Page 38 of Wanted By the Cartel

"Soon. Very soon." Another sharp pain hit, and I couldn't hide my grimace this time.

"That's it," Mae declared, physically moving between me and the reports. "You need to lie down. Now."

"Mae—"

"Your blood pressure is spiking and you're showing signs of early contractions. Do you want to explain to Zoren why you're in premature labor?"

The mention of Zoren made my chest ache. Despite our separation, I felt his constant worry from across the compound. He was hurting, and so was I, but we needed this time apart. We needed to figure out how to be true partners.

And that was the reason why I didn't want him to come over. I didn't want to talk to him right now.

"Fine," I conceded, allowing Mae to help me to the bed. "But Chen, get this information to Santos right away. We need to—"

"We need to monitor your vitals for the next hour," Mae interrupted. "Lieutenant Chen can handle the intelligence. Right?" She fixed Chen with a stern look.

"Of course." Chen gathered the reports. "I'll coordinate with Santos and increase surveillance on all suspected parties. You focus on staying healthy, sir."I'm going to try,I thought to myself.

I wanted to argue, but another wave of discomfort silenced me. Mae attached monitors to my belly, checking the twins' heartbeats. She was so worried about them, almost as much as I was.

"They're stressed," she murmured. "Just like their father."

"Which one?" I tried to joke, but it fell flat.

"Both of you." She adjusted something on the monitors. "He asks about you, you know. Every day."

"I know." I could feel his love and worry constantly. "But he needs to understand. I can't be kept in a cage, even a loving one. Plus, I want to help, just like I'm helping now."

"And you need to understand that your health affects more than just you now." Mae's voice softened. "These babies need both their fathers healthy and united." I was aware of that, but what she was asking of me was difficult.

I stared at the ceiling, feeling the twins settle as the medication Mae administered began to work. She was right, of course. This separation wasn't sustainable, especially with a major threat looming. But Zoren needed to see me as an equal, not just something precious to protect.

I knew he was going to understand that soon. He just needed some time.

"Get some rest," Mae said, dimming the lights. "The intelligence will wait an hour."

As she left, I placed both hands on my stomach, reaching out with my abilities to soothe the twins. Their emotional signatures were becoming more distinct as they grew—one calm and steady, the other fierce and protective. Like both their fathers.

A familiar presence appeared at the edge of my awareness. Zoren, doing his nightly check of the compound. His worry spiked when he sensed my distress, but he didn't come closer. He was trying to respect my boundaries, even though it hurt him.

He could kind of feel me, but not much more than that because he wasn't anything like me. That wasn't his strength.

"Your father loves us," I whispered to the twins. "He loves us so much he forgets we're strong too. But it's going to be okay. He will understand, eventually."

The intelligence reports waited on my desk, full of warnings about the coming storm. I needed to be ready. We all did.

The next morning, despite Mae's protests, I was back at my desk. The medication had helped, and the twins were calmer, but I couldn't ignore the growing threat. Not when I could feel waves of anticipation and malice rolling through the compound from our enemies' spies.

Sometimes, it was overwhelming. Not right now, thankfully.

"At least let me set up proper monitoring," Mae insisted, arranging medical equipment around my workspace. "And promise you'll stop if anything feels wrong."

"I promise," I agreed, already spreading out the latest reports. My makeshift command center in the medical wing wasn't ideal, but it allowed me to balance my health with my work. The twins kicked, seemingly approving of the compromise. Their reaction helped me.

Santos arrived with his morning update, his usual stoic demeanor tinged with concern. "Three more gangs have joined the coalition," he reported, his tone serious. "They're meeting tonight at the old foundry."

I closed my eyes, extending my senses carefully. Even at this distance, I could pick up fragments of emotions from our surveillance teams. "They're nervous. Something's changed in the plans."

"Sir?" Santos leaned forward.

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