What Happened?

I woke up laying on a bed in a strange room. I rubbed my eyes as I cautiously sat up so I could look around. Nothing inside looked familiar but I knew in my heart that this was the cabin that Gerald had been so insistent that we reach before we stopped. I carefully got up to sit on the edge of the bed before grabbing a hold of the bedpost to pull myself up. I swallowed hard as my stomach rolled, threatening to make me vomit. I closed my eyes as I breathed in deep several times before straightening my shoulders.

I put my hand on my stomach, letting out a relieved breath when I felt her move. I kept my hand on my stomach for a few minutes to let her movements soothe my anxiousness. I ran my hand down my belly to circle it before turning my head to look at the door. When I tried to take a step, pain shot through me. I squeezed my eyes shut as a little whimper came from my lips. The door burst open, and in seconds I was being scooped up into Gerald’s arms. He laid me back down on the bed before sitting next to me. He took my hand, stroking my wrist almost lovingly.

“Annie, how are you feeling?” He asked softly.

I leaned back against the headboard as I studied his face. His eyes were clear and I could see the old Gerald peering at me worriedly. I tilted my head as I watched him watch me for a moment before I smiled at him.

“Hey, Gerry.”

He brought our joined hands to his mouth to kiss the back of mine. “Hey, Banannie. How are you feeling?” He repeated.

“I’m tired,” I admitted. “And my stomach hurts a little.”

He reached out to put his hand on my stomach, his eyes widening when he felt our daughter move. He met my eyes again.

“You’re really pregnant,” he whispered in awe.

“Yes, Gerry, I am.”

He let my hand go to cup my face. “And it’s mine?”

I nodded. “Yes, she is.”

“How do you know?” He asked.

“The Goddess told me in a dream,” I answered, causing him to break out into a smile.

“We’re having a baby.” He paused as his face fell. “Annie, I’m so sorry. I know we said we wanted everything but this is…” He let out a heavy breath as his hand moved down his face. “I shouldn’t have–” His eyes shifted to Kraven’s angry ones. I cried out when his hands went around my throat. “You think that I don’t see through your little act, Annaria?! Manipulating my human with your feminine wiles and his love for you? I won’t let him succumb to you! Not again! Now if you don’t behave yourself, I will kill you and that little bitch you're carrying,” he growled.

I clawed at his hands, gasping for air. “K-kraven, please. I can’t b-breathe.”

He bared his teeth at me as his hands tightened around my throat for a moment before letting me go. He narrowed his eyes on me. “You don’t get my human anymore. He is weak to your wiles.”

I rubbed my throat as I stared at him. “You promised not to hurt me while I was pregnant, but you did,” I accused him.

“You deserved it,” he snarled, shrugging.

“I did not! I have done everything you asked of me! I can’t help it that our daughter–”

His hand shot out again to wrap around my throat again. “Watch your fucking mouth! That is not my child! You are a whore! Only the Goddess knows who that bastard’s father is! So stop telling my human that! He believes you. I don’t.”

“I’m not lying! The Goddess told me–”

He slapped me hard, busting both my lip and my nose. I cried out in pain as my hand shot up to cover my face. I stared at him as my eyes watered.

“You’re an ass, Kraven! You used to be my favorite bear. You used to be my favorite person, but you aren’t anymore. The way you treat me and the people you took from me…I will never forgive you. And I will never love you again. You are not only my biggest mistake, but you are my biggest regret. I hate you! I hate who you’ve become. And above all else, I hate you for taking my love and turning it into hate. I thought it was always going to be me and you. You were my everything, and you not only used me, but you abused me.” I shoved him off the bed. “Don’t come back in here unless Gerry is in control. And I do mean my Gerry. Not the one that you’ve turned feral.”

I rolled over, curling up on my side with my arms wrapped around my stomach in an attempt to protect it from Kraven. He stood behind me and I tensed, waiting for him to hit me again. He grabbed my hair to pull my head back so that I was forced to look into his eyes.

“You forget who’s in charge here, you little worthless bitch! You won’t eat if I don’t hunt and feed you! You won’t get fresh water if I don’t want you to. So if I were you, I would do as I say before you die along with that even smaller bitch you’re carrying.” He spit in my face before shoving my head forward. “You are such a worthless sow, Annaria. I don’t know what I ever saw in you. Hell, I don’t know why I even still want you. I should just kill you and call it a fucking day!”

He took a step back as he took a deep breath. “Stay in this room, Annaria! If I catch you out of it, I am going to slit your throat! Do you understand me?”

I flinched but nodded. “Y-yes, Kraven.”

