Apprehended Ch. 31

Apprehended: Thirty-One

As expected, it took Ethan over a few weeks to finally feel comfortable enough for me to venture outside again. Considering what I went through last time, I was no longer housing the same desperation for the great outdoors. Which is why I was currently frozen in shock when he suggested we, "go out."

"Go out?" I squeaked, pushing aside a thick volumed book on Mythological Creatures of the 17^th Century.

He nodded briskly, entering the library in a white tee and dark blue jeans. His hair was even longer, growing at an exponentially high rate. I assumed that was a wolf thing too. "Yeah," he replied, glancing around the library. "You both have been living in here for far too long."

Lily glanced at me. "We've only been in here two weeks."

"More like three and a half," he grumbled. He stalked over to one of the many tables now filling the space-thanks to a gracious Garrett upon request-and picked up a particularly interesting text. "If you females continue to drown yourselves in books such as," he looked at the title, "Grim Covens, I'm going to have to lock you in our rooms."

Lily's brows shot up. "Our? Did Gav send you in here?"

Ethan smiled. "Of course, he did. But I wanted to come of my own accord too." He stared at me pointedly. "No more reading. I agreed to it, coming to terms that you can handle it while pregnant, but this is getting ridiculous."

"Ridiculous?" I pointed to the book in my hand. "This has given me more insight than you. And you've lived through it."

He gritted his teeth, the vein on his temple visibly throbbing in irritation. "You already know why I won't tell you certain things."

"Yeah, I know," I muttered, tossing the thick, leather-bound book on another table. "Too, 'scary,'" I air quoted his previous statement.

He brushed it off. "We need something normal. So, both of you, get up, get ready and let's get moving."

Lily groaned, throwing her book on the plush rug by her thigh, where she sat comfortably beside one of the many tables throughout the crowded and disheveled space. "Normal?" she countered, "there is nothing normal about our lives."

Ethan grinned and clapped his hands together. "Then let's make it normal."

Lily glanced at me, silently expecting me to intervene. I shrugged. "What do you want me to do?"

She refocused on Ethan. "What did you have in mind?"

Just as Ethan opened his mouth to reply, my eyes widened and I blurted, "caffeine run!" in excitement.

Ethan pegged me with a chastised scowl. "No coffee for you, remember?"

Lily snickered. I grabbed a nearby small volume and tossed at her. "Traitor."

"Alright, we're straying here," Ethan went on, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Can we focus?"

"Where are we going?" asked Lily.

He lifted his eyes and stared between us. "Dinner."

I visibly sulked.

"What's the matter?" asked Ethan, missing nothing. "You don't want to eat?"

"I'm not really that hungry. Can't we just...order out? I want to finish this chapter."

"We've been eating take-out for three nights already. Poor Garrett is on the verge of a meltdown from lack of use," said Lily.

"And eating dinner outside is going to change that?" I asked.

Ethan sighed. "You both need the air. This isn't about Garrett. It's about being confined to these books."

I pointed to my leather-bound volume. "I happen to like these."

"Me too," Lily added.

Ethan grumbled in irritation. "Whatever. Just get up and get dressed." He stalked out of the room, mumbling as he left.

"What's his problem?" asked Lily.

I shrugged. "No clue. But let's just indulge him and get some air."

Lily got up and stretched, her joints popping and cracking loudly. "I guess some fresh air doesn't sound too bad. I think my body has taken the natural shape of the floor."

I laughed quietly and followed, stretching before making my way to the library doors. "I guess so. Where do you think we'll be eating?"

"I don't know. There aren't many good restaurants close by. We'd have to travel a bit further to reserve something better."

"Like that restaurant we went to with Gav's parents?"

She thought about that. "Actually...yeah. That's a decent place. Could you tolerate eating there?"

I rubbed my stomach absently, which wasn't insanely large. My young were taking their time, which they had an abundance of considering how long the pregnancy was. "I'd need to smell the food first. If I don't have the urge to puke, I'd say that's a positive sign."

She giggled and we continued to our separate bedrooms. I took a quick shower and decided to leave my hair in a low bun. Ethan was already dressed, donning a black, pull-over hoodie with his jeans and boots. He even sported a backwards cap.

Yum.

"You look handsome," I said, making my way to our closet. I fumbled through my rack of clothes.

"You do, beautiful," he said, his voice deep. He was on his phone.

I took a peek through the closet doorway. "Who are you texting?"

"Gav. The fucker was still in his pajamas."

