What We Must Ch. 06

Dear Readers,

The weather warms for the McKenna pack and there is a major shift, as a result.

Enjoy,

KemMyst

*****

It was a few weeks later that Abigail announced she was also expecting. Jen was a little upset by this news since she wasn't, and not for lack of trying. If she didn't get pregnant soon, she was going to have to take a human male. That's the last thing she wanted to do; she loved Kevin, she chose him, she didn't want to be with anyone else, to have someone else's babies.

Kevin held her close as she cried in their bed. He stroked her hair. "Jen, we've got time. There's no reason to worry about this yet." He was trying to be strong for her but he was beginning to worry, too. He couldn't stand the thought of her with someone else.

He pulled her closer, found her lips. He kissed her deeply, then moved to run his tongue over her mating mark. He murmured to her. "Baby, you're going to have plenty of babies, our babies. We'll be overrun with our own children."

"Oh, Kev, how can you be so sure?"

"Believe it's going to happen, Jen, and it will." His hand now ran down the front of her body and his fingers twined in her curled blond hairs. "And, there are things we can do to increase the odds." He twisted, bringing her around to straddle him, her long blond hair falling over her shoulders and onto his chest. He pulled her down and she settled on her hands and knees as he licked her nipples, then bit on them lightly. He growled as he smelled the beginnings of her arousal. One hand delved between her thighs, stroking, probing, rubbing.

She tried to balance, so that she could touch him, and ended up falling over. "Oops!" He smiled at her and she chuckled a little. He put a hand to her face, and rubbed noses with her. "That's better." That other hand was back between her legs. He slid two fingers into her and pulled them back out with a squelching sound. "Baby, you're very, very wet. Whatever shall we do?"

She grabbed his thick shaft, her fingers just barely encircled it. "Well, it seemed you have something that might go there."

"I'm up for it, if you are."

She squeezed him lightly, stroking his length. He groaned. "Yes, Kev, you are indeed up. C'mere."

He put his slick fingers to her lips and watched intently as she licked her own juices from him. He firmed up even more at the sight. Climbing over her, he positioned the head of his cock at her entrance. He pushed in, slowly. She was still tight around him; it took time for him to work his way inside.

He continued working in and out, lubricating himself, stretching her as he bit her nipples and made her gasp and pant. Once in, he stopped to look at her, blond hair pooled out on the bed around her. "I love you, Jen. We're gonna have a bunch of babies together. Believe it."

She opened her eyes, looked at her husband, and nodded. "I believe you, Kevin. Let's get started." He smiled, kissed her, and began the movements that would send his seed into her and their hearts soaring.

*****

Life continued as they remained sequestered during the cold, dark months. She made a small pillow, which rested at the small of her back while she tried to lay on her back. It ached badly otherwise. He prayed for the times when she ended up against him in the night, seeking warmth in the cold of winter. He was comforted by the feeling of her warmth against him, of being able to touch her, gently, to feel her belly while she slept. To be able to feel closer to his own pups. This was the only time he really could, as she wouldn't let him near her otherwise. So soft, and her smell. It had changed, and, somehow, seemed better than before.

It wasn't an isolated incident. Sharing of body heat was pleasant during the cool nights of winter. Like many women, her feet were cold, and she didn't sleep well if her feet were cold. With another warm body in the bed, there was a tendency to gravitate in that direction. It pleased him every time she did nestle up to him. He would carefully put his arms around her, and hold her, while wishing she would consciously allow him to do so.

*****

Anne complained she had no reasonable means to exercise when Devon chided her for running around the tunnels. She raced around a couple of times a day and he was worried she might injure herself. The floors could and did get slick.

Of course, she got angry at being told what she could and couldn't do and continued her circuits, telling Devon that, if he really wanted her to sit still, he was going to have to tie her down.

Jen reminded him that exercise was good for pregnant women, particularly if they had been active before. He worried, however, that she might hurt herself, or the baby.

He took to haunting the tunnels himself, wanting to watch over her, unable to bear the thought of something happening to them. Then, he startled her one time, and she scrabbled on the slick surface before catching herself and halting her headlong rush. Her chest heaving from the sudden jolt of adrenaline, she turned to face him and growled. He hung his head slightly and slunk off.

