safe from here."
I lifted my head and whimpered slightly. "Don't follow me and don't look for me. I'm not one of the good guys. Not as bad as those guys." He glanced and stuck a thumb out towards Jupiter. "But not good. Go hide, and one of their scouts will find you soon."
He started jogging through the trees and then mid-shift he was gone. Even if I wanted to follow him, I wouldn't have been able to keep up. I hobbled in the direction he said and found a small pond that I already knew was here. If the pack that Henry was at before came looking this was the halfway point. I had never seen it, but Henry would describe it in excruciating detail after he moved me here. He told me the pack followed us here since we were the future of it. Once it was safe, I could meet all of them and they could meet our son.
I shook my head and dropped into the pool. Water seeped into the minor wounds, and I dipped lower. Janey brought him here. I could still faintly smell him, but he wasn't here.
Almost my entire body was covered in the water with only my head floating over the surface. I closed my eyes letting the water sway me back and forth rocking me to sleep.
*Janey's POV
"You're late Janey. Only one more tardy left for the year and you get a write up." I waved my hand at him and kept walking towards the break room. "You can't just wave and walk away from your boss!" I turned to look at Alan. He was a tiny man whose face flushed bright red whenever he felt someone wasn't stroking his ego enough.
"Isn't there some ethical obligation to not forcing your midwives to sleep over at patients' homes on their days off then keeping all the money she is paid for yourself?" He huffed and opened his mouth to speak quickly closing it again before repeating the process like a gaping fish. "Now if that's all you wasted my time with then I am going to get some coffee."
I kept walking and pinched the bridge of my nose between two fingers. He didn't need to know that I was only there one night, and definitely didn't need to know that I spent the entirety of the next one drowning my guilt. Massive hangovers make an eight am clock in time pretty impossible.
I waved at the nurses sitting at the help desk but stopped when I saw a couple standing there holding a baby. We were in a maternity section of the hospital so a couple holding a baby wasn't unsurprising, but the man kept trying to give the nurse the bundle while the woman held on to it too tightly.
"Ma'am you don't understand. This baby isn't ours. We found him." He tried to slip his hands underneath the bundle, but the woman yanked away. "Everleigh please...we talked about this."
Large tears welled up in her eyes. The poor nurse only started a month ago and glanced back and forth between the couple in a panic. It was too early for all this. I stood beside the woman and gently placed my hand on her arm. She backed away and shook her head aggressively. "You can't take him. I've already lost too many."
I put my hands up in what was supposed to be a surrendering motion. "I'm not taking him away. Why don't we go to an exam room, and I'll give him a quick once over to make sure he's all healthy then we'll have you guys on your way." She nodded loosening her grip ever so slightly. "Nurse takes them to room four. I'll be in momentarily."
She picked up a blank intake sheet and walked towards the room. While the woman, Everleigh, followed the man lagged behind until he could hear the nurse starting to ask questions. He turned to me and tried to keep his voice in a whisper.
"We found the baby on a hike in the woods. By a pond. We don't know how long he was there. We need to find the mother."
Sam's...I tried to keep my face emotionless, but something must have changed because the man squinted slightly.
"We are fine fostering the boy and even adopting if his parents aren't found or fit, but she just had a stillborn. Don't get her hopes up at all. This baby isn't ours."
I nodded and followed him into the exam room. The nurse had somehow coaxed Everleigh to place the boy on the scales. He let out a shrill scream and wiggled his hands and arms in the air.
"Rory is around 7 pounds. A little on the small side, but nothing to worry about." She handed me the intake form and left the room.
I continued a short examination then bundled Rory back up to hand to his new mom. Pulling the chair up I sat in front of them gesturing towards the bench for them to also sit.
"I know this can be overwhelming. From what I have gathered you did a very noble thing saving him from the elements. There was a pretty big storm in the early hours, so you probably saved his life." Everleigh looked up at her husband with gloating triumph thinking I was on her side.
"That being said...we do need to call the police. He is on the small side, and still has afterbirth. They need to try and collect DNA to connect him with his mother if she is fit." I knew that she wouldn't be found, but they wouldn't. "I'm not a doctor, but I am a midwife. I'll get the doctor to come in and do a full exam and set him up as a patient of ours. Once the set-up is complete, I will be able to visit you and make sure everyone stays healthy until we find more answers."
The man rubbed her shoulder and nodded approvingly. "I'll go get the doctor and make the necessary phone calls."
I shut the door behind me and turned to walk to the nursing desk. Baylin was already sitting at the computer scrolling through the notes the new nurse had put in the system.
"Any new information not in the chart yet?" I shook my head. Baylin moved to the area from India a few years back but when she spoke there was still an accent that laced her words. She had her hair pulled back into a long braid revealing a line of earing studs placed up her ear.
