Chapter Fourteen

"Serenity... Serenity!" I woke to Kenton calling my name softly. "I'm awake." I heard him sigh in relief when I answered him. "They brought food down for you, but you need to get to it before the rats do. Sorry for waking you." I sat up and rolled my shoulders out. They were sore and stiff from sleeping on the floor. I also felt like a chill had set in. "It's OK, thank you." I felt my way across the floor to the bars and knocked a tray. I sighed as I tried to work out how I could feed myself in the dark. I heard a click and looked up as the lights in the hall turned on again. Glancing out through the bars I tried to see who turned them on. I couldn't see closer enough to the door to see who it was and seconds later the door was shut again.

I carefully picked up the tray and slid it through the bars. Placing it back down on the floor in front of me, I looked at it. There was an apple and two pieces of toast. Not the most appealing breakfast, but I had eaten worse. I picked up a piece of toast and took a bite. Just as I was about to swallow it I gagged and almost vomited. "Serenity?" I heard Kenton call out in concern. "I'm OK, I just chocked on a piece of toast." Kenton's chain dragged across the ground. "Serenity... You said last night, that you found your mate?" I looked over at him. "Yeah?" He stepped up close to the bars so I could see him better. "Did you... Never mind... Can you stand up for me next to the bars silently for a minute, please?" I looked at him and frowned. "OK."

I stood up from the ground and stood against the bars for a minute. He closed his eyes and tilted his head sideways. He seemed to be listening for something. "Kenton..." He held his hand up at me to silence me. Suddenly his eyes flew open and he looked at me intensely. My frown deepened. "Kenton, what's wrong?" He stepped back slightly and looked down at the ground nervously. "Nothing... Nothing. We need to get you out of here, now. Serenity you need to contact your mate if you can." I looked at him closely. "OK, but Kenton, we need to get more information on the number of rogues here." He stepped back up to the bars. "Serenity why didn't you just ask? There are about a hundred and twenty in total. Five are living currently in the main pack house while the rest are sleeping down in the training center. They take it in shifts, so there's always at least fifty awake." I looked at him shocked. "How do you know all that?!" He smiled and tilted his head sideways. "Same way you can get the light turned on. I still have a few loyal pack members playing their part in getting information to me... Well, when they can." He smiled proudly.

I smiled back at Kenton and walked to the back of my cell. Sliding down the wall I pictured Marcus and reached out through the link. "Marcus?" There was no reply so I tried again. "Marcus?" I felt him through the link. "Serenity? Is everything OK? Are you in danger?" I smiled at his concern. "No it's OK. Just I managed to get some more information for you. The rogues, Marcus says there are a hundred and twenty. Five up in the pack house, always fifty at least on duty and the rest bunk down in the training grounds." I felt his surprise leak through. "How does he know all this?" I smiled. "Some of the pack are still loyal to him. They sneak information to him when they can, I'm guessing they all have been waiting to be saved." I felt his resolve leak through. He was coming soon. "We move tonight then. Make sure your brother is ready, get him to contact those of the pack he trusts, we may still need their help getting in silently." I smiled in relief. "I will."

After closing off the link I moved back to my food. "Are they coming soon?" Kenton had been waiting. "Yes. Marcus also said for you to contact those you trust. They want to get in as silently as they can." He nodded. "Smart move. I like the guy already. I'll get a pack member to meet them at the border." I nodded as I tried a bite of the apple. I managed to swallow it and hold it down unlike the toast. I continued eating the apple happily until we heard the door open again. Both Kenton and I looked out of our cells as the footsteps approached us slowly. They were light and clicking. Olivia.

Olivia stopped in the middle of our two cells. She looked at Kenton first. "So, finely got to meet the little piece of trash that wants to take your pack. Pity your behind those bars, you could have been here with me. Actually protecting your pack." She looked away disgustedly and turned to me. "And you... You destroyed everything. You and your stupid mother!" I stood up and stared at her coldly. "We never did anything to you!" She laughed at me. "Really? My husband died because of your mother... And when she got sick your father wanted to bring you into this pack, to raise you as the true Alpha of this pack!" She stepped closer to the bars. "He wanted his true mate's child to lead this pack. He wanted to take everything from me!" She opened the cell door and stepped in as I stepped back. "You were worth more than his own son! More than the mate he chose! This pack was meant to be mine!" She swung her hand out at me, connecting with the side of my face. I fell to the ground and gasped. She stepped closer laughing. "Now I'm going to take everything he loved and destroy it."

