When I were twelve, I got my period. Although, I had no clue what was happening to my body. I do know it was the only time I have ever prayed in my life. I prayed for the bleeding to stop. To just go away, and a few days later. It did.
Then a month later, it happened again and I prayed again. I couldn’t tell anyone. I was mortified, as embarrassed as I thought of myself as a freak. My mother hadn’t had the period talk with me, and my brothers weren’t interested with girl problems.
So I left it. I never told anyone until years later.
That’s what I would do about this.
My fingernails were sharp, so long and when I touched one against my skin. It pierced and began to bleed. Thus, almost passing out again. Why did this have to happen? Here of all places. If my brothers walked in or seen me with long claws, they’d have me tied up and forcing some kind of exorcism to take the devil out of me.
That’s what they would think, I was part devil.
I was scared, I didn’t want to change into a wolf. I loved Judd, and his pack but that wasn’t me. If I was to change, then he needed to help me because I had no idea what to do. Would I still be pregnant? Would I be hungry? Would I be so hungry and pregnant that I’d go and eat my brothers and their wives?
Oh shit, I really needed to leave. Now!
I could still hear them all fighting, their voices raised louder over the last person who’d spoken to try and have the final say. Sighing as I sat on the edge of the tub, I just held my hands out and waited for hair to grow, for my long fingers to turn into round paws.
“Aunty Elle?” a small voice came through the door. “I need to use the toilet.”
“Ok sweetheart, I’m coming out soon,” I said slightly frustrated.
Her rapping on the wooden door increased. “Now. I need to go now!”
Of course she did. Impatient just like her father. I stood up, about to turn the door knob and stopped. My hand in front of me, breathing out a loud breath of relief as my fingers seemed to look normal again. I was turning them over, checking for any sign of wolf symptoms.
There was none. Knowing my luck, I’d probably turn into a wolf without any warning next time.
“Ok baby boy, you don’t do that to your mumma again alright?” I whispered, giving my tummy a rub. This baby was the only reason all this strange shit kept happening to me. Takes after his father.
Lilian was standing there clutching her hands between her thighs and I felt bad. She was only four after all and couldn’t hold it. “I’m sorry sweetie, I didn’t mean to make you wait.”
“Daddy said you’re crazy, why?” she asked, running in and propping herself up on the toilet.
Kids need to know everything otherwise they’d keep on asking. I shrugged, “your dad is old and boring. He’s just sad because aunty Elle is awesome and he’s not.”
Giggling, she nodded. “Aunty Elle is the best!”
I smiled. She was such a cutie. I hoped she didn’t turn out like her mother. Lilian and I walked into the kitchen, the family argument was still tense was at least they weren’t making a scene in front of the kids.
“Daddy, aunty Elle said you’re boring and old!” Lilian giggled, kids also couldn’t keep their mouths shut. “She’s awe-some!”
My brother Lee, raised his brows up at me. “I’m not old.”
“You’re not awesome though,” I shrugged.
“Daddy why does she have a big tummy?” Logan, his six year old son asked him.
Everyone stared, and when my sister in law went to open her trap, “Aunt Emmanuelle has been eating a lot of food. She’s just gained weight.”
Was she serious? I couldn’t believe that she would say such an evil thing. I took the high road, and ignored her explanation, “No, it’s actually because I’m having a baby that’s why. A little boy is growing inside my tummy.”
“It’s a boy?” Simon asked, suddenly smiling. He only had daughters. Poor him, when they all turned 13 and entered began to experience hormones.
I gave him a nod, trying not to act happy that it’d taken a child to ask me questions to find out whether or not I was having a boy or a girl. “It’s a boy, and he’s going to be born very soon,” I said back to Logan.
“Where is Geoff?” Sandy asked, more judgmental than curious. “Milking cows?”
My eyes narrowed in on hers, “its Judd. Judd, not Geoff.”
“No need to be rude,” she bit back.
“Well maybe if you bothered to get to know someone other than yourself then you’d know my husband’s name,” I muttered.
“Elle!” Lee warned. “Not in front of the kids.”
I didn’t need this right now. Plastering on a fake smile, I looked at the kids who were intrigued by their Aunty Elle’s big belly. “My husband is at home, working because he owns a farm full of animals. He actually called while I was in the bathroom, he’s on his way here so I need to go to the hotel before he arrives.”
Liar, liar, my pants should be on fire.
Three of my brothers looked surprised, but luckily believed my lie. Cole stood up, clearing his throat. “Well, let’s get you back then. I won’t have my pregnant sister getting mugged in a taxi, come on.”
I had my car. “Well, I was going to drive, it's not that far.”
