Page 8 of Prelude to a Revolution

I can see it in the slight sag of her skin, in the bones poking through. She’s not eating, and I curse myself for not noticing sooner. She’s my mate, my responsibility, and I’ve let her down by not taking better care of her. But that ends tonight. No more will I let her squirrel away with just a few bites. Even if she wasn’t pregnant, I’d be doing this. She needs to stay strong and healthy for the days to come.

I’ve lived long enough to recognize the trembling of war. Even if it’s not in my lifetime, it will be in Annora’s and Karis’s. It’s naïve to think it won’t happen. It’s a matter of when instead of if. Hopefully the talks happening amongst the High Echelon and High Guardian Alphas are fruitful and peace can come, but I highly doubt it.

The High Echelon has become glutted on their power, and nothing short of an overthrow will get them to change. For true peace to happen, they must fall, and until that day, we have to live in fear. Forcing the morose thoughts from my brain, I concentrate on my little girls.

Karis’s eyes gleam up at me as she reaches her hands out for me to pick her up once more. Unable to resist, I indulge and put her on my lap, purring as I rock her back and forth. Despite how spoiled Sonria claims Karis is, underneath resides a tender soul. Her tiny body melts against mine as my purr grows. Whatever frightened Sonria left Karis a ball of nerves, and I need her to be calm and not re-agitate Sonria.

Looking over at Annora, a soft smile tugs at my lips. She’s trying so hard to be stoic as she works at the stew. Her body ripples as she attempts to push my purr out, but that doesn’t deter me. As much as I hate the disparity in our dynamics, it really helps in moments like this. Like it or not, the purr will have an effect, even more so since she’s an omega.

Soon, her body gives in and she slumps forward, the purr taking hold and forcing her to relax. I can’t make up for what happened at the marketplace today, but I can certainly take away some of the residual anxiety. Glancing back at the door, I smile even wider as Sonria comes walking in.

The lines of her body are more fluid, less rigid than earlier, and it’s not just because of my purr. Apparently, she’s happy with whatever the results were of the test. For a moment, my heart squeezes until I’m almost unable to breathe. Was I wrong? Is there no child?

It’s moments like these that I curse the genetic makeup of our bodies. Since I’m unable to form a bond with her, I can’t feel her in the same way I could an omega. She’s able to hide things from me, secret herself away until I have no clue what’s happening in that head of hers. Granted, I will never trade her for another; she is my mate despite what the lack of bond says, but there’s always that piece that will be missing for the rest of our lives.

I can’t help but mourn its absence when my own mate feels like a stranger to me. Her eyes soften as they meet mine, and she nods. I was right. She is pregnant! Perhaps it’s just the relief of knowing. Setting Karis down on the floor, I ignore the tantrum she throws and walk over to Sonria, gathering her into my arms.

“It’s a boy,” she whispers against my lips as I lean down.

A boy.

Possibly an Alpha son!

My heart thumps wildly in my chest as I hold her close, drinking in the emotions flitting through her body. I can tell there’s relief, and I finally understand why. Another girl means potentially another omega. She’s convinced that we’re nearly destitute, yet I get the medications filled regularly from The Purveyor in Sector One.

Because I’m an Alpha, I’m not followed. I’m not tracked. I go there enough times with Annora that no one questions my presence. They don’t all agree with my desire to help those less fortunate, but I’ve already established a routine that doesn’t make me look suspicious.

In return, I help keep The Purveyor safe to do his other business. I turn a blind eye when our raids happen in his sector. Hell, I find ways to warn him so he can pack up and run if needed. His discount is what allows my daughters to be safe. I owe him my life for helping me protect my little girls.

And now, we will have a son. Someone who can help with protection. Alpha or not, he’ll be one more person to help run interference, and since he’ll be close in age with Karis, once he’s in school with her, he can be an extra set of eyes that watches out for her.

Annora is already old enough that it won’t matter to her, but Karis is much more delicate, much more easily swayed. Even though she’s still a toddler, I can already see her personality shining through. She depends so much on the moods of her mother and me.

She’s so easily crumpled by a look, no matter how innocent. Karis will need someone to protect her, to keep her from doing the wrong thing just to garner likes or sympathies. Even though Annora goes to school and does very well, I’m dreading sending Karis.

She’s like a loose cannon that cannot be controlled. The tantrums alone could get her sent away to somewhere with tighter strictures, somewhere where we will not have full access, and that terrifies me. Once the High Echelon gets involved, her dynamic will become apparent, putting all of us, especially Annora, at risk.

Karis would be deemed too young to know or understand, but Annora wouldn’t be given such clemency. We’d be lucky if she were outright killed instead of sent to be a brothel omega.

I have to rein in these errant thoughts for my family’s sake. I cannot let them see me get ruffled. As their leader, their head, it is my duty to make sure they never know the real dangers that lurk in the shadows. Not now. Not until they’re fully aware of all the consequences that come with knowing. They’re too young for this burden, but then, in my eyes, they’ll always be too young.

“Dinner is almost ready, my love,” I cajole her, hoping to tempt her into eating. “Annora made an amazing stew. All that’s left is your fish.”

Nodding, she pulls out of my grasp and walks over to Annora, sliding her hand down over our daughter’s head before pulling the fish out of the cooling system. Sitting back down, I pick Karis back up and smile as she snuggles deep into my arms while I watch my family. Annora’s serious eyes follow Sonria’s every move, as if she’ll be tested on the best way to make fish at a later date. The poor thing doesn’t realize that there’s so much more to worry about than a simple fish dinner.

I put away the remaining dishes, my ears pricking as I hear a soft song drifting out of Karis’s room. Smiling, I set down the last plate and inch my way over, stopping just out of sight. Leaning against the wall, I close my eyes and drink in the throaty voice as she sings our youngest to sleep.

It’s always the same song - a song of love, of hope, of better times. Certainly a song that defies the current environment. Holding in a deep sigh, I let the melody seep into my soul and mend the wounds inflicted by life. Some may say she’s not the best singer, but to me, there will never be a voice as beautiful as Sonria’s.

It’s haunting, deep, and enchanting. The fact that she uses it to lull our daughter to sleep makes it even more precious. I wait, keeping vigilance by the door until she’s done. Tiptoeing in, I join her at Karis’s makeshift bed, the railings keeping her from falling out, but not much else.

If I came in before she was asleep, Karis would have cried for me, and we both know she never would have gone down. It would be one more story, one more song, one more something, until we all would want to collapse from sheer exhaustion. We learned early on it was better for Sonria to put her down and I come in to say my goodnights after.

My breath catches as I stare at her tiny form scrunched up around her favorite toy of this week. She’s so small, so defenseless. Sonria feels it too. I can sense it in the uneasy way her fingers reach out for her, only to pull back so as not to awaken the sleeping toddler. Gathering Sonria in my arms, I drag her out of the room and towards our own.

I never got the chance to celebrate with her properly, and now that I know she’s less tense, it will make the celebration all that more enjoyable. Dropping a soft kiss to her lips, I wait until we’re just past the door frame before scooping her up into my arms and sliding my lips more firmly against hers.

Sonria’s breath quickens as she wraps her arms about my neck, pressing her chest into mine. Her nipples are hard points as she grinds against me, relief making her just as desperate for me as I am for her. Pulling away, I quicken my steps until we’re inside our bedroom. Reaching out my foot, I push our door shut and toss Sonria onto the bed before turning on the small monitor that feeds into Karis’s room.