Page 7 of Hadley's Heroes
I felt something hit from behind me, and all the air whooshed from my lungs as my body lurched forward, dirt hitting my chin as my body dragged on the ground only a yard from the M’Mori scum. I slid to a stop with weight on my chest. I didn’t think to look for other M’Mori; my rage overwhelmed me and I didn’t think about anything else other than killing the M’Mori in front of me. How could I be so stupid? This male wouldn’t be here alone. They were never alone. I thrashed the heavy weight on my back. I needed to get help. Where was the male Tiji? Was he getting others to help?
Weight lifted from my back as I scrambled onto my knees. Tiji sprung from behind me to standing in front of me. I felt relieved he was here, we could kill this male together, but when his spear turned from the M’Mori and now aimed at my face, I realized something was very wrong here. Was he working for the M’Mori? The look on his face told me he was prepared to kill me… kill me to save this M’Mori.
“No, no stabby.” He said the words in another language. I was confused. It was the words of the females. They spoke this same language and he had learned it. What did it mean? Why would he protect this male after he told me his mate was Brooklyn?
“You cannot kill, K’Tem. He is part of Clan Wolf, and the mate of Jessica, a female human. She loves her K’Tem very much, and you would not like to see her upset if you killed him. I fear her more than all the clans’ queens combined.” I froze as I glanced over to the M’Mori male, K’Tem.
I watched as the M’Mori came closer to me. He held something in his hand. Who was Jessica? I never wished to cross paths with her, she must be a very strong female to take on a mate like the M’Mori. I took a reminder to never meet this Jessica.
K’Tem looked down at me. I didn’t like the position he held over me while I was down here on my knees. I jumped up, holding my spear tightly, showing him how I towered over him. I felt better at my full height. This male would not intimidate me.
“Sorry to be meeting you like this, but do you know which hut Hadley is in? I need to check on her kits, but I’ve been trying to get to her for hours.” I blinked. Kits? How could I have not known Hadley was with kits? How would this male check on them? I felt very protective of the kits and Hadley.
Tiji nodded. “K’Tem. Hadley, Elle, and Brooklyn are together. I will take you to them now.” I growled low and Tiji shook his head. “This male is good. You will come to see.”
I didn’t think I would ever see a M’Mori male be good. Tiji had not been stolen by the M’Mori. He didn’t watch the life slip from the eyes of his fellow Aashi as the M’Mori killed them for being slow, weak… I took a deep breath, wishing to never think of that again, but I had so many nightmares. Sleeping was hard for me. They started walking, leaving me to follow. If Hadley trusted this male, then I would let him see her. But now his words had me worried.
“She fell. Do you think…” I couldn’t even say the words. Would her kits survive such a fall? I didn’t know this. She never told Jaim either of her carrying kits. She was small, very small. How could I have missed such an important thing about my future mate? My stomach fell at the thought of her losing her kits.
“That is what I am going to find out.” He moved the device in his hand and pointed to it. “This will show me they are safe.” I moved closer to see what this device was and Tiji jerked his spear at me, warning me not to harm this male. I shook my head. I wouldn’t hurt this male… yet, as long as Hadley says she trusts him. If she doesn’t, then he wouldn’t be safe from me, or any male who lived here at Clan Freedom. I was sure he was protected at all times from his clan. I must warn this male about the males who lived here, but not until he made sure the kits were safe.
I rushed him back to our hut. There were males close by, fighting. I wanted to help but I didn’t know which I was to be fighting. I needed to stay close to Hadley, especially if her kits were in danger. And to protect her from this M’Mori if he turned out to not be who he said he was.
“Hey,” she smiled, but not at me. At the M’Mori. “I’m so glad to see you.” I felt happy at her words, she must trust this male. I would do my best to accept this male, but it would be hard, for many males. I watched as he came in close, Jaim and Aalee watching him like the enemy had just entered their hut, confusion on my littermate’s face. I shook my head. I didn’t need words. He would see for himself.
Hadley’s mates moved her to sit up a little and were very happy to see him. They expressed their thoughts at this. I could see now he was a respected member of Clan Wolf, and Jaim relaxed a little. But Aalee, he moved further away. He had it worse than either of us. The M’Mori made an example of him, breaking all his bones when he tried to escape. He held deep scars, ones that I couldn’t see and I didn’t know how to help him with. Maybe Hadley would help him, bring back the Aalee I knew before the M’Mori.
