The Final Insult Ch 04

Dear Readers,

Anne has had two boys but the difficulty isn't over.

Enjoy,

KemMyst

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"The boys are hungry."

"She's unconscious. The boys will have to wait awhile."

"We can't let them starve. Is there someone in your pack?"

"Temperance is nursing, but we can't move Anne. And they won't starve in a couple of hours."

Ethan added another log to the fire and stirred it slightly as Beth settled Anne in the bed. She was relieved to see the packing wasn't soaked with blood. She then checked the boys, who were hungry, crying. The older boy sucked on her finger strongly, while the younger boy was weaker.

Ethan opened the door to a blast of cold air and a swirl of snow. A brief look outside, and he slammed the door closed. "I guess nobody's going anywhere soon."

Beth went to the door and looked out. The snow was deep; the wind was blowing. "Great."

They went through the building, finding food and other things. Beth dressed and started working on food. Ethan looked at his sons and then to Anne. Beth caught his look of concern. "Will they live?"

Beth turned and looked at Anne, pale, unconscious, but breathing regularly. "I hope so. But, she's not like us; she doesn't heal as quickly. But she's strong. If she decides to fight, I believe she'll be OK."

"If?"

"This isn't something she wanted. She's still mourning Devon."

"So she was Devon's mate."

"Yes."

"Are you her daughter?"

"No. I'm her friend. We shared something awful together a couple of months after she came to us."

Ethan looked at her and Beth looked back. "You smell it, don't you?"

"Yes. What is it? Why does she smell like that?"

"We have no idea. She just does. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she's part wolf to begin with."

Ethan's look indicated his confusion. Beth picked up the younger twin, and tried to coax him into taking some of the concoction she'd mixed up. He took a little, but then screwed up his little face, and stopped. She carried him over to Anne. Beth touched her face. "Anne, we need to get the boys fed." Her head shifted but she didn't wake. "OK, if you could get behind her and prop her up we'll try something." Ethan moved behind Anne. "Carefully, we don't want her to start bleeding again." Ethan got her partway upright. "A little higher. Good."

Ethan watched, over her shoulder, as Beth manipulated her left breast. His hand came up, trying to mimic the action on her right. She swatted his hand away. "Don't."

"Why not?"

"Have you ever nursed a baby?"

"No. Of course not."

"Then all you're doing is fondling her. This is different." Beth continued, coaxing the first fluid from Anne's breast. She set the nipple in the baby's mouth. "C'mon, take hold." He rubbed his face against her breast, not finding his way.

"Why him first?"

"He's weaker, and in worse shape." She moved the baby and smeared some of the first milk on his lips. He smacked his lips slightly and sucked on her finger a little. "Here, take hold." This time he latched on and began nursing. Beth released a held breath. "OK, put your arm around him so he doesn't fall off, while I get his brother." She turned to get the other baby and found his hand had strayed to her right breast again. "Don't touch her; she wouldn't like it."

"Why? Do you know? Why am I so horrible? I didn't hurt her."

"Your father attacked her, came for her more than once, took her baby girl. You're the enemy." Ethan looked hurt. "It's how she feels about anything Matlin."

"I'm not my father."

"You aren't making your case by touching an unconscious woman who'd rather take her own arm off than have you touch her." Beth settled the other boy at her other breast.

"Both at once?"

"This isn't her first set of twins."

"How many children has she had?"

"She's incredibly fecund. This makes twelve."

Ethan looked incredulous. "A dozen children? That's.. That's..."

"Incredible? Impressive? A lot?"

"Uh, yeah."

Beth checked Anne, then watched the boys nurse. The younger twin was starting to lose pace, and would be done soon. "So, how did you find her?"

Ethan told her about seeing Anne in the bar, watching her go outside with other men, and disappearing. The babies finished nursing and were placed together in the basket. A meal was made and they ate. Ethan described his life with humans. Beth was interested, knowing little of human society, so she listened intently.

Time passed and Ethan checked the outside, worked on the fire, and assessed the supplies in the building. Beth crawled onto the bed with Anne and curled up beside her.

After another hour or so the boys woke, moved, and began crying again. Anne reacted, shifting on the bed, but still did not wake. Beth checked her eyes and spoke to her. "Anne?" No response. Beth pulled the covers back and saw that Anne's breasts had begun leaking. Not quite awake but her body was responding to the boys' cry of hunger. "Ethan? If you wouldn't mind?"