However, chances were that something would happen and it did. She yelped as she came around a corner too fast, slipped, and banged her hip against the rock face.

She limped slowly back to her room, shifted to human form, and dressed. As she headed for the kitchen for some ice, Kevin caught her and turned her back to her room. "I can get some ice."

"You're only gonna make it worse. I'll get the ice while you get into bed." It did hurt pretty badly and that was the only reason she acquiesced. "Alright."

Kevin grabbed Jen and sent her for the ice while he hunted down Devon.

He found him in the entertainment room, reading. "Ummm, Devon?"

Devon looked up, taking in the look on Kevin's face. "She hurt herself, didn't she?"

"Umm, yea, looks like. She was limping. Jen's getting some ice."

Devon put down his book and stood. "OK. Thanks, Kevin."

He headed for their bedroom to see how bad it was. But, if she was walking, limping, it probably wasn't too horrible, at least he hoped it wasn't, but humans broke so easily.

Jen was just leaving, closing the door behind her, as he arrived. "She's got a good bruise on her left hip, said she slid coming around a corner. It's nothing serious."

"Thank you, Jen."

She walked away, glancing back once, as he contemplated the door. I told you so? That would go over well. No, if she wasn't hurt badly he should probably just let her mull it over, decide if she should keep running around like that in her state.

He held her still long enough to check the injury before they went to sleep. She had a large bruise on her hip that would have her limping for days but he didn't comment. He turned out the lights as she curled up under her bedcover. She spent a restless night then as she preferred sleeping on her left side. She couldn't really sleep on her stomach anymore with the size of her belly and her back was beginning to bother her. She made a noise every time she rolled on to that side, rolled to her back for a while, then back over to the other side. His sleep was disturbed as well, because of her movements. They were both tired the next day and she limped around for the next couple of days before her hip turned multiple colors and started to loosen up. She was really surprised that he never said a word about it.

*****

Compared to Anne's moods, Abigail was fairly even keeled while pregnant. Anne, however, was all over the place, mostly on the aggravated side.

She revamped the entire computer system one day when it annoyed her. She had solved a problem in the fish hatchery and found the bad connection in some of the wiring. When one of the batteries failed, she made a new one out of some nails, a piece of copper wire, and some vinegar.

*****

He dreamed of Beverley. Soft and warm, and nestled against him. He put his arm around the soft, feminine body in the bed beside him. His hands caressed her swollen belly, feeling the movement of their child within. He drew her closer, his face in her hair. His hands began to move on her body and he nuzzled her neck.

She woke to his hands on her and struggled, tangled in the bedcovers. He woke as well, confused by her reaction. He pulled her back against him and then realized it wasn't Bev. Anne threw him a dirty look and he released her. She scrambled back over to her side of the bed.

*****

She walked into the workshop. Devon was working on something at the bench.

She looked at him, naked from the waist up, a light sheen of sweat covering his back. His muscles rippled as he worked on the wood.

He looked good, there was no denying it. He had been kind, considerate of her, trying his best to please her.

She closed her eyes, breathed in, then out, and turned to leave.

He stopped what he was doing and straightened, without turning around, pushing his hair out of his face. "Anne. You came to find me, is there something I can do for you?"

"I, um, uh." He smiled, glad that she couldn't see his face, happy that she'd sought him out. She shook her head. "I'd like a rocking chair, for when the baby's born. Could you make one for me? Please?" She hated that she felt the need to beg him this favor.

He turned to look at her. Her belly was swelling with his child. She still wore the shirt she had on when they found her, but it no longer fit around her waist. It had also grown very tight over her breasts, but she wore it like a talisman, refusing to give it up. She had made a short skirt of buckskin, which was tied low on her hips. He was happy that they were both doing well, and proud that she was bearing his child. She looked a little lost right now, maybe a little scared.

He moved forward, to take her in his arms.

She gasped and took a step back.

Devon sighed and dropped his arms. "Sure. I'll get started on it."

"Thank you." She turned to leave, glanced back at him once, and walked out the door.

He sighed again, turning back to check his work on the cradle.

