Fate Stained - Part Two

The guilt crept up my body, wrapping itself around me like a python strangling it’s prey. I’d never felt guilt before, there’d been no place for it in Hell; nothing to feel bad about, no one to hurt with my actions or decision making.

The emotion was almost incapacitating, and it would have been if I let it take hold. But what use would I be then to Quinn and her baby if I was reduced to a self loathing mess? None. I would have time to hate myself later.

Atropos swiftly dropped the shield that she’d been using to keep the others out of Dominic’s cabin. The instant the barrier was down, both Jayce and Kyanite tore through the front of the building, followed quickly by my father, Cameron and Moira.

“Get the fuck away from her, Warlock!” Kyanite growled, his eyes narrowing as they locked with mine.

My gaze dropped to my unconscious sister in my arms and I hesitantly I opened my mouth to speak but Atropos beat me to it.

“It wasn’t Flynn” she explained, “he was possessed by Hades. There was nothing he could do. Zeus had to—”

“—We know” Jayce cut the Goddess off, “we could hear and see everything, we just couldn’t get passed your barrier to help”

“It doesn’t mean none of this is on you”

I turned back to Kyanite, the anger rolled off him in waves and right now it was directed solely towards me.

“You’re meant to be so fucking powerful, but you didn’t sense the God of the Underworld using your body to hitchhike out of Hell? Look at what you did to Quinn!”

“ENOUGH!” I roared.

Did the panther seriously think I wasn’t thinking the exact same thing? I didn’t need him to tell me what I’d done, what I’d missed, how my actions or lack thereof had almost led to the demise of my sister. I was well aware of it all. The only thing worse than allowing that piece of shit of a God to use me as a host to get to my sister, was having him use my body to torture and strangle her; giving me no choice but to watch on like some useless, powerless loser.

“Quinn is pregnant”

The words fell from my mouth, a lot more blunt, a lot less rehearsed than I’d planned. I’d decided that if I was going to be the one to tell Quinn’s mates that she was with child, I would ease them into it and make sure panic stations weren’t hit unnecessarily. But we didn’t have the time. The wolf and panther would just have to get their head around the shock later, right now…their mate and the baby, needed them.

“She— she’s pregnant?”

All anger had vanished from Kyanite’s voice and his face softened as he looked down to Quinn.

Jayce’s features, on the other hand, hadn’t changed at all. His eyes never once left his mate, they remained full of love, full of worry, full of concern.

“What do you need from us?”

If I hadn’t known better I would have said he already knew that Quinn was pregnant, or maybe he was just really good at hiding his emotions. No, I knew from what my sister had told me, one thing the Alpha was not good at was hiding his emotions.

“The bond you both share with Quinn, regardless of it being a completed bond or not, is powerful. Her animals can draw from you, just by being in your presence. But my sister is gravely unwell—” I said, stroking Quinn’s cheek gently, “—as is the baby…their heart rates are low. Too low. So we are going to need more than just your closeness. I need to siphon your power and transfer it directly into her”

Without a second’s hesitation, Jayce was down on his knees. He scooped up Quinn’s limp hand in his own, cradling it like it was the most fragile, precious thing he’d even held. I looked to Kyanite and my heart honestly went out to the guy. I could only imagine the thoughts going through his mind right now as he watched Quinn lying lifeless across my lap, Jayce - her other mate- kneeling by her side, whispering words of love and encouragement in her ear.

I cleared my throat and Kyanite blinked, his focus and presence seemingly returning to the room and he met eyes with me.

“Kyan…”

The panther nodded, dropping to his knees beside the man I knew he couldn’t stand to be around. The last thing I wanted to do was draw this process out, for more reasons than one. I closed my eyes, my hands resting gently on Quinn’s stomach.

“Now” I whispered, focusing on the tiny little heartbeat that barely flickered within Quinn’s womb, “Kyan, place one of your hands on top of mine, the other one over Quinn’s heart”

I felt the weight of the Panther Prince’s palm rest on top of mine and instantly felt his power begin to leech through his skin. It was working. Perfect.

“Jayce, place your hands on top of Kyanite’s”

There was a pause, one which I had been anticipating, but then the weight and warmth of another hand could be felt on top of mine and the surge of power that could only come from an Alpha wolf such as Jayce.

I focused on drawing the energy from Quinn’s mate’s and redirecting it into her body. The beat of the little heart grew stronger and it wasn’t long before a very healthy thud-thud-thud filled my ears - the most beautiful melody I’d ever heard. A smile spread across my face and warmth spread through Quinn’s skin.

“You’re smiling” Jayce grunted, “It’s working?”

“Can’t you hear that?” I asked.

I opened my eyes and looked at the men and then suddenly wished I had a camera. I would have loved to see the look on Quinn’s face if she could see them now. Two men - an Alpha and a Prince - two men that loved her unconditionally but hated each other with a firey passion. Two men, that at this moment, were literally holding hands and putting their differences aside to save the one thing they had in common…their mate.

“Hear what?” Kyanite asked.

“The baby’s heartbeat”

Both Kyanite and Jayce stared blankly at Quinn’s stomach, both sharing the same look of frustration as they struggled to hear and feel what was so obvious and clear to me.

“You can’t hear it? Neither of you?”

They shook their heads.

“Bizarre” I muttered under my breath, “her heartbeat is a clear to me as both of yours—”

“Her heartbeat?” Jayce’s voice caught in his throat as his emotions struggled to remain under wraps.

