Page 44 of Rescued by the Alpha

The town doctor had given him another ultrasound a week before when Elam had hit his fifth month. The doctor had decreed he was close but thought he might make it the full six months. When Elam had groaned and protested, the doctor reminded him that it was good for the baby to have that extra time to develop more fully.

How do human women do this for nine months? Torture.

Elam placed a small strip of tape across the last box to keep the flaps closed for transport and gazed around the room. A wave of sadness washed over him, but he reminded himself they’d still be keeping it as a getaway. They’d already thrown in the towel on Elam’s vacation lease. They’d paid it off, then removed Elam’s things completely. But the cabin had been their little love nest and he was sad they wouldn’t be there fulltime anymore.

The new place, while temporary until Nic could build them a new one, was more suitable for an expanding family. In addition to a separate living area and kitchen, the extra bedroom provided the needed space for a nursery. He still didn’t like the idea of the baby sleeping in another room apart from them, so Nic had crafted a beautiful cradle they could keep beside them until the baby grew bigger.

Elam glanced down, but his enormous belly hid his sore, tired feet. He waddled over to one of the chairs—he couldn’t launch himself off the sofa without help anymore — then gently eased himself onto the seat. He propped one foot up, and sure enough, his ankle was ridiculously swollen. Nic would have a meltdown when he got there. He’d told Elam to rest and that he’d take care of everything when he returned.

Elam hoped that living in town would ease Nic in other ways. The Yukon Delta Pack had

refused to allow Nic to visit and the Alliance hadn’t been convinced enough on Dara’s word—a known betrayer—that any plot existed to challenge Nic’s father for the pack. However, he wondered if maybe things were about to be resolved anyway. His sister had radioed earlier that the council had called an emergency session that couldn’t wait the few hours it would take them to get there after they were done with everything at the cabin. Nic had shifted to get to town faster, so the truck remained half-full and waiting for his return so they could finish loading up.

Or Nic can.

He felt useless lately with Nic doing everything, which was how he’d ended up with a case of swollen feet and a good bout of exhaustion.

Elam scrolled through his texts to kill time, smiling at the last one from his mom. Even though he hadn’t been able to tell her the whole truth, she knew about Nic and the baby. Only, his parents thought they’d used Alex as a surrogate. He’d promised to bring them all for a visit when the baby was old enough.

After laying his phone down, Elam spotted the bottle of water he’d left on the kitchen counter earlier. He pondered which was of greater interest to him—retrieving the water or remaining on his ass. His ass was currently in the lead. Elam chuckled, placing a palm on his stomach where the baby had just given him a hearty kick. He winced as he or she dragged their heel from one side to the next of his massive baby bump, the clear outline of the appendage always an amazing sight. He snorted more laughter at the memory of Nic witnessing it for the first time. But for the past few weeks it had become increasingly painful when the baby pushed against his navel. His belly-button was distorted and swollen, as well as unusually tender.

A yell was torn from Elam’s throat and he almost fell off the chair as the door to the cabin burst open, the bolt lock breaking free as it splintered the wood. Elam’s jaw hung open as he gaped at the huge man looming in the doorway, the beast standing well over six feet high, his frame encased in thick muscle. At least a half dozen wolves—some grey, along with two Arctic ones that he could see

—snarled and snapped around him.

Shifters. Not actual wolves, though no less dangerous. His shifter senses had been honed over the past several months with both Nic and Asha guiding him as he grew to know and understand his wolf.

Elam’s breathing came in shallow gasps as he held his arms protectively over his stomach.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

While certain he already knew the answer, he had to stall. He could barely walk—let alone run

—and it was no longer safe to shift.

The man approached him on heavy feet and Elam shrank back. He sneered as he got right in

Elam’s face. “Guess.” His gaze drifted down to Elam’s stomach then back up again. “Huh. It’s really true. I thought that dumb piece of shit that passed for Nic’s brother was fucking with me to save his useless, pathetic life.” The man, whom he was sure was Yuri, the Alpha of the Yukon Delta Pack, straightened with a grunt. “Didn’t work.” He let out a piercing whistle. “Dorian and Red! Come get this freak of nature, let’s go!”

Oh shit. “W-what do you want from me? I don’t understand.”

Yuri glared at him. “Don’t need to.”

Elam pushed up from his chair, backing away no matter how futile it was. “But my baby! I’ll be having it soon and we’ll need medical care.”

Yuri pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dorian, Red! It’s talking to me! Get in here now!”

Two hulking men stumbled over the threshold of the cabin, one of them yanking up his zipper.

“Sorry, Alpha. Had to take a piss.”

Yuri clenched his fists and bared his teeth. “Now? You chose now when we’re in the middle of shit?” A hideous growl that Elam was sure he’d hear in his nightmares for the rest of his life echoed in the room. “Later you can give me a reason not to tear your throat out. Right now, we need to get going before his mate comes back. I want him to track his pregnant bitch when I’m ready and not a second sooner.” Yuri returned his gaze to Elam. “Have you been wearing that all day?”

Elam clutched the old hoodie that had belonged to Alex’s mate. The extra-large garment had become his go-to indoor jacket for when it got chilly. “I have.”

Yuri held out one of his meaty paws. “Then hand it over.”

Stall, stall, stall. “Can I get a sweater or something else to wear so I’m not cold?”