Chapter 27

27

Tami

H unger wakes me, and my eyes slowly flutter open. I weakly sit up in bed, yawning.

The cabin is quiet, too quiet. I slide out of bed and go to the window, bracing myself for the blood-covered snow as I peek outside.

Heavy snowflakes fill the air, covering the scene of Kane and Levi’s battle earlier. My stomach rumbles again, and I place a hand on my belly. I smile, smoothing my hand over my abdomen.

“Okay, little one. Let’s get you something to eat,” I coo to our baby.

Once again, I’m feeling emotional. Where is Kane? Maybe he went out to hunt. My fingers immediately go to my lips as I remember what happened hours before.

I bit Kane—I claimed him. The mating process is complete between us. I own him and he owns me. I get to keep Kane forever. I get to keep our baby forever. I spent so long wondering if I’d ever have something like this. Yawning, I stretch out my arms and make my way to the stairs.

I hear something in the kitchen and smile. That must be Kane, already making me something to eat. There was a lot going on earlier, and we need to talk, especially about moving to his village in the morning. I don’t like Levi. I don’t like the way he treated Kane.

Right now, I just want to hold Kane. I know he's okay, but I still feel like I almost lost him. I dart down the stairs excitedly, giggling when I almost slip, but I catch myself.

Usually, Kane’s on me in a heartbeat, scolding me for not being careful. This time, nothing. I steady myself, already feeling uneasy about who’s in our kitchen.

When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I freeze. Julian’s friend is on the sofa. I recognize him: Kamel, the one who pushed for Julian to take me.

How did he get in here? I close my eyes, praying I'm just having a nightmare. But when I open them and turn my head, I see Julian in the kitchen, making a sandwich.

My heart feels like it’s about to burst out of my chest. My purse is on the counter, and everything is dumped out. Julian smiles when he meets my eyes.

“There you are sleepyhead. I wanted to pack some food for you before we left,” he says as if it’s just any day. He doesn’t know he’s messing with a woman mated to a shifter? He pulls a small device out of my wallet that looks like a GPS tracking device.

“You were the woman I chose, Tami. You think I wouldn’t keep tabs on you? I watched you everywhere and listened. I heard everything for the past six weeks.” He places a bottled water in front of the sandwich and gestures for me to sit .

“You got yourself knocked up by that shifter.” He snarls, pointing at me. “You didn’t want to give me a baby, but you’d let him knock you up.”

“How are you here, and he not know?” I mutter nervously. Kamel stands from the sofa and approaches me, roughly gripping the back of my neck and pushing me toward the bar. He forces me to sit. Then he looks at Julian.

“They’re on to us. This was a bad idea coming here for her.”

“Shut up, Kamel. We’re right on the border. She eats this sandwich and drinks this water, then we get out of here. You’ve seen how sick they get when they don’t eat,” Julian snaps.

“Eat this food so we can leave.” Kamel presses a gun to my head. I immediately grab the sandwich and take a bite. Julian leans on the counter, his eyes cold.

“If you scream, I will blow your head off,” Kamel threatens, pressing the gun to my temple. “Then your mate will have nothing.” I nod, doing my best to finish the sandwich. I take the last bite, stuffing it into my mouth, then wash it down with water. Julian smiles.

“We’ve done this many times. We know pregnant mates can only drink water. And we know how to use your connection to your mate against you,” Julian tells me. Kamel pulls a syringe from his pocket and hands it to Julian. Julian stabs himself with it.

“Shifter blood. It confuses them. It’s how we got through the border without question. Wintermoon’s population is growing. There are too many shifters to track. Easy for a radical to slip by.”

“What are you going to do to me?” I question. Julian walks around the counter and roughly cups my face .

“First, I’m going to get rid of that bastard growing in you. It’ll make us a pretty penny. Then, I’m going to lock you away and make you my main bitch. I’m a Brookstone. I get what I want, when I want,” Julian growls.

“But you were with Tiffany.” He laughs.

“I used her to get closer to you. My little loner CNA, who just works and goes home. You’re not a woman I need to worry about running the streets. I need someone strong enough to give me babies and won’t ask for me.” His hand comes between my legs, and I wince, turning my head away. I didn’t know he was a radical. I’ve heard him rant, but I never thought of him as a radical.

Radicals are the worst of humanity. They believe humans are at the top of the food chain and supernaturals are a threat to the natural way of life. They want supernaturals eradicated, not just hidden.

Radical politicians are on the rise, forming groups to fight against the supernaturals of Wintermoon. This is the safest place for supernaturals since there are no laws against killing them on human territory. Women’s rights are fading, making human territory darker by the second.

Radicals hate supernaturals because many women seek Wintermoon for refuge. Everyone has heard the rumors of Wintermoon, how the women are treated here. And I’ve experienced it firsthand.

“This isn’t worth it, Julian. I got a bad feeling,” Kamel says, lowering his pistol. He steps back and walks to the cabin door, grabbing my coat and boots. Julian grips the back of my neck and pushes me toward the door, pushing me so hard I fall to my knees in front of Kamel.

“Put your coat and boots on. It’s time to go,” he growls.

Kamel raises the pistol, and fear courses through me. I quickly slide into my boots and slowly rise to my feet, pulling on my coat. Julian grips the back of my neck, pushing me out of the cabin just as a large SUV pulls up. The driver moves to the passenger seat as Julian shoves me into the back and climbs in beside me.

Where is Kane? Will he hear me if I call for him? I have to do something. I can’t let him take me out of Wintermoon and away from Kane.

“KANE! HELP ME!” I scream. Julian slaps me so hard I slam into the window.

"Shut up!" he growls, slamming the passenger door. Kamel jumps into the driver's seat, while another man, whom I don't recognize, sits in the front passenger seat, loading an automatic weapon.

“He won’t hear you. I’ve got your mate distracted on the island. We’re just five minutes from the border. We’ll be back in Michigan in no time.” Kamel puts the vehicle in reverse, moving up the hilltop, then turns onto the road.

The snow is coming down heavily, and visibility is low. Kamel maneuvers easily through the slippery road. I put my hand to my forehead, wincing from the pain of Julian’s slap.

They’re getting close to the border. I can partially make out the bridge through the snow. Is this how it ends for me? I should have known better; my life has never had a fairy tale ending.

This is why I never get attached to anything. It always gets snatched away when I get comfortable. I got comfortable with Kane. I felt safe and protected, but nothing can protect me from my destiny. It’s to be with this monster of a man.

Why else would Fate let him take me? I start to sob quietly and rest my head against the window. I want to fight them, but I don’t want them to hurt my baby. I’ll figure out how to get out of this on my own, but I’ve got to play my cards right.

I’m a survivor. This is what I do: survive the worst situations I keep getting thrown into. I’ll survive this, and I’ll save our baby.