Flicker (mxm)

Chapter 11

Eden

Fawn closes his eyes tightly. His breathing is heavy and uneven from crying. He leans his head back against the wall looking defeated. Axel's fingers twitch at his sides. I can tell that he wants to go comfort his mate. When I told them that Zaryn's father had taken me here because I was his son's mate, Fawn had started to cry harder. He had understood completely because he was taken away because of who he was mated to. He was tortured because of who he loved. He knew what it was like to be separated from a mate. Even though they were in the same room, they were just out of reach. They can't even get close to each other without hurting themselves from the chains.

Now Fawn is very quiet. His eyes, puffy and red.
"Can I ask you something?"

"Our pup didn't make it," Fawn says dejectedly. "If that's what you were going to ask." I nod softly.

"I am sorry," I whisper. Fawn shrugs, a gentle roll of his shoulders. He stretches out his thin legs in front of him.

"When Chuck found out that Axel was my mate and that I was pregnant... he... he beat me so hard that the pup died in my tummy. Our pup was already so sweet. Had us wrapped 'round his tiny finger. I could feel him kick and push up against my tummy. When I first saw his tiny face at an ultrasound I was so in love with him. We were going to name him Elijah. But I know that my baby boy is with the Moon Goddess now. He is safe from this cruel world. Then after he murdered my pup, Chuck brought us here. Kept us chained up for years. Speaking of...How many years has it been?"

"You are forty. And Axel, you are forty-one." I answer after doing the math in my head. Axel lets out a breath, looking stunned. Axel looks young still, not at all looking a day over twenty-six.
Fawn, who looks to be only about in his early twenties, freezes in his spot.

"We've been wasting away down here!" Fawn cries out. "All this time we could have escaped found somewhere peaceful to live where people would accept us, and tried for more babies. Tried for the family that I always wanted. That I still want. I crave it! But we will most likely die down here!" Fawn begins to wail again. Axel crawls across the room, stretching as far as the chain will let him. Fawn sees this and does the same. They pull and stretch out and finally manage to brush their fingers together. Even that small contact makes Fawn calm. His cries turning into light sniffles. Axel finally manages to grasp Fawn's hand. They lay there on the cold hard floor for a while. Finding comfort from just the others touch. Oh, how I wish I was with Zaryn.

The wall across the room directly in front of me begins to rattle. Fawn and Axel lurch away from each other. Scrambling back to their places on the floor. Part of the wall comes off to reveal an entryway. Alpha Chuck walks into the room, eyes landing on me.

"Look who's awake." He sneers. I whimper, trying to make myself as small as possible. Chuck makes his way over to me, a silver weapon dragging behind him as he walks across the room to me. Chuck comes to an abrupt stop and sniffs at the air. His eyes go to my lower half and widen in shock. His face blanches of color. He then makes his way out of the room quickly, the wall sliding shut behind him with a rattle.

"What the hell was that about?" Axel murmurs. "He's never looked that terrified before. What do you think is wrong? Do you think that he's finally come to his senses yet? That what he is doing to us is wrong?"

"He can probably sense that Eden's pup is a future Alpha," Fawn says, wiping away the stray tears on his cheeks. "It is forbidden for an Alpha to kill an unborn pup that is destined to lead another pack one day. Even if it's an enemy. Our wolves won't allow it. But when the pup is born, sadly there is no force stopping people from killing it. I can tell that Eden's pup is an Alpha because only omegas and Alphas can sense an unborn pup and its ranking. And since you are only about one month pregnant with an Alpha- when the pregnancy lasts only three months- one month is like being pregnant for three in a regular term pregnancy." Fawn says softly.

"What?!" I look down at my tummy to notice that it is rounder than normal. How could I have not sensed this? Zaryn and I haven't even completed our mating yet. My face pales. This could only mean one other thing. My eyes well up with tears.

"No," I whimper. "No no no." I begin to cry. Fawn looks at me a little knowingly. All I can do is curl up and cry. Praying that Zaryn would find me and take me home. I need to see Church and Noah. They are the only people that can truly bring me at least a little bit of comfort in this mess.

I feel the walls closing in around me as my world spins. Black dots cloud my vision and suddenly I am hot. Sweat pours down my face. I need water. I need it. I slump down onto the floor pressing my cheek against the cold concrete. A small puddle forms beneath my face from the sweat and tears rolling off of me.

I feel my pup in distress. A newfound connection forming between us. I press my hand against my tummy and concentrate. Then I smell my scent. The slight change to it. My vision momentarily goes black.

Then...

I see a small fetus. A pup. My pup. I can tell because of the strong connection I feel towards it.

I concentrate even harder, searching for its gender. Then I see. A boy. My little boy. He's so beautiful. So tiny.

I see its head and his small curled toes. He looks very comfortable in there. As I look at my little pup I can't help but wonder who the father is. I guess it would not matter because all of the men who had ever come to touch us were dead now.

Upon seeing my pup I already feel so much love towards him. All I want to do is be able to see him and hold him in my arms. But it pains me knowing that the pup that is growing inside of me has no chance of being related to Zaryn.

How hadn't I noticed this before? How had I not noticed that there was a pup growing inside of me? That there was a life occupying my tummy? That a small being had made its way up into me and made an apartment out of my body?

I see my pup move, his tiny hand curling gently inwards. I try to reach out to him. Wanting... no. Needing to be near him. An explosion of white light goes off behind my eyelids and suddenly I am back in the concrete room. Sweat and tears running a steady flow on my body.

"Eden stay awake! Please. Just breathe, you're gonna get through this! Just don't. Fall. Asleep." I hear Axel say to me.

I groan softly, pressing a hand to my tummy. I push all of my love and comfort over the small bond I feel forming with my pup. My tummy flutters and I begin to feel calmer. Only a small bit.
The room still spins and I am sweltering. But at least my pup feels at peace now.

I rub my tummy as I fight to keep my eyes from closing. I take deep soothing breaths. My lungs expand taking in large amounts of air.

"That's it, Eden. Deep breaths. Breathe. There you go. You're doing it!" Fawn whispers encouragingly.

The room stops spinning and I get to the point where I can sit up. I slump against the wall, rubbing my tummy. I feel my pup kick gently against my palm. I smile and rub at his little foot. I feel another soft push on another spot on my tummy. A very small handprint appears. I press my finger against his palm. The hand disappears. I giggle at my silly boy.

I already love you so much my silly little pup.

Maybe I'd been so overwhelmed with being rescued and finding a mate that I never even thought to look for signs of pregnancy. I don't like to look at my body so I wouldn't have seen the bump either. But I would have thought that someone else would notice. It could also be that Zaryn had only known my current scent so he would not have noticed the change in one's scent caused by pregnancy.

"I... I saw my pup." I whimper. Fawn gasps.

"I remember having that happen to me. It was one of the best feelings in my life. It was like I was being connected with my pup. Do you know what you are having?" Fawn asks.

"A little boy." I murmur. Smiling as I stroke my tummy. "I don't think I realized how much I wanted a pup until now. It's just like something clicked inside of my head. And then all I wanted was for my pup to be here with me. That I wanted to take care of him. To cradle him close and love and protect him."

Fawn and Axel smile. Both teary-eyed. They must be remembering their pup.
A small orb of light then floats to the middle of the room. We all gasp and scoot backward. The orb of light expands until...