Chapter 51: Ambience
When my eyes open, I see the stars peaking through the tops of the trees. My body is warm despite the crisp air. I realize I'm pressed tightly to someone walking through a forest.
"Where are we-" I go to push the figure away and wiggle for release.
The big arms clasp me tighter, "Carmen, it's me, Ignis."
My immediate response is to tense up. Strangely my body betrays me. I feel comfortable in his arms and relax.
"So you're a werewolf?" I say slowly, still waking up. My head is throbbing and I feel a bump forming where I hit my head.
"Yes." He says not breaking his quickening stride.
"Why did Hunter ask if I was your mate?"
It was his turn to tense up. "Look I can explain later. They'll be onto our disappearance by now. Can you ride?"
"What do you -"
"It's faster if your ride on my back in wolf form. You just have to hold on tight. Don't be scared. I would never hurt you." His purple eyes sincere in the pale light of the moon.
"Okay." He puts me down quickly and steps back.
In an instant, Ignis phases into a darkly colored wolf. He lays before me and I climb on his back. When I'm securely on, I grab his fur tightly. He stands and nods to me. I nod back. He moves at such speed, I close my eyes on instinct. The glimpse of the trees swirling around me fills me with nausea. It passes as quickly as it came. I start to smile as I bury my face into his fur. His touch is warm and makes my skin hum. I love his subtle smell of sage.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You have to attend your own baby shower!" Stella scoffs, clearly annoyed at my antics.
I waddle toward her, my finger inches from her face. "I didn't have a say in any of this. I don't need gifts, we can just use whatever the pack already has handy. Secondhand items are fine. The baby will outgrow them quick if he's anything like his father."
We both laugh at that and I lower my hand to rub my protruding stomach. He is kicking harder than usual and right in the ribs.
"Already a brat." I laugh and Stella reaches for my stomach too.
"Just like his mama." Stella whisper shouts to him. "Any names yet?"
"Rex like Regulus." We scrunch our noses at the name. "I like Eres."
Stella nods. "He won't be named either of those, will he?"
"Wait, how did you know that?"
"Niveus was telling Aether in the hallway she had a vision about the baby's name." Stella was leading her back to the pack house.
Stella's the early childhood teacher at the elementary. She always hears the news from Niveus first.
"She could've saved hours of arguments!" I say exasperated.
*Niveus, what's the baby's name?*
*Not supposed to tell you.*
*Niveus...*
*Fine but I've got a list of demands.*
*I knew this would happen one day... I'm not giving into your demands. I will listen to the list and consider if any are appropriate.*
*Fine. I'll write them out for you.*
*Now, about the name...*
*Augur.*
It wasn't terrible. *Why?*
*In ancient times it meant...*
*Border patrol picked something up in the southwestern region.* Petram cut in.
*On my way.* I linked Petram first then told Niveus, *Tell me about it at dinner.*
The doc said it wasn't safe for me to phase in the last couple of weeks of the pregnancy. She said this baby was unique and being an heir needed to be kept as safe as possible.
I dragged Stella to the garage. "Where are we going?"
"Southwestern boarder, stat!" I hop into the passenger seat and turn off the airbag. She hops behind the wheel. "Patrol has found something at the border."
"Why can't Rex...oh right." I glared at Stella. Rex was returning from his bachelor party this evening.
Did I forget to mention we are engaged? No? Oops. We are going to be married on the first full moon, after the baby's arrival.
"This does not get you out of the shower this evening." Stella snaps, driving like a grandma.
"Floor it and I'll go."
"You don't have to tell me twice." I immediately regret my words.
Stella isn't the best driver... we hit a pothole, swerve, and then screech to a halt. Pack members are about a soccer field away. I hop out of the vehicle shaking my head at Stella. She shrugs and follows closely behind me.
"What did you find?" I call out as a group of pack members approach.
It's then I notice two bodies slumped over shoulders.
"A human?" Stella sniffs.
A familiar scent reaches my nose. Pine and rosemary. Or was it sage? Praesul perks up and whines.
"Ignis?" I feel like the breath is knocked out of me. "Is he alive? What happened?"
"We found them both passed out. They made it just over our border. I'm surprised the human could get through the barrier. Ignis is wounded pretty badly and the girl seems to be concussed. He's healing slowly. I was going to take them to the pack doc if you don't have any other orders." Petram stands at attention. Two other pack members shift uncomfortably carrying the limp weight.
"Absolutely. Does she know they're coming?"
"Yes, Alpha."
"Put them in the car. It'll be faster." They nod and put them in the backseat.
Petram sits in the middle holding their heads upright. Stella gets in the driver seat and Petram groans. I smirk at this, climbing into the passenger seat. The other pack members resume their patrol of the border.
Upon arrival, two pack members are waiting with the doc. We unload the bodies onto gurneys. Ignis' eyes flutter open and meet mine.
"Gin, I'm so sorry." He rasps.
"Hush, rest now." I say smiling down at him.
His eyes start to close but snap back open when he sees my protruding stomach.
"NO!" He bellows about to phase when the doctor injects him with serum.
He collapses limp on the gurney. They continue to wheel him away. I stop walking beside the gurney and hold back the sob that is threatening to surface. Stella wraps her arms around me.
"Come on, let's go." She leads me toward the pack house. "The doctors at the hospital will take good care of him. Besides, you've got to get ready."
Right. The damn baby shower.
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