To Love a Stray Ch. 11 Pt. 02

"That you Doc?" Micah calls.

"Yeah."

"Who's with you?" Micah asks as he gets to his feet and moves in front of me.

"Wade, Marissa, Ray and Edwin." Doc says as he appears in the doorway.

"Edwin had better get the hell out of my house." Micah snarls. "If I see him I'll kill him!" he warns.

"Edwin just leave please." Marissa begs of him.

"Rosy's carrying my baby!" Edwin growls. "I'm the one who started it in her." But the screen door bangs as he slams out of the quarters.

"Stand down Micah! I will not have any fighting around your mother or Rosy!" Wade orders as he comes into the room. He takes in the fact that I am in the chair behind Micah and he frowns angrily.

"Why don't you have the leash on her and tethered to one of the anchorage points? She has a history of running away remember? And she would be completely at the mercy of any stray who managed to catch her now she's pregnant." Wade says angrily.

"Wade, no yelling please." Marissa orders calmly as she brushes past her husband. "Can we all be calm and civilised please?"

"Rosy doesn't need the stress." Doc agrees.

"Why is my daughter wearing a collar?" Ray suddenly demands. I glance his way and look towards Sam and Mitchell worriedly because of the rage on Ray's face.

"Rosy has a history of running away from those trying to help her. She can be a bit unstable at times." Wade answers tightly.

"How are you feeling Rosy? You scared, anxious or worried at all?" Doc asks gently.

"I feel much better now I'm here in the quarters." I say and glance up at Micah. He spares me a half smile before glowering at his father.

"Not scared because Wade and Ray are in the room?" Doc asks.

"Some," I admit.

"So bad you want to run away from them?" Doc asks and I shake my head. "Why not?" he asks.

I glance around the room at the warriors uneasily before looking back at Doc. "Because the toms, all of them, will protect me." I whisper.

"Did they say they'd defy their Alpha?" Doc asks and I shake my head. "Well, then how would they protect you?"

"They'd stop me before I did something stupid. Well if they could." I admit.

"What? Like stealing a car?" Wade asks in a hard voice.

"They didn't know I was going to do it. I didn't tell them and they tried to stop me when they saw what was happening." I say with a shrug before adding defensively. "And I only did it to help Jazzy!"

"You should have told someone what you wanted to do." Wade says exasperated.

"She tried to only I was too worried about Jazzy to listen to her properly." Sam admits with a grimace.

"What am I going to do with you?" Ray asks exasperated.

"Leave me here with my brothers and friends." I say hopefully as I pull my legs up beneath me so I am sitting on the calf muscles.

"Leave you with your brothers and their friends?" Ray asks.

I get to my knees in frustration before sitting back down and getting back up onto my knees, "With my brothers and my friends."

"No, I'm sorry but you'll have to come with me. I'll find you a husband who will look after you and your baby." Ray tells me and holds a hand out towards me.

"I want to stay here!" I protest leaning back into the chair and folding my arms across my ribs refusing to take his hand.

"Dad ..." Sam and Mitchell say in unison.

"Rosy stays here." Micah states firmly as both Mitchell and Sam protest. "I hope Rosy and I have an understanding."

"I take it Sam and Mitchell approve of you choosing Micah." Ray says with a disapproving frown at me before he turns his attention to Micah. "We will have to have a talk before I leave."

"What about me? Don't I get a say?" I ask uncertainly.

"You had your chance to say something earlier when Micah scent marked you, all of you." Sam stresses and I look away in sudden embarrassment.

"Fingers or a service?" Ray demands with an angry look towards Micah.

"It doesn't matter which." Micah acknowledges. "Only the fact that Rosy wants to stay here with her brothers and me holds any weight."

"I believe Rosy would be better off away from where she has caused so many problems and there is so much conflict concerning her." Ray states firmly.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"You are not an Alpha and you have no warriors to ensure her safety. Do you want to take Rosy from the protection of Wade, who is an Alpha? Micah his chief warrior, and their supporting warriors?" Baxter asks coolly as he walks in from the hallway.

I am relieved to see Baxter has arrived. I had not expected Ray for another day, clearly I had underestimated him and the dislike he seems to have for my brothers and myself.