"The woman, Everleigh, lost a baby a few months ago. She's holding onto this one pretty tight. Once we get them set up as patients and all sorted out with Social Services I can start doing home visits and report back to the state on his progress."
She turned her head squinting her eyes together. Small wrinkles formed between her brow and her normally thick lips pressed into a thin bright red line. "You know I don't like when you're constantly on house calls. I need an experienced mid-wife here and you're the best I have."
"Hey now you know Alan volunteers me for most of those." She stood up pulling her white coat over her shoulders.
"Doesn't mean I want you volunteering for them too." I nodded as she walked away to the exam room.
*Josh's POV*
Knocking on the door felt...odd. I had walked in so many times with Lily or to just come hang out that this house was a second home to me. Since Mom had died it almost topped the real home I had.
Leo swung the door open and raised his eyebrows as he motioned me in. I didn't appreciate being used as a go-between, but it was the best option given the circumstances. Adam's dad needed to be with Luna and the baby. Normally Adam would visit in his stead, but if we were turned down the men, Adam probably wouldn't have kept his temper straight. This was at least something I could do.
I followed him to the couch and sat down while he sat in an adjacent recliner. It was definitely a new chair. In fact, quite a few things in the house were new. Different colored paint on the wall. New paintings in the frames. A bassinet was placed in the middle of the room with a bouncy chair in the corner next to the television.
As if sensing my thoughts Leo said, "It made Trinity feel better to redecorate. Keeping her hands busy and all." I nodded and leaned back slightly uncomfortable at how plush the new couch was. It felt like the cushions were swallowing me whole. Leo on the other hand moved forward placing his elbows on his knees and chin in one of his hands. While his body language seemed relaxed, we both knew this wasn't a social call.
"I'm here on behalf of the Young pack." His shoulders stiffened slightly, but he made no move to interrupt. "The night Lily disappeared you offered ten men to help in the search. They would like to now take you up on that offer since we have a lead. They would like to request myself not be included in the ten offered men, but Harmony to be amongst them."
He scoffed and stood up starting to pace the living room. "You know none of that is going to happen."
"I don't know that which is why I am here." I crossed my arms to hide my balled-up fists. This was a negotiation and if I lost my temper, it would be no difference than if Adam came.
"Josh, I have been lenient. You are running around over there with them for months and neglecting your own family here. I even turned a blind eye to Harmony and Cain sneaking over there. The only thing that kept her mom from attacking me was me assuring her you were with her."
"Turning a blind eye? That's what you call ignoring that your daughter is gone and refusing to help?"
"You think I am ignoring this?"
"That's what it looks like to me." He sighed and sat down again but continued to bounce his leg.
"As the beta's son I guess I can speak with you on such matters. John is wanting to take over. I love my son and hope that he makes a great leader, but he is power hungry right now. As you know he wants you out and Lily's powers always made him nervous. It doesn't matter how you spin it for him this is prime opportunity to go to war and grow our pack a little more.
'Her treaty is not signed so it could be argued that she is nothing more than a traitor luring us to a place of danger. Henry being a member of their pack and the suspected kidnapper does nothing to help the situation. At a moment of weakness, he will take over, and I fear I am not strong enough to take on such a young wolf with nothing to lose.
'An alpha has to think about more than one person. Even more so with a pack as large as ours. I need more time to teach John or prepare Oliver to lead, but that would probably end in my sons fighting to the death. Please tell me you see the dilemma I am in?"
His last question came out almost pleading. And for a second, I felt sorry for him.
"Do I see it? Yes. Do I understand why Lily has to suffer for it? No.
'You knew his motives as soon as you started training us to lead. You knew of his paranoia. You have stood by year after year watching him groom someone for the role that was my birthright. Hell, you even watched him ostracized and battle his little sister who wanted nothing more than to fit in. So don't give me some bullshit excuse that you are in this big dilemma. We need men and we need Harmony. The rest is on you to figure out."
I stood up and turned to walk out the door. If I stayed much longer, I wouldn't hold my temper in. I didn't have patience for people that dig their own holes then are confused when they are sitting at the bottom of it starving.
"You can't talk to your Alpha like that." I turned to look at him but felt no fear response. He tried to stand tall pushing his shoulders back even further. His eyes locked on to mine in an attempt to force me to look away. He seemed so much smaller now. I was an inch or so taller and double his size in bulk. The idea that I was supposed to cower in front of this man was comical.
"It's a good thing you aren't my alpha then."
Well shit...that's not how that was supposed to happen.
I slammed the door behind me a drove to my childhood home to grab any belongings I wanted before my dad heard about my betrayal.