Ethan took his position, carefully crawling behind her and lifting her upper body, resting her back against him. Beth brought the boys, one at a time, to their mother. Thankfully, the younger twin had figured out what to do and readily latched on and began sucking.

While they watched as Anne's babies nursed at her breast, Ethan thought of a question he'd been meaning to ask. "How did you know where we were going?"

"She told me she'd found a place she considered a refuge. I thought it might be here but I told her not to tell me since Callum could make me tell him. When you told me the direction I knew exactly where she was. This was the Palin compound. I was born here."

"Why would she come here, to have the babies alone?"

"She didn't expect any trouble with the birth and I guess she didn't want to have them at home. You can see she had this place prepared for her to be here a while. But they came a little earlier than they were expected."

Ethan gestured at the door. "Winter's here. Did she think she could last here 'til spring?"

"Looks like."

"With the babies?"

"I guess. I don't know what she planned to do once they were born." Ethan looked a little grim. "You're thinking she might let them die?"

"If she hates me that much..."

Beth swallowed. "I'm sure she thought about it", Ethan closed his eyes, "but I really doubt she'd actually do it." He looked back to her. "She has a maternal streak a mile wide. Once she has babies, she'll do anything for them; she'd die for them."

Ethan looked at her. "What?"

"When I was tracking her, I found a spot, outside. I think it's where she had my first boy."

Beth looked at him. He was talking as if he expected to be a part of their life. "So, she brought him in here and wrapped him up." Ethan nodded.

"I guess so."

"See? She didn't leave him to the elements."

The boys had fallen asleep. He touched their heads, stroked the fine light hair, checked out their tiny little fists, tiny fingers.

"You've not had children before?" Ethan shook his head.

"They're beautiful."

She took them to the basket and covered them, yawning. Ethan released Anne back down to the bed. Beth checked Anne, loosening the packing. While some blood oozed from her still, most of the bleeding had stopped. Beth fashioned a pad and tied it in place.

"I'm about done. I'm gonna get some sleep."

Ethan nodded. "OK."

He sat in a chair near the fire with a hide pulled up under his chin as Beth crawled in with Anne.

The boys woke again in a couple of hours and started crying. Anne stirred. Sleepily, she called out. "Devon, could you get them?"

Beth opened her eyes, hearing the boys' cry, and moved to get up. "Devon...," she groaned.

Beth put a hand to Anne's face. "Anne?"

Anne started, and her eyes opened suddenly. "Ow! Oh. Beth? Where's Devon?"

Beth put on a sad look on her face. "Anne, think." Beth saw her considering and the tears started. "The babies are hungry. Stay there. I'll bring them over." Anne shifted up, making noises of pain as Beth brought one of the boys over. Anne settled him at her breast and looked around as Beth fetched the other. "What's he doing here?" Ethan watched, quietly, from the chair.

"He found you, came and got me. He's been helping." Anne glared at him. "We're snowed in."

She looked at her children. "Two boys?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Yesterday. The cord was wrapped around Erich's neck. Then you started bleeding. I think everything's gonna be alright. How do you feel?"

"Tired, sore, pissed. Mostly like a milk cow. They have names?"

"I suggested some and you agreed to Erich and Evan."

"Who's who?"

"Evan, the oldest, on your right and Erich, on your left. Unless you want it the other way around." Anne yawned and rubbed her face. "You should eat something."

"I'll try." Beth took the boys back to the basket and brought Anne something to eat.

She managed to get something down before she fell asleep again.

Beth looked to Ethan before crawling back in to get some more sleep. "Nice restraint."

"Do they really eat that often?"

"Yes."

*****

Nick, Callum, and Alana were frantic. The snow was building and Anne, Beth, and Ethan were out there somewhere with two babies. Hopefully.

If she was having trouble with the birth Anne or the babies or all three could be dead. And who knew what Ethan would do with Beth. Anne's bias had rubbed off on the others. No one considered him trustworthy.

Even worse, none of them was truly sure where the Palin compound was. Nick had asked, but Beth had never gotten around to showing him where she'd been born.

*****

The storm raged for three days. The snow was deep. The world revolved around feeding the boys, getting Anne's strength back, and keeping the fire going.

Anne ignored Ethan completely and started examining her sons a bit more thoroughly. Beth kept the food going, coaxing Anne to eat, and checking to make sure she didn't start bleeding again. She and Ethan continued to talk and Beth began to warm to him. He'd been kind, helpful, and hadn't made any untoward moves toward her, acting the perfect gentleman. He was, however, starting to act more possessive of the boys and, apparently, of Anne.

