Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

APOLOGIES to those I confused in the comments earlier today: There was only 1, longer chapter posted yesterday. I did make a note of it at the end of the last chapter the day before, but forgot to make sure that note continued through the various privilege tiers. I apologize! I will try to do better if another day like that occurs!

*****

RETH

Reth strode out of the market balancing a platter with everything from muffins, to meat, to Elia's favorite fruit. In a pinch they could probably use this for dinner as well. He was likely going to get called out to answer for Lerrin's disappearance at some point, but he hoped that would only be a short hiccup. After all, the elders had agreed the male would be banished.

They just wouldn't be happy to know Reth had taken care of it without warning them. And Behryn was going to be pissed. Reth just prayed his brother would forgive him for landing those guards on him. He hadn't been able to think of any other order that would make them leave.

He wished he could shift to his beast and run back to Elia, but he couldn't carry the platter as his beast and didn't want to waste the food. It had only been an hour. Gahrye would still be there. His lips twisted when he thought about having to wait to hold Elia again. She hadn't liked flaunting their love in front of Gahrye even before he was mated. He knew she'd be even more protective of his heart now. He loved that about her—that she loved with her whole heart, and wanted to soothe the feelings of others.

But the petulant twelve-year-old within him didn't want to wait to hold his mate and his baby. And definitely didn't like being made to wait for the sake of another male. But he shook the ill feelings off. His being there would move Gahrye along quickly, he was sure. And he was grateful to the male for watching over her while he'd dealt with Lerrin. The rest of the day was going to be easier knowing that was done.

Smiling with the hope that, just maybe, he and Elia could risk another lovemaking before the shit hit the fan, he swung the door of the cave open and stepped inside—and his nose was immediately assaulted with the scent of blood.

"Elia?!"

There was no answer—from her, or from Gahrye. The platter clattered to the cave floor, shattering into large pieces and spilling food everywhere, but Reth just leaped over the mess towards the bedchamber.

It was only two steps—two steps so that he reached the gap in the furniture and his nose twitched, turning his head. Reth staggered to a halt with a roar.

Elia lay on the floor, pale and unmoving, a small pool of blood under her head.

"ELIA!"

Sliding to his knees at her side, he reached for her gently, hands shaking, to feel his way down her spine. "Elia? Elia, love, can you open your eyes? Please, baby… please."

He couldn't find any broken bones, no stiffened muscles, or places that wanted to bend where they shouldn't. But he was terrified to move her just in case.

Leaping to his feet and racing out into the meadow, he roared the royal alarm that would bring guards, and likely Aymora and Jayah as well, but certainly Behryn and any elders who heard it, along with anyone they thought could help. He prayed they'd think to bring messengers in case Aymora was too far away to have heard him.

Then he was back in the cave and at her side, praying, pleading with the Creator.

She was in the nightdress she'd put on for Gahrye and he checked her quickly, knowing she wouldn't want her nakedness bared to the other males when they arrived. She wasn't bleeding from anywhere else except her head that he could find.

Then as he clawed his hands into his hair and prayed for wisdom, for insight, for anything that would tell him what to do to help her, her eyelids fluttered.

"R-Rethhh?" The word was thick on her tongue and he almost sobbed in relief.

"Don't move, Elia, I don't know if you've broken anything."

"I… I haven't—argh!"

Her entire body squeezed tight—eyes closed, head and arms rolled forward to her stomach, knees pulling up under it.

"Elia! Elia is it the baby?!" His voice was high and urgent.

She couldn't speak, her mouth open and breath stopped in the wake of the pain, but a few seconds later she sucked in and her head tipped back.

"Yeeeeeeesss…" she groaned. "Tried… to get… Aymora. She's coming… Reth… she's coming."

She? Aymora? Or Elreth?

Then Elia made the most horrific groan and Reth almost wept, his head spinning. To move her and comfort her? But what if she'd cracked something in her spine, falling?

Sick to his stomach and terrified, Reth tore a fur off the back of the couch and threw it over her as Elia began to shake. Then prayed for her safety as he swept her up into his arms and started carrying her into the bedroom.

She was still so light, so tiny, except for that massive stomach. She froze in his arms and he prayed he hadn't caused her greater pain, but he knew she needed to lay in a softer spot and… and… he didn't know what else to do.

Footsteps rang on the stone behind him before he'd even gotten her to the bedchamber, and one corner of the knots in his chest loosened as a Sentry appeared, face pale and eyes wide. "Sire?!"

"Get Aymora! Now! The Queen's having contractions and she's fallen and hurt herself. Tell her to bring Jayah, and any other healers who are good with head or spinal injuries."

"Yes sir!"

The footsteps immediately turned and raced back through the cave. Reth didn't even look up. Didn't even know which guard had reached him first. He would have to ask Behryn to find out so they could commend the fellow.

But then he was at the side of the sleeping platform, and easing Elia down onto it as gentle as he was capable of.

Her breath caught again when he pulled his arms out from under her and let her settle into the furs, but at least she was breathing.

He'd left her curled on her side, facing him, and he knelt on the lower platform so they were face to face. Her eyes were hooded, almost closed, squinting despite the low light. Squinting against the pain.

"Reth," she puffed.

"I'm here." He put a hand to face, but she grabbed it with one hand and clung, her nails digging into his palm.

"I don't regret it," she rasped. "I needed you. Don't regret it."

He wasn't sure this was the time, but she was obviously worried about it, so he stroked her hair back from her face with his other hand and murmured, "I don't either, Love. Just… just breathe. Please. Don't stop breathing."

It was such a stark reminder of the danger she was in—all the unknowns about this baby, about her own body, and what would happen if it really was time, that Reth had to swallow several times or he might have thrown up.

"Reth?" her voice was tiny and high, barely more than a whisper.

"I'm here, Elia," he whispered, still stroking her hair.

"I love you, Reth. You're… I'm… scared…"

"I know, Love. I know. Me too. But I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. You can do this. If you need to shift, then shift."

"I can't!" she wailed, her breath sucking in and eyes squeezed tightly shut. "I t-took the tonic because I was fighting… I can't shift, Reth."

Reth blinked and stared, horrified as she was hit with another contraction and she cried out, then went silent, her entire body braced against the pain of a contraction."

"It's okay, Love," he rasped, curling himself over her. "It's okay. We'll figure it out. Just… just keep breathing. Please."