Chapter Twelve
MANDY COULDN’T BELIEVE they were taking her back. She hadn’t been allowed to speak to Zehn and Lore, and the pair made no attempt to talk to her telepathically either. She was worried about them. They looked tired and heartsick, and she had no idea why.
Zehn, Lore, the beta, and a half dozen warriors escorted her back to the resort. They paused within sight of the edges, and Xav called the procession to a halt. They’d spent a good two weeks traveling, this time with a litter the warriors carried, so Mandy didn’t have to drape over some hard-body’s shoulder.
She’d had no time to say good-bye to anyone at the village either. One moment she’d been dressed and ready to eat the morning meal, the next, all her belongings had been waiting in a litter and she’d been tossed into it, then packed up and moved out like a mail shuttle.
Xav, Arghet, Drotek, and a few others had been pleasant and polite. For all that the barbarians could fight like demons, they were surprisingly mannerly toward females. And the males made sure she wanted for nothing.
Zehn and Lore watched her with hungry eyes but had nothing to do with her, kept away by four other men. She knew they were being punished, but she didn’t know what exactly for. So much had happened in so little time.
“We’re stopping here?” she asked as Xav helped her step onto solid ground again.
“Yes. You have a few moments to talk with Zehn and Lore. Then you will be taken to Welcome. You must be aware that what our warriors did is accountable. Taking an offworlder from the resort is a punishable offense. It threatens to break our treaty as well. So please, have a care when explaining your absence.”
“Wait. I’m going to explain it? Not you guys?”
Lore and Zehn joined her, finally, and the others walked away to give them privacy.
“What the hell is going on?” She felt their sadness and began to really worry. “I get you’re being punished. Am I too? Did I do something wrong?”
Zehn sighed. “No,tonan. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“We are at fault.” Lore cupped her cheek, his eyes shining.Not you.
Tell me what’s wrong,she demanded, relieved to find their mental link open once more.
Mandy, we love you,Lore said.But that first time, when we were together, I lost myself in you.
We had promised not to give you our second seed, and we meant it,Zehn said.
But pheltharconnected us, caused my instinct to tie you to us.Lore leaned his forehead against hers.The beauty of our joining will be something I treasure, always. I cannot be sorry that you carry our young. But I am sorry about how it happened. I would never have taken that choice from you, yet I did.
As did I.Zhen said.The child you carry is all of ours.
She had no idea how genetics worked, but she’d thought the barbarians were like the humans. Two parents, one child. And then what they’d said really penetrated.So you accidentally made a baby with me? You didn’t do it on purpose?
Never,they said as one.
Zehn explained,While a child is a gift I would treasure, I would never force that upon my mate. I didn’t think it possible, anyway, as you swallowed my second seed. Yet I’ve felt our son and know he’s mine as much as he’s Lore’s and yours.He palmed her belly, and she felt tears burn her eyes.We know you wish to leave, to be free. We will not stand in your way.
They couldn’t, not with Talzec’s ban.
Will not,Lore corrected her.No matter what our alpha said, we could take you did we wish it. And we do, so much.He gave her a burst of love to pure it brightened everything around her.But we will not, for the choice must be yours.
We love you, Mandy.Zehn’s sadness hurt.But we want you to be happy. If that happiness takes you offworld, then so be it. Live your life as you are, a warrior at heart.He kissed her, and she couldn’t stop her tears.Know we’ll be here, waiting. Your happiness is everything.
Lore kissed her.Then the pair walked away without looking back.A door closed in her mind, but she forced it open a crack, and her heart broke at what she heard.
I can’t do it. I can’t let her leave,Lore said, in tears.
We must. Out of love for our mate, we must let her make her own choices.
What if she doesn’t believe us? What if she thinks we’re lying to her?
Mandy is smart, beautiful, and perfect. She’ll do what’s right for her, and we’ll accept it.
Yes, I guess we will.Lore sounded hollow.
