Mag-log inHarley~ Jane smiles and clicks the button again. "Your baby; there he or she is right there." She points to the Bi-lobed blob. My grip on Nick's hand caused blood to flood my IV line. "Is it ok?" I take my eyes off the monitor to glance at Nick and see that he's glued to the tiny image as well. "Hum?" Jane focused on the screen, furrowing her brow. "Well, the fetus is still intact, that's for sure." Her eyes widened at me as she got to her feet for better leverage. "I am going to poke the bear a little." With her belly pressed against my side, she pushes down on the top of my stomach while moving the camera towards the embryo, but it dodges her. My eyes grow wide as I look between the doctor and the screen. "Did it move away?" "It did indeed; he or she is a clever little bean." She repositions and tries again to get close, then lets go of the transducer probe; it falls out of me and clatters against the tile. She pulled back her hand with a shake, but recovered. "Are you ok, D
Harley~ When Kyle announces his intention to leave, it feels like he flipped the switch on an electric current running through my skin. The hum running through me has me fidgeting with a loose string on my hospital gown. 'Breath in, breathe out.' Easier said than done, while my lungs are burning as if filled with helium. Nick focuses his attention on me and rubs my hand between his. He'd left me with no choice but to meet his eyes. My insides feel like wobbly Jell-O with the intensity looking back at me. There's a feral flea circus gone mad in my head as I try to speak. That's when I lost the battle. Nick leaned forward. "Please don't cry, Amante. It's going to be ok." "You don't understand, Nick. I lost Rae. Even if the baby has survived, it won't be able to for much longer. Our pup doesn't stand a chance without her." "Calm down, Harley; it isn't good for either of you, and I know you lost Rae." My hands go still in his, and my heart pounds as I stare at him, mouth agap
Kyle~ My sister looks like she's been through hell and back. Not a patch of skin can I see that isn't either bruised or bandaged. If Steve weren't already dead, he would be by now. There's no doubt, I stand behind Nick one hundred percent on that. Harley doesn't deserve any of this. From day one, her only crime was being born as she was. Who among us can change what the creator makes us to be?! Even worse, her own father had caused her suffering. If Ian hadn't been the devil himself, Harley wouldn't even be here in the human world; she should be at home in her pack, where she would be protected and respected as the Lycan Alpha female that she is. My heart breaks for my sister. I blink back tears and take her hand into mine. Back then, I did all I could to protect her from him, but hell, I was just a kid myself. My phone starts to ring, and I use my other hand to take it from my pocket. It's Nick. "What's going on with ya, jailbird?" "Very fucking funny, Kyle! Is Harley aw
Nick~ My wolf growls, and my hands scrub over my face as I scan the documents. I see the phrases, factors determining the charge, reasonableness of force, intent, and malice, and my personal favorite, voluntary manslaughter. "Have you seen Kyle?" "Yes, he told me to tell you he is with Harley." My heart hammered in my chest, and I rose from my chair and walked further across the table. "How is she?" "She is conscious, alert, and stable right now. You need to focus on your situation, Nick. There are going to be some tough questions thrown your way, and you need to have some suitable answers." "Captain Howard has already been here. He tells me they are still searching for Steve, and I am confident they will find him. Case solved!" Seth shook his head at me and raised his hands. "I strongly suggest you have no more conversations with Capt. Howard or any other police official. Things are very different here from where you come from." "I trust Howard, and I'm seeing that." I
Nick~ 'Nick, we gotta get out of here!' 'Zeek, not even you can get us out of here.' There's nothing left to do but pace the floor, and I do for a long while. If the cops were aiming to create an atmosphere that would deter a return, they hit the mark. I'm sure as hell not coming back! The three walls surrounding me are charcoal grey center blocks in need of a paint job. The only distraction from their mind-numbing symmetry is a notice of the House Rules. 'So that's it, you're giving up, you're gonna live by their rules?' 'No, Kyle will help us, and I have murdered no one. The captain is right. Belinda will discover how Steve died.' I stopped pacing at my barred front door, which has so many coats of paint the bars can't decide what color they aspire to be. But provided the comfort of knowing you're safe. A look across the hall at the empty cell has me counting my blessings. It has two sets of bunk beds along the walls; that's four hairy asses and eight sweaty balls too
Nick~ The only positive thing about being in police custody is that the press is kept at bay as the officers get me out of the car. The door behind me closes, and I'm led into a part of the station I've never seen before. Inside, three cops surround me as they rotate the cuffs from my back to the front. I'm instructed to sit on the wall and keep my mouth shut. Once it's my turn in Central Booking, they empty my pockets at the desk. The deputy hands me a pencil to sign the form as he places my belongings into a folder and seals it. Then, I am fingerprinted and taken to yet another unknown part of the department, where Captain Howard is waiting, and he shakes his head at me. "Is this what you meant by a shitshow, Captain?" Howard takes a deep breath and shoves his hands in his pockets. "Nick, I'm going to be honest; it doesn't look good. Seeing as how there is no body, dead or alive, to back up your claim, and the DA has two eyewitnesses claiming you threatened to kill him."







