“We are going to Kindle and chill, and I’ll show you how much I appreciate your Queenly ass,” he smacks my ass and I giggle as we get to my room and he throws me on the bed. Walking over to the bookcase he grabs my Kindle and settles on the bed. While he goes through it, I lean forward, “how did the talk with Kalen go?” Asking the question that has been burning through my head all night.
Grimacing he looks up briefly before looking back down, “honestly, not well. I think we were all too pissed to really take anything in. We all agree that we are happy we met you, but not knowing our past is a tough pill to swallow. Hunter is taking it the hardest because his memories were suppressed the most. Apparently, the Fae-witch had started on him first and used too much of her potion, which is why he feels the loss the most,” sighing he runs his fingers through his hair, which has gotten longer while we have been here. I recall how Hunter said he didn’t remember his childhood and I frown at how sad that made him and I feel another wave of anger start low in my belly. The prophecy clearly said I would meet my mates; it isn’t fair that Kalen essentially Fae-napped the guys.
I sigh and we push the conversation away to enjoy our night together; I was going to enjoy all the time I could get with my mates individually, before everything exploded in our faces and we had to fight for the survival of the people I got to know today. Ella’s eyes flash in my mind and I make a promise to do whatever I can to protect everyone, even if it means I have to sacrifice myself.
Asense of urgency falls over me and at my insistence we spend the next several days training for over twelve hours a day, from dawn to dusk, with only breaks for lunch and dinner. I don’t pause to wonder where Xena went during the day, as she always popped up at random times to remind me to train more because the danger was closer. She annoyingly would pop out of the room when I asked her why, and I’d just grit my teeth and keep pushing myself.
During training, I found myself getting more and more exhausted and I was barely able to hold down the protein drinks I was forcing down my throat. I knew I was pushing myself harder than anyone else because I felt that it was my duty to protect everyone, but I didn’t care. I would spend my days training, my nights rotating with my mates, giving them all the individual time that I knew they craved, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t crave it too.
Kalen avoided being alone with us beyond training and I wanted to throat punch him and ask him what his deal was. I also wanted to ask him why my father had yet to introduce himself, and that pissed me off more than I wanted to admit.
It was during one evening, coming back from training, where shit hit the fan. Walking into the cabin, I ran upstairs and barely made it to the toilet when my stomach heaved and expelled everything I had eaten during the day. I groaned and leaned my head against the cold tile on the floor.
“Fuck,” I whispered, nausea rolling through me, my head starting to pound. Sighing I crawled into the shower and shed my clothes, trying to shake off the feeling. A few seconds later I look up as six faces stand in the bathroom, staring at me with concern.
“You are pushing yourself too hard, baby girl,” Ryder says, coming closer and passing me my toothbrush. I smile gratefully and start to brush my teeth until I smell the mint and start to heave again. I see them looking back and forth at each other and I sigh.
I’ll be fine, go get cleaned up, I'll be out in a few.They scoff at the same time, and the guys start to strip, and they get in the shower and help me get cleaned up. I laugh when Remi raises her eyebrows and looks away.
“I’m going to avoid the hanging sausages and go take a quick shower. I’ll also go make you some tea, babe.”
“Thank you, Remi.” She makes her way out of the bathroom and the guys make quick work of getting me cleaned up, nothing sexual, just comfort, and I find myself ridiculously happy as Zane carries me out and dries me off while Grayson grabs me some pajamas. Remi comes back upstairs with a cup of tea just as the bell rings. I frown and the guys dress while she goes to answer the door. Seconds later Ella’s little face bursts into the room her mother hot on her heels.
“I’m so sorry your majesty she took off and came straight here,” her mom apologizes.
“It’s okay,” I assure her. Ella was suddenly at my bedside and she reaches her hands up and touches my belly and her hands start to glow. I gasp and we all look at each other in a panic.
“My best friends are coming, but you have to be careful or they will die during battle,” Ella whispers softly. We stare at her, dumbstruck.
“Ella, honey, what do you mean?” I ask stupidly, making sure we all heard her right. She giggles and leans her head on my stomach, “My best friends are in your belly. You’re going to be a Queen mommy.”
Yeah, that’s what I thought she said, I think to myself and even though I’m laying down my head drops back, and I faint from shock, the last thought in my head I projected.
You fuckers knocked me up.
Oberon
We all saton Hudson’s bed after Ella and her mom had left, Ella clapping her hands happily, talking about her best friends and how awesome they were. I hid a lot over the years I have been alive; some of these secrets were for the good of the people, or so I felt, others were for my own selfish reasons. The moment I ripped the prophecy, I couldn’t tell you why at the time, I just knew that if there is one thing the Fae revered was the ability to have children. I couldn’t bear to see that portion of the prophecy used to hurt the one who was to save us all. I always felt pulled towards that prophecy, to someone who hadn’t even been born yet, but I’m glad I did; to protect her. Our bond was sealed, and now the final part of the prophecy was true.
“Well, that is an unexpected end to our day,” Ryder says trying to lighten the mood.
“That sounds about right,” Grayson says low, holding Hudson’s hand in his. Grayson is usually the quietest of the bunch, always thinking and observing. His eyes haven’t left Hudson in all this time. At some point King had walked into the room and settled himself next to the bed. Xena also popped in out of thin air, pacing back and forth across the room.
“It is amazing,” whispered Hunter almost reverently, he was rubbing Hudson’s belly and whispering to her belly the entire time she was passed out, the guys and I exchanged smiles watching the tough Hunter, who was always spoiling for a fight, completely taken down at finding out he was going to be a father. Zane looked at her with so much tenderness it was almost too intimate to watch, and Remi pulled up a computer and started looking for something Hudson could take for her nausea. Love filled the room and it felt incredible to be a part of this. After so many years, it was a blessing.
After a few more moments, Hudson stirred and slowly sat up blinking at us.
“Tell me I just dreamt that I found out I was pregnant, and that Ellie did not say best friends as in multiple little uterine hostages?” She groaned and rubbed her head.
“Vaginal destroyers, as in plural? Yes. Yes, she did,” Ryder jokes. She laughed and shook her head.
“Fuck,” she whispered. “I made little versions of myself that are going to drive you all bat shit fucking crazy,” she tried to joke, but the nervous look in her eye didn’t fool us. She was scared and I didn’t blame her. We had more to protect, more to value. We just had to survive what was coming. And as that thought crossed my mind, an alarm sounded; the Veil had been breached.
Hudson
“Tell me,I just dreamt that I found out I was pregnant, and that Ellie did not say best friends as in multiple little uterine hostages?”
It hit me like a fucking freight train.