Page 48 of Raven

"Did she tell you she was about to die or something?" Lachlan asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

"What?"

"The girlfriend. Not that I'm craving male bonding or anything, but you've been pretty shit company. You've been off in Timbuktu. Something you need to share? Can I help in any way?"

"No." I ran my hands through my hair, wincing as I caught a knot. I couldn't even say the word 'pregnant' out loud, let alone share it with Lachlan. It wasn't that I didn't want the baby, but Christ, I was just seventeen. I shook my head again. "I'm sorry. I'm focused."

I pushed my panther back mentally. He was the main problem, wanting to take control. He didn't care that I had to live in the real world; he was going full predatory cat mode, and the battle raged inside my head and body.

Using my ability, I forced him down. I was going to have to pretty much put him to sleep if I wanted to focus on Malcolm’s task. I echoed the command inside my own mind as I pulled onthe waders, shaking my head to clear it. I gripped the pole, ready for action. "Okay."

Lachlan studied me for a second, a whirlwind of emotions crossing his face, but he said nothing. "Alright, let's do this."

We headed towards what passed for a jetty—a crumbling concrete path leading into the inky water. I took tentative steps, praying the bottom wouldn't suddenly drop off. The last thing I needed was a late-night plunge into the frigid depths.

The water was as dark as pitch, with no lights around to pierce the gloom. This isolated spot had been chosen for a reason. Lachlan peered out into the night and said, "I know it's over in that direction."

He meant east. We both squinted, staring into the vast nothingness. It didn't take long before three blinking lights came into view. Either that, or I'd stared so long my mind was conjuring images just for a break in the darkness.

The slow purr of an engine finally reached my ears. No, it was them, and they were using nothing bigger than one of those boats families rent at boating lakes. How the hell did they get that across without it sinking? Though, I don't think the river was that wide here. Maybe they came in a larger boat and then swapped. It didn't really matter. The fact was, they were there, and they'd made it okay.

"Get ready," Lachlan said, his voice taut with anticipation.

The tide was in, water lapping at the jetty. Lachlan stepped down until the water brushed his mid-shin. I moved beside him, my heart pounding. As the boat drew closer, we both used our hooks to snag its front.

"Hold tight," Lachlan called to the figure huddled in the back with a small child curled against them.

The helmsman cut the engine, and the flowing tide tried to pull the boat back into the water. My foot slipped on some slimymoss, but I gripped tight, refusing to let go, fighting to keep my balance.

"Hold it still," I ordered Lachlan, my voice tense.

I fished the money out of my pocket—the payment Malcolm had given me for the boatman. With a quick flick of my wrist, I tossed the wadded bills to him. He caught them deftly, giving a curt nod of acknowledgment.

"Hurry up and get them off," the boatman growled, his eyes darting nervously towards the horizon. "I want to get back before it starts to get light."

“Sure.” We just had to get the woman and her child off.

Only, it wasn't a woman. It was a girl. My jaw dropped as I took in her appearance. She couldn't be more than—she was definitely not older than me. Fourteen or fifteen at most. She clutched a young boy to her chest, no more than three years old. Of course, ages could be deceiving, especially for us shifters. We always looked younger than we were. Maybe she was older than I thought. To some, I probably only looked about fourteen too.

It wasn't our place to judge.

"Hi," I said softly, slipping into the calm demeanour I needed. My panther settled, knowing what we had to do. I offered my hand, while Lachlan held the boat steady. I eased out the threads of my ability, not to detect, but to calm her. I could only imagine what it must have been like for her—three strangers in an unknown place, after coming from somewhere where trust was a luxury she couldn't afford. "We're here to pick you up. Toaster," I added, using the code word.

That eased her tension. I felt her anguish recede slightly. "Christmas," she replied, completing the exchange of unrelated keywords we had to give. I only knew what she had to say to me, and she only knew what she needed to hear back. It was safety for both sides.

"We're going to take you to someplace safe," I assured her.

She nodded, pressing the child closer. "He's asleep."

I could see that. His long legs dangled past her knees, his head resting on her chest. His rosy cheeks seemed flushed.

"Do you want me to take him so you can get down?" I offered.

She hesitated, holding him tighter. "It's alright."

I understood her reluctance. Instead of pushing, I stepped deeper into the water, praying I wouldn't find that sudden drop-off and trying not to let the water breach my waders. I reached up, not for the boy, but for both of them. "You stand, I'll help you down."

When she moved, the boat rocked dangerously, and she nearly lost her balance.

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