Chapter 113 Falling into Place

(Jacques POV)

"Fang, wake up. We need to meet the Caïd. Fang!" Maximus was banging on the adjoining doors to our bedrooms.

I get out of bed and open the doors, covering my eyes from the sunlight.

"What is it this time?" I groan. I was still sleepy. "Does he want us to smuggle more people out? Good for me. I get to smuggle more bears in."

"I don't think that's it. He sounded worried over the phone. I think he's finally figured out Andre has left him."

"Well, can I at least have breakfast first? What time does he want us to meet him?" I rub the sleep from my eyes.

"In an hour. Breakfast is already set up for you at the breakfast table at the balcony. And Fang, sunglasses please." Ooops, I forgot. My contacts weren't in yet.

I had to finish breakfast, take a shower and get dressed within 30 minutes. Lucky me, the hotel was only 20 minutes away from where we had to meet the Caïd, however with Maximus' foul stench, 20 minutes seemed like forever.

The car drove us to the basement parking of a building which was owned by the Caïd. The Caïd owned so many properties in Paris under various aliases which made it difficult to pinpoint his exact location. He moved from one place to the next either by car or helicopter with only a handful of trusted guards to keep him company.

One of those guards, Lenin, ex-Russian military, was already waiting for us at the elevator which would bring us to the floor of the venue. He guided us in, covering his nose with his arm to save him from the foul stench of Maximus, and pressed a button on the elevator panel. We were going up to the middle of the building.

Once there, the doors opened to a board room. The Caïd was at one end of the table near the wall, where a painting was swinging attached to the wall that concealed his safe. He was emptying the contents of the safe and putting all of it in a small black bag. I glanced at Maximus who had a small smile on his lips. Seemed the Caïd was going to run as well.

"Maximus, thank you for coming on such short notice. Leave us please." His guard exited the room and closed the door behind him. "Sit, sit." The Caïd pointed at the chairs near him. He waited for us to seat ourselves before he continued with what he had to say.

"Andre has gone missing, so has his sister. He brought everything of value with him. Even the contents of safety deposit boxes which contained important documents implicating the members of the mafia. I don't know who knows about this, but if the members find out, my family and I will be massacred."

"Maximus, since it is your expertise, I was hoping you would smuggle my family and I out of the country. It is risky to travel by air. Interpol is keeping a close watch and I am afraid my plane may be diverted to an airport where they will be waiting. So, I have decided to travel by ship. I understand your shipping line goes to UAE. There is no extradition there. I have already brought property there where my family and I can live."

"When do you want to leave? There is a ship that leaves tonight for the UAE and Kuwait. Although the ship is full of the people you want me to smuggle." Maximus tells the Caïd.

"Yes, about that...Forgive me, Maximus, I can not give you your cut for those people. I need the money to start afresh. But I can offer you something even better." The Caïd smiles at Maximus.

"I am making you the new Caïd, Maximus. Tomorrow at the meeting I have called on, you can announce your new position." The Caïd extends his hand to Maximus and both of them shake hands.

I smile at the both of them. Everything seems to be falling into place.

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(Hope POV)

I was waiting for Doctor Frances to arrive in Paris. I was on the balcony, enjoying breakfast and reading the paper.

I wasn't kidding when I told everyone that night at Jean Luc's men's club that I was tired. It was taking all my strength to not keel over. After I saw Jacques and his friend make their exchange, I grabbed Maximus and told him through mind link it was time to go. He raised his eyebrows at me, stunned. He was trying to see how large a scale Jean Luc's human trafficking business was, unfortunately my body wasn't quite cooperating.

"Sorry Arthur. I'm about to faint. We need to leave." I mind link him. He moves his head close to me and sniffs, his eyes widening.

"Of course, Hope. Let's pick up Alexander and Jacques before their acting becomes a reality."

In the plane, I told all of them, I needed to get some rest. Alexander guided me to the small bedroom of the plane and helped me take my shoes off and placed me under the covers. He felt my forehead to see if I had a fever. My forehead was cool.

"Good. You aren't sick. Just get some rest, my love. I'll carry you out of the plane when we arrive to our destination." He kissed my forehead and rubbed my back until I fell asleep.