“Her heartbeat” I confirmed, smiling, “A beautiful, strong, baby girl”

…………………

Norah POV

A day had passed since the incident with Flynn…or Hades…or whoever the fuck everyone was blaming for what happened to Quinn. Personally, I blamed the little red headed wolf girl. Hussy. Like, seriously! Keep your clam in your pants like you were told. Especially when your mate in a ticking fucking time bomb with absolutely no restraint on his animals or his penis.

Onyx, bless her cotton socks, had taken it upon herself to look after Fern. I guess she felt sorry for the girl. I did’t feel sorry for her. If anything had happened to Quinn or the baby, I’d have personally dragged her back to the pack she’d come from with a ribbon and a card addressed to daddy dearest.

The baby! Q was fucking knocked up! A daughter, rumour had it. I was happy for her, beyond happy…but no one seemed to be addressing the elephant in the room…or the elephants…panther and wolf shaped elephants.

Who was the daddy?

Even now, both Kyanite and Jayce sat upstairs at Quinn’s bedside- with Flynn and Mason keeping a close eye on them. It was weird. I mean, the whole two mate thing was weird anyway - but now one of those randy little shifters had put a baby in the girl and the other one was most definitely third wheeling it. What said ‘third wheel’ more than - my mate is having a baby with another man but I’ll just hang around and play happy families regardless?

Yuck.

And, riddle me this, if Flynn was supposedly this all powerful Warlock that seemed to be the only one that could hear and feel this baby…then how could he not sense who the father was?

My guess was that he knew exactly who the father was, but for whatever daft reason, he was keeping it to himself. Maybe waiting until his sister woke up? Who knew.

My phone pinged again and I leant back in Jayce’s favourite armchair, making sure I left it smelling like a big ole grizzly bear. I looked to the screen and opened the most recent message from Meadow - although the name in my contacts read ‘Maggie’ - we were going incognito. Now with Darius as soon-to-be King, we couldn’t be too careful with out secret communications.

Maggie - So. I have a contact for you in the city. Her name is Sloan, she is a bear-mage hybrid. Father reached out, her mother was an old friend…anyway, she is more than happy to hide you, in exchange for you working for her. Thoughts?

I read the message twice, crossing and uncrossing my legs. The city. I’d never been before and, quite frankly, never wanted to. But at this current time, what other choice did I have? I needed to get as far away from Fern Creek and Yo-Na as I could before King Cum Stain came looking for me with his band of Merry Men.

Nelly - The city…intriguing. What kind of work will she have me doing? Fashion editor? Runway model? Designer to the stars? Seriously though, if you send me to the city and I don’t end up finding my own ‘Mr. Big’…I’ll feel short changed.

Maggie - Oh Goddess. Good to see your sense of humour hasn’t changed in light of current circumstances. Sloan is an investigator of sorts. To be honest I’m not fully up to speed with what she actually does, but the way I see it…this is your only option.

Meadow was right.

Nelly - Well count me in.

Maggie - Perfect. I’ll send you through your travel info. I’ll pay for it all…don’t worry, It won’t be tracked. In the meantime, until you can meet up with Sloan…just get their mage to cloak your scent so you don’t get followed.

Nelly - Already on to it. Thanks Moo.

Maggie - Stay safe chick. You’ve got this.

The city. Well fuck. I was a country girl at heart, not country like milking cows and wrangling horses…more coutry like being one with nature, running in the woods and catching fish with my bare hands. Somehow I didn’t think there would be much in the way of fresh salmon swimming through the streets of the concrete jungle. I hated the idea that overgrown abortion was forcing me to flee my home, it quite literally made me sick to my stomach. It wouldn’t be forever though, I’d go back, mark my words. I loved my tribe too much to leave someone like Dick Cheese Darius to rule over it. But if I was to go in there with the intention of stopping his reign…then I would need a plan; a plan that wasn’t going to get me killed, or worse - mated.

My phone pinged again and I looked down at the screen. Meadow had sent me through my travel itinerary and my heart sunk slightly as I saw that my flight left tonight.

“What’s with the long face?”

I looked to the stairs as Flynn slowly descended them. He looked exhausted. His skin was dull and his blue eyes were sunken. Sighing he scratched his head through his dreadlocks and made his way into the pack house kitchen.

“I was just thinking about how many other parasites possibly hitchhiked here from Hell…in your hair”

The Warlock made a noise, which I can only imagine was his version of a fake laugh, and gave me a half arsed smile.

“You’re funny”

“I know. But seriously, shave it…or I will”

Flynn grabbed a couple of mugs down from the cupboard and filled them with coffee from the percolator.

“Sugar?”

“One please” I answered, coming to sit on one of the stools at the breakfast bar, “How is Quinn doing?”

Flynn sighed, placing my mug in front of me and raising his to his lips. The Warlock-tribrid took a long sip and already started to look more alive as the caffeinated goodness warmed his soul.

“She is doing well. So is the baby. I would imagine she’ll wake up tomorrow, then maybe we’ll know more”

Tomorrow. A pang of guilt and sadness gnawed at my insides, knowing that selfishly, I’d be gone by then.

“Who is the father?”

Flynn raised his brow and lowered his cup to the bench.

“What makes you think I know?” He asked.

“Don’t you?”

“No”

I shrugged. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe he wasn’t - either way, the cat would surely come of the bag soon enough. I was just upset that I wouldn’t be there to support Quinn when it did.