Authors: Lynnette Bernard
Martha smiled and turned away so she wouldn’t let the children see the pure joy she knew had to be evident on her face. Stepping toward the sink, she took a deep breath to calm herself and was immediately filled with a scent that sent her heart pounding as fear seized her.
“Jace, Jackson,” she whispered, turning around to face the men immediately.
They looked at her with full smiles that disappeared instantly when they saw the horror in her expression. Her face had lost color, and she was clutching the counter to steady herself.
“What’s wrong, Martha?” Jackson asked immediately, he and Jace stepping toward her and reaching out to take her arms to steady her.
Martha turned and reached into the sink to lift the teaspoon that lay there. Holding it up to Jace, she had to blink back tears as he leaned forward to breathe in the strong scent that was mixed with the sweet smell of cinnamon and apples.
“Wolfsbane,” he growled, turning his attention back to Martha.
She nodded, and tears filled her eyes as she realized he didn’t understand the significance of the spoon. “The spoon also has the scent of the tea Laurie drinks,” she explained.
“Someone put wolfsbane in Mom’s tea?” Mia asked, stepping forward. “Will that hurt her?”
Martha never took her eyes off Jace and Jackson. “It’s a poison that’s particularly deadly to wolves but is very dangerous to humans as well, depending on the amount used. I don’t know if it will affect her more seriously now that she has mated to you both,” she began, her chest hurting with the pain that was slamming through her chest. “But it will definitely kill the baby.”
Both men turned as one and ran from the kitchen, barreling through the ranch to take the steps two at a time as they raced toward their mate. They could hear everyone running behind them, but they didn’t care about anything except getting to Laurie. They tried to sense her life force, but they couldn’t feel her. That scared them, nearly shattering them as they neared the door to their bedroom.
Laurie!
Both men called to her repeatedly through their bond as they ran toward their bedroom. But only silence greeted them. Jace flung open the bedroom door, Jackson right behind him. Laurie was lying on their bed. They barely breathed as they walked to the side of the bed to look down at her. Watching her for any movement of life, they were frozen in fear as they watched her lying so peacefully on her back, one hand at her cheek, the other resting on her stomach as if she knew she needed to protect their unborn daughter.
Mia walked over to the end table and looked down at the cup of cold tea that sat there. “Do you think she drank any of it?” she barely whispered.
She looked at Dean, agony in her eyes at the thought of losing their mother. Their mother was the person who had always loved them unconditionally and the one who had protected them with every ounce of her being. The fact that someone was trying to take her away from them made Mia freeze in fear.
Dean’s own fear consumed him. He stepped toward the bed and looked down at their mother. “Mom?” he called to her loudly, his voice cracking with emotion when she ignored his words.
“What’s going on?” a voice called from the doorway.
They turned as one toward the door to see Janine standing there with another cup of tea in her hands. Jace and Jackson’s growls filled the room as they lurched toward her and threw her against the wall. Jace’s hand tightened around her throat, somehow managing to keep control of himself and not kill her immediately. Jackson grabbed the tea cup from her and smashed it against the wall.
“What have you done?” Jace growled in her face.
Janine’s face paled in fear. “I didn’t do anything, Alpha,” she croaked out, barely able to breathe, let alone form words.
“Did you think killing our mate with poison in her tea would go unpunished?” Jackson growled, his right hand morphing into deadly claws that reached up, ready to shred Janine’s throat.
“Poison!” Janine’s painful gasp made Jackson pause. “I just brought her the tea. Vera said Laurie wasn’t feeling well and asked me to bring her the tea.” Tears were falling freely from her eyes by now. “I thought it smelled funny, but Vera said it was the special blend in the tea that would help settle Laurie’s stomach.”
Jace slowly removed his hand from Janine’s throat. There was no scent of deception surrounding her. Turning toward his men, his eyes glowed golden as his wolf fought for freedom.
“Get Vera.” His voice was filled with rage. “Put her in the detention cabin. If I go near her right now, I’ll rip her to pieces.”
Alexander and Butler nodded and turned, leaving the room immediately to locate Vera. She was going to deserve every bit of punishment she received for this blatant attack. Her cruel coldness had made her act out against their queen. She was completely responsible for her actions. She would not be forgiven for trying to kill the mate of the alpha and beta, or their unborn child. No mercy would be shown this evil woman.
Jace turned and looked at Jackson with desolation in his eyes. He had fought against having a mate. Now his heart was breaking at the real possibility of the loss of the wonderful woman who had been gifted to them by the Fates.
Jackson reached out and touched Jace’s shoulder, then turned to walk toward the bed. He climbed onto one side while Jace climbed onto the other to lie carefully next to Laurie and gently take her in their arms.
“Laurie, baby,” Jace whispered against her temple. “Please wake up, sweetheart.”
Laurie remained still between them. Her breathing was slow and steady, which made them both relax a bit. They leaned closer to her, sharing their warmth with her as they wrapped their arms around her torso and held her tightly against them.
“We need you to open your eyes, darlin’,” Jackson whispered softly, kissing her cheek lightly and nuzzling into her neck.
Carefully placing their hands on her belly, they joined forces as they reached deep inside themselves to talk to their baby.
