I stared down my body with a scowl, my skirt's band was pulled far too tight around my belly. I had noticed it was getting bigger but now I couldn't comfortably wear my skirts unless they had a looser band but I didn't have a lot of them. I shifted the band up a bit more, releasing the pressure from around my belly but it pulled up the hem of my skirt in the front. I huffed slightly, apprehension filling me. I didn't like that it was getting more noticeable. I wore loose shirts that covered my belly, hiding it from view but the fact that the skirts only rested comfortably above my slightly bigger tummy, was a problem.

I sat down on the bed and clasped my hands, staring at the floor. I wondered when Simon would come. It had been a month since I had been at Duffy's and after his last visit, he promised me that he would come back to get me. He had even included Duffy into the discussion, which had surprised me, but then again the two of them had ranted about Alpha Stenton and the ranks of Sublatus for hours. Simon told me he was half in love with the older shifter when he had gotten ready to leave and Duffy had only cackled at that.

However she had been more than open to helping Simon and I run away. She even said she could help disguise it as her taking me for a drive, except she would take me to where Simon was and then let me go. I was thankful for that, for her helping. I had said as much but she had simply sighed and told me that there was no way in hell that she letting me go back to 'that piece of shit fucking pack'.

I was still torn over that. It was the place I had grown in but the longer I was away from it, the more I realized something was... it was wrong. The shifters in Fortis had treated me with gentleness and care and so did the shifters in Vis. They were friendly, they were kind, and they treated me like I was a person who had worth and the contrast of the difference was sobering. With Fortis, it had been easy to push it off as a one off of pity but with Vis... it made is difficult to rationalize it away because that was now two packs who acted like that and it left Sublatus feeling... off. Even the atmosphere in Fortis and Vis were completely different than when I was back home.

Duffy has explained to me it was because Sublatus was an Old Way pack, a different culture that put females as subservient to males and had a strict hierarchy. She explained that Vis and by proxy, Fortis, were new way, a more egalitarian structure with a looser hierarchy. She said it made for a more relaxed pack where females weren't treated as property that were fair game if they didn't have protectors or escorts around the territory. Which was just odd for me.

The treatment I got was so different and strange I felt like I couldn't trust it but Duffy told me again and again, that the treatment I was getting would continue because the shifters in the pack didn't require a male to give me worth, that I had worth simply for existing as I was. It was hard to argue with that, to defend how I was raised. The longer I stayed in Vis, the more apparent it became and Duffy was constantly reminding me that my treatment in Sublatus, what the Alpha did, had been so beyond wrong that she was surprised the Hunters hadn't stepped it. Which had concerned me because that was just how life was in the pack.

It was strange to realize how odd the life was, how almost stunted it made you feel. I was able to walk around the pack with Duffy and no males would approach me in any predatory way, they would call out greetings and ask me what I needed or if I required help but no one really approached us with any ill intentions. The females were allowed to go wherever they wanted, they didn't have to tell their males or ask anyone for permission. It was just so strange to see and experience.

I knew I would have to get used to it. Simon and I were going to leave and the thought had me putting a hand on the small swell of my stomach. We were going to leave to make sure my daughter and I survived, so that we could be safe. I was anxious about it, so very anxious, but I also knew it needed to happen. If I wanted my little female to be born, I needed to put aside my own comfort with staying where it was familiar and go where it would be safe.

"Trouble!" Duffy calling for me had me jolting slightly and I quickly stood up and headed out of my bedroom. I went down the stairs, wondering what she needed. I started down the hallway and saw her by the door. "You have a visitor." She made a slight face and my heart jumped in my chest as I wondered if it was Simon coming to take me away but the figure standing in the doorway was far too slim. As I drew closer I realized it was female as well, one with pale hair and a strange uniform that touched my memories.

That was a Hunter.