*****

The first warm day they opened the doors to the compound. Devon had already told his pack members to keep an eye on her when she was outside.

She shifted to wolf and took off, reveling in the feeling of freedom. She ran down the hill and back up, circled the compound. He had trouble keeping up with her. Damn, she was fast. Even as big as she was, she could move.

He grinned as she threw herself down on a patch of dry ground and rolled over, twisting on her back, feeling the scratch of the dry grasses along her spine.

*****

She was lying on a table in Medical, looking bored, and a little annoyed as they insisted on another of their checkups.

Weight. Gaining. No kidding.

Belly. Bigger. Wasn't that a surprise?

Heart rate, blood pressure, varicose veins, swollen ankles, weird cravings, BMs, sleep patterns, "How are you feeling?"

"Why don't you shove a microphone up there and ask her how she's feeling?"

"You think it's a girl?"

"Yes."

"Why?" She opened her mouth, closed it.

"I don't know."

Jen, their practicing obstetrician, took a stethoscope and moved the horn to different spots around her belly. She found a heartbeat, listened to it, and smiled. "Sounds good. Would you like to hear?"

She was taken aback. "Yea, I would."

As Jen leaned over to hand her the earpieces, the horn slipped on her belly. Anne put the earpieces in and listened, smiled, hearing the quick and regular beat. Jen looked down. "Wait, that's not it."

"But I hear the heartbeat."

"No, it was over here." She took back the stethoscope, listened, then moved it back where she had it, shifted a little, and listened some more. "Anne, it's twins."

"Twins?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Really."

*****

Devon was standing just outside the doorway, listening to them talk. His breath caught in his throat and he actually stopped breathing for a moment. Twins? She was having twins? She was giving him the gift of two children. He was happy, achingly. It was all going so well, except for that one thing. He started breathing again and now his mood fell.

Why? Why wouldn't she warm to him? Had it been so awful here? Hasn't he been good to her?

*****

They found that she wasn't all steel and ice and sharp edges. One day, as they were watching a drama with a tragic storyline, they were startled to hear sobs coming from her. As they all turned to look at her, she got up and ran from the room.

The closest refuge she could think of was the science lab. She went inside, closing the door behind her.

She sat on the floor, in the back of the lab, cross legged, trying to quell the tears. She heard the door open, and close, and turned away from the front of the room. The crying made it difficult for her to scent who'd come after her.

Beth sat on the floor beside Anne, then, slowly, carefully, put her arms around her. Anne continued to cry, sobs wracking her body, as Beth held her head on her shoulder. Beth didn't speak, but simply held Anne, as time passed and the sobbing started to ebb. Finally, reduced to sniffling, Anne wiped her eyes and rubbed her nose on her arm. Her voice roughened from crying, she glanced at Beth before looking away again. "I'm sorry."

"For what? For being female?"

"For acting like a hysterical female."

Beth laughed. "The men have no clue, and rarely know what to do with a crying woman. But, I get it. The rest of us do. You try to be all tough and strong, but you're scared. You know what?" Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "They are, too." She hugged Anne a little tighter. "But, it's OK, you've got family all around you and..."

Now Anne's voice rose as she interjected. "That's just it, my family. My mother will never know she has grandchildren, will never see them. They all must think I'm dead by now." And fresh tears started.

Beth kept holding her, realizing what started out as help has now pretty much only made Anne feel worse. That's right, Anne's parents, brothers, sisters, had no idea she was alive and well. That she was going to have babies sometime soon, and that their line was progressing to the next generation. Then Beth started to think about her own parents, thinking that they were gone, too, that they would never know her mate, or see their grandchildren either and started to sniffle a little herself.

With the time that had passed, Jen came down the hall to check in on them. They heard the door open and both yelled 'Go away!' as Jen came in to the room. Hearing the emotion in both voices, Jen came around in front of them, and crouched, seeing tears on both faces. "Are you two alright?" Beth nodded. "You don't look alright."

Beth sniffed. "Just thinking about our parents and having a little cry. We'll be out in a bit."

Jen stroked their hair and stood. "Okay. I'll tell everyone else to stay away until you're done."

