Page 44 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire

Reaching out toward her, I grab her hips, clamping down hard with my fingers, my thumbs pressed into her hard torso. Feeling startled at her protruding stomach, we both widen our eyes, my shout ready to leave my throat fading away, her body Winnowing away before I can question her. Backing herself intothe side of the vehicle, her Hold forces me to the ground, my own hand clamping over my mouth as her first real sign of emotion comes over her expression. Panting like a fool, her cloak is wide open from my actions, her once toned torso now a small stomach strained against her tight black shirt. Widening my eyes at the sight, we both lock eyes for a moment, the Forest that Xavier knows breaking through the surface, her hand gravitating toward her stomach before sliding into her pocket. Tossing a note on the ground, she clamps her cloak back together, her voice shaky as she speaks.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she questions, my voice silenced by my own hand. Shaking her head as she runs her hands through her hair, the sound of others coming toward the door pulls us both away from the moment, giving neither of us any time to digest what has just happened.

"It's an offer you won't be able to refuse," she snaps. "I'll be hearing from you soon."

Winnowing away from the space, she takes the interaction with her, all of the force from her Hold slowly fading away. Scrambling to drag myself to the note, I unfold the message, blankly staring at the offer with confusion.

He wants you and Xavier.

I suppose you are both more worthy allies than we thought.

You have a day to decide.

I look forward to your response.

-Forest

Looking over the note repeatedly, I try to process the offer, my eyes hyper-focused on Xavier's name.

Hearing the door swing open, I shove the note in my pocket, scrambling to stand up, letting my flustered expression pan to each person.

"Winded already?" Xavier questions with a grin, allowing himself to load the rest of the materials, my neck still sore from the places Forest's nails dug in.

Running my finger over the note in my pocket, I think back over the interaction, the image of her body settled in my mind.

There is no way.

There is no way she's preg-

"Hey," Kai questions, waving his hand in front of my eyes, bringing me back to reality.

"What?" I question, barely registering anyone's words.

"I asked if you're ready to go?" he questions as everyone loads into the vehicle.

Taking several seconds to compose myself, I watch as Mason excuses himself from the area. Winnowing away from the space, his look of question is the last thing I see before nothing at all.

Slowly nodding my head, I let the interaction fade away, moving toward the vehicle, Xavier's hand grasps my shoulder.

Lowering his head toward my ear, his voice is low, his tone something straight out of nightmares.

"She should have known better than to think I wouldn't sense her."

Patting me on the back, he loads himself onto the vehicle.

Chapter thirteen

Forest

"Do you like what you see?" Atticus maliciously whispers in my ear, his eyes hazed with the presence of power.

Lined up like animals ready for the slaughter, women and men of varying ages, all filled to the brim with Marked energy, kneel before us, each one trembling uncontrollably, their faces concealed with masks to hide the monsters before them. Depleted and disoriented, they all are drugged, each one mentally begging to be released from their hell.

"Like?" I question, wishing it could be Atticus I am ripping into. "I'm fucking addicted," I hiss, feeding into the man's narrow minded way of looking at his own kind.

Looking over the peace offerings with delight, Elyon's thoughts stay close to my own, his own annoyances toward Atticus safeguarded between the guards of our mind.

"Quite a power hungry fool isn't he?"Elyon questions, taking time to examine each and every person before him.

---