Charity Rising (Charity Series Book 2) (26 page)

“We’l have Doc do an ultrasound. He’l hear three heartbeats. And he can print off a picture to show her. We shouldn’t have to explain

anything. She’l be thril ed.”

“Yes, she wil . This wil be just the thing she needs in her life right now. Hey! I’l race you to our new bedroom!” I took off running before I even finished the sentence. He was on my heels, though just barely.

We enjoyed our time in our town home so much that we began making regular trips there. We even spent nights together decorating the

nursery, using rich colors of blue and green. Levi painted a scene on the wal of a busy forest with al sorts of animals. He said it would be peaceful for the babies. He was already a good father and didn’t even know it.

In the few months since the wedding I’d been feeling great. My ridiculous nightmares had subsided, and at a little over three months along,

I’d final y begun to show. My mom was insanely happy when we told her the news, after her initial shock that is. She was so ready to be a

grandmother, and at only forty-three.

She and Doc’s relationship had progressed since the wedding. I felt it wouldn’t be long before he revealed the pack, and our secret, to her. I

was beginning to long for it. It would be great to share al of my life with her without any more secrets.
By the way, have I said how much I hate
keeping secrets from her?
It was something I felt like I’d been doing my whole life, and it sucked.

Ashley took the entrance exam at Windrake Community Col ege and passed and had begun her classes. I decided to forgo my dreams of

being a nurse and take care of my own family instead. It was a noble sacrifice, I think. With three new babies in the spring, how would I have time for anything else? Levi said the pack helped raise the children, and I was counting on it.

Al my weird side effects had seemed to subside as wel . I was eating good food, and therefore, acting sane. I stil had moments when I

experienced extra strength, but it seemed to be only at certain times. I hadn’t quite figured it out, but I would. My spidey-sense was also getting stronger. I remember a time when I wanted to be able to sense Levi’s presence like he could mine, but I sucked at it.
Well, not
anymore
. I could tel when he was close even if I couldn’t see him yet. It was total y awesome. I got to experience how it felt to be a werewolf without getting al hairy and scary. How many females could say that?
None—that’s how many.

I could also sense that Eli was lonely, which bothered me. His family stil hadn’t arrived. He said they needed more time to wrap things up

back home. He’d been prowling around town, and I think he was looking for a mate. Often I caught him watching Levi and I fondly. I introduced him

to Missy at the wedding, hoping they’d hit it off. She thought he was divine, of course, but he wasn’t interested. I hoped once his family arrived he’d be too preoccupied with them to be lonely. I was a little surprised to find that he and Raven had hit it off. The matching seemed odd at first, but they began hanging out quite a bit. Considering they were both lonely, I guess it made some sense. At least they had each other.

It was two weeks before Christmas, and the facility was in a frenzy decorating while Levi was busy in his office. I was craving butter pecan

ice cream, for the tenth time, so I eluded Hector—again—wrapped warmly, and headed out the door and down to Happy’s Ice Cream Parlor

located just outside of town in Happy, N.C. It was the only ice cream parlor that remained open al winter.
Thank the Maker
. And surprisingly it stayed busy.

Fang accompanied me, as he often did.

The parking lot was torn up due to reconstruction, so I had to park around back.

I had just exited my car, locking Fang safely inside, when my spidey-senses started tingling. I looked around but saw nothing. I shook it off

and turned the corner.

“Oh, excuse me,” I said as I bumped into someone—then gasped as I recognized the face. Wesley!

“Long time no see, beautiful. How’s that husband of yours? Stil enjoying breaking you in?”

I reached for my phone but he intercepted me.

“Don’t do that. I just want to talk.”

“You’d better move out of my way right now, or you’l be sorry.”

He laughed. “Haven’t changed a bit, have you? Stil think you can beat up a werewolf. Wel keep dreaming, little female.”

My face turned blood red as I used al my strength to hold my tongue. I bit down so hard on my lip I wouldn’t be surprised if it was bleeding. I

knew if I said what I real y wanted to things would turn ugly fast. “What do you want, Wesley?”