"Menza Aristotle?" The female's voice had a southern drawl to it and she smelled overbearingly like flowers. She looked me up and down with pale brown eyes and I gave a small nod. "I'm Officer Elf, from the Hunter's Witch Division. I came here t' determine your whereabouts." She drawled it out as she looked between me and Duffy. A witch, she was a witch. The news was surprising but then again I had never had to deal with a witch before. "I'm gunna need t' escort you back t' Sublatus for questioning." The words had my heart jump into my throat.

"Why?" I didn't want to go back. It was safer for me to stay away. The thought of going back, with my tummy sticking out, even the small amount it was, was enough to make me want to panic.

"We need t' do a welfare check on you and you're technically supposed to be on Sublatus. So we need t' bring you back because it gives us a reason t' stay on territory if we need t' raid." The pale female gave a flippant wave of her hand, shifting her weight from one hip to the other.

Duffy scoffed heavily, "That sounds like a load of bullshit that is only self-serving."

The witch shrugged, "Bullshit or not, she need t' be on Sublatus territory for the questionin'."

"If you're taking her back, I'm coming too." Duffy set her jaw, her look spelling out she wasn't budging and the witch gave another shrug.

"I don't care if you want t' come or not, we jus' need t' head out right quick." She looked at her nails and I swallowed hard before I looked at Duffy. She looked unimpressed and a bit agitated but the thought of having her come with me was a relieving one. I didn't want to go back to that pack, it was far too dangerous.

"Get your boots on, trouble, I'll get you a jacket." Duffy gestured to where my boots sat on the boot mat and I nodded. I quickly moved over to put them on, doing my best not to fidget under the witch's slight scrutiny. Duffy came back with a lighter jacket than my puffy blue one and held it out to me. I put it on as she got her own boots on before she grabbed my hand and we looked at the witch.

"Come with me." The witch gestured for us and we followed her off the front step, closing the door behind us. Once the witch stopped she held out her hands. "Each one take a hand." She gave a short nod and I reached out, squeezing Duffy's hand as I did so. There wasn't much time before there was a nasty pulling feeling and the world disappeared and then snapped back into existence.

We landed hard on the ground and I was only barely able to keep on my feet as the witch let my hand go. I looked around and we were in a familiar yard and my mouth went dry. We were at Brochan's. I didn't like that. He didn't want me around and I didn't want to give him any reason to revoke the last bits of his protection.

Duffy let my hand go only to grasp my arm instead as I turned and looked at the achingly familiar house. The witch started towards it and I swallowed hard as Duffy tugged on me to follow. I felt almost panicky as we moved towards the house. Duffy muttered beside me as she held my arm. I hadn't been back to the house in almost six weeks and my stomach twisted and knotted hard inside me. I stared at the cheery yellow siding and I nearly stumbled.

"It's alrigh', sweetpea." The southern accent was still thick as it came from Elf as she looked me. "Yer looking mighty nervous but it's alrigh'. No one'll hurt you while I'm 'round." She gave me a reassuring smile as we came up the stairs.

The front door practically glared at me and Duffy squeezed my arm gently. "Just for a bit, trouble." She patted my arm in reassurance as Elf opened the door. It was dim in the interior and my heart felt like it wanted to pound right out of my chest as Duffy moved first, pulling me forward.

"She was where they said. I've brought her back." Elf's voice was even and calm and I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the dimness in the house. I spotted Brochan on the couch and immediately bowed my head, looking at the floor as I clasped my hands in front of me. My heart lurched in my chest as I was aware he stood up and I moved around the edge of the room almost without thinking, keeping space between us like he had wanted.

"Let's go outside for a bit." Mike's voice nearly made me jump and I glanced up and he was gesturing to the door. Brochan didn't say anything but followed him.

The door closed behind them and Elf let out a sigh. "Officer Bently and I just need t' talk to you a lil bit." I glanced at her and she pulled out a chair from the dining table and then gestured at me to sit. I glanced at Duffy and she nodded, walking with me to the table. We both sat down and I stared at the wood of the table completely unsure of what to do or what to say or what they wanted.

