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“A few hours,” Junic said. “Some species don’t take long to gestate. Congratulations. Very soon, you will be a mother to a very healthy and happy baby boy.”

A boy…

I wondered if he would look like his father. I wondered if Trayem would even learn he had a son.

I needed to make sure he knew.

“Doctor?” I said. “Can I tell you something?”

“Sure,” Junic said. “What is it?”

“It’s… of a personal nature.”

She stepped forward and leaned in close so her ear was in front of my mouth.

I used the opportunity to slip my hand in her pocket and wrap my hand around the needle device.

“Sleep tight,” I said.

Junic’s eyes alighted with surprise as I jammed the device in her neck. She bolted backward from the shock. She slapped a hand to where the needle had bitten her.

“Catch her!” I yelled. “She’s going to fall!”

I couldn’t care less if she collapsed to the floor but the guards reacted out of instinct and bent down to catch her.

I dodged between them with the injector device in my outstretched hand and slammed it in shifter girl’s hand as she reached for me.

She hissed through her teeth.

I slipped past her.

Meatball head was on her other side. I didn’t need to worry about him. He was too distant to reach me.

I checked over my shoulder as I barreled for the door. There was no one in front of me. The others were still reacting to the breakout.

I was going to escape! I was going to get out of there!

Another pair of strong arms scooped me up and wrapped around me, holding me tight in their strong embrace.

I made to bring the injector gun around to jam in his face but never got that far.

I just stared.

“Trayem?”

His expression was blank and hard to read as he bundled me up and carried me back toward the padded room.

“No!” I screamed. “Trayem! No! Don’t do this! Trayem! No!”

6

TRAYEM

The fist struck me in the face with such force I thought my eye was going to explode.

I welcomed it.

I deserved it.