A Game of Cat & Mouse (18 page)

“While that’s great and all, I’m still a mouse, and Brenna is a cougar.”

Zackary nodded. “Yep. Everyone in the pride is a cougar… well, except for you.

What does that have to do with anything?”

Miranda took a deep breath. “Zackary, in three days, I will go head-to-head with a freaking cougar! I’m going to lose.”

“Not necessarily. Haven’t you ever heard of the tortoise and the hare? Tom and Jerry? David and Goliath? The coyote and the roadrunner?”

Miranda could only stare at Zackary as he named off an array of fictional

characters from stories and cartoons. He couldn’t be serious, could he?

Miranda winced when Caleb’s booming voice echoed through the room.

“You’re comparing Miranda’s upcoming fight with Brenna to cartoons and children’s stories. Are you absolutely insane?”

Zackary held his hands up in an “I

surrender” gesture. “Look, what I’m saying is that sometimes the weak – no offense, Miranda – can overpower the mighty.

Does she have a chance to beat Brenna?

Sure, she does. She just can’t do so with brute strength. I’ll tell you this, if you really want to get to know your target, I’m talking down and dirty details, then call Kelsi Peters. She knows just about everything. Everyone always assumes that Mrs. Rogers knows everything, but Kelsi puts the CIA to shame. Don’t give up, Miranda. You’ve got lots of people rooting for you. Besides, no one really likes Brenna. She’s ill-tempered and behaves badly.”

“And I’m just now hearing about this?”

Caleb growled in exasperation, and

Zackary just shrugged.

“Nobody wanted to bother you with

someone’s unlikeable personality. We all mostly ignored her. Guess we shouldn’t have, though. I don’t think anyone expected her anti-social personality to escalate to this. Everyone always believed she acted this way because of her mother.

No one could really stand her enough to get to know her.”

“I have to know what’s going on in my pride, Zackary,” Caleb growled.

“Look, Caleb, we’ve been worried about you. It was as if you went from a carefree and friendly dude to a depressed man with no real direction. You’ve done a complete one-eighty in the past week. There’s a lot of stuff the pride just dealt with to keep from pushing you over the edge. We didn’t want to lose our alpha.”

Miranda looked into Zackary’s hazel eyes in shock. She’d never heard the male use Caleb’s name. He always referred to Caleb as alpha.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard you call him by his name. You usually call him alpha.”

Zachary paled. “I-I didn’t...I mea-“

“I’m sure Caleb doesn’t mind being

called Caleb, Zackary. It is his name.”

Miranda said.

Caleb nodded his agreement, and she hugged him tighter. Zackary seemed to calm, and his easy demeanor slipped back into place.

Now that she was safe in Caleb’s arms, Miranda felt she could conquer anything, and there was no time like the present to make that a reality.

“So, you were saying I could beat her in this fight. How?”

***

An unfamiliar laugh brought Aspen back from unconsciousness, but her mind

remained too sluggish to assimilate her current situation. She sat quickly and instantly regretted the movement as her head swam.

“Not so fast,” came the whisper beside her. Aspen looked up into a female’s hazel eyes and fought to remember the woman’s name. Settling back on the couch she rested on, the sounds of conversation floated around her.

“I can’t believe you’re watching this,”

Caleb’s rich baritone voice said.

“Oh, you’re just mad because the mouse is totally kicking some kitty butt!” Miranda said.

Aspen opened her eyes, grateful that the room didn’t spin, and looked over at Caleb holding Miranda in his lap. A familiar childhood cartoon played on the television.

“How do you think this will help you to win against Brenna?” Caleb sounded worried, and everything rushed back to Aspen. Her hands found her lower

abdomen, and she cupped it protectively.

She couldn’t believe it.

“It’s hard to imagine becoming a mom,”

the whispered voice said to her. Aspen looked over at the female with strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes, and she finally realized whom it was.

“Essence?” The female smiled and

nodded. She looked briefly over at the alpha couple wistfully before turning back to Aspen.

“It’s overwhelming at first but don’t worry. When he or she is born, there will be nothing more important.”