When we arrived at Amelie's hotel in Paris, Amelie ran to us concerned Alexander was carrying me. I told her I was tired and felt nauseous.

"Oh my. You are pregnant. Tsk, tsk, tsk." Amelie had said.

"I sniffed it on her. It was faint, but it was there." I was sure Arthur had said that, but I was so groggy.

"Alexander, get her to bed. If she wakes, prepare a nice bath for her in the bath tub. It will soothe her." Amelie patted my arm gently and held the elevator doors for us so we could get in.

When we got inside the hotel room, I told him I just wanted to sleep. He lovingly undressed me and put an oversize T-shirt over my head. I had removed my contact lenses in the plane so, I just snuggled into bed and went back to sleep.

In the morning, I felt so much better that I ordered a big breakfast. Amelie came knocking, checking up on me.

"Ah, ma cherie, you look better. And hungry." She laughs.

"Come join me, Amelie." I invite her to the balcony table.

"I would love to, but I have some business I have to finish. Here, I brought this for you." She places a small bottle in front me. "It should help mask the scent of your pregnancy."

"You can smell my pregnancy?" This I didn't expect.

"Usually it's later on in the pregnancy however, some can, even early on in the pregnancy." Doc answers, as she closes the door to the hotel room behind her.

"Doc!" She walks to where I was seated and I stand so I could give her a hug. She reciprocates and hugs me back. "Can YOU smell my pregnancy?"

"From where I stand, no. You've only been a couple weeks into your pregnancy so it's really early to smell it unless, I'm looking for it. But, we should go take a pregnancy test to confirm it so I can prescribe you vitamins to keep you and your pup healthy. Come. I need a urine sample from you."

"There is my signal to make my exit. Au revoir!" Amelie waves her hand and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

"I need a urine specimen. Pee in this cup. Pee first in the toilet, stop. Then place the cup under, then pee. Just a little bit will do." Doc Frances points to the bathroom and I go inside to provide her specimen.

She took a small pipette and suctioned some of my urine and places a drop on the pregnancy test. I watch her with interest. Next year, I'll be going to med school. I want to do what she does.

We waited for five minutes and two little lines appeared. "Congratulations, Hope. You are going to be a mommy." She smiles at me and I smile back. I rub my hand on my tummy. There is life inside of me.

Alexander walks inside the room with a bouquet of flowers and the doc nods her head to Alexander. He runs to me and pulls me up from my chair. He gives me a long, lingering kiss.

"You have made me the happiest wolf in the world. I love you, Hope." He laughs and gives me the bouquet of flowers.

"Now here's your prescription, Hope. These are just vitamins. We'll do an ultrasound in six weeks to check on the baby."
You need a lot of rest and no alcohol. Doctor's orders." I nod my head promising to follow her instructions.

"Uh, what if someone gives you a drink, Hope?" Alexander looked concern that I may have to drink.

"Don't worry, Alexander. I'll just change the drink to apple juice. Just by a flick of a wrist." He smiled.

"Now, that's a good plan." He takes me into his arms and gives me another hug.

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(Jacques POV)

It was good news for everyone. There was a new Caïd and Hope was pregnant with her first pup. We would have celebrated if it weren't necessary to transport the former Caïd and his family to the docks.

"Make sure they're comfortable." I told my men. After defeating the Rogue Lord and the Being, many of the werebears agreed to be part of our smuggling ring operation. All the workers on all our ships were werebears.

"Sire, what do we do with them when we arrive at our destination?" The captain of the ship asks, after the Caïd and his family go down below the ship deck to their quarters.

"What you do with all the people you smuggle to the Middle East, Captain. Bring them to your contact to be sold as slaves." The captain raises his eyebrows in question. "They will now know what it is like to be slaves. Make sure you take all of their belongings. We can use the money and their valuables to help build the werebear community here." He nods his head.

"Here's another one. Take him. You know who to give him to." Maximus had brought Andre, who had a black cloth over his head, to be transported to Kuwait. He was bought by an angry Sheikh who he double crossed years before. The Sheikh paid us a hefty sum to make sure he arrived alive so he can torture him before he kills him. Two are now out of the equation.

Uncle Jean Luc, you're next.