The snow finally stopped, and Ethan ventured out to see if they could get out. He tried a couple of directions, trying to find open space. He fought his way back, an hour later, covered in snow.

"It's too deep. I can't find a way out. The drifts are running 6 or 7 feet."

Beth assessed the stores, again. "Well, I'd say there's enough here to last us a month."

Anne's weary voice came from the bed. "Sorry. I didn't plan on having you with me."

Beth sat on the bed beside her. "So. You really meant to run away from the pack?"

"It belongs to the children now. I don't feel right there anymore."

"You wouldn't last the year, especially with the babies."

A burst of fire and anger from her. "Keep your opinions to yourself, Matlin. I wasn't talking to you."

"Now, look." Beth looked concerned at this sudden outburst from Ethan. "Number one, I grew up here and I know how hard it is. Number two, we're stuck here for a while so be civil. Number three, in case you've forgotten, I'm the one who saved your life."

"Oh, please, like it was really me you were looking out for."

He stood, clenched his fists, and made a noise of impatience. He stomped outside, slamming the door behind him.

"Anne. He hasn't done anything to deserve that. He hasn't been anything but helpful since he found you here."

Anne made no comment. "You're way too stubborn for your own good; you know that?"

She now looked at Beth, surprised.

Beth went outside as well.

"What the hell can I do to convince her that I'm not some kind of monster?"

"Sorry to say, but it was a good ten months before she finally decided to let herself feel anything for Devon." Ethan looked at her, crestfallen. "Just what do you expect, Ethan? She's only seen you for a few hours. What do you want from her?"

He blew out a breath. "I don't know. She's the mother of my sons, my children. But she makes me crazy."

"You'd better decide something pretty quick." Beth turned to go back inside. "She's an Alpha female, mated or not. She doesn't take to weak, indecisive males."

Back inside, Anne was standing by the side of the bed, eyes closed, holding on.

"Anne. Anne. Anne. What are you doing?" Hunched over, she was slowly trying to straighten up.

"Been in the bed too long. Where are my clothes?"

Ethan came back in. "You were bleeding badly. You should be in bed." He walked over, picked her up, and placed her back on the bed.

He hissed at her. "Are you trying to kill yourself?" She glared at him. "I know, none of my business. But", a slight hesitation, "your sons need you."

Beth mentally thanked him for choosing the right word.

Anne looked at her infant sons and burst into tears. Ethan looked shocked. Beth dragged him outside again. "Not a word. It's the hormones."

"I thought that was over now."

Beth laughed. "Not by a long shot. Her body is adjusting to having the babies outside now."

Anne, now dry-eyed but not looking happy, sat on the bed. "OK. How long do I have to stay here?"

"I'd say a couple more days."

"Where are my other clothes?"

"Oh, uh, sorry." Beth was wearing Anne's things. "I didn't find anything else."

"I brought an extra set with me. I had to set them down when..." She looked at the door. Under a few feet of snow now.

Anne requested her journal and, between nursing, sleeping, and eating, wrote for a day and a half. Beth and Ethan talked, tended the fire, made meals. Beth heated water and cleaned and examined Anne, then washed up herself. Ethan checked the rooms and shifted some things around, fixing things, tightening the place up. He hummed to himself as he worked.

The weather cleared and the sun came out. The temperature started to rise. Things started to drip.

Anne was allowed up and walked around slowly, shadowed by Beth.

Ethan went out and scouted around, for fresh meat, for the possibility of getting out. "If the weather holds, we can probably get out tomorrow."

"Anne. Do you think you can make it back home?"

She sighed, resigned to returning to the McKenna compound. "It won't be fast."

*****

Callum, Nick, and some of the other males had been scouting for them since the weather broke. "I don't care. I want to hear from you if you find anything unusual. Even if it's just a piece of fur."

Alex had a good idea of which direction to go, but Amanda was due to deliver any time now and he didn't want to leave her. They could easily miss an overgrown cluster of buildings.

They should be out hunting, adding to the food supply for winter, but Callum wouldn't hear of it. He wanted his mother found.

*****

The next day dawned brightly. Beth put away most of the food stuffs and cleaned up the utensils. Ethan pulled apart and doused the fire. Anne was nursing the boys, a female wolf on the bed with her pups.