She petted the little spotted kitten purring peacefully in her lap. Aspen swallowed and fought to keep the tears at bay. She should’ve known that something wasn’t right. Now the emotional

rollercoaster, the fatigue, nausea, and vomiting all made sense. She was

pregnant. Aspen stood slowly and stared at the IV in her arm.

“Aspen!” Miranda’s squeal brought

attention to the headache pounding in Aspen’s temples. She winced in pain, and Miranda covered her mouth. “Sorry, I was worried about you. I’m sorry about earlier. I thought you knew.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad you told me. I thought it was just the… um, thanks.”

She bit her lip and chastised herself for almost telling her secret shame. If her own mate did not want her, what would her friends think? Though she’d only known some of these people for a brief amount of time or had just recently rekindled her past relationships with them, Aspen was extremely grateful for their presence. Aspen fiddled with the IV, attempting to take it out, but a hand clasped over hers.

“Not so fast,” came the masculine voice.

“You need this fluid so just sit back down, and when it is through, I’ll take the IV

out.”

Aspen looked into Saul’s green eyes and relaxed at the familiar face. He was older than she was, but she remembered him.

He smiled and guided her back to the couch. Aspen sighed and allowed her head to rest on the arm of the couch.

“Why are you watching cartoons?”

“Zackary’s silly notion. He thought it would be a great way for Miranda to train for her upcoming fight against Brenna,”

Caleb said.

Aspen smiled at the gruff tone in Caleb’s voice. He loved his mate and was worried about her welfare. A feeling of sadness washed over her as she longed for the same thing with her mate. She beat that feeling back down to deal with the issue at hand.

Aspen didn’t know Brenna, having just met her today. She could honestly say she didn’t like the girl though. She’d seen the look in Brenna’s eyes. She’d seen greed and hatred there but no concern for the overall wellbeing of the pride. Whatever that bitch had planned wasn’t good.

“So how is the cartoon supposed to

help?”

Miranda looked at Caleb and waited for him to turn his attention back to Aspen before she shrugged. Miranda had no clue either. Zackary came into the living room and handed Aspen a plate and a glass.

“What’s this?”

“Food,” he said simply before turning to the cartoon. Aspen looked over at

Essence, who smiled fondly at her brother.

“He brought you a sandwich and a glass of milk. He always fixed that for me when I was pregnant with Gunner.”

The little kitten on her lap stretched and jumped down before making his way to Miranda. Gunner rubbed against her legs, gaining Miranda’s attention. Miranda laughed before bending and picking the kitten up in her arms. Gunner purred in Miranda’s hold, and she smiled.

“I can’t wait to see you holding our own kitten,” Caleb said as he watched Miranda with the small kitten. Miranda’s fair cheeks filled with color at his intent stare, and Aspen struggled to keep her emotions under control. She picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Peanut butter and jelly?

Essence laughed, and the worry that seemed to cloud her features since Aspen had met her faded, returning her to what she was – a young female.

“It was my favorite,” Essence said.

Aspen swallowed the bite and placed the sandwich back down. She didn’t like jelly.

The jelled confection didn’t please her palate; there was something about the texture that made her want to puke. She placed the peanut butter and jelly

sandwich on the end table beside her and drank the milk. It was cool and slid down her throat in a soothing manner. She tasted a hint of something in there that had her smacking her lips together.

“It’s the vanilla and honey,” Essence said. “Your brother is very sweet,” Aspen commented, confused by the sad look that crossed Essence’s face. Deciding not to delve, considering her own luck and current position, she turned back to Miranda and Caleb. “What is the plan?”

Having someone else’s problems to deal with would help her to forget her own predicament – at least she hoped so.

Miranda worried her bottom lip as she sat in the chair with Gunner. Caleb’s eyes glowed in the dim lighting of his living room, and Aspen knew he barely

maintained control over his feline side.

Someone had threatened his mate, and his cougar was itching to dispose of such a threat. Only this time he couldn’t, and Aspen was sure that made this even worse for him.

“We don’t really have one yet,” Caleb said.

“I thought we were taking notes from this,” Zackary said, pointing at the cartoon.

“You can’t be serious!” Aspen couldn’t help the tone of incredulity that saturated every word. Zackary looked taken aback.

He was serious. “How is watching this cartoon going to help?”