"Elf is right, Ms Aristotle, we just need to ask you a few questions." The officer pulled out a chair and sat down a bit further from me. I glanced at him and his expression was soft and he looked so... concerned. I glanced at the witch as she pulled out a chair across the table from me and she gave me a rather warm smile that I found myself smiling back at. She still smelled like flowers and it was enough to make me almost feel dizzy but I felt a bit more relaxed with each inhale I took. "Alright, are you okay?" The officer spoke gently as if not wanting to be loud and I blinked before looking at him.

"I am fine." Physically I was done healing. Mentally and emotionally I was a wreck and I knew I would have been worse without Duffy, but I wasn't about to say that. I could remember the welfare checks the Hunters did with my father and him hissing at me to tell them nothing. So having Duffy there was making me feel less anxious about everything but there was still that tugging in my stomach that warned me away from saying anything.

"Okay, that's good." He wrote it down on his notepad and I went back to staring at the wooden table top, the nerves making my stomach knot up. "Was there an attack on this territory or did someone from the pack attack you and you tried to escape it?" At the question I jolted and I snapped my head up to look at the officer.

"It was rogues. They attacked the pack! I didn't lie!" My voice pitched upwards slightly and Duffy patted my arm. I looked at her and she gave me a small smile, it was comforting, and as she inhaled so did I.

"It's okay, trouble." At the words I gave a small nod and slowly let out the breath. It was alright.

Elf cleared her throat and I felt an urge to look at her and she blew me a kiss and I was hit with a huge wave of scent. It smelled like a flower garden and my head felt suddenly wobbly as I breathed it in. "What was that?" I blinked slowly as I stared at her and she gave me another smile.

"To keep you calm. Don't worry about it. We use it of'en on submissive shifters, t' help them deal with pointed questions they might feel unable t' answer due t' being coached by people in their pack and you have that look about you." Her words made sense and I didn't feel an urge to question it so I nodded slowly. It made everything seem fuzzy but now there was nothing inside me that told me not to talk to them, to not answer their questions.

"Don't give her too much of that." Duffy sounded overly gruff and I slowly turned my head to look at her. She didn't look all that impressed but patted my arm for comfort anyway.

"Okay. So the pack was attacked." At Officer Bently's voice I slowly turned my head to look at him. "Can you identify any of the rogues for us?" It took me a second to understand what he was asking, like the words had moved through molasses to reach me.

I pinched my lips together before giving a slightly uncertain nod. "I only saw three and it's been a while since I saw them but I might be able to." I couldn't say how well my memory would be on the subject because I had been panicking and half out of my mind in terror but I would do my best.

Elf snapped her fingers and I turned to look at her right as a large binder landed in her hands. "Here. Point out any rogues you might remember seeing." She opened the binder and turned it before pushing it to it rested in front of me. I looked at the page before flipping it to the next. I didn't recognize any of them on that page, or the next, or the next, or the next. I frowned slightly as I leaned closer and flipped the page. The face staring up at me made me jolt with a resurgence of panic.

"This one!" I looked away from the picture of the wild haired male. I could remember the terror as he found me in the house and chased me. I could remember the sickening tearing of his claws through my skin as he had clawed me in my escape to protect Maeve. "He's the one who attacked me." I felt bile rise up in my throat and the Hunter shifted in his spot before pulling the book closer to himself.

"Bryce Antone. Not surprised." He said it low to the witch and she made a low sound of acknowledgement as she pushed the binder back towards me.

"Alrigh'. Let's look some more." Her tone was gentle and I couldn't think of a reason not to so I went back to flipping through the pages. There were so many pictures, picture after picture after picture.

I stopped on another one and stared at it. A flash of his smirk smacked me from my memories of that day and I tapped his picture. "He is one of the ones who chased me into the river." I pushed the book towards the Hunter and he gave me an encouraging smile that I found myself returning with a small smile of my own. I was glad I could help them, I didn't want anyone else to be hurt like I had been. My stomach knotted and I clasped my hands tightly together in my lap as my eyes burned. I had been hurt so bad after that attack. I resisted the urge to sob, knowing that if I started I wouldn't be able to stop. I had been trying hard to work through it with Duffy but that day had been... it had been terrifying.