Baby, please let Papa know you’re okay,
Jace’s pleading voice called to her.
Sweetheart, you need to let Daddy know you’re still there.
Jackson’s voice broke with emotion as he linked his mind with Jace’s to search for their baby’s heartbeat and life force.
A warmth filled both men as they were surrounded with the vision of Laurie sitting on the couch in the den with both of them on either side of her while their daughter nursed at her mama’s breast. Jace was reaching forward and tenderly stroking his fingertips over their daughter’s head and Jackson was holding her hand as it rested against Laurie’s face.
Jackson.
I know, Jace. I see it, too.
Their voices were raw with emotion at the relief that their baby was all right. The vision that they would share such intimate moments with Laurie filled them with happiness.
Leaning in toward Laurie, they nuzzled into her neck and kissed it lightly. Their soft growls vibrated against her, calling to her to come awake. After what seemed like an eternity, Laurie began to stir, stretching against her men as they held her between them. Reaching up, she touched their faces and gently caressed their cheeks. Opening her eyes, she let out a gasp of surprise as she saw the group of people who surrounded their bed.
“What’s going on?” she asked worriedly. “Is everything okay?”
Jace nuzzled into her neck and breathed in her scent. Her very pregnant scent. He leaned back to look down at her, smiling at the sight of Jackson taking a deep breath to reassure himself of the presence of their baby.
“It is now,” Jace told her, smiling down at her.
“Did you drink any of that tea?” Jackson asked her worriedly, indicating the cup that sat on the bedside table.
Laurie looked at it quickly then leaned back against her pillow. “No, I was too tired after Janine left. And I felt a little nauseous, so I had to lie down to take a nap.” She leaned forward until her face was touching both men’s chins. “I closed our bond so you wouldn’t feel how sick to my stomach I was. I didn’t want to worry you or make you feel sick. Please don’t be mad that I tried to shield you.”
“We’ll talk about that later.” Jace growled against her ear, kissing her neck gently before leaning back to look down at her.
The bed moved, and Laurie looked up to see Mia and Dean climbing onto the bed at her feet and move their way up so they could lie beside her. She saw the fear in their eyes as they both leaned their heads against her forehead.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Mom,” Dean whispered, his voice breaking at the emotion that he finally allowed to escape.
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” she asked, confused, holding her kids tightly against her body.
“Because that bitch Vera tried to poison you,” Mia told her angrily. She turned toward Jace and Jackson as they sat against the headboard. “I hope you’re going to kick some serious ass!”
Jace nodded, his expression thunderous. “That woman is going to pray she was never born,” he promised.
“Why would she want to poison me?” Laurie’s stunned voice broke into their conversation.
Martha reached forward and took the tea cup from the side table. “Let’s go downstairs, everyone,” she told the concerned but relieved group. “We have things to do before Laurie comes down for dinner.”
Martha nodded toward the door, waiting until Mia and Dean removed themselves from the bed once they kissed their mother’s cheeks and whispered that they loved her. The older woman shooed everyone out and closed the door behind them. Laurie watched everyone go, confused and a little afraid.
“Does Vera hate me that much?” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
Jackson moved back down to lie beside Laurie, quickly taking her in his arms and holding her gently. Jace lowered his body next to hers and reached up to tenderly stroke her cheek with the back of his index finger.
“You don’t have to worry about her anymore,” Jace told her, his voice strong. “She’ll never be able to hurt you again.”
“But why?” Laurie protested.
The men looked at each other and sighed. They were worried that she wouldn’t be happy with what they had to tell her.
Slowly, very slowly, they each brought a hand to her belly and tenderly touched it. Laurie’s brow furrowed in confusion. “You guys are scaring me,” she whispered.
“You have nothing to be afraid of, honey,” Jackson reassured her. “This is a beautiful gift.”
“What do you mean?”
Jace closed his eyes and concentrated on the baby growing within their mate’s womb. He could feel their daughter’s happiness as she cuddled into the safe warmth of Laurie’s body. Allowing his connection to their child to be shared through their bond, he felt Jackson’s happiness and Laurie’s shock at the feeling their baby was sharing with them.
“Our daughter is growing inside you, Laurie,” Jace whispered, looking down at her and smiling tenderly.
Laurie’s shock quickly turned to instant fear, and she pushed out of their arms and jumped from the bed, turning to face them immediately, her breath coming in quick heaving bursts. “No,” she whispered, tears falling down her face. “I can’t.”
“Baby, what do you mean you can’t?” Jackson asked her, standing slowly and walking toward her with utmost care, as if she would bolt at any movement he made. “You can, and you are. And we’re very happy that you’re pregnant.”
“No, you aren’t.” Laurie’s panicked voice stopped his forward movement. “You’ll hate me for taking care of the baby and not giving you enough of my time.”
Jace walked toward her and reached out to take her hand gently. “Don’t compare us to Patrick. That’s not fair to us,” he told her firmly. “We won’t resent you for your time with our baby. We’ll be right there with you taking care of her. And the entire pack is your family now. You won’t be alone. You won’t be exhausted taking care of our baby without help. We’ll all be there with you, honey.”