“Well, can you think of something better for her to see before she practices against some real life cougars? I mean the little mouse on there has some serious skills at tricking the big kitty. Come on, at least give it a try.”

Aspen sat back and let her head rest on the back of the couch. Zackary was right.

What did they have to lose?

Aspen opened her eyes and watched

Miranda place Gunner on the floor, the kitten emitting a distressed chirping sound, and walk to her mate. She hugged the tense Caleb around the waist, and he enveloped her in his arms.

“I don’t want to lose you. I won’t survive it,” Caleb said, kissing her forehead.

Aspen sighed as she envisioned her own mate doing the same but ruthlessly pushed the image away. She discreetly wiped a tear from her eye and made an excuse about using the restroom. She tugged the IV pole with her.

Aspen collapsed on the toilet and held her hand over her mouth to silence her sobs. She jumped at the knock on the door. It opened before she could compose herself, and she found concerned hazel eyes regarding her.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Essence’s voice was quiet, her eyes full of understanding. Did she want to talk about it? She wasn’t sure she was ready to face it yet.

“I see. I’ll be here when you need me. I promise, though, that when the baby is here, nothing else will matter but that little one’s safety.”

Shadows passed across Essence’s face as if she remembered her past, and it wasn’t something pleasant. Essence squeezed the IV bag then looked at her.

“You need to compose yourself. The bag is almost empty, and Saul will need to change it.”

Aspen nodded at Essence and splashed cool water on her face. She had to be strong. In a matter of months, she would be responsible for not only herself but also for her child – mate or no mate.

Aspen rejoined everyone in the living room and was startled to find little Gunner chasing Miranda in mouse form.

“Gunner, the object is to catch her, but not to hurt her. Don’t hurt Miranda, okay?” Gunner meowed and nodded at his mother before readying for a pounce.

Saul startled Aspen when he grasped her arm. “It’s okay. I’m going to take your IV

out. Are you still nauseated? If so, I can probably ask Teresa if we can give you something for it.” Aspen shook her head.

The nausea had passed leaving an

overwhelming sense of loss in its place.

“No, I’m fine.”

Saul opened his mouth, but then shook his head. Aspen knew it was stupid to hold on to the lie that everything was just peachy, but the healthy thing seemed too hard to do.

Saul pulled out a bottle of pills and a card handing them to her. “All right.

Teresa wants you to take these daily and to make an appointment with an OB/GYN.

If you have any questions, then you know where to find us. Oh, and she

recommends this OB/GYN because she’s a shifter also. I hope you feel better, Aspen.”

“Thanks, Saul. Please tell Teresa that I appreciate this.”

Saul smiled and said his farewells to Caleb and Miranda before leaving. Aspen felt better physically. Now if only there were a bag of fluids to heal her broken heart and soul.

Miranda groaned as she fell face first onto the bed. Every muscle screamed in protest from her practice drills with various members of the pride. Day one down and two more to go, she thought miserably.

Somehow, Zackary had worked his magic and negotiated another day, giving

Miranda three full days of practice before she had to face Brenna.

The challenge would be held on Sunday, and if she survived, she began teaching the next day. Miranda wasn’t actually sure which part scared her more, the fight or teaching.

Meanwhile, Caleb was working her

hard. She understood his dilemma. Torn between protecting her and being the alpha, he struggled with allowing this challenge to happen. However, laws were laws. Aspen was convinced that Brenna was up to something. That might have been the case, but there was no evidence supporting that fact. Whatever Brenna’s endgame, the fact remained that Miranda would be forced to fight her.

Hands removed her shoes and socks

before they massaged her insteps one foot at a time. Miranda groaned at the mix of pain and pleasure as the strong hands coaxed her tired muscles into relaxing.

She was turned gently to her back, and her mate’s golden brown gaze took her breath away.

“Come on and we’ll take a quick

shower.”

Caleb turned, and she stared at his already naked body retreating, giving her the perfect glimpse of his muscular buttocks. Miranda licked her dry lips and attempted to sit up, the idea of showering with Caleb too tempting to resist. She groaned and lay back on the bed at the protesting of her muscles. Just a little rest then she would join her mate.