"You have to be fucking kidding me!" Fox exploded.
Max's dark complexion did not hide the blush that came over his cheeks. "Dauntless has been experiencing a population decline for years, every faction has...the only group that is growing is the Factionless, do you understand why we are forced to incorporate this policy?"
Fox snorted and gestured angrily to the man seated at her right. "But really, him?!"
"Eric Coulter is the most dominant male here in Dauntless, and you are the most dominant female. Your test scores in your initiation years were off the charts and you are both peerless leaders, it only makes sense."
"I have to mate with Eric?!"
"Produce offspring, yes...all the factions are employing this. The Erudite are matching their most dominant pairs, as are Candor and Amity, who knows with Abnegation though-"
"I'm not a fucking broodmare!"
"Agreed, but for the good of the faction-"
"Fuck the faction! And fuck you too Max!"
This wasn't the first time Fox had told Max to go fuck himself, and it wouldn't be the last. If she wasn't the best female leader Dauntless had ever had, Max would have beat her down for it long ago, but Max thought of Fox as a daughter, and her spirit impressed him.
"Fox, please just listen...I understand how this seems crazy, but the faction's strength needs to be preserved."
Fox huffed and settled in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. Eric so far had remained silent, and for want of something else to do, Fox turned to him and snapped. "What do you think about this?!"
Eric shrugged, which only infuriated Fox more.
"Goddammit Coulter-"
"Fox, be quiet." Max's voice held a note of finality and Fox huffed a second time. Her arms folded over her chest again and she glared daggers at Max.
"There are two parts to the policy." Max cleared his throat uncomfortably before continuing. "If you agree to participate, you both will provide specimens; Fox, eggs, Eric, sperm. They will be combined in the Erudite lab and implanted in donor Dauntless women. Once born, they will be raised collectively."
"And the second part?" Fox grumbled.
"You and Eric will conceive naturally. You will raise any offspring together as a family."
"Why both?"
Max sighed. "Erudite has raised the possibility of all future generations being produced in the lab for consistency and quality. The naturally conceived children would be the control in the experiment."
"That's fucked up Max." Fox growled.
Max nodded tiredly, "I know, you are not technically required to participate, but it is strongly encouraged, and if you did, everything your children require would be provided for."
"And Erudite? That fucking bitch Jeanine would be free to test them like lab rats?"
"Jeanine is being forced to retire, early onset Alzheimer's; just over a quarter of the Erudite leaders have tested positive for the mutation. You understand now why the push?"
Fox was momentarily speechless and it was Eric who spoke next.
"Who is taking over for her?"
"Margaret Farley."
Fox felt a momentary rush of relief, Margaret was one of the few Erudite not blinded by ambition and intelligence. A former Dauntless from a Candor and Amity-transfer set of parents, she had a well-balanced outlook.
Fox exhaled hard. As a Dauntless leader, she had sworn to put the good of the faction ahead of herself, but this was something else. An Amity transfer from four years ago, Fox had rose quickly in the ranks of Dauntless, and although she and Eric Coulter were like oil and water, and fought consistently like cats and dogs; they often were forced to work together. Despite herself, she was forced to confess (and she'd rip her tongue out by the roots before she said so out loud!) that she and Eric were the most logical match, any children they produced would be formidable examples of Dauntless. Fox would never admit to anyone that almost every time her hand crept underneath the covers at night and more often than not when she was with a man, it was Eric she was fantasizing about. It was thoughts of Eric groaning in her ear, his hips pumping against hers that sent her screaming over the edge. She'd bit her tongue until it bled at times to keep from crying out his name while with another man. Goddammit, if he wasn't such an ass... and Fox was sure he'd never thought of her that way, he barely gave her the time of day. Regardless, the thought of playing house right now was a no.
"No. I will agree to provide eggs if necessary; but nothing else."
Max sighed. "Eric?" He looked over, Eric had been strangely silent except for his one question.
Eric shifted confidently in his chair. "No."
Fox relaxed, then opened her eyes in horror as he continued.
"If I'm contributing to this, I want the fun part too."
"T-the fun part?" Fox sputtered.
Eric turned his head and looked directly at her, his eyebrow cocked arrogantly. "The natural conception part, sweetheart."
Fox narrowed her eyes at him, trying to decide if he was kidding or not. A small part of her hoped he wasn't and that somehow he'd been wanting her as much as she him, but that was drowned out right now by female indignation.
"You fucking pig!" Fox gripped the arms of her chair to keep from leaping at Eric and clawing his steel-grey eyes out.
Something flashed in Eric's eyes, excitement? did he want her to throw herself at him? but instead he grinned cockily and said smoothly. "Are you scared?"
Fox growled low in her throat. He knew, he knew that her pride would prevent her from admitting that yes, she was a little afraid. Goddammit Coulter. Fox thought furiously, there had to be a way to say yes and wipe that smug look off his face and still not follow through with it.
Fox smiled saccharine sweet. "Okay, darling, when do we get started?"
Surprise flashed briefly in Eric's eyes before his typical bored mask fell again.
Ha, Fox thought, then turned back to Max. She raised her eyebrow at him and Max sighed, pushing back in his chair and lacing his hands behind his head.
"Whenever you want, just give me a few days for paperwork. Do you two want to get married, make it official?"
Fox snorted, "as romantic as that sounds, no thanks; no need to contribute further to this farce." She glanced over at Eric, expecting a similar level of scorn and was surprised to see disappointment instead. What?
Max exhaled hard. "Okay, well that's that. I'll call you two back in when the paperwork's ready. You're free to go back to your duties for now."
Fox rose first and was out the door in a shot. What the fuck did I just agree to? Coulter, the arrogant snot, had just tricked her into agreeing to mother a child, maybe several, and more, she had to do it with him. There had to be a way out of this, she hadn't signed anything official yet; there was no way she was going through with procreation with the biggest asshole in Dauntless. Speak of the devil, Fox heard him calling her name. She pretended not to hear him and continued. A hand grabbed her shoulder and Fox whirled, her fist already flying, but a large hand caught it before it could connect. Eric grinned down at her and pulled on her hand, yanking Fox closer to him. He leaned down and whispered in Fox's ear, close enough to brush it with his lips.
"You ready to make sweet, sweet love with me?"
"Fuck you."
He chuckled, "that's the idea doll."
Snarling, Fox simultaneously yanked her trapped hand free and pushed hard at Eric's chest with the other; he stumbled back a step, the grin never leaving his face. Lightning fast he wrapped his arms tight around Fox and pulled her to his chest; before she could react he pressed his lips to hers and a jolt shot through her. Eric slicked his tongue along Fox's bottom lip and a moan escaped her. Fuck, he'd have to be a good kisser, too. Fox clawed her hands up Eric's chest and pushed hard, breaking the kiss; her fist flew a second time and connected solidly with his mouth. Eric staggered back a few steps and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, an almost comical look of surprise on his face.
"Asshole," Fox muttered, turning on her heel and sprinting away. Her heart hammered in her chest and it wasn't entirely from anger. Fuck.