I laughed and went through my line of clothing again, not finding anything particularly comfortable in my choices. I glanced at Ethan's rack absently. "Hey, Ethan?"

"Hm?"

"Can I borrow one of your shirts? I don't want to wear any of my maternity things right now."

"Of course, you can, baby. You don't have to ask me. Take whatever you want."

I grinned and grabbed one of his cream, cashmere sweaters. I held it up to my nose and sniffed. It smelled like him. I pulled it over my head and went back to my rack, deciding to simply grab a pair of black leggings and sneakers. When I finished, I sat at my vanity and put on a pair of small studs, finalizing my appearance with lip gloss, mascara, blush, and highlighter. My hair didn't look bad, so I left it as is.

"Okay," I said, moving to sit beside Ethan as he texted on the bed. "I finished." I took a peek at his screen. He was typing something to Gavin. "Is he ready?"

He looked at me and froze. "You look amazing, my petal."

I blushed. "It's your sweater."

"Yeah, but you make it look good." He leaned towards me to plant a warm, tender kiss to my cheek and grumbled, "you'll look even better with it off."

I giggled. "When we come back home?"

He winked and gave me another kiss. "I promise. Speaking of," he added, placing his phone on the bed, "you're not going anywhere alone. Lily either. If you have to use the bathroom, we're going with you."

I scrunched up my nose. "Uh, thanks, but I really don't need a babysitter when I'm peeing."

He gave me a look. "Annie. I'm serious."

I sighed. "Alright, fine."

"Good," he said, getting up. He offered me his hand. "Come on, then. I don't want to be late."

He pulled me carefully from the bed and wrapped his arm around my waist as he guided me to the door. "Late for what?"

He grinned. "You'll see."

It seemed he had something planned all along. If only I knew what he had in mind.

***

"A carnival?!" Lily and I nearly shouted in surprise.

"Are you serious?" I added.

Ethan, Gavin, and Jared were all smiling broadly, coaxing massive stares from the surrounding crowd in their unusual and otherworldly beauty.

"Yes," said Ethan on a laugh. "You like it?"

I nodded in excitement, watching in wonder. "Yes. I haven't been to a carnival in..." I thought about that, "I don't know...over ten years."

"Well, that changes tonight!" said Jared in elation. He clapped his hands together and sandwiched his huge body between Lily and I, grabbing both of our hands to lead the way. Our respective mates took our free hands and muttered their distaste for his rambunctious behavior.

"Must you be so...you?" Gavin interjected. "Can't you go take a hike somewhere?"

Jared didn't take offense. He never did. He was easygoing. "There is way too much to eat, ride and see." He glanced between us females. "You ladies want to hit the Ferris Wheel first? Or the Haunted Nightmares ride?!"

I laughed at his childish-like excitement and took a look around. There were colors everywhere; neon signs and flashing bulbs and music playing from unseen speakers. It smelled of popcorn and corn dogs. Ahead, a cheerful clown blew up rainbow varied balloons and was conforming them into animal shapes. Kids lingered in awe, watching as his nimble fingers worked over a red giraffe.

People were screaming as rollercoasters howled in the distance, and several vendors loudly voiced their wares through games and the promise of prizes.

"I want a stuffed animal," Lily said, looking up at Gavin.

He smiled warmly in affection. "You can have whatever you want, sunshine. Where do you want to go first?"

She pointed to the second booth to the right, where rows of colorful water guns were lined up, all aiming at moving targets. "Can we do that one? I like that panda bear."

Jared released Lily's hand and Gavin took over, leading her to the booth to pay for a round.

"Anything you want to do, Luna?" Jared asked me.

I stared at him and Ethan, who waited expectantly for me to decide. "Umm...well, I want a stuffed animal too, but I don't want to hold it around the carnival the entire time we're here. I want to do other things too."

Ethan smiled. "Sweetheart, I'll carry whatever you want. If you want a stuffed animal, then you get one. Which one do you want?"

My eyes skipped over the nearest booths, and I caught sight of a rather adorable koala. "I kind of like that one," I said, pointing to the little grey and white plush.

"Let's win it then," said Jared, pulling us along.

The booth was painted a vivid blue and I realized that its color reminded me of the weather-frigid and icy.

"Well, hello there," said a young man with a red beanie. He was young, with a button nose and freckles. "You want to play?"

Ethan cleared his throat and stepped up. "Sure. What do we have to do?"

