One Second (Seven Series Book 7) (28 page)

Austin paced for so long that he could have worn a path in the wood floor outside the study.
While the pack was gearing up in camouflage and weapons, Edward was examining Lexi to uncover the source of her pain. She’d told Austin not to worry, but that was a brave alpha female talking—one who wanted to stand by her mate in a time of war and not appear weak. Austin wasn’t as brave, not when it came to his woman’s health.

Someone came up behind him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. Austin spun around, seized the arm, and held it in a firm lock.

Reno grimaced. “Ease up, brother. Save it for the rogues.”

He let go and leaned against the wall.

“We’re heading out,” Reno said. “No change in plans. I called the betas in all the surrounding packs to make sure we’re on the same page, and they’re locking and loading.”

“You sure you got everything?” Austin asked. “Food?”

“Check. Every stand has a supply of fresh water, and there’s always the creek if we need more. Sealed bags of jerky and other dry edibles, not to mention the emergency stash hidden on the north side with cooking supplies and canned food.”

Once in the woods, they didn’t have plans to return to the house. It made them vulnerable.

Reno shifted his stance, both a dagger and gun on his belt. He had on camo pants, a dark green T-shirt, and was probably the only one wearing paint on his face. Years of experience fighting in human wars had prepared him for this.

“It could be days or weeks,” Reno said. “They might not come.”

Austin glanced at the dark window on his left. “They’ll come under the cover of fog. The weather report said we’ll have it through the weekend.”

He heard a clicking sound coming from the study and quieted a moment, trying to listen.

Reno’s voice softened. “Any last orders before I head out?”

Austin gripped the back of Reno’s neck and pulled him forward until they looked down, foreheads touching. “Stay alive. If it looks grim, then we get the children to safety.”

“Is Lexi all right?”

Austin dropped his arm. “She’s fine. Just one last check before we get this party started.”

Reno smirked. “That’s what I like to hear. I’ve got my piece in,” he said, pointing to his ear. “I’ll be waiting to hear from you.” He gave a short salute with his fingers and pivoted around, heading out the front door.

They had made all the preparations. They’d shut off the lights, hidden the valuables on the property, and set traps. Whether a few rogues broke into the house didn’t matter. They didn’t truly win the land until they killed the Packmaster or made him surrender. The only exception was if the Packmaster had abandoned his territory, and they would have to search the woods before staking claim.

When the study door opened, Edward’s gaze lowered to Austin’s clenched fist.

“Come with me,” Edward said, strolling toward the sunroom on the opposite side of the staircase.

They entered the dark room where they often set up the appetizers during peace parties. Austin closed the curtains, glimpsing Ben’s wolf scuttling around the side of the house. The only light in the room came from a snowman night-light he’d found in a drawer before the Relic rushed over.

“Saving on electricity?” Edward mused, setting his black bag in a white chair.

“What’s wrong with Lexi?”

The Relic folded his arms. “Nothing.”

That didn’t settle with Austin. “That’s a lot of pain for nothing.”

Edward tipped his head left and right, mulling over the comment. “What I’m going to tell you might ring a bell, or you might think I’m a loon,” he began, his British accent easier to understand. “My family specializes in Shifters—generations of knowledge locked inside this noggin. There’s an old wives’ tale passed around as rumor, but there’s truth to it. An alpha has more… magic in him than the other Shifters.”

“I’m aware of that.”

His brows rose. “Then you must be aware your unborn child is an alpha. He or she senses Lexi’s anxiety. It might sound far-fetched, but your Shifter instincts are innate, not something acquired later in life. Even in the womb, the baby turns and senses the world around him. Lexi’s never felt this pain before?”

“No, I haven’t seen any spells,” Austin confirmed. “It’s been pretty good lately.”

Edward inclined his head. “She said the same, but I suspect she might be fibbing. She can’t shift; the wolf inside knows it could harm the baby, so it won’t allow it. But the baby is also trying to protect his or her mother.”

Austin let that thought nestle in his head for a minute. “Are you telling me the baby’s trying to come out so Lexi can shift? That doesn’t make sense; she’s not even hurt.”

“The pregnancy has progressed faster than normal.” Edward’s gaze roamed around the dark house. “Where’s your pack?” But the question was rhetorical.

“Out for a walk.”

“I haven’t heard any rumors, and I’m guessing it’s because you’re keeping things tight-lipped. If war is imminent, then that is the source of her pain. The only way to stop it is to remove her worries. The fear makes her baby sense danger, and as an alpha, it knows it’s safer on the outside than in her womb because the mother wolf will protect it. I can assure you it’s something my family has seen numerous times in our careers. Perhaps it’s not common knowledge, but it’s been the cause of premature births.”

“Christ,” Austin breathed, turning away. “I can’t have this happen… not now.”

