"Move over, I have to pee."
Their arms curled around Jillian tighter as she struggled, but when she clamped her teeth around Paul's forearm and bit he let her go, "Ow!"
She giggled as she waddled off to the bathroom and shut the door. After taking care of her needs she brushed her hair and