"Dayton Willis. Seems he fell in with Antone." The Hunter murmured it and witch nodded before she flipped the page and then pushed the book back to me.

"Do you remember this one?" She tapped the photo and the male was the same one who had been with the other one.

"Yes. He also chased me to the river. They both did." I nodded at her and she pulled the binder away from me once more.

"Damien Hofsted, runs with Dayton. Seems they both fell in with Antone. Explains why they haven't checked in." At the words from the officer, the witch nodded and I watched as she closed the binder and with a hand pressed to the cover. Her lips moved without sound and she snapped her fingers and it disappeared.

"Are we done?" I couldn't help but ask it as I clasped my hands together on my lap. Duffy patted my arm and I appreciated the gesture it felt grounding in the foggy mess of my brain. I glanced at Elf and she shook her head. The Hunter shifted to look at me, hunching forward slightly as if to get to my level. It made him look far less threatening. However I could only remember how everyone reacted when I was younger when the Hunters came to check on me. I had the sudden urge that someone needed to be inside to watch me, so they could be sure I wasn't doing something wrong. I knew the Alpha would be upset and I couldn't be punished again. I knew I wouldn't survive a second time. My mouth went dry at the thought of it and my stomach lurched. I was back where he could punish me.

"When you were here in the pack, were you expected to do chores?" At the question I blinked and looked down at the table before giving a small nod. "Okay. Did you get punished for not doing them?" That question was a little harder and I shrugged, unsure of how to answer it. I could have definitely gotten punished for not doing it but I never wanted to risk it so I had always done my chores. "Would you get punished if you didn't do them?" At the repeated question I pinched my lips together and struggled to formulate a proper response.

"I don't know. I had never not done my chores." I clasped my hands together tighter. "I never wanted to risk if there is a punishment, or if I was given away." The thought of Delta Regan was enough to make me want to do laundry and clean until my hands cracked and bled. I would not risk being given to him for anything. If Brochan came in right now and told me to do it or I would go to Regan I would clean this house until it was spotless.

However I had a sudden feeling that I shouldn't have said any of that and I frowned, rubbing at my forehead. I was told before not to tell the Hunters anything but it was hard to remember why I shouldn't. That hazy feeling was paramount and I couldn't remember any reason why I needed someone there to watch to make sure I was doing it right.

"It's okay, sweetpea. I understand the magic migh' be making you feel some conflicting things but it's alright." Elf's voice was soothing and I looked at her as I continued rubbing my forehead. "I'm used when we come across Omegas. They're illegal t' have and sometimes we have t' use magic to allow them t' speak t' us and answer questions they might have been taught not t'. It helps us rescue them and punish those who hurt them." Her words were that same soothing cadence and my hand fell from my forehead. That made sense.

"I'm not an Omega." I shook my head slightly. "We have them but I'm not one. I'm just a half-breed." The words came out easy. I figured they would, I had been told that a lot of times growing up. I was just a half-breed, something worthless, something that was a burden. I was something that was considered a bother, a parasite. I wasn't good or normal or loved. I was a burden. Something I felt even now. Duffy tried so hard to make me see that I was more than that but back in this house, I felt so small.

"You can attest to there being Omegas on the territory?" Officer Bently pushed slightly with the question and I nodded. We had them and I knew others packs did as well but some of them could be really mean to theirs. As far as I knew, our Omegas were treated rather well, they just weren't considered part of the pack and took care of the ranks.

"Yes. They do the ranks' chores, the cleaning, the pack laundry, and the cooking for ranks but they aren't treated as bad as some." I looked at the officer and he wrote something down on a notepad before he gave me another encouraging smile. I couldn't bring myself to return it, my stomach was cramping too much with nerves.