Simon shook his head. “Get the car tomorrow, you look too exhausted to drive, come with us.”
My gut was telling me not to go, but I didn’t want to raise suspicion with anyone of them. If I denied his offer then they’d only follow me and it wasn’t worth the drama. Sitting in the back seat, Lee was starting the car up, Cole was in the front seat beside him, leaving Simon beside me.
Instincts told me to get out. “Shoot, I need to pee. Pregnant bladder and all.” My hand pulled on the handle but it didn’t budge. What the hell. “Why is the door locked?” I asked, trying to keep my cool but I was going to lose it big time.
“You’re not going to the hotel,” Lee seethed. “You are coming with us. The door’s on child lock because that’s what you are, a brat of a child throwing a tantrum.”
“Excuse me?” I gasped, “You’re kidding right?”
Simon wrapped his palm around my wrist, squeezing and narrowed his eyes. “This is for your own good. You need help.”
Help? “Let me out, or I will fucking kick someone in the head!” I yelled, trying to brush off my brother’s strong grip.
“Shut up!” Simon hissed. “Just shut up!”
“I swear to god, Judd will-” I cut myself off. I couldn’t say he’d eat them now could I?
“Judd will what? You and he are done. I know it, you know it, so stop pretending that you have a family!” Cole spat back, giving me a dirty glare.
“Mum would be disgusted with the woman you turned out to be.” Simon muttered, looking out the window as he brushed a hand through his flop of hair.
That was too far. Tears burned in my eyes, and I had to look away. Would she be disgusted with me? I really hoped not. It was one sentence that had my fight coming to a halt. I’d never forgive him for saying that, I’d forgive neither of them for hurting me like this. I was their sister. They were meant to love me no matter what. Not hold me hostage and drive me off somewhere, to do fuck knows what.
The fight in me gave up, and I slumped my back against the leather seat. Tears burning in my eyes as I tried not to give them the satisfaction of my defeat. They’d won, I had no idea what I would do. All I could do was wish Judd was here. But he wasn’t. He knew what my brothers were like, and still he wasn’t here to help me.
I needed him more than ever right now, his protection to save me.
Everything was going through my mind, would they cut my stomach open and take the baby from me? Had they planned something so crazy? I didn’t put anything past them. After this, they were capable of anything.
I felt a slight nudge to my arm, my body shaking awake. I jumped in alert and almost head-butted Lee, who moved out of the way quickly.
Looking around, I couldn’t see anything familiar. We definitely weren’t in the city and I wondered just how long I had been asleep for. “Where are we?” I asked, with a yawn.
“Never mind. Get out, we’re staying in a motel for the night then back on the road early tomorrow,” Cole said, clapping his hand on the roof of the car, well and truly waking me up.
We were in a rundown motel. There was no chance of me fleeing, so they’d not given me a lecture on how to stay put. It was dark, and exhaustion was flooding through my blood. My body needed sleep, and food. It needed Judd.
“I’m hungry,” I stated, so hungry.
Simon looked up from his blackberry and glanced at Cole who then spoke. “Well there’s a mini bar, but you can’t touch the alcohol.”
“I know that!” I snapped, getting off the bed. “I’m not as useless as you damn well think!”
“You’re pregnant to a guy you barely know, I think you’re pretty uncontrollable right now,” he shot back, tugging at his collar to loosen a button. “You’re what? Almost nine months along, you were with Justin then?”
Yes. My smart mouth got the best of me, they think their little sister is a whore. Then I’ll show them how much of a whore I am. A few fibs was going to be worth their reactions. “Yeah, but I was getting fucked by Judd, I already knew him. Justin wore a condom every time and he couldn’t have kids. Judd blew in me, more than once and that’s if I didn’t suck his big fat cock.”
“Jesus Christ!” Cole made a face. “You don’t need to talk like that, I don’t even want to picture you-”
“Your mouth needs washing out with soap,” Lee grunted. “Stop giving us visions of our-”
“What? Little sister being bent over a car? getting pounded? Or maybe on my knees gagging?” I couldn’t help myself. I was pissed, and if I could make them angry then hopefully they’d just leave me alone. “Big deal if I have a sex life, you’re obviously not getting any with how tense and stressed you are.”
Simon muttered, “I’m doing just fine thanks, and it’s none of anyone’s business.”
“Weren’t you hungry? I’m sick of listening to you complain!” Cole grumbled, flicking the channels on the TV to something else.
Spoken like a man not getting laid. I bent down, undoing the mini bar and grabbing every piece of chocolate I could find. They were paying, then I didn’t care what it’d cost. There was nothing else to eat anyway.