"As I said, I believe Rosy would be better off away from where she has caused so many problems and there is so much conflict concerning her." Ray says. "Once she is in a stable environment she will calm down and settle on a suitable tom."

I glance behind me at the chair where Rosy is, I find her glancing nervously between those in front of me and Baxter who is still in the doorway.

"Surely the best place for this young she-kitt is where she wants to be." Baxter says mildly with a grin directed at Rosy. "Since her running away seems to be of great concern, does it not make more sense to let her stay here? Where she wants to be so she doesn't try to run off to return here?"

Wade is nodding slowly to himself and Doc is studying Rosy as unobtrusively as he can while Ray frowns angrily. Marissa smiles as she takes a step towards us, her gaze on Rosy.

" I know Jazzy will be excited to have Rosy still here when she returns from her holiday." Marissa says lightly.

"Good." Doc says firmly, "then there is no reason for anymore talk of Rosy being forced to leave and upsetting her. The pregnancy test I did came back positive so she needs plenty of rest and relaxation with as little stress as possible."

I can't help looking at Rosy. She is sitting on her folded legs, one hand resting on her stomach below her navel. A slight pink blush colours her cheeks and she drops her chin slightly letting her hair fall forward and hide her face.

I can't help the slight sound of pleasure that escapes me; I know I didn't help Rosy start the small life within her. But regardless of that fact already I love her kitt as well as her.

She moves and I get a glimpse of one violet eye looking at me before she ducks her head and hugs herself self-consciously.

"I can double check the boys have all those added security measures in place Wade." Baxter says. "That will free you to see to your guest."

"I'll be back to see my daughter before I leave!" Ray snaps and turns sharply on one foot, he hesitates in front of Baxter at the doorway and Baxter takes his time moving out of Ray's way as they eye each other. When Baxter steps aside Ray is quick to leave the quarters and I hear the screen door slam behind him.

"Ah, much more pleasant in here now." Baxter says with a soft chuckle. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you properly. Although you do look familiar."

Baxter walks towards Rosy stopping well back from her, he has a lot of experience in dealing with nervous young strays that had needed help to re-establish themselves after their first change.

"I need to talk to Ray and Edwin." Wade says with a slight nod before glancing at Marissa. "May I escort you back to your house my lovely wife?"

"I'll see you later Rosy. If you have anything you need or just want to talk to me one of the toms can come and get me." Marissa says to Rosy with a smile.

"Okay, bye." Rosy says softly and I notice she seems to harbour no ill will towards Marissa.

Rosy glances towards Baxter and quickly looks away but not before I notice the way her gaze flicked over him quickly. I realise she is sizing him up, working out for herself where he stands in the clan and whether or not she trusts him.

"I'll be at the house until lunch time tomorrow, so if any of you want to see me about anything?" Doc says before following Wade and Marissa from the room.

I notice the way Baxter calmly turns his back on Rosy as he turns to watch the others leave. Clearly he considers her no threat even though she has yet to respond to his friendly overtures.

"You boys wouldn't have some kind of a feed kicking around would you?" Baxter asks glancing around.

"I could do some sandwiches if that would be okay." Mikkarl says stepping forward.

"Anyone else hungry?" Baxter asks. His gaze lingers on Rosy for a moment before he looks towards Justin and Donovan.

"I'm hungry." Donovan agrees with a wide grin.

"You hungry Rosy?" I ask with a glance her way.

"No but I wouldn't mind a drink." Rosy says quietly.

"Juice okay?" Mitchell asks, "The rest of us might grab a drink as well, celebrate the good news?"

It is hard to keep the slight smile on my face as I look at her. I don't know what she thinks of being pregnant and after her nearly disastrous reaction to her earlier pregnancy I can't help but worry for her. I watch as one hand moves to rest against her stomach, down from her navel. She glances at her brothers; there is a lot of uncertainty and possibly fear on her face.

"If you want to." her voice is faint with uncertainty.

"A drink sure sounds good." Baxter says heartily and glances at Rosy with a smile. "Would you like me to get you your drink pretty lady? It's not often I get the chance to look after someone like you."