It was simple. We had to catch fake fish from several tanks and collect a certain amount in ten seconds. For every ten seconds, you had to pay. The little fuckers were fast, moving mechanically across the water with lifeless eyes and gaping mouths. Of course, Ethan got it on the first try.

"Which one do you want?" asked the young man.

Ethan pointed at the koala. "She wants that one."

"You got it." The guy grabbed a stick and pulled the stuffed animal down, handing it to Ethan just as Jared interrupted and said, "my turn!" animatedly.

Jared was also a pro, winning three stuffed bears that he gave to me without hesitation. I laughed and held the load in my full arms. "Jared, these are huge!"

"Gimme," he said, taking them from me. He looked at Ethan. "I'll go drop these off in my truck."

Ethan's face went serious. "Yeah. Five minutes. If I don't hear from you, I'm going to get you. Be vigilant."� � � � � � � � � � � � �

"You got it, Alpha." He sauntered off into the crowd, leaving us alone while Gav and Lily were...who knew where.

"You hungry, love?" Ethan asked me.

I took a look at the various food vendors. "Umm...not really. I thought we were going out to eat?"

"We are," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist to pull me into his warmth. "After this. But I'll buy you snacks here. You want anything?"

I smiled and breathed him in. "You smell good," I muttered into his hot hoodie. "Can I just have you?"

He barked out a laugh. "Absolutely. But, maybe not here. When we get home, you can nibble all you want. How does that sound?"

I nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes, please."

He leaned down and whispered into my ear. "When you've had your fill, it'll be my turn to eat." He licked my earlobe and blew lightly against it, sending shivers down the length of my spine. "And I'm starved."

I shuddered at the thought of his tongue on me...in me. I groaned involuntarily.

Ethan chuckled, pressed a soft kiss against my ear and pulled away all too soon. He glanced around. "Want to go on the Ferris Wheel?"

I turned, catching sight of the tall beast to my right. I swallowed as I lifted my head higher...higher...until the damn orange and green metal seemed to fade into the night sky. "Uhhh...I don't think I've ever been on a Ferris Wheel. It looks...high."

That surprised him. "You never told me you've never been on one before. Not even when you were young?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

He considered for a moment, and finally smiled broadly before grabbing my hand to lead me. "Well, come on then. Let's change that."

I gulped and staggered through the crowd behind him. "Ummm...I don't know, Ethan. Is it as high as it looks?"

He shrugged, looking excited. "Not really. It's quite fun. I'd even say it's relaxing."

Relaxing? Who could possibly relax in a small, confined cart over a hundred feet in the air? That seemed more like torture.

My palms grew a bit sweaty the closer we got. The line wasn't long, so the process of actually going up that high didn't really register until Ethan was lifting me into the cold, green seat and buckling me in. He sat in front of me, his long legs taking up the space. I suddenly felt claustrophobic...and tight.

How much did he weigh? Was this ride even meant for someone his size?

Pondering that made my forehead break out in a fresh sheen of nervous sweat and I swallowed back bile that rose to the back of my throat. "Hey," Ethan murmured, not bothering to buckle himself in. I doubted the damn thing even wrapped across his torso due to his bulk. "You okay, baby?"

I nodded, watching in horror as the Ferris Wheel attendant did rounds and closed doors, locking them from the outside. The cart shuddered violently and swayed with every movement.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Annie," Ethan urged gently. He leaned into me and found my eyes. "Are you okay? We can leave right now before the Wheel turns."

A mental image of his excitement to be on the ride bombarded me and I refused to be the one to deny him such a simple pleasure. I shook my head and the movement made me feel ill. I forced myself to keep it together. "No, no, it's fine." I pointed to the small doors that kept us inside the confined space. "Do they have to lock the doors?"

Ethan didn't answer. Instead, he reached out to grab my chin in his warm hand, forcing me to look directly at him and nothing else. "Are. You. Okay?"

I inhaled icy air, grateful that it was freezing. I was sweating underneath my coat and Ethan's sweater. "Mm-hmm. I'm fine."

He brushed his thumb soothingly underneath my chin. "You look afraid, dulzura. I'm not okay with that. Especially pregnant. We can get off." He made a move to call the worker over, but I stopped him.

No matter how creeped out I was, we were going to ride the damn Ferris Wheel. Ethan sacrificed himself countlessly for me. Though this situation didn't compare to his selflessness, I was determined to let him have what he wanted. "No, no. I'm fine. I promise."