As I undone a cherry ripe, I leant my back against the door frame. “Why are you doing this to me? I’m not a bad person.” I waited, but neither of them spoke, so I kept talking. “You assume I’m going to be a bad mother, but I’m not. I’m so happy about this baby, and Judd is too. We’ve got everything ready, and maybe I didn’t tell you because I was scared but you cannot blame me for that. You need to ask yourself why I was afraid, because every chance you get, you make me feel pathetic and useless. I’m not. I’m stronger than you think, and I’m smart. I worked, and I paid my bills. I never came to you for a handout, and then my boyfriend cheated on me and still, I never came to you for sympathy. I put on my big girl panties, and I left. I left and fell in love with a man who’s the kindest hearted person I have ever known. He loves me as if I’m the air he needs to breathe.” I ran my hands, down over my stomach as my brothers sat silently and smiled. “And we’re having a beautiful baby boy, who’s going to be spoiled and loved, he’s going to grow up with both his parents happy and in love and he’ll have many more brothers or sisters. You can’t take that away from me, you won’t take my baby and you won’t keep me away from Judd because we’ll always find each other.”
They had no idea how strong our bond to each other was. We were inseparable.
“Emmanuelle,” Cole said, extremely softly. “We’re doing this to help you, you’ve joined some type of cult. You need help, I know this isn’t you. You’re forced into something and we’re going to get you away from it.”
Lee spoke next, standing up. “We’re not taking the baby from you, but do you honestly think you’re going to be a good mother? Children are tough.”
“Just think about it, we’re going to take you to a friend of ours. He’ll help you decide, you’ll stay there and when you’re feeling better then you’ll come back to us.” Without my child, they were saying.
They were taking me to a rehab facility, and they thought they could take my child from me. They needed to get to a mental instituion, not me. When they were asleep, I was leaving and going going back to my mate.
“No. I’m going to have a bath, and then sleep. I have nothing else to say to you, but it’s not me mum would be disgusted with. It’s you, and you’re treating me the same way dad treated her. So sit and think about that, because I am done. I’ll never forgive you for doing this to me.” I wasn’t crying, but I was mad. I was shaking mad. I was, oh shit.
Making sure I flicked the bathroom lock, I pulled off my clothing and stood naked in front of the mirror. My body had changed so much. Pregnancy suited me, if I did say so myself. Closing my eyes, I at least had to try and speak through out link. I need him, and since my phone and bag was in my car at their house.
This was my only hope. You may have ordered me not to call, but you said nothing about this way of communicating with you. My eyes moved upwards, and as I noticed a reflection behind me, I jumped.
I couldn't believe it. This was just... No.
The dark shadow came closer towards me. His finger moved towards his lips as he motioned for me to say nothing. Taking my wrist, he turned me and then, ran a finger down over my growing nails. Saying nothing, he was silent and speaking a thousand words. He was worrying about me changing.
My heart was pounding at the sight of him. It’s not been two days and I had missed him, he was breathtaking. So damn gorgeous. Why didn’t I believe this was real though? Maybe because I was just trying to talk to him through our minds. I reached my free hand up, caressing his cheek and just feeling the tingles spreading up my arm from our touch.
“How?” it was all I could whisper to him. This couldn't be real. Could it?
“Put some clothes on Elle. I don’t need to be tempted right now,” his voice hard and cold. He was angry and that scared me. Not to make me afraid of him, but for everyone else.
“What are you doing here?” I whispered, my eyes roaming over his body. His arousal thickening by the second. Oh my. “You’re naked. Why are you naked?”
He smirked, hands all over my stomach. “Couldn’t really wear clothes now could I beautiful. It’s been a long 18 hours for me.”
“How did you get in here?” I looked around, then noticed the window. “I didn’t think-”
My next words were cut off with a chaste kiss, so hard he forced his tongue deep inside my mouth making me completely hazed and drowsy. My palms flat against his chest, steadying myself before I crumbled from desire.
He then he pulled away before I could kiss back, and I remembered why I was here. I was about to tell him that he wasn’t going to be forgiven easily, and he had a hell of a lot to explain before anything else happened. He instead, spoke and answered my questions and held up a key. “I know baby, I know but talk later. You get in my ute and wait. Don't move a fucking inch until I come out for you and then you need to fucking drive!”
What on earth was he going to do? How could I leave without being noticed by my brothers?
Taking a step back, my heart lurched in fear as Judd shifted into his big beautiful wolf and went lunging straight through the bathroom door, shattering it as he let out a knee trembling snarl directed straight towards my brothers.
Oh, that's how.