The boys finished and Ethan and Beth looked at each other. "Are we ready?"

"I guess."

"Alright. Let's go."

Anne grabbed Evan by the scruff and picked him up. Beth shifted and picked up Erich. Ethan opened the door and they walked out. Ethan closed the door and shifted. Beth loped off in the direction of the McKenna compound. Anne followed and Ethan brought up the rear. They moved through mud, snow, slop. Anne picked her way pretty carefully as she was still a bit unsteady.

A little more than halfway, Anne paused, and sat, holding Evan. Ethan came over to her, prepared to carry Evan the rest of the way, and she growled at him.

They sat, waiting, resting, until she was ready to move again.

As they approached the compound they ran into the search party. Nick yelped and ran up to Beth, touching her muzzle and rubbing against her.

The others crowded around, sniffing Anne, and checking out the new pups.

Callum growled at Ethan and he and William barred his entry into the compound.

Beth turned and shifted. "Callum, they wouldn't be alive if not for him. The least you could do is thank him."

Callum relented, allowing him in.

The women and children came out, crowding around, welcoming them back. Devon and Bev came up, hugging and kissing. "Mama." "Mama. You're back!" "Oh, look at the babies!"

Anne went inside and sat in the first available chair with Evan and closed her eyes. Beth sat nearby with Erich. Ethan hovered in the background.

"Your mother is very tired, children. But I'd like you to meet your new brothers. This is Erich and that is Evan."

Ryan pointed at Ethan. "Who's that?"

Beth answered. "This nice man is the one who helped your mama."

Ryan, Devon, and Bev went over to hug him around the legs and hips. "Thank you." "Thanks for helping mama." Ethan was taken aback by the gesture.

Beth handed Erich to Sandra and grabbed Callum, Alana, Eddy, and Nick.

"I know everyone's opinions have been colored by what Anne's told us and what we know of the Matlin pack but Ethan hasn't done anything to support that. He never came anywhere near me and we were stuck in a cabin for six days. He was a perfect gentleman."

"He helped where he could, including helping in Erich's delivery. She would have died, with the babies, if he hadn't come here."

"We had days to talk, while Anne was recovering. He hated what his father did, that's why he left. He had no idea, until he came back, that Ian was dead."

"Why did he come back?"

"I'm afraid that's my fault." They all turn to look at Callum. "I left a note for him at the bar. I thought he should know about the virus."

"He hasn't gone back to his pack. He said he did talk to one of them, to find out what had happened the last 25 years. But he wasn't going back. He doesn't want to fight Dylan for Alpha. He's here, alone, and it's winter."

"Are you suggesting we let him stay here?"

"He has nowhere else to go."

"Mom won't like it."

"Your mother isn't in charge."

As the excitement died down, Anne was helped down to her room with the boys. Callum, Eddy, and Alex took Ethan aside. "Wes, can you get him something to wear? I think Uncle Duncan's clothes will fit."

Callum clasped his hands behind his back and started pacing, looking at Ethan, who was currently flanked by Eddy and Alex. "Where are you staying, Mat.. Ethan?"

"I have a tent and some supplies east of here."

"We found the tent. You really expect to make it through the winter in that?"

"I figured I'd try it."

"What about your pack?"

"They're not my pack anymore. Dylan's been Alpha almost since I've been gone and I have no desire to fight him for it."

"Go back to the humans then."

"I've left all that behind. Maybe I'll just go back to the Palin compound. Your mother did a fine job of fixing up one of the buildings."

Callum stood before him, looking him in the eye. Twenty-five years his senior, and a rogue, Ethan Matlin looked back at him. "I'll tell you frankly, I'm not sure I trust you. I don't know where your loyalties lie." Ethan looked to object. "But. Beth has spoken well of you, and you did save my mother and the pups."

"So, I offer you a place to stay, at least for the winter. However, if I get any inkling of betrayal or you touch one of the women I will kill you."

"Understood. And thank you, I think."

"Don't thank me yet. We're gonna catch three kinds of hell from my mother."

Ethan was given Duncan's room. Eddy took him on a tour.

"So, you're Beta?"

"Yeah, Edmund. But, everybody calls me Eddy."

"You're Anne's son, of course."

"Second son, fourth child. You wanna hear the tree?"

"Yes. I would."

They stopped. Eddy looked at him. "My mother was taken under the new blood edict. Dad, Uncle Duncan, William, and Marshall found her camped out not too far from here. Alone."