Page 5 of Betrayed Knocked-Up Mate

The irony would be funny if it wasn't so twisted. If I couldn't still smell Camila's scent on the breeze, a constant reminder of everything I've sacrificed trying to prevent Kane from hurting the people I love.

"You chose Rosecreek for a reason," Aris says. It's not a question.

"Your pack is strong. Well-defended. You've dealt with supernatural threats before and have connections throughout the shifter world." I meet his eyes steadily. "And I trust you. Trust is in short supply these days."

What I don't say:I never expected to find Camila here. Never thought I'd have to face the consequences of my choices so directly. Never imagined the past I've been running from would collide so spectacularly with the present I'm trying to protect.

"How long do you need?"

"A few weeks. Maybe a month. Just long enough to regroup, to figure out our next move. To give James time to reconstruct his research on the serum. We don’t want to stay long enough to lead him here."

Aris is quiet for a long moment, considering. I’m sure he’s reaching out through the pack bonds, probably consulting with his famed black ops team. His expression gives nothing away, but there's something in his scent that speaks of a decision already made.

"You'll have whatever time you need," he says finally. "Rosecreek protects its own. And you've been one of ours since California, you know that, Marcus.”

Relief sweeps through my team—I feel it in the subtle relaxation of their postures, smell it in the easing of their anxiety. We've been running so long, looking over our shoulders at every turn. The promise of safety, even temporary, is almost overwhelming.

But underneath that relief, my wolf paces restlessly. Because Camila is here, and everything I've done to keep her safe, every wall I've built between us, every lie I've told myself about moving on—it all feels paper-thin in the face of her proximity. I’ve brought trouble right back to her doorstep all over again.

Keep her safe,I remind myself.Keep them all safe. It’s all that matters.

The briefing continues, but part of me—the part that's been howling since I caught her scent—is already tracking her movements through the pack bonds. Making sure she stays far from the conference room. Far from me.

Far from the war I never wanted to drag her into.

Chapter 3 - Camila

"Pass me that box of gauze?" Veronica's voice echoes slightly in the clinic's storage room, bouncing off metal shelving and sealed containers. "The one that hasn’t been opened yet."

I scan the shelves, grateful for the task's simple focus. It's been hours since Rafael rushed off to that emergency meeting, and Rosecreek has been humming with barely contained energy ever since. My wolf paces restlessly beneath my skin, picking up on the collective tension. "The one marked with the red stripe?"

"That's the one." Veronica accepts the box, marking it on her meticulous inventory list. Her fingers move with surgical precision even in this mundane task, a reminder that she's as much a doctor as a vampire-shifter hybrid. "They're going to need a lot of medical supplies, from what I hear."

"They?" I sort through a basket of antibiotics, checking expiration dates. The familiar motions remind me of organizing camera equipment—everything in its place, ready for whatever comes next. "The new team?"

"Mm." Veronica's tone is carefully neutral, but something in her scent speaks of concern. "Bigby says they had to abandon their territory after some kind of attack. Lost most of their supplies in the process. Apparently, some are still dealing with injuries.”

My hands are still on a bottle of antiseptic. Territory abandonment is serious in the supernatural world—like leaving part of your soul behind. "What kind of attack makes an entire team abandon their territory?"

"The kind that leaves two of them unable to shift, apparently."

The antiseptic bottle slips from my suddenly numb fingers.

Veronica catches it with preternatural speed, her expression softening. "Sorry. I forget sometimes that you're still learning about our world. It’s… you’ve been traveling for a long time. Things in the shifter world are… worse than you might imagine. People are always hurting each other these days. Half our pack comes from less-than-kind backgrounds.”

"Like the ones who attacked Rafael?" The memory of that phone call still haunts me—Maia's voice cracking as she told me my brother was hurt, maybe dying.

"Similarly violent ideology, different group." She shelves the antiseptic with precise movements. "Though from what Percy's picked up, these ones are more organized than the Smoke were. More dangerous. The Smoke were… they were a group of dealers, criminals, mercenaries. But they were decentralized. This group is apparently more like a militia. They’re… yeah. Dangerous."

A chill runs down my spine despite the storage room's warmth. In three months of living among supernatural beings, I've learned that "dangerous" is a relative term. For Veronica—who survived unimaginable violence and married a lethal fighter—to use that word...

"How many of them are there?" I ask, trying to keep my voice casual as I hand her another box of supplies. "The team seeking sanctuary?"

"Four, I think. Their medic was injured in the attack—that's why they need so many supplies. And they’re still on the run from…" She hesitates, something flickering across her face too quickly to read. "Well, from whoever can apparently take away people’s ability to shift, somehow.God,it’s terrifying."

My wolf whines softly, responding to the horror in Veronica's voice. To lose your shift, to have that part of yourself stripped away... I can't imagine living without that other half of my soul.

"But hey," Veronica says brightly, clearly trying to lighten the mood, "at least they made it somewhere safe. Rosecreek's good at protecting its own. Aris will make sure they have everything they need."

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