He leaned over the bed to bite into my throat, making me cry out in agony. When he pulled his teeth out, he smirked down at me.

“If you’re a good girl, I might even feed you when I get back.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he left the room, leaving me sobbing on the bed as I ran my hands over my stomach, begging the Goddess to let me feel my daughter move. I started to panic when after a few minutes there was none. I started to panic, praying that she was okay. When a hand landed on my shoulder, I jumped, crying out in fear as I tried to scoot across the bed.

“Shhh, sweetheart, it’s okay. I’m here now,” Mother Annaria whispered as she climbed onto the bed behind me, rubbing my back. “I’m going to give you something to slow down your labor, honey. You can’t give birth for three days.”

A vine wrapped around my ankle, slowly moving up my leg until it was wrapped around my neck. I looked up at Mother Annaria in panic as the vine began to tighten around my neck. When I reached up to pull at it, Mother Annaria took my hands.

“Just breathe, honey. This vine is special. It’s going to melt into your skin and provide you with everything you need until they get here,” she told me.

I swallowed hard as the vine continued to embed itself into my skin until it was completely absorbed. When I could breathe easily again, I swallowed just to test it before meeting Mother Annaria’s eyes.

“Who’s they? And where are they going?” I asked as my hands went to my throat so I could check my skin.

I was instantly relieved when there were no marks on my neck. I let out a hard breath as warmth slowly began to fill me, easing my pain and slowing my cramps. When my hands went back to my stomach, I was happy to feel the strong movements there as my daughter wiggled around in there, letting me know she was okay. I smiled at Mother Annaria, who instantly returned it as she squeezed my hands.

“Do you feel better, Annie?” She asked soothingly.

“Yes. She wasn’t moving,” I answered.

“I know. She was asleep. Babies sleep, Annie. It’s nothing to worry about. Trust me. They have to prepare for labor as well. Don’t worry so much. I promise you the vines will keep you stable. But we need to talk, sweetheart,” she said as she brushed my tangled hair away from my face. “You really should stop pushing Kraven. I know that you think you are going to die, but you don’t have to. Your parents and your siblings are heading here. You just need to hold on until they arrive. You have to promise me that you will keep your head down and your tongue in check.” She paused as she sighed. “I have already broken so many rules for you, baby. I want you to survive. Please, listen to me. You can do this. You can survive for your little one.”

I sighed as I nodded. “Okay, Mother Annaria. I’ll try. What do you mean you have broken rules for me?”

“I may have given your father, Alpha Timothy, some free questions and told him where you were,” she answered softly.

“Can I have a free question?” I whispered.

She smiled at me as she put our joined hands over her heart. “You can have two.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but be sure they are what you really want.”

“Okay.” I fell silent for a moment as I thought about my questions before slowly asking, “What happened after I passed out?”

“I’m not exactly sure. Kraven let you fall onto the ground and then there was a very visible fight between the two of them, and afterward the old Gerald was back. He knelt beside you, and practically begged me to help you. After I helped you, he carefully picked you, and carried you here, where once again he asked me to help you. You were unconscious for 12 hours and he never left your side until I asked him to come to the kitchen so I could show him how to make your tea.” She brought my hand to her cheek. “He was so worried about you.”

I sighed as I nodded. “I understand. I just wish things were different. When I look at him, all I can see is the man who stole my mate from me. All I see is the man who killed his own mate because he thinks he owns me.”

“I know. Just relax a little. This is almost over. And you can be here for your daughter. Please trust me. Let me help you. I can protect you,” she begged.

I shook my head. “No, Mother Annaria. I want to do this on my own. If I survive this, I will raise my daughter until the Goddess calls me home. As much as I would love to be here to raise my daughter, I’m just as okay dying. I want to be with Logan.” I wiped a tear off my face. “I love my daughter, I do, but I love him too. I’ve thought about this for so long that I don’t know what else I can say. I need you to promise me something, Mother Annaria.”

“If I can, I will. You know this, Annie. Just tell me,” she said.

“If I die, am dying, or will die, I want you to promise me that if you can save and protect my daughter, you will.”

“That goes without saying, Annie,” she told me.

“I need to hear you say, ‘Annie, I promise you that I will protect your daughter.’”

She leaned toward me, putting her forehead against mine. “Annie, I promise that I will protect your daughter for her entire life. Not that I need to because you will be here to do it yourself.”
I let my eyes flutter close. “Thank you, Mother Annaria.”

“Of course, honey. Now, what’s your second question?”

I took a deep breath as my eyes opened while a single tear rolled down my face. “Is Logan waiting for me?”