“I want to chal enge that alpha of yours to a fight. I’m tired of my pack looking at me like I’m a loser, knowing I lost you to Levi. When I beat

him in the chal enge I’l regain my honor.”

“If they’ve lost respect for you it’s no one’s fault but your own. Maybe if you hadn’t tried to take what was never yours you’d stil have you honor intact.”

He grabbed my wrist and twisted. “You’ve got a big mouth, Charity. How ‘bout I shut it for you.”

“Let go, flea bag! You’re hurting me!”

Suddenly a surge of strength shot through me like a bolt of lightning. I jerked out of his grasp and kneed him in the groin with a strength that

wasn’t my own. He went down hard.

I knelt down by his head and whispered, “Gee I must be dreaming ‘cause this little female just kicked your Benji butt—oh wait—it wasn’t your

butt. Now listen up! News flash—I’m pregnant with male triplets, so you’d better think twice before you ever threaten me again, or your mutts wil be burying your bones in your backyard. Got it? Have a nice day.”

I turned and walked around the corner, stealing one last glance over my shoulder. He was stil down and groaning in pain. I smiled.

I ordered my ice cream and headed back to my car. Wesley was nowhere in sight, and my spidey-senses were total y back to normal.

Levi was livid when I told him what happened. And when he saw the bruises on my wrist he almost took the door off.

“I’m going to kil him!” he raged. “He’l be sorry he ever touched you!”

“Levi, please calm down. You can’t accept his chal enge.”

“Of course I can! I’m going to teach him some things he’l never forget!”

I stepped in front of him, taking his face in my hands. “No! You have a greater responsibility now! You have your children to think about. And

what about me? Don’t you care what wil happen to me?”

That brought him back to reality, his anger subsiding. “Oh, kitten, of course I care about you. You’re the most important thing in the world to

me. That’s why I have to take his chal enge. Otherwise you’l never be safe.”

“Levi, I need you now. I can’t go through this without you. I’m begging you. Please don’t risk it. For me—please.”

He sighed. “Okay. If it means that much to you, I’l send a reply, declining his chal enge.”

I stepped into his arms and hugged him fiercely. “Thank you. As alpha, I know it’s especial y hard to decline his chal enge, but you’ve made

me very happy.”

He squeezed me tight. “Wel then it’s al worth it. Making you happy is what I live for.”

It had been days since Levi declined Wesley’s chal enge, and not a word. I was actual y just beginning to relax about it. I guess Wesley had

decided to let it lie. He had always been jealous of Levi, and with good reason. Levi could clean his clock any time of the day. But I stil couldn’t risk it. Wesley has been known to cheat. He could beat Levi unfairly just to save his own skin. I wouldn’t put it past him, not after how he treated me.

There was too much at stake. Levi seemed to be okay with it now, but I knew it was a hard decision for him to make.

I had just finished my shower and was lying on our bed reading
Redeeming Love
when Levi entered. He looked frazzled. Fang jumped on

him, both paws on his stomach, in greeting.

“Hey boy!” he responded, rubbing Fang behind his ears.

“Levi, is everything al right?”

“Um, sure. Everything is fine.”

“You’re lying.”

He sighed. “Sometimes I real y hate your new spidey-senses.”

“Now you know how I feel, so spil it.”

“Jake came in this afternoon with a black eye and a bloody lip.”

“You mean little Jake? Sal y and Tim’s son?”

“Yeah. It’s his first year in high school. He stil hasn’t had his growth spurt yet.”

“What happened to him?”

“He was ambushed after school by a group of boys from the east pack. They sent a warning saying that it wil continue until I accept Wesley’s

chal enge.”

“That jerk!” I grabbed my lip balm and saturated my lips generously.

“Calm down, Charity. I’l handle everything. There’s no need for you to worry about this.”

“But he can’t punish the kids like this.”

“Wel , he wants to get to me. The kids are a good way to do it—and of course you.” His facial features suddenly changed and anger

replaced concern. “I want you to be very careful from now on, and don’t go anywhere unless absolutely necessary. I’l notify Hector to be on high

alert.”

