I got the texts he sent. I read each and every one, even the ones where the words slurred together and made no sense. They were drunken apologies, and yet it was so hard not to jump the gun and immediately reply. I missed him. I missed his voice, his tender touch. I missed the way his green eyes glittered with mirth when I made him smile. I missed his strong arms protecting me from my nightmares.

I missed him, but I had to stand up for what was right for me. It didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like a bitch though. Chance had done his best to keep me out of my own head, but his time was often occupied by the babies. Not that I needed a babysitter. I wasn’t depressed. I was just sad.

Charlotte wailed at the top of her lungs, her hiccuping cries enough to give me a headache. Even Dresden was huddled on the couch with his stuffed fox, both hands clamped over his ears. “The baby is mad,” he told me with a sage nod. As if I didn’t already know.

“Probably just gas.”

“Charlee’s gotta fart. Pffft!” He blew loud raspberries into his palm, then burst out laughing. “Fart, fart, fart. Daddy says fart is a bad word, but it isn’t, right Uncle Soren? I can say fart?”

“You’d better listen to your daddy, puppy.” I poked him in the ribs and he giggled. If fart was the worst word the kid learned, Huxley would be golden. Though I couldn’t even imagine how spazzy he’d get when Dresden hit the terrible teens and started ogling boobs and butts. Hux would have a heart attack the first time he caught his son in the act.

Good thing that was a long ways off, huh?

“Where are you going, Uncle Soren?” Dresden chirped when I stood and wandered over to the window. The skies were blue and completely cloudless and the sun shone brightly through the trees. Maybe I’d take a walk and stretch my legs, get some fresh air. All of a sudden, I was feeling a bit claustrophobic.

“I’m gonna take a walk,” I told him. “I’ll be back in a little bit.”

He bounced in his seat. “Can I come too?”

I glanced down the hall, to where I could hear Chance trying to placate the little one. He had his hands full. Watching over Dresden was the least I could do. “Why not? Go put your shoes on. Hurry, hurry!”

He sprang up off the couch and raced to the door, where he quickly stuffed both feet into his bright red velcro sneakers. I pulled the door open and we went outside. He ran ahead of me several paces, his arms stretched out on either side while he spun circles, looking up at the sky. “So sunny out today! No rain!”

“Nope, no rain. Slow down, Drezzy. I’m fat.” I patted my round stomach and waddled after him.

He laughed. “You’re not fat! You’ve just got a baby in your belly. So sunny, so sunny!”

He skipped ahead a few steps, then came back to my side like the hyper little pup he was. I kept my eye on him as we meandered down the trail in the woods, the shade from the trees cool on my skin. I didn’t realize Dresden had stopped until I nearly ran him over. “Whoa! Drezz, why did you stop?”

Dresden was eerily quiet. He peered out into the woods. “Someone’s watching us, Uncle Soren.” He grabbed a hold of my pants leg and shrank back behind my legs. When he whimpered, a chill seeped into my chest, spreading down my arms and legs at a rapid rate. I stiffened and scented the air, only for my stomach to sour.

Two massive wolves stood in the copse of trees, their ears pricked and intent on me. Panic clawed through me. I nudged Dresden with my leg, backing him away from the danger. Despite my own fears, I would protect him with my life if it came down to it. Without ever looking away from the wolves, I knelt down beside him.

“Go,” I whispered. “Run. Run home and don’t look back, okay? Go get help. They are very bad wolves. Like Bones. Very bad, do you understand?” Fear flooded his young face and he gripped at my pants tighter. “You have to hurry, Dresden. Hurry and get help. I’ll fight them off. Go!” I barked the last word sharply.

Dresden veered away from me, shifting from human to gangly wolf pup in an instant. With a yelp, he bolted in the opposite direction with his tail tucked between his legs. My tormentors crept closer, their tails wagging slowly, but to my relief, they didn’t attempt to hunt my nephew down. No. Their attention—their cold blue eyes—were locked firmly on me.

I was the one they wanted, after all.

“Leave us alone,” I hissed.

Erick was the first to change back, with sick glee in his laugh. “Oh, I don’t think so.” His gaze slid down the front of me, lingering on the swell of my stomach. His lips peeled back away from human teeth in a snarl that tore the breath from my lungs. “Look at you. You’re a goddamn mess, boy. Who knocked you up? That stag?” He chortled. I knew my face gave it away. “Oh, that’s priceless. You’re carrying a deer in that perfect womb of yours? Such a damn shame.”