I heard a growl build in the cell opposite us as Kenton pushed at the bars holding him. "Leave...Her...Alone" He growled out at her. She looked at him and snorted. "He even ruined my own child." She reached down and grabbed my hair pulling me up from the ground. I closed my eyes and pictured Marcus. "Marcus!! Now!!" I was snapped back as she threw me out of the cell and onto the floor in front of Kenton. He strained against the chain holding him and the bars as he snarled viciously at her. She knelt down behind me and grabbed my hair again forcing my face up at Kenton. "You want to protect this? How is this more important than your pack?!" She snarled back at him. She stood back up dragging me with her. "Fine, then you can watch her die!" Kenton's muscles bulged as he grabbed two of the bars snarling. He pulled sideways at them trying to separate them. We heard the bars groan as they started to bend apart.

Olivia laughed at him. "Yours still chained with silver son..." She moved her hand across my chest as her claws extended. "You're too weak to get to her in time." She dug them in at the base of my shoulder and I screamed. "Stop! Stop! She pregnant, for goddess sake!" Kenton yelled at her as he continued to stretch the bars. My eyes flew open in shock. Olivia stopped dragging her claws across my chest, but they were still embedded in me. "Well, that's interesting. A two for one!" She laughed as she dragged them slower through my chest this time. I heard Kenton's chain snap as she continued to laugh manically. I looked at him in fear as he rushed through the gap he had made in the bars. The door to the cells flew open and familiar smells hit me.

Olivia was ripped away from me and I heard her scream, as Marcus caught me before I hit the floor. More people rushed in and I heard Noah speak softly. "She's dead Kenton, She's dead." Marcus pulled me in against him tightly as I struggled to breath. An unfamiliar hand gently took one of mine. "I'm sorry Serenity...I'm so sorry. I should have gotten to you quicker." Kenton lifted my hand to his cheek and I felt tears on it. I forced my eyes open and everything was blurry. I focused on Marcus first and he looked worried. I turned my head slowly towards Kenton and opened my hand. I placed it against his cheek and he looked at me sadly. "It's OK." My hand felt heavy and It fell away from his face as I turned my head back to Marcus. My vision darkened and I closed my eyes again. "I'm so tired..." Marcus lifted me and stood. "We need a doctor, now." He carried me quickly and heard Kenton answer him. "We have a witch if that would work?" His feet rushed and I that's when I let the darkness take me.

There were faint beeping sounds as I started to stir. I couldn't open my eyes again. Great. I felt someone holding my hand and stilled. I focused enough to pick up Marcus's scent. That made me feel more relaxed. "Marcus?" Kenton spoke softly. "We've managed to get a few possibilities on where he went, but most of the rogues seem more afraid of him then us." Marcus sighed tiredly. "Then we need to come up with a new way of getting the info." He needed to offer some of them safety. "Offer them...A home..." I managed to scratch out quietly. I felt Marcus move closer and I heard Kenton step up to the bed. "Serenity?" I smiled slightly. I pointed at my throat and a straw was placed against my lips. I sipped at the water and the soreness in my throat ease.

I forced my eyes open slowly and two very worried faces came into focus staring at me. I smiled happily at me then shifted my gaze to the other. The green eyes that offered me comfort in the dark now just looked tired and sad. "Kenton...You need to rest." He laughed lightly and looked down at the bed before looking back at me. "I'm not the one that's been sleeping in a very uncomfortable chair next to your bed." I looked at Marcus and frowned. "Yeah but I can make him pay for it later." Marcus smiled happily and bent down kissing me. He pulled back and looked at me. "I'm more than happy to take any punishment you see fit my love, once you're back on your feet." Kenton took my hand and I looked at him. "Serenity..." I shook my head. "It's OK, none of this is your fault Kenton. I'm just glad to have you OK?" He looked at me and nodded. "I am not planning on going anywhere... Well, unless you're mate kicks me out again." A cheeky grin spread across his face as I swung my head in Marcus's direction. "Hey!!" Kenton left quickly and Marcus looked at me cautiously. "My love... I promise I didn't..." I laughed at him.