“Oh, Levi!” I whined. “He’s already on high alert—ever since my kidnapping. And he’s beating himself up over losing sight of me when

Wesley confronted me. Please don’t put him in any higher state of anxiety. He watches every move I make as it is.”

“Good. Maybe Eli can hang with you too. The east pack would think it’s me and leave you alone.”

“Great. A bunch of overgrown babysitters, that’s al I need.”

“Charity, don’t make this difficult for me. Help me keep you and the babies safe.”

At his words, my anger lost al its steam. “Wel , when you put it that way.” I pouted.

He smiled. “That’s my girl.”

“Wel , if I’m gonna have to endure constant attention from two, gorgeous men, you’d better reward me for it.”

“It sounds like you’re getting rewarded enough, but I’l do what I can to make your life as comfortable as possible. What do you want?”

“Hmm, come here and we’l discuss it further.”

He laughed softly. “You’re incredible—you know that?”

“Blah, blah, blah. Now come here!”

For five straight days a member of our pack had arrived home beaten and bloody. The latest was Jim—on his way home from his shift at the

Post Office. He was outnumbered five to one. Levi was livid and felt like his hands were tied. He tried to shield me from his true feelings, but I knew.

His elite wanted him to fight. The pack wanted him to fight. Even Joseph wanted him to fight. I seemed to be the only one who was against it.

Levi was honoring my wishes no matter what the others said. Was I being selfish? I just wanted him safe. Some of the others had made attempts to

reason with me about it. They assured me Levi would win, but they didn’t know the side of Wesley that I’d seen; the side that would stoop to any

level to win. They tried to understand my side, but every day that passed caused someone else pain. Something had to be done……and quickly.

After so many days of being hidden and cooped-up inside—I had to get out. And if I didn’t, someone was gonna get hurt, starting with

Hector, Eli, and Raven. It seemed the goofy trio formed my new elite team. If you ask me they were taking this babysitting assignment way too

seriously. Thank goodness the night of the ful moon had arrived, which meant that al the furry men in my life would be running around chasing things and howling—and I’d be free. Ashley and I planned to go to our apartment and spend a girl’s night out, just the two of us—alone.

I said my goodbyes to Levi, endured a ridiculously long lecture on locking the doors and being safe, and final y agreed to take Fang along for

protection. Fang and I headed to the parking garage to take our highly anticipated leave for the evening. But what I saw when I got there confused

me.

One of the perks of my position as alpha female was having the second best parking spot in the garage. However, my lovely, red Mustang

was missing, and in its place was a huge, 1980 baby blue Buick Electra.

Jumping jalopies!! This must be a mistake—that or a cruel joke.
I looked around but my Mustang was nowhere to be seen.

I stormed down the hal and entered his office like an F4 tornado. “Levi This-Better-Be-A-Mistake Drake, where is my car?!”

“Uh oh.” He actual y looked scared for a moment.

“If you don’t tel me now I’m naming our boys Larry, Mo, and Curly! Now where is it?! This better be a joke!”

He gathered up his courage and answered with assurance, “It’s no joke. The Buick is your car now until the babies are born and you return to

your normal, docile self. You and the babies wil be safe in it, and it’s slow.”

“How could you do that?! That’s it! You’re on the dung heap now, Mister! I’m kicking Hector off and putting you at the very top of the pile!”

“Charity, calm down. It’s just temporary. And it’s your own fault so don’t be mad at me.”

“My fault? How is it my fault?”

“You can’t keep getting speeding tickets and expect zero consequences.”

“Sing a new song, would ya! I’m outta here!”

“Charity, wait.” He fol owed me out and across the facility. When he spotted Ashley, he grabbed her. “Ash, go with Charity please.”

One look at my face and she needn’t ask why. She nodded and fol owed me obediently to the garage where she got into the blue Buick, with

Fang beside her, and buckled up.

I sighed in surrender and got in, driving out of the garage with as much speed as I could make the dinosaur conjure up, which wasn’t much,

dang it.

Once it turned dark, Fang began with his whistling bark, so when the doorbel rang I wasn’t surprised to open it and find Raven standing

there looking smug.

“I hear you need a babysitter for the evening, so here I am.”