*****

Devon caught Jen in the hallway as she came back. "What's going on?"

"Just having a good cry. Let 'em be. They'll be out when they're done."

"Both of them?" Jen nodded. "What's Beth upset about? For that matter, why did Anne start bawling?"

"In case you don't remember, Devon, pregnant women are apt to cry if a drawer gets stuck. We were watching a sad movie, that's what set her off."

"And, Beth?"

"Said something about thinking about her parents. They'll get it all out and be out when they're ready. OK? Don't make a big deal out of it."

Parents. Family. Beth was obviously missing hers, but how had talking to Anne gotten her thinking along those lines? Devon scratched his chin as he considered this issue. He thought to the storyline of the movie they had been watching. Of course, the woman in the movie was pregnant and had been lamenting the fact that her parents had been killed and would never know her child. Neither Amanda nor Terry had had any close family ties, but Anne had family out there that he hadn't considered when they took her. They'd be thinking she was dead and would have no idea that she was about to give them grandchildren. She had never talked much about them, hell, she hadn't said much of anything about her past, but it was obvious now that they'd been close. Now he realized she had further reason to hate him for what he'd done. After he'd taken all that away from her, how could she ever forgive him? She'd never let him forget it, would never care for him, and, he couldn't blame her for any of it.

He'd ended up taking for a mate a woman who would never love him. She'd never truly be happy here, with them, with him. All he could do for her now was try to make her life with them more tolerable; with an extended lifespan, she would probably be with them for decades. His duty to his pack, and his kind, had forced him into a life where he now had little expectation of his own happiness.

*****

A few days later, she noticed that they were less attentive to her, not watching as closely. She went to the kitchen and found the bear grease and slathered it over her body. It was disgusting but necessary, as they'd told her she was easy to keep track of because of her scent.

Carefully, she made her way outside, amazingly not meeting any of the others. She sauntered around the corner of the outer compound walls. She watched briefly for any sign of one of the others, but no one else came around the corner after her.

Low to the ground, she took off, away from the compound, away from them.

She headed for the west, the last direction they'd expect her to run. Civilization was to the southeast, they'd look for her that way. And, with this horrible stuff all over her, they shouldn't be able to track her by scent. Given a good distance, she'd change direction. It was too bad she hadn't had a chance to explore the area well; she had always been watched. She remembered, more or less, how she had gotten there, but...

**

It took a while before he noticed her absence. He started asking if anyone had seen her lately. His anxiety increased the longer he didn't find her. And he was unable to pick up a recent scent. He called them all together; she wasn't among them. "Alright, no one's seen her in, what? About an hour?" Heads nodded. "Lily, Abbie, Jen, Amanda, Beth will stay here. Search the compound and the tunnels. William and Duncan will remain here to guard."

"But, Devon..."

"No, Dunc, one of us has to stay here and I have to go. The rest of you, come with me." Beth noticed something in the corner of the hall. "Devon?" They turned to her as she held up the almost empty container. "This container was almost full."

"She's covered herself in bear grease."

"Now, outside. Circle the compound, try to catch her scent or the smell of the bear grease. Concentrate on the west side. Knowing her, she'll likely head in the direction we'd least expect."

The men shifted and ran out, noses to the ground, trying to track her.

**

She was continuing to lope off, miles from the McKennas, starting to make a wide circle. She passed through early grasses and bushes, not realizing that, little by little, the bear grease was being stripped from her fur and her own scent was getting stronger.

**

Sam set up a howl when he found her track. The others came running. Five strong, they took off after her. Devon was in the lead, nose to the ground, tracking the female who was bearing his pups. Tracking his mate.

He was really worried about her now. She was headed in the worst possible direction, toward the range of the Matlin pack. Ian Matlin was a heartless, sadistic bastard. At the very least she'd be raped, at the worst, she could lose the pups, or be killed. They had to get to her first.

The trail was getting easier to follow, her camouflage slowly being removed by her movements through the grass and bushes.

**

She was grinning, enjoying the freedom of the run, of not being shadowed, alone again. She hadn't seen, heard, or smelled any of them, so she must have a good head start. She thought she had a good chance of getting away.