I pulled Marcus down to me and I kissed him. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to me. "Serenity, we need to talk." I sat myself up slowly and groaned in pain. "Here let me..." Marcus moved my pillows and helped me to sit up against them. "What's wrong?" He sighed. "Alright, after you passed out, we got you to a witch who was able to stop the bleeding. The other Alphas and their packs along with Kenton's members were able to deal with a lot of the rogues. Some escaped though, including Chase. Stephanie has been brought here for her own safety while we get everything back to normal. This brings me to the next problem..." I cut him off quickly. "I won't take the pack from Kenton. They know him and trust him, besides, I have you." He smiled at me. "I know. Thing is Kenton doesn't feel the same way. He wants you to take your rightful place." I nodded. "Normally when an Alpha has a daughter that is supposed to inherit the pack their mate becomes a part of her pack, unless they are the Alpha of their own pack, then the packs are combined into one." I looked at him and sighed. "I still want Kenton to lead the pack, but I need to talk to him about it first. If he refuses, then we will combine the packs." Marcus nodded.

We sat in silence for a few minutes while I processed what Marcus had said. Then I remembered what I had heard when I woke. "Marcus, the rogues that we are still holding." He looked at me. "I think the best way to get them to talk is offer safety. Some of them must want a place to call home right?" He tilted his head. "Yes, but most can't be trusted. A lot of rogues are just like feral wolves." I nodded. "Yes but some are just lost and lonely. Offer them a home, with conditions obviously. It might just get them to talk." He smiled at me proudly and kissed me on the forehead. "Sometimes you are too kind, but that's why I love you." He kissed me deeply and I blushed. "Marcus...Kenton said something before she attacked me..." He pulled back and looked at me with a frown on his face. "What do you mean?" I looked down at our hands entwined. "He said I was pregnant..." I flinched slightly as he lifted my chin gently. "Are you sure that's what he said?" I nodded.

He looked down at my stomach and back up at me. "We should get the doctor, just to make sure OK?" Marcus seemed calm, but I couldn't read his face. He got up from the bed and walked over to the door. I'll be back in a second, promise." He disappeared out of the door. I placed my hand against my stomach. I couldn't work out how Kenton knew. The door reopened and Marcus stepped back in with a small, older woman behind him. She was pulling a machine behind her. She smiled brightly at me. "Oh it is good to see you awake my dear. I'm Doctor Fiona." She pushed the machine into place next to me. Marcus sat down in a chair on the other side of the bed next to me. Doctor Fiona sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed some gel. "Alright dear, I need you to lay back for me. I'm going to lift your shirt and place some gel on your lower stomach OK?" I nodded as I slid back down on the bed. She lifted the hem of my shirt and placed the gel on my stomach. I flinched slightly as the cold gel hit my skin. She giggled softly. "Sorry, forgot to warn you about that."

She moved the handle held part across my lower stomach slowly. She was looking for something particular and stopped suddenly. "Well, there we are..." I looked at the screen in shock. Marcus stood up from his chair and stared. "How's that possible?" He was shocked. The doctor looked at us both. "Well for one you are both technically Alphas, and secondly, I'm assuming it may also have something to do with Serenity having witch blood." Marcus looked at her and frowned. "Have you ever heard of twins being born to an Alpha before?" I looked at him and back to the doctor. "No..." I frowned in confusion. "What's wrong?" She looked at me and sighed. "Alpha pregnancies grow faster than standard pregnancies, so it makes it impossible to conceive with more than one child at a time. You my dear are carrying twins. You're also equivalent to four months pregnant already." I frowned in shock. I looked over to Marcus. "But I would only be about..." Marcus looked at me. "About four weeks."

The doctor left the room so we could have some privacy. "Marcus..." He sat down on the edge of the bed and took my hand. "I'm sorry Serenity, I didn't know." I smiled at him. "How could you? I mean I could have taken a guess, since nothing in my life had been normal, but truly neither of us could have known." He pulled me to him and I flinched slightly at the pain in my chest. "I'm sorry!" He said grimacing. "It's alright." I laughed lightly. "It's only a little tender now." He smiled at me. "You know, we should really tell your grandfather before he hears it from the doctor." I looked at him. "You're OK with this then?" His whole face softened as he looked at me. "Other than being worried for you, I am over the moon. I get to have another two little versions of you running around." I smiled at him. "You know, if we are all going to be here for awhile to help with the pack, then we need to tell Stephanie." He laughed. "Yeah so we can have a doting aunty running around after you and the babies once they arrive. The house is going to full of girly screaming for hours... Goddess help me." I laughed at him. "Marcus... I love you." He gently grabbed my face in his hands. "I love you too"