"That's good. Now your father had your case closed with us. He said you had been handed off to be mated. Was this true?" He asked it softly and I gave an unexpected laugh that was echoed by Duffy.

"That's a fucking joke." She muttered it out and when I glanced at her she was crossing her arms over her chest in amusement that I felt myself.

I shook my head. Mated? That was ridiculous. So ridiculous. "No. He and the Alpha gave me to Brochan because his mate died and they wanted me to take care of his house. He didn't want me. He doesn't want me now to be honest. It's why I am with Duffy. He was angry and I didn't want to be given to Delta Regan." The words fairly poured out of me and I blinked rapidly as I looked at the Hunter with wide eyes. "He's not a nice male." He wasn't. I felt like he had enjoyed my punishment, like he enjoyed hearing me scream. I swallowed hard, pushing the memories away. It was easier when they were locked in a box and I didn't have to deal with them.

"The Delta?" The Officer asked it gently and I nodded.

"Yah. He is not a nice male. I don't want to be given to him." I shuddered at the thought of the male. He had no good things planned for me, I could tell from how he looked at me and that was outside of the punishment at the punishing grounds. I shuddered, feeling physically ill at the thought of him having all that control over me. I couldn't be given to him. It would kill me.

"You said that Mr. O'Neill doesn't want you anymore. Does this have to do with when he came to get you in Altia? Head Priestess Ambris said that a check may be needed." It was said softly and it still caused my breathing to hitch in my chest and the tears to burn my eyes. I had been so relieved to see him and he had said it wasn't my fault and then we came back and-

"He said it was okay, that I wasn't my fault." I swallowed hard at the words, trying hard not to burst into tears like I wanted. He had told me it was okay, that I had done nothing wrong and I didn't understand why he had such a switch when we came back. "But he must have been mad because when we got back to the pack, the Alpha--" I cut myself off, the lump in my throat hard to swallow around. It was all my fault. I should have done more. I should have fought or ran harder, I should have done something, anything. As if sensing my need Duffy reached out and squeezed my arm again, a grounding gesture that let me know she was right beside me. I appreciated it because I needed her in that moment.

"What happened?" It was a soft question and I sniffled.

"I shouldn't have done what I did. I shouldn't have ran towards the river. I should have fought or-or ran a different way." I couldn't help how my voice trembled. It was all my fault. I should have done more. I shouldn't have done what I did, that was why I had been punished.

"You did what you needed t', t' survive, sweetpea. Not many females can claim they survived a run in with illegal rogues, especially Brant Antone." Elf's voice was soothing and I looked at her through my tears. She blew me another kiss and that scent of a flower garden made my head spin but it lessened my urge to cry. "You did good. You're so brave and you did everything you could, sweetpea, never doubt that for a moment." I wiped at my eyes and nodded slowly. I had done what I could to make sure Maeve was safe. It might have gotten me punished but Maeve was alive and that was what mattered most.

"She's right, you know that, trouble." Duffy rubbed my back, a soothing gesture that had my breath stuttering in my chest slightly.

"What happened when you got back to the pack." The hunter asked it gently, patting the table to get my attention.

I leaned away from him slightly, swallowing hard. I didn't want to think about that day, about the brutal pain and the feeling of death creeping up on me. "The Alpha punished me for running away." The scars on my back twinged and I did my best to ignore the feeling. I didn't want to think about it.

"Fucking bullshit is what it was." Duffy muttered the words out as she rubbed my back a bit harder, the scars under her hand twinging slightly with remembered pain. I knew what she felt about what happened.

"Can you tell me how you were punished?" The officer asked it gently and I looked down at the table, tightening my grip on my hands, pulling them back and forth just to feel the tendons stretch painfully.

"I was whipped." It came out as a whisper and there was a heavy growl from the Hunter that was cut off abruptly as I looked at him with a flinch. That had been very aggressive and I leaned away from him a bit more.

"I apologize but you were what?" He looked almost feral and I blinked at him slowly.

