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Chapter Two

Making her knuckles turn white, Cathy gripped harder onto the handles of the wheelchair as she watched the car with a mixture of fear and panic. She barely noticed the sensation in her hands where her pulse began to throb from the pressure she was applying. She was too focused on the people outside. She knew that once she opened that door and walked out there to greet them, everything in all of their lives was going to be different. It was like knocking over that first domino. Once it was toppled, there was no way to stop the rest from toppling over too.

You don’t know these people. They mean nothing to you.
She tried to console herself with that. Words that felt fake even in her head. Because it didn’t matter if she knew the girl or not. She would know what she had done. That she had taken someone’s baby and ruined their lives. It didn’t matter that it was Malcolm’s command, it was her hands plunging the knife in and twisting. What she saw in her mind was a vision of herself—herself all those years ago when she was pregnant with David and the world was against her. The plan screamed at her with all its wrongness and all the lies that went with it. It screamed to the mothering part that she harboured deep within the confines of her very soul—this was wrong. So wrong that it was off the charts and it was going to mark her forever. But what choice did she have?

The driver was the first to get out of the car. Cathy could hardly contain her gasp and shock when she caught sight of him. Tall and built, a tower of strength and power. A fighter. A true warrior of their cause. Not strays, but
Others
against
Humans
. This wasn’t a ‘someone’. This wasn’t some random stranger whom she didn’t know. Her stomach twisted into knots, making her feel sick as he emerged and she realised that this man was a boy she once knew. A boy from long ago when she was part of their world. This was Stephen Davies, Malcolm’s heir and first born. The recognition hit her like an iron fist to the gut, and she struggled to catch her breath. This wasn’t some random baby that she was about to take.

Could she?

Could she really steal his child?

Cathy shook her head and put her hand over her mouth, still reeling from the shock of it. She took a step back into the safety of her clinic, wishing in that moment that she could run back to Jeff and tell him to lock the doors and send this man away. But Stephen nodded curtly at her from where he stood.

He had seen her.

Shit
.

Words couldn’t even explain what she was feeling. It was deep inside her, screaming to stop what she was going to do. She had gone to school with this boy’s mother, for god’s sake. This wasn’t just any baby they would steal; this was the god damn crown jewel. Stephen wasn’t a nobody. He was a guardian to the leader, protector of the Society. He was big—magnificently big. He could tower over anyone. He was the best. Fierce, alert ...

He was a problem.

Carefully, she pressed down the release on the door, and the mechanical hiss confirmed that the lock was open. A bleep sounded behind her as she stepped out from the mechanism they had to alert them that someone had used the doorway.

“My sister,” Stephen called to her, waving at Cathy. “She’s in labour.”

Sister?
Sister
… Cathy’s heart couldn’t pound any louder. It echoed through her head and threatened to make her topple over. Maybe Stephen could hear it. Perhaps even Jeff would be able to detect it and come running to see what had got his wife in such a state. Getting out of the car was Gemma Davies, the cherry on the top of a cake already layered with disaster and topped off with so much shit that Cathy couldn’t even begin to think about it.

Gemma slid out of the car with Stephen’s help. This big, toned man, his muscles moving sinuously as he reached in and took the weight of his pregnant sister and helped her out of the car, did so with movements that were both gentle and protective at the same time.

Stephen turned, moving Gemma with him. She was so young. Her auburn hair was tied back, loose strands of it falling around her face. She held one hand across her small, swollen belly. If she wasn’t holding her hand there, it would be possible to miss that she was pregnant at all. That wasn’t unusual with shifters.

They changed form, so their bodies held the babies in deeper to protect them from the shift. At that moment, as Stephen’s eyes met with Cathy’s, she didn’t see a fighter there. She didn’t see the man who could snap necks and woo any woman. What she saw was a boy—a frightened boy with his sister. There was such a look of innocence in those green eyes that they made Cathy almost forget who he was and what he could do.

Gemma winced and doubled over, her face twisting in pain and her breathless cry echoing around them as her contraction took hold. Stephen bent over with her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other holding her hand.

Cathy rushed to them. “Put the heel of your hand at the small of her back and rub around in circles,” she instructed him.

As he did that, Cathy focused on the young woman before her. She lifted her head so that she could look at her. “Breathe with me. Okay? In through your nose,” she took a breath in, “out through your mouth.” Cathy exhaled, pursing her lips to demonstrate the control, and then did it again. She nodded in encouragement as Gemma began to copy her. “That’s it. In …” she breathed, “and out.”

Slowly, Gemma’s expression relaxed and she slowed her breathing as she began to stand upright again.

“Gone?”

Gemma nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’m Cathy.” She smiled as she held her hand out to them.

They both gave their names—correct names—which surprised Cathy, although they probably realised there was no point in hiding who they were.

“How long?”

“Couple of hours.” Gemma rubbed her hand over her small bump.

“Water’s broken?”

“No.”

“Good.” The waters hadn't gone yet. It gave them—
her
— some time before she had to do the unthinkable. She pushed the chair she had brought out with her forwards. “We should …”

Her words were cut off by the loud roar of another vehicle approaching, its sound growing from the distance. They heard it before they could saw it, but then it came into view—bright lights and a blur of dust. It took a sharp turn into the car park to the clinic, and Cathy protectively put her hand up as if to stop it, not that it would have helped at all if the driver decided to plough right into them.

It screeched to a halt and the driver leapt out, slammed the car door behind him and raced over. Gemma pushed past her brother and Cathy but barely managed to take a step towards the man before he had caught her up in strong arms. She returned his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her tightly, making Cathy’s heart clench at the sight of it. This was the father—there was no doubt about that.

He held a protective hand over the baby and the other arm around Gemma’s back. “Cade …” she whispered, letting her head drop onto his shoulder.