My father’s shift was slower, almost spastic. I hadn’t seen him since I was seventeen. I hadn’t wanted to, either, but he looked terrible. Once strong and sturdy, now he was gaunt, his muscles lacking tone. His face sagged, the bags under his eyes as droopy as his jowls, and he kept jerking his head to the side. He smelled sour. Sick. And yet, his grin was just as crazed as before.

“What a fuckin’ whore you are. Where’s that Alpha now, boy? Huh? You don’t smell like a stag. In fact, you don’t smell like anyone’s at all.” He took a step closer, his fingertips twitching like claws might burst from them at any given moment. I saw the thick grey fur prickle through the skin on his arms, his shift so easily triggered. He was an accident waiting to happen.

I was in danger.

“No scent. No marks. You’re unmated.” Erick smirked. “Looks like whoever dipped his cock in you didn’t want you or that bastard spawn you’re carrying. Never fear, though, precious. We’ll get rid of it. We’ll take care of that monstrosity growing inside of you and put a true Alpha-heir in your womb.”

I backed away slowly, choking on my scream. “Leave me alone! I don’t want any part of your sick plan. Go away. Please, just go away…” I couldn’t shift without hurting my baby, but I was weak in this form. They would shred me without remorse. I swallowed the lump fast growing in my throat and shook my head. “Go away!” I shrieked. “Help! Huxley!”

I knew better than to turn my back on them, but fear won out. I spun on my heel and bolted through the trees, veering off the path worn into the earth in a last-ditch attempt to slow them down. Behind me, footsteps thudded over the ground, crunching over leaf litter and pine needles. I heard Erick laugh, and then I was careening forwards.

I hit the ground hard and a sharp pain ripped through my stomach. The baby! Not my baby. I screamed when Erick’s heavy weight pinned me, his claws digging into my skin. “Shut your bitch mouth!” he snarled in my ear. “This is for your own good.”

I kicked and thrashed, swiping at his face with my own nails. His knee jammed into my back, driving the air from my lungs and putting pressure on my belly. I began to sob in broken gasps. I couldn’t lose the baby… “Stop it! Leave me alone! Huxley!” My voice bled raw as the world began to spin.

Erick yanked my wrists behind my back, his fingers digging in. “Get the fucking rope—and something to gag him so he shuts up. Shut up!” He grabbed a handful of my hair and shoved my face down into the dirt, try as I might to struggle. I couldn’t breathe and all I could focus on was the cramps radiating through my belly.

“Soren!” Huxley’s cry carried through the woods. I gulped in a lungful of breath and screamed again to get his attention. Please, please, please! But Huxley didn’t get the chance—to my right, a furious bellow sang through the woods and my heart pitched. Hunter?

“Fuck! Stop him, Jonas!” Erick’s shout was cut short, turning into an agonized wail. The weight of the other wolf fell away from me. Gasping for breath, I scrambled away on my hands and knees with another cry.

Erick began to cough and gag, the sound wet and bubbly. I lifted my head and immediately wished I hadn’t. Erick was pinned against a tree, gored through the chest by Hunter’s antlers, which dripped blood. He struggled beneath the stag, slapping weakly at him. Hunter snorted and swung his head back, tossing Erick’s body to the ground with a squelch of sound, and my uncle began to writhe where he fell, blood gushing from the wounds.

I clapped both hands over my mouth, suddenly unable to breathe. I panted hard, reaching for the stag with shaking hands. “Hunter!” I didn’t know what he was doing here, but I was so thankful that he was. “Hunter, please help me.”

Sloughing off his stag form, he dropped to his knees beside me and gathered me in his arms. I clung to him like he was my lifeline. “Soren? Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?” His hands smoothed back my hair and I unraveled in his arms, holding my aching stomach tightly. “Are you in pain?” Every time I tried to speak, all that came out were broken sobs. “Shh. Look at me, baby. Look at me. It’s gonna be alright. I’m so sorry. Come here.”

He turned my head away as a gunshot pierced the air. I screamed and buried my face in his shirt, shaking violently. “Hush, my little wolf. I’m right here. We’re gonna take you to the hospital. Make sure you’re okay.” I nodded and squeezed my eyes closed when Hunter lifted me up off the ground. I wrapped my arms around his neck and I didn’t let him go.