"I was whipped." It tasted just as bitter the second time I said it. I nodded my head slightly before giving a small shrug. "It's okay if you don't believe me." People rarely believed me. Simon and Duffy did but they were different, Duffy especially. It was like she was sent by Mene to help me figure out the mess that was my life.

"I believe you, I'm just seriously concerned because you could have died." There was an aching sort of tone to his voice and I shuddered under it, remembering the feeling of that cold darkness creeping up and over me.

"I did... for a moment." I found myself staring off into nothing as I remembered that moment. "I met Mene and we made a deal." The words felt like they came from far away. "I wanted to keep my baby and she wanted to take her. So I made a deal." I had, I had begged and pleaded with her to keep my girl and now I wondered if it would have been easier to just let go completely. Mene had welcomed me in her throne room and I knew, deep down, she would have welcomed me with open arms had I crossed the threshold with death completely.

"Hey sweetpea, come back from where it is you are." The witch's voice felt so far away but I found myself listening as it pulled me back from that cold darkness.

"Hey, trouble, come out of there." Duffys voice came next and I felt like I was being pulled back away from the cold.

"Come back here. It's alrigh'. That's not a good memory t' get lost in." Each word pulled me back to the present and I found myself in my body that felt far too cold. I shook slightly, my teeth chattering. "Okay, that's good. Jus' breathe for me." Elf and Duffy rubbed my back and I breathed in and out, closing my eyes as I hugged myself and shivered.

"This is not good, Elf." The Hunter's voice was sharp and I shivered violently, trying not to let my teeth click together.

"I know that." Elf snapped it out before she bent down beside me, her hand rubbing my lower gently, back and forth, back and forth. Nearly in tune with Duffy who was rubbing my upper back the same. "Sweet pea, I can feel the scars. Can we take a look?" Her light brown eyes were so nice to look at that I found myself nodding. Duffy let her hand drop from my back as Elf stood up and I leaned forward as they lifted my shirt. I heard the officer suck in a breath and Elf gasped before my shirt was gently lowered again. "That was so brave of you, sweetpea." Her voice shook slightly and I smiled at her. She was so nice, I preferred it to people being angry with me. Granted I was sure everyone would have preferred it, it was just I was more used to the anger.

"They only hurt sometimes, when I work too hard. Duffy tries to keep them from aching but it sometimes doesn't help." I slowly blinked, my eyelids feeling heavy. "I'm tired." I felt unbearably tired, like my limbs were heavy and I wanted to curl up in the chair and sleep even as I shivered.

"I know, sweetpea. It's alright but I need t' check on a few more things." She crouched beside my chair and I looked at her, wondering what it was she needed. "First I wanna check your baby, just t' make sure she's okay." I nodded again and straightened as she pressed a hand to my stomach. I could feel a strange and uncomfortable warmth reaching through my skin and I bared my teeth. I didn't like it. I didn't like that feeling at all. She slowly pulled her hand away and the feeling disappeared. I still rubbed at my belly, wanting to rub the feeling away. "She's healthy and I can feel the connection between you, her, and Mene and it's a big one, one could claim that it could have very deadly consequences." The last word was said with a knowing sort of tone and I nodded. I couldn't let Alpha Stenton know, it would kill me and my daughter and that was a rather serious consequence.

"There is also one that is connecting t' a higher rank in the pack. Is that the trigger for this connection?" At the question I gave another nod. He couldn't find out, he couldn't know and I had a feeling she knew that and she was just making sure. "Okay. Now sweetpea, this is going t' be a very hard question. Were you, at any time, sexually assaulted or raped?"

I immediately shook my head. "No." I hadn't been. So much had happened to me but that had not been one of them and I was glad for it.

She went back to rubbing my back and the shivering slowed down a bit more. "Do you know who the father is?" The question made me wince.

"Yes." Brochan would be a good father to our daughter if we ever made it to that point but it hurt to think about. He probably hated me now. It hurt. It truly and utterly hurt. I understood why though. I did.

