Page 9 of Betrayed Knocked-Up Mate

Asher moves beside me, a subtle shifting that speaks volumes—he knows there's more to my reaction than I'm saying.

"Marcus," he says carefully, using the tone that means he's about to disagree with me as both friend and second-in-command. "We need those cover identities. Kane's people nearly caught us in Idaho because our documentation wasn't good enough."

"We'll figure something else out,” I insist. “We don’t want to involve unnecessary outsiders.”

I can feel Aris watching me, his expression too knowing. He says nothing, but I can tell he’s trying to put the pieces together. Perhaps already doing it.

"With all due respect," Elena cuts in, her fingers stilling on her keyboard, "we might not have time to figure something else out." Something in her voice cracks, just slightly. "In case you haven't noticed, my sister’s probably never going to shift again because of what Kane did. Because we didn’t figure it out last time.”

The words hit like physical blows. I feel them rattle through me, a destabilizing force.

James drops his hand onto her shoulder. The gesture looks casual, but I catch the way his fingers tremble slightly. He still blames himself for not being able to prevent what happened to Fiona, even though we all know the serum's effects were beyond his medical expertise.

"Elena's right," James says quietly. "We need every advantage we can get. Please, Marcus. Let’s at least do this. For them if not for us.” He gestures to the doorway—to Aris, Bigby, Byron, representing their own families, their own pack.

My wolf snarls at the mere thought of speaking her name again and involving her in anything to do with Kane.

The memory of that phone call all that time ago rises like bile in my throat: Kane's voice, smooth as poison, describing exactly what he'd do to my mate. What he’d do to get his hands on her, to tear her apart, to hear herscream—

"I said no." Alpha authority creeps into my voice without conscious intent. "It's not up for discussion."

"Actually," Aris interjects mildly, "it is."

He leans against the wall, every line of his body deliberately casual. But his eyes are sharp as he studies me.

"This is my territory, Marcus. My pack. And while you're here, that includes you and your team. If I think Camila's skills could help keep everyone safe, including my people, that's my call to make."

"You don't understand what you're risking," I start, but he cuts me off.

"Don't I?" His voice hardens slightly. "You think you're the only one who's lost people to fanatics? The only one who's had to make impossible choices to protect the ones you love?" He glances at Bigby, something passing between them that speaks of shared history. "This isn't just about your team anymore. Kane's ideology is spreading. If he's really developed a way to permanently suppress shifter abilities, every pack is at risk. Including mine. And that risk is doubled because you’re all here, and you know it. The least you owe us is a good shot at holding them off from Rosecreek, from coming here and hurting our people.Mypeople, Marcus."

The logic is irrefutable. I know this. Just like I know that, Camila's skills are exactly what we need right now.

But all I can think about is the way my parents looked when Kane finished "making his point" about shifter-human cooperation. All I can see is Camila's face twisted in that same kind of agony, her light extinguished because I was selfish enough to let her near my darkness.

I can’t let that happen to her.

But with us being here, it might just happen anyway.

The silence in the room is heavy with understanding. They all know what Kane did to my parents. What he's capable of.

"Marcus." Asher's voice is gentle but firm. "We've been running for weeks. Elena's sister and Michael may never shift again. James is still healing. We're running out of options, and you know it."

I close my eyes, seeing again the devastation in our compound. The terror in Fiona's face when she couldn't shift. The way James's hands shook as he tried to treat the wounded, even as he himself bled, one hand clutching his side as red dribbled between his fingers. All of it my fault, because I wasn't careful enough, wasn't fast enough, wasn't—

"She has to know exactly what she's getting into," I say finally, each word feeling like it's being torn from my throat. "The risks. What happens if he catches us, catches her.”

"Of course," Aris agrees immediately. "Full disclosure. Her choice to make. She’s not the core team. We’ll protect her like a civilian."

I turn back to face them, my decision settling like lead in my gut. "Alright. Fine. If you’re sure she’ll be… safe.”

"Done," Bigby says. "She'll be as safe as any of us."

The irony of that statement isn't lost on me. None of us are truly safe anymore. Not while Kane is out there, spreading his poison, turning shifter against shifter.

None of them ask what’s going on. I suspect a few—Aris and Asher especially—know me well enough to hazard a guess.

I say nothing, retreating to my room. I feel completely and utterly hollow.

---