“I’ve given her a talking-to about it. She’s a courageous woman, but her condition is delicate. Have you considered sending her away?”

“I don’t send my pack away,” he bit out.

Edward nodded. Everyone knew damn well that Shifters had a long history of fighting for rights and freedoms, and what separated them from humans was how they stood together as a family in battle. Men, women, and children—that was the Shifter way. As much as Austin would have peace of mind if Lexi was on a warm beach somewhere in Mexico, safe and out of harm’s way, neither she nor her wolf would ever respect him for not trusting she could stand by his side.
That
was instinct.

Ben’s howling wolf snapped him back to reality. “I need to lock up.”

Edward lifted his bag and hesitated. “Should you need help, give me a ring.”

Austin took a step forward. “As a Relic, I’m assuming you know the code about confidentiality. Everything you’ve seen here tonight and whatever you’re speculating about in your head—”

“Won’t move past my lips,” Edward finished. “I assure you that I understand the gravity of the situation. It wouldn’t be prudent for me to reveal anything which could put my clients in danger, but I feel as if I should offer my help.”

“It might put
you
in danger.”

A smile touched Edward’s lips. “Did I ever mention that this job can be as dull as dishwater? A man like me could use a little excitement—get in the trenches and make a difference.”

Austin recognized Edward was extending his hand to offer him personal care should one of his packmates sustain injuries beyond their healing magic. And then there were the children to consider.

He nodded respectfully at the Relic. “I appreciate your offer, and I might take you up on it.”

“I’ll be ready to move if summoned.” After bowing, Edward ambled toward the door and took one last look over his shoulder at Austin. “If you doubt, she’ll doubt. Be her rock.”

Austin headed toward the study when the door opened. Lexi had slipped into a camo jacket with a black shirt underneath.

“Dammit, I can’t wear this!” she said in a panic. “Whose idea was it to put the pregnant woman in a size zero jacket? It won’t zip up, and why do I need to wear this anyhow? I’m going to sweat to death.”

Austin laughed. It could hardly be helped. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. “We’ll find you something better. Don’t worry, Ladybug. I’ll take care of everything.”

***

Nobody knew exactly how big I would end up getting during this pregnancy, so a lot of the clothes we’d special ordered were too small. Austin had lent me his oversized camouflage T-shirt. It was perfect, and the sleeves hung to my elbows. He still wanted me to wear the jacket so my arms would stay covered and I wouldn’t end up a banquet for the mosquitoes.

“Tell me again why we can’t just hunker down in the house with all of Reno’s guns?” I asked, ducking below a branch and praying the soft give in the dirt I’d just stepped on wasn’t an ant mound.

“We went over this already. That’s how you become an easy target. You know those news stories you see every so often where the criminal locks himself up in a house and has a standoff with police?”

“Yeah.”

“Do they ever win?”

Damn. He had a point.

Austin placed his hand on my stomach to slow me down and then kicked a branch out of the way. “Ammo runs out, food runs out, and eventually the police storm in because the person in the house has no place to go. You don’t want to be in a position where you’re surrounded; that’s something I learned as a bounty hunter.”

“Well, I just hope someone brought toilet paper.”

Austin slowed his pace. “There’s a trap up here, so remember your bearings.” He faced me, his flashlight shining on my shoes. “If for some reason you have to run, pay attention to where you are.”

“What if I get turned around?”

“Don’t.”

“Easy for you to say.”

He brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. It was up in a ponytail, but a branch had tugged some of it loose. “Reno’s wolf marked all the traps, so at least our wolves will know to avoid them.”

“And the rogues will do just the opposite and pee on top of it for dominance. Then they’ll fall in.”

He pinched my nose. “You got it. Best kind of bait there is.”

Something hit me in the head, and I shone my flashlight down at a peanut.

“Do that again, and I’m coming up after you,” Austin bit out.

I glanced up and didn’t see anything, not until Denver clicked on his flashlight and held it beneath his chin, making a face. The tree stands were painted and hidden behind fake leaves to blend in. Some were just chairs, and others were more contained, like a small tree house, so we had a place to stretch out and set our bags down. Some had branches low enough to easily climb and reach them, while others Reno had hammered in steps that looked like broken stumps.

But I couldn’t climb a tree in my condition, so Austin led me to an underground bunker. They’d built a few on the property that were four feet deep—not tall enough to stand in, but fairly cozy if you didn’t mind creepy things slithering through the cracks.

Austin lifted the small hatch, which had a cover made of leaves and sticks to keep it concealed.

I stared into the dark hole and clutched his arm. “I don’t like spiders.”

“There aren’t any spiders in there.”

“Then you go first and check.”

Reno had done his best to make the underground hideouts watertight by using cinder block, but stuff could still get through the hatch door.

“Hold this up,” Austin said.

It didn’t open like a regular door but lifted up with hinges in the back. That way we could prop it up a few inches and see what was going on.