Ben had never trusted himself to enjoy one of those full-moon parties. After working with Will to conquer his beast, he was more confident.
“Behaving themselves? No’ at all. But mayhap they will no’ get into too much mischief.” Munro and Ren kept their phones on just in case.
“I’m glad Will and Chloe got to spend tonight at Conall.”
Munro had promised he’d take Ren, the babies, and the wards to visit there as soon as things settled down. Not wanting to add to his overloaded plate, she’d decided to wait until after the birth to inform Munro that she was the latest Lykae Sentinel to sign up for duty at the Woods of Murk chapter, and that they would all live at Conall.
She’d already chatted with a fey architect to draw up house plans, and she’d talked to Will about getting Cassandra, a clan elder, to lead Bheinnrose. The she-wolf had been delighted about starting next month.
Munro said, “I doona know how my brother has gone this long without releasing his beast.” He made no secret of his admiration for Will.
“I don’t know how Chloe’s held out.” Ren ogled her mate. “I understand exactly what she’s been denied. I missed your beautiful beast tonight.”
“Though I’ve missed yours too, I hope I will no’ see it for some time,” he said. “Gods, I canna wait to relax after the babes get here safely.”
Should Ren tell him that he might never relax the same again? She’d talked to other parents around the settlement. They’d said that once the pregnancy worries faded, new ones took their place. That was parenthood. And she was so ready for it.
She rubbed her belly. I can’t wait to meet you, little pups.
And she wouldn’t mind them letting off pressure on her bladder. She told Munro, “Got to run to the ladies’ room.” Having to go every fifteen minutes was part of the job, but not a welcome one.
He helped her lumber to her feet, escorting her all the way to the door. “Do you want some ice cream?”
“Chunky Monkey?” A true wonder of this time.
He cast her a heart-melting grin. “Double scoops all around.” He headed toward the kitchen.
Alone, she waddled to the toilet. But after she’d finished urinating, fluid kept coming. She frowned, momentarily confused—oh! Her water had broken!
The surgery wasn’t supposed to be for another ten days. Her eyes darted. How was she going to keep Munro from panicking?
She would draw on all her performer experience—I meant to do that!—and paste on a smile. Yet as she cleaned up and redressed, she grew out of breath. Then a contraction hit her like an earthquake. She clutched her belly with a gasp.
Munro must’ve heard that tiny sound; he charged into the bathroom a moment later.
“I don’t want you to get alarmed,” Ren said tightly. “But my water broke.” She followed his gaze down to her now bloody legs.
“Kereny?” He looked like he’d forgotten how to blink, his eyes turning blue.
Because the moon was still risen.
Panic. Panic. PANIC.
Munro’s beast had already been hell-bent on getting loose tonight. Now it roared to be free.
“Everything will be fine,” Kereny assured him, but her thinned lips belied her calm tone, and she was winded. “We just need to get the doctor here. Will you call Desh?”
“Aye, then,” he said, weirdly out of breath himself. He scented Kereny’s blood and couldn’t quite remember how to dial the demon.
Where was the contact? Ah!
But the call didn’t go through.
His sight grew hazy, and he had to bring the phone closer to read the screen. No reception? “I’m going to run outside and see if I can get a call out.”
“Munro, I don’t feel so good.” When she swayed, he swiftly stowed his phone and scooped her up in his arms. She writhed as a contraction hit, her belly moving as if the lads were wrestling in there. “Something’s wrong. Can’t breathe.”
“You canna either?” He started toward the door. “Mayhap there’s a gas leak. Let’s get you some fresh air.”
He swerved out of the lodge into the night. Yet he was still short of breath. How was that possible? He checked his phone again. Zero reception.
Then . . . light above drew his gaze. “Hallucination?” Chills skittered up his spine. “This must be a nightmare.”
“Then why do I see it too?” Kereny said between wheezes.
An iridescent dome covered the settlement, just like the one over Quondam.
SIXTY-SIX
“Warlocks,” Munro said, sounding weaker than Ren had ever heard him.
“But we have a boundary spell.”
“I think they figured out a way around that. Nothing dangerous can enter past our boundary . . . but something beneficial can exit.”
Comprehension. “They’re taking the oxygen.” She and Munro could never have predicted this in their strategy sessions. “The babies . . .”
“I’ll figure this out. We’ll get through it.”
How? She admired his optimism, but they had no way to call Desh—and warlocks were actively suffocating the settlement!