He stared intently, measuring my every expression and reaction. I scolded myself mentally on the cons of being of coward, on my inability to keep myself in check for something that was supposed to be fun. Then I forced a smile and prayed that we didn't die once the ride began. Shockingly, it worked. He seemed temporarily placated and I tried to focus on the aesthetics of the experience, rather than the dread of heights.

The air was crisp in my lungs, and I looked up. The sky was filled with stars. Some were masked by clouds; dark grey and smoldering like patches. To the east, the lights of the carnival were hypnotic, casting neon colors of vivid pink, red, green, yellow, purple, blue and orange. It was filled with noise, the ultimate result of life. And despite the knot in the pit of my stomach as I thought about how high we were going to be, I couldn't help but admire the magnificence of the rides, the smell of popcorn in the air, the high-shrilled screams of excitement and terror, and the smiles that lined the faces of everyone, no matter the age.

"Thank you," I heard myself mumble.

"What for?" asked Ethan.

"This," I said, pointing to the open carnival. "It's beautiful." Just then, our cart lurched forward and swayed dangerously. I yelped in fright and automatically reached out for Ethan. His hand and reassurance were already there.

"Easy," he said, taking my palm. "This is normal. You're okay."

I glanced below. We were ascending at a reasonable pace. Ahead, laughter bubbled from the occupants in obvious delight. Their cart was swaying precariously, the metal box moaning with every swing. "They're going to fall," I said, on the verge of hysterics.

Ethan was calm. "No, they're not. That's what the Ferris Wheel is supposed to do." He took a peek behind him, causing our cart to shift similarly. However, Ethan was extremely large, and it seemed like more than a subtle sway. It was comparable to an uncontrolled roller coaster on the verge of a deathly plummet.

"Ethan, stop!" I shrieked, releasing his hand to grab hold of the handlebars that lined the cart.

He faced me. "Calm down, baby. You're scaring yourself for no reason. You're safe. I'm right here with you."

I licked my shaky lips and looked below again. We were higher up now. Only a few carts away from the peak. People grew smaller on the ground, moving freely and safely without the fear of potential death from such a height. I suddenly envied them. I was also mentally reprimanding gravity and its inane ability to wreak such havoc for those who wish to defy it. I did not want to be one of those people.

"Annie," said Ethan softly.

"What?" I mumbled, consumed by dread.

He smiled tenderly. "We're already at the peak. Relax. Look at how beautiful it is." He gently pried my frozen fingers from the handles and sandwiched them in between his larger, hotter palms. He rubbed my flesh, restoring feeling and warmth simultaneously. "Usually, they let certain riders enjoy the view from the top while passengers below exit, and others enter. Looks like we're the lucky ones who get to enjoy the view."

My brows shot up in astonishment. "Lucky? We're going to plummet to our deaths! And it'll be your fault!"

He laughed lowly. "Petal, we're not going to die. We're fine. Just..." he reached out to angle my face towards the east once more, "look at that."

I hitched in a breath and ignored looking straight down. I was too focused on the way the sky perfectly lined the snowy field of the carnival. It was like a Christmas card, picture perfect in every way. It reminded me of holidays spent with good company, hot chocolate, and peppermint cookies. Like warm winter sweaters and cream beanies. Red noses and snow angels. "It's beautiful," I whispered in awe.

"Yes, you are," said Ethan. He only had eyes for me. "You feeling alright?"

I was still queasy, and not at all oblivious to the extensive height. There was no way I was going to overcome that in such a short amount of time. "Just a little nauseous," I admitted. "But otherwise, not dead. So, that's a plus."

He laughed again and the cart lurched forward once more to begin its descent. "Oh, yes. Definitely a positive."

I smiled at his beautiful dimples and turned my head to the right again, catching sight of a velvet red tent that stood out amongst the array of attractions and people. I hitched in a breath and pointed. "Oh, Ethan, look!"

He followed my gaze. "What, honey?"

I wiggled my finger. "That tent right there! It's a fortune teller!"

He was smiling. "I can see that."

I refocused on him in excitement. "Can we go?"

"Sure."

That cheered me up. I couldn't wait to get off and drag him along to have our palms read.

Ethan's cell rang and he moved awkwardly in the tight space to slip it out of his pocket. "Yeah?"

I stared at him. He was so handsome. Especially when he held the phone between his ear and shoulder to momentarily take off his cap and run his fingers through his thick hair to push it back. A low bun hung loosely from his nape.