"Does he, by any chance, know?" Elf asked it softly and I shook my head. "Okay. Thank you, sweetpea. Now as one last thing. I would like t' look at your memories. Not because I don't believe you but so I can be a secondary witness for the Hunters, okay?" She grasped my chin, pulling it so I faced her. "Is that alrigh'?" She asked it evenly and I nodded. She was just trying to help and if she wanted to see just to make sure, I didn't mind. She gave me a soft smile. "Thank you, sweetpea." She let my chin go and then grasped my face with both hands. I started into her light brown eyes and then suddenly I was sucked backwards. The world went dark and I was spinning rapidly downwards.

Emotions and images flashed through my head so quickly I could barely comprehend it all. They were coming so fast and strong I felt like I would drown. I wanted to fight against it, to fight against that spiralling downward descent but I couldn't. There was nothing to fight against, no way to struggle against the hold it had on me. I felt like I was going to cease to be before I was shoved back and gasped for air. Hands gripped my face and I blinked rapidly, the darkness receding and I swallowed convulsively, feeling like I was going to be sick.

"Holy fuck." Elf croaked it out, her pupils blown out and her face almost grey. "Fuck, sweetpea." She breathed it out, looking up at me with almost watery eyes. "I'm so sorry, baby, you shouldn't have had t' go through all that." The sad way she said, a warm comfort that acknowledged the suffering I had endured, had my breathing suddenly stuttering in my chest before I burst into tears. I gasped for air as she wrapped me in a comforting hug and squeezed me tight. "You're so fucking brave, sweetpea. So brave. You're so strong and I hate that because you should have been safe." She whispered the words into my ear and I found myself crying harder, letting out all the hurt that I felt at the acknowledgement of the wrongs done.

She smoothed a hand down my braided hair, rocking me back and forth as she held me much like I could remember my mother did. "You never should have been treated like that and I won't ever let that happen again." She was so comforting, so warm, and it made me ache for my mum. "You and your bub will be safe, I promise you, sweetpea." There was a relief that I felt with the words as I leaned against her more. I had been so scared and uncertain, terrified me and my little female would die but she said we would be safe and I believed her. She said it with such conviction.

She held me for awhile, letting me cry it out and I adored her for that. Duffy had been angry for me, raging against the world when I told her what happened but no one had ever just held me and let me cry and sob out the hurts that I had to endure. No one had ever acknowledged them in a way that cracked me down the middle. I finally let out a shuddering breath, the tears tapering off.

She slowly let me go, leaning back before wiping at my cheeks with her hand. "It's alright, sweetpea. I'll make sure of it." She gave me a look and I nodded. If she said it would be alright, I believed her. She let out a small sigh. "Now I'm gunna pull the spell back alright. You're gunna feel tired and probably a bit panicky but know that Officer Bently and I would never hurt you and that we are here t' keep you safe so no one else can hurt you." At her words I nodded and then there was a strange pulling sensation that came from the base of my skull and suddenly a full blown awareness of what I had said, the implications of that and how badly I had messed up.

I went into a full blown panic attack and I couldn't breathe as I curled around my belly and struggled to inhale. "They are gunna hurt me!" It came out in panicked stutters are tears filled my eyes once again. They were gunna hurt me again, punish me. I shouldn't have said anything! The Alpha would kill me for it, he would give me to Delta Regan, I wasn't supposed to tell! The panic was nearly all consuming.

"No one will hurt you." Duffy's voice was gruff as she rubbed my back and I gasped, turning to her, seeking out her comfort.

"It's alrigh', sweetpea. No one's gunna hurt you while I'm here and even after that." Elf rubbed my back but all I could think about was that I was going to be handed to the Delta, that he was finally going to get a hold of me and if the Alpha didn't find out about my pregnancy, then the Delta was sure to kill me before Mene got a chance to take me home.

I wasn't going to survive this.

I wasn't.