Chapter 23
*Sam's POV*
"I'm sorry love."
"But Henry I could go into labor any day now. I thought you would have cancelled that trip." I held onto his arm as tightly as I could giving him my best performance. In reality I didn't want him within twenty miles of me giving birth, and definitely not anywhere near her 'stillborn.' Janey stood in corner watching the exchange curiously. I could tell she was hoping that meant I changed my mind.
"I have to scout our new location. Once you and little Henry Jr. are able to travel, we need to move. Too many people know our location. We aren't safe here." My eyebrows furrowed and he awkwardly peeled my shocked hand off his arm. He knew he had given away too much information. "I will be back tomorrow afternoon. Half the protectors will be staying behind to guard you and the other half will be with me. Your midwife has also been asked to stay until I return."
Janey gave a quick nod while Henry kissed my forehead gently. He grabbed his duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder. He left without so much as a backwards glance and both the girls relaxed a little.
"You're sure about this Sam? You know this isn't what I am trained for. It's possible things could really go wrong."
I nodded and leaned my head back reserving my energy. "It's worth the risk. I don't know what's happening outside this house, but I have a feeling the pack isn't involved anymore. My son doesn't need to grow up as a prisoner."
Without any further questions Janey began to unpack her medical bag with anything she might need. Next, she started running back in forth between the linen closet and her room.
Finding out Henry was planning on moving them at least a half day's run away just furthered her resolve. He had brought on a few extra guards during the preparation. They weren't the same as Lucy or Ryan. They were harsher and meaner. The only female that had joined was Mars and I definitely wouldn't categorize her as having a female's touch. Henry alternated between being the doting father to be and having a short temper. He had to leave on multiple occasions over the last few weeks just to calm down. He wouldn't stay calm with a newborn.
Janey set up the IV stand and slid the needle into my arm. She placed a small piece of something in my hand. It was firm but flexible at the same time.
"They will be listening for any sound of disturbances. If they hear you scream, they'll run in. Henry will be back before we can take the boy to safety." I glanced down at the small block in my hand again. "When the pain gets bad bite down. It'll be better than clenching your jaw. How are the contractions?"
"Okay. Sporadic still but more frequent." She nodded and pushed two syringes of liquid through the IV.
"One will make the contractions more frequent. The other will help with the pain. I can't give you an epidural. It's just not safe given the circumstances." She patted my hand. "Get some rest while you can. It won't be long."
Janey was right. Within an hour the contractions were coming quickly and increasingly more painful. I dilated faster and faster until I felt a rush of liquid. Janey replaced the towel underneath me. I alternated between on all fours, my back, and pacing the room.
"I think it's time to check you again." I nodded and laid back on the bed. "You're at 8. I'm going to give you another dose of pain medicine. By time they kick in you'll be ready to push."
The pain was unbearable. Worse than anything I had ever felt. I bit down on the block she had given me and fought the urge to scream. Grunts still came out around it, but not enough to draw attention from the guards.
"Alright Sam. It's time to push." I nodded and rolled onto the bed, so I was on all fours. I arched my back and bit down hard. Janey put her hand on my lower back and kept the other beneath me. "Breath...just like we practiced." I bit down again as the next contraction hit. "Alright here it comes. Push again. That's it."
I gripped onto the sheets and pushed with everything I had until the pain subsided. I felt slick liquid fall down my legs and the pressure subside. The room was silent except for my panting. After a few seconds I was able to roll over and drop onto the bed. Janey stood in corner. I could only see her shoulders moving as she tended to the silent baby. "Is he okay? Why isn't he crying?"
Janey turned around with the baby wrapped in a blanket. She smiled warmly and placed the bundle in my arms. His eyes searched the room even though everything still would have been blurry to him. His little face was scrunched up and shifting from a deep purple to a flushed pink. I pushed down the blanket and let the little boy find his suction on my nipple.
"Not all babies cry when they are born. You can have a few hours with him, but at daybreak I will have to take him. We can't risk someone hearing him cry." I nodded and unlatched him. He closed his eyes and relaxed into the bundle.
"Take him now. They won't be expecting us. Better not to risk him crying." I gripped onto him tighter and kissed his forehead. I knew the chances of seeing him again were slim to none and it killed me inside. I just hope he knows I did it for him.
*Jeany's POV*
I waited until the guard circled the back of the house before I ran to the driveway and into my car. Without turning my headlights on I backed up and swerved onto the main road. I gripped the steering wheel tightly to keep myself from veering off the road. My heart was pounding so hard my body was vibrating with it.
Would this be considered kidnapping? What if I was caught? What would he do to me...or worse what would he do to Sam if he ever found out?
About ten miles up the road I pulled over and grabbed the bundle out of my medicine bag. I thought about taking him to the hospital instead of the pond, but Sam was right. There would be too many questions about where he came from or how he got there.
The minor sedative I had given him to get us off the property was starting to wear off. He was wiggling in his bundle and getting fussy. I slid out of the car and held him tight to my body rocking my arms slowly as I walked into the woods.
It wasn't too far after sunset, so it was easy to find my way, but I didn't want him left by himself all night. I found the pond and wrinkled my nose. A wolf shifter had been here since I last scouted the area. It was recent enough to be pungent but wasn't within the day.
I found a tree with a small hollow at the base. I didn't want him exposed to the elements, but I left the majority of the bright blue blanket visible for someone to find. Once he was sleeping, I quickly shifted into my fox form and ran to the car. I lingered at trees rubbing my tail on them to give a decent scent on my way back to the main road.
I slid into the car and drove a few miles further up the road before pulling off again. This time as soon as my car door was closed, I shifted and ran up the nearest tree. Climbing from branch to branch I made my way within eyesight of the clearing and settled onto a large branch.
If something happened, I would be here to protect him. By time I got back the sun had set and I was looking at the world through night vision.
A branch snapped a half mile away. Then another. Then a snorting sound. It came from the opposite direction of Sam's house so it shouldn't be a guard.
My back arched and all of my fur stood up. I dug my claws into the branch prepared to pounce at whatever entered the clearing.
The grunts came louder, and I realized there were more than one. First a group of four came through the woods. Three medium sized wolves were trailing behind a small tan one. She shot her head up and looked around snarling slightly before putting her nose back to the ground.
Another group of four came through a path slightly closer to the road. This group of three had three large wolves that part of me hoped weren't the ones to find the boy. I could already hear him starting to squirm and knew there was nothing I could do to get him away against this many wolves.
The third and final group came in through the opposite side. They seemed more relaxed and all four on the smaller side. They looked at the smallest of the first group that had split from her own and tilted their heads to the side.
I watched as the small wolf shifted into a teenage girl with pink hair. Even in human form she stayed on her knees and creeped towards the tiny bundle as if it was the animal that was going to run away.
The largest of the groups moved in behind her nudging the human's elbow with his snout. When she pulled the now whimpering baby out from the hollow the second wolf shifted into his human form. I had to admit that he was less daunting as a human.
The girl opened the bundle for the boy to examine then immediately closed it once they knew the baby wasn't injured. He began giving orders and the girl climbed on the back of the second largest wolf. Before the human finished speaking, they were already running back in direction they came from. Two of the wolves that had followed the girl in ran after the two while the rest created a perimeter around the pond.
This was my chance. I had to get out.