“Hadley, how do you feel?” K’Tem asked her as he moved to sit opposite to her, raising the device in his hands. I watched as he talked to her about her fall, nodding at her words as she talked. He smiled, and I took a step back at the sight of his teeth. So sharp. Those of a meat eater.
“All is well. I have compared the scan to the first one I took and everything is well. Growing well.” I wanted to look at this thing he did. How did he see her kits? How many was she expecting? I couldn’t contain my excitement at the thought of her carrying life within her belly.
“How many kits are you expecting?” I asked Hadley, moving closer to see if I could see them just from looking at her. I knew they were carried in the female’s belly, but I was curious to how many, and how did she become with kit so fast? The human females had not been here that long. It took many years before mated Aashi females were with kits.
“I’m having a surprise. Only K’Tem knows.” She smiled up at me, her eyes crinkled lightly at the corners. It made me happy to see her smile like that at me. A surprise. Oh, I hope the Goddess blesses her with four healthy kits.
“I am very excited to be considered a chosen mate and welcome the kits. I was always very good with the young at Clan Yaayi. I was excited to be picked by the queen as a Chosen male for Brooklyn. I was dreaming of the day I could meet the kits of my mate. I would teach them how to climb, run…” I stopped speaking as I watched a tear roll down Hadley’s face. She wiped it away, yet her smile was not the same, the crinkles now left her eyes. I had upset her.
“I am so sorry to have spoken out of turn, Hadley. I don’t know where my manners have gone.” Jaim’s wide eyes watched the interaction. My litter brother Aalee was so ashamed of my talking out of turn he wouldn’t even look at me now. I got down on my knees, my head hung low as I heard the females now speaking with each other. They spoke so fast I couldn’t understand through the translator.
“Adee, you didn’t speak out of turn. I just was a little stunned at you wanting to still be my mate after knowing I’m withbaby… kit. One that you have not fathered.”
I didn’t understand this “not fathered.” What did that mean? Both her mates would be fathers of the kits. Was this her way of telling me I would never be chosen by her? Vetok quickly explained to her that most mated males would never father a kit, that it was the first mate’s seed that produced the kits, but all mates were the father. I nodded, glad that was not her not wanting me, but then Brooklyn burst into tears and I wasn’t sure what had happened. I glared over to the M’Mori Had he upset her? Her mate, Tiji, was glaring at me from beside her. I didn’t understand what I did at all. I didn’t even say anything to her to make her cry, I hadn’t even spoken to her.
“I have spoken out of turn and made the beautiful females cry. I am sorry, please forgive me,” I begged them all. Jaim was beside me, unsure on what to do as he fussed with his hands. Then, the female Elle started to cry and I realized then I would not make a good mate. I only made females sad. I must learn not to speak out of turn if there ever was a chance of another female considering me as a mate.
I rushed out the hut and grabbed my spear. I needed to stay away from them all. I only made them cry. I didn’t want to see tears, I wanted to see Hadley’s dazzling smile.
“Adee,” I heard called out. But I couldn’t face her. I didn’t want to cause them any more pain. I rushed forward and called out to the male pinned to the ground.
“Wolf?” I questioned. Two males who had pinned a third down on the ground growled at them before turning to me.
“I’m Clan Wolf.”
“This is not your fight, we will have the females,” the two males called out, threatening me. No, they wouldn’t. Even if I couldn’t have Hadley, I knew these males would never deserve a female like her. I leaped forward and brought my spear down on one of the outcast male’s back. It didn’t go deep enough to kill him, but it had him letting go of the Clan Wolf male, making the fight fairer between him and the other outcast male.
“You will die for this.” This male had no weapons. He clutched his back as he hissed at me. I was still at an advantage. He was bigger, but had this male worked in the mines? Had he developed more strength? No.But I had.I was stronger.
I took my spear and ran it through his chest before he even knew what was happening. He gripped it as if he could stop it from sliding through his flesh. But I knew how to kill, I was a trained warrior from Clan Yaayi. I raised the end of my spear that was now deep within him, piercing more of his organs, watching him gasp his last breaths, the light fading from his eyes. I didn’t like to kill, it was not something I enjoyed. But to keep the females safe, my clansmen safe, I had to end this male. Before he collapsed I used my foot to push him off my spear. He fell to the ground, unmoving, and unable to heal from such a wound.
