“Colin was… indifferent? Our life together was a checklist of societal expectations he had to meet, at least in the church’s eyes. When we were first wed, every interaction we had was transactional. We rarely spoke, coexisting in the same space and accompanying each other at public events. Things likely would have stayed that way if my parents hadn’t pressured him about us having children. A male heir to the Montgomery name is important to them. How can their cult reshape humanity if there is no one to lead it after they pass?”
Shepherd grabs our empty snack bowls and takes them to the kitchen, refilling my water while he is there. He takes a moment to shut off the TV before sitting back down. “Doesn’t your brother fill that role?”
Disgust wrinkles my nose as I think about my little brother. Benjamin Montgomery is certainly our father’s child. Holding the same ideals and cruel inclinations. An insatiable hatred of those outside of the community. “He did until he presented as an Alpha. Father will not accept an heir unless they are a Beta. Ben and his wife could produce a male Beta, but he still wouldn’t be accepted.” I glance down, meeting Foster’s eyes again. “Remember how Omen mentioned that our brother is the Alpha who rejected her mate’s sister? After he mated her, our father was furious. Ready to disown him and allow Doctor Harrison to experiment on him. Ben knew this would happen, so he took the initiative and asked the doctor to perform a knot removal surgery.”
Shepherd winces, instinctively holding his legs closer together at the imagined pain such a procedure would cause. Removing a knot is not natural. When designations first arose, many tried to get rid of theirs. Many deaths and severe disfigurements later, the government outlawed them. Not that New Hampshire’s mad scientist cares about breaking the law.He wouldn’t be working with my father if he cared about morality or legality.
“The surgery did not go as planned, obviously. He was left impotent, a side effect of the pain he experienced when his knot tried to swell during intercourse. The only way he and Jacqueline can have children is through IVF, which isn’t accepted by the church as a natural form of birth. Meaning that any child they produce is automatically ineligible to become the heir.”
Understanding dawns on Foster’s face, his disgust quickly matching my own. “And since you and Colin are both Betas, that makes you their only option for succession.”
Shrugging, I admit he’s right. I refuse to allow my family to take either of my children from me. They will not be forced to fill a role in their cult. Not while there is still breath in my body.
We sit in silence for several long minutes before anyone speaks again. It isn’t uncomfortable; rather, it’s a time for each of us to collect our thoughts.
“So why didn’t you leave when Omen presented? You stayed to protect her after joining the DAU as an informant, but you could have left when she did?”
“I wanted to make sure they would not follow her. If I could help the DAU stay one step ahead of them, I could make sure they’d never find her. The plan was to wait a few months and then disappear in the night to join her, but-” I pause, eyes falling on my baby girl where she snores softly against my side. “I found out I was pregnant a month after Omen left. My parents must have been paranoid I would try to leave, too, because I never got a moment alone after they realized. There was one night when Kaitlin was only a few weeks old. She was a little colicky and wouldn’t settle for the night. Colin was irate. He hit me then.”
Shepherd growls, the sound vibrating through the room with an intensity that makes my skin crawl. “That’s the only time he’shit me,” I promise, trying to soothe his instincts. He narrows his eyes at me, but nods and swallows down the noise.
“After Colin left for work the next morning, I started making plans to escape. I had my burner phone out and ready to dial the DAU’s number when my front door opened to reveal my mother stopping by for an unannounced visit. She didn’t see any evidence, but she still knew what I was planning. She made sure I would never try to run again. Used Kaitlin as a hostage any time she thought my belief was slipping. Until this summer, she and the rest of the church watched us vigilantly. There were always eyes on us. Only after she learned that this little one-” I put one hand on my stomach, pressing gently against the side where my little bean likes to kick. “-is a boy did she let up enough for us to get away.”
This admission only makes Shepherd tenser. His hands clench into tight fists, and his scent takes on a smokier, thicker quality. “So they're going to come after you? After him?”
Nodding, I worry my lip between my teeth. That is my greatest fear. Colin and my parents getting their hands on this baby after he is born. Stealing him from my arms before my body can heal.
Soft fingers brush against my lips, pulling the abused flesh free. “We won’t let that happen,” Foster swears. Anger and possessiveness swirl in the depths of his aquamarine eyes. I should be afraid of the intensity of his feelings, but seeing his emotions so clearly displayed only makes me feel protected.
Chapter Ten
“I need to run into town.”
Foster and Hannah both turn to look at me. They’re sitting side by side on the porch swing, gently rocking while Kaitlin splashes in the pool. Early August doesn’t bring any relief from the heat, and my pack is feeling its effects.
Hannah tenses, and her foot hits the ground, bringing them to a stop. In the ten days we’ve been here, we haven’t left. I have ventured beyond the treeline, and that is only to check on our security cameras. “We are getting low on groceries… but is it safe to leave? I can stretch what we have left.”
My heart melts as I watch Foster stroke his palm up and down her back. She leans into his touch instead of shying away from it, something she wouldn’t have done a few days ago. Our couch-side conversation changed things. Opened up the Fated connection between us, and gave it room to grow. There are still firm boundaries in place. Hannah doesn’t want to risk anything happening beyond the scope of friendly comfort. Not until she dissolves her marriage to Colin.
We’re respecting the lines she has drawn, despite our instincts urging us to shower her with the love she deserves. With the little I know about her asshole husband, I don’t doubtfor a second that he would use any relationship between us against her in court. He’d rather she looked bad than admit he’s a terrible spouse and an even worse father.
“Shepherd will be fine,” Foster promises Hannah. “Only Donovan knows our location, so a trip into town shouldn’t put us at risk. We’ll have to make sure we stock up so it doesn’t happen often.”
“It’s a slight risk, but a necessary one,” I cut in. My feet pull me across the porch until I’m standing before them. I crouch so I’m not towering over them, and take one of each of their hands in mine. “You know how to check the cameras and monitor the property. I’ll only be gone a few hours. Long enough to grab everything we need and make sure no one tries to follow me back. I can grab dinner while I’m gone, too, so we don’t have to heat the kitchen tonight.”
Hannah still seems uncertain, so I take a chance and press my lips to her palm. “I promise to return to you in one piece and without danger on my tail.”
“Mommy?”
I turn to see Kaitlin eyeing us nervously from the steps. I drop Foster’s hand and hold my arm out, letting her curl against my side. My clothes are wet now, but the chill from her skin helps fight a bit of the heat. “Nothing to worry about, Princess. Just making plans for me to go into town. I’m going to get groceries and grab dinner. How does pizza sound?”
“Pizza! I likes pizza! Cheesy pizza!” She wiggles until I let her slip away so she can dance across the porch. Stopping suddenly, she turns and pins me with a critical stare. “No pepperoni. Too spicy.”
Grinning, I wink at Hannah before dropping her hand. She’s fighting a smile of her own as I rise to my feet. “Got it. No pepperoni. Any other requests?”
We all take a minute to make a list of things we’ll need to get us through at least another two weeks at the cabin. Without knowing what is going on in the outside world, I can’t guess how long we’ll be staying here. Thankfully, Hannah is an efficient meal planner. She creates a two-week menu and writes everything we’ll need to complete it. Foster makes sure we add snacks and treats for our little princess, too.
After walking them through the security measures again, I grab an envelope of cash from the panic room safe and slip into a pair of hiking boots. My clothes are neutral-colored, and a black baseball cap covers my strawberry-blonde hair. Aside from my height, I shouldn’t stand out. Dropping a quick kiss on Foster’s lips and pressing one to the top of Hannah’s head, I walk to the car.