“I’m right here.” The way he held onto her so tightly made the actions Cathy was going to take feel even crueller. Her guilt threatened to consume her as she watched them. Everything in her mind was fighting with everything in her heart. But it was more than that. The man holding Gemma Davies, the father, he was Cade MacDonald—second heir to the
wolves
, son of the beta of the Society and Preternatural Council. As they stood before her, holding one another, it all began to slot into place in her mind. Stephen threw her a frown when the final cog fell into place, and she gasped. This was the secrecy. The baby was forbidden.

In the back of the car that Stephen had brought his sister in, there were bags and boxes. Too many bags for an overnight stay somewhere. There was a pram—a pram that would never get used—and then there was a car seat. The sight of it lanced through Cathy’s veins. It would remain empty, too.
It’s just a car seat
, she told herself, trying to peel her eyes away. But it wasn’t. Not really. It was a promise and hope and the key to the next part of life. She realised now that Malcolm knew—not about the baby, but their plan to leave. He had to. Because what would stop them from going? This baby wouldn’t be allowed to live if they stayed. These people weren’t just insignificant nobodies. They were the top. They were the people who set examples. If these two brought home a mix-breed child, everyone would do it—and that would bring disaster to the
Other
world.

“Are you okay? Is the baby okay?” Cade asked. He glanced at Stephen, jaw clenched. “I was right behind you. Why didn’t you stop?”

“I was trying to get Gemma here,” he muttered defensively.

“You heard me beeping my fucking horn. You could have stopped for a moment.”

“You were behind me. I didn’t need to.” Stephen crossed his arms over his chest, his stance stubborn as he stared back at Cade. The air around them all grew thick as the two men locked eyes.

“You could have stopped. I got a call. I’ve had to leave Phoenix by himself.”

“You're here now.”

Cade gritted his teeth. “That isn’t the point.”

“Stop it,” Gemma hissed at both of them. “It doesn’t …” She trailed off as she buckled in Cade’s arms. Another contraction was taking her down, and Cathy rushed to her.

“Rub her back,” Stephen said as he, too, stepped closer to show him how, but the feral look on Cade’s face made Stephen stop in his tracks. Cade’s
wolf
was right at the surface. Cathy knew that look. This wasn’t just a man protecting his partner—this was a
wolf
protecting his mate.

“I can do it,” he growled, and Stephen raised his hands in surrender.

“Heel of your hand in the small of her back,” Cathy urged softly, not wanting to antagonise him, but she was female, it was different with her. She wasn’t so much of a threat as another male was.

Cade’s stance completely encapsulated Gemma as she doubled over. He held one arm across her chest and she held onto him with both of her hands. She pressed her mouth against his forearm, breathing. He rubbed her back with the other hand and rested his face against her shoulder blade. “I've got you.” Gemma nodded as she breathed just as Cathy had shown her. When her contraction began to pass and she let herself stand again, Cade didn’t move his arm from her chest, and she didn’t push him away, either. Instead, she leaned into him, and he rested his face beside hers, cheek to cheek as he brushed her hair back from her face. He kissed her lightly and she closed her eyes. “We do this together, like everything.”

“Shall we go inside? Get you settled?” Cathy was eager to be indoors. Who knew who could suddenly show up? But she also wanted Jeff. Out here she was alone with these three and the terrible secret in her mind. She needed her own comfort. She pushed the chair to Gemma for her to sit in.

“I want to walk.” Gemma was tired, it was clear in her eyes, but there was determination in them, too. Cathy understood that.

“Gem …” Stephen began to say, but Cade glared at him. If his mate wanted to walk, then she would damn well walk. Stephen stopped, not foolish enough to argue with a
wolf
about this.

“It’s okay. Lots of women prefer to walk. Shall we go in?” The sight of Gemma as she walked just tore at Cathy even more. How old was she? Twenties? She had to be younger than Faith, Cathy’s daughter. She thought back to them. Gemma hadn't been born, she was sure of it. She might not have been Society anymore back then, but she still followed what they did. Stephen had been a small boy—a toddler maybe. The boys were probably mid-twenties now. She couldn’t really recall. They were so young, and their lives were about to change, and not in a way they were going to expect. Cathy swallowed hard and led them towards the clinic and disaster.

“Oh, god,” Gemma called out, making them all stop as she clutched at her belly and buckled over. Cade caught her and Stephen rushed to her side, but stopped again at Cade’s expression. It would be a fool who went to the mate of a
wolf
in this state. His
wolf
was on high alert, and he could flip at any time. It was better to give them space. Cathy was just eager to get them all inside.

“Are you sure you don’t want the chair?” Cathy asked once more, wishing that she would just say yes to it. It would be simpler, but to Cathy’s disappointment, Gemma declined again. She crumpled down in front of them all, and Cade went with her as the sloshing sound of water echoed around them.

“Oh shit,” Gemma said.

“It’s just your waters,” Cathy said, coming as close as she dared to.

“Maybe the chair now?” her brother suggested, but Gemma still said no.

“I've got this,” Cade said to them both. He slid his arms under her, and in one swift movement, he had swung her up into his arms and stood there cradling her against him, her arms wrapped around his neck. Every move he made was protective, every signal that he gave out was ‘Back away.’ “Which way?”

“Follow me.” Cathy rushed ahead of them with the empty chair. She led them to the clinic, pushing the door open. The smell of clinical warmth gushed out to greet them, and she showed them into the first room off the reception. Stephen was the first to go in. Cade didn’t stop him. He waited with Gemma in his arms. At least he trusted Stephen on this. Cathy didn’t stop Stephen, either—it was his instinct to check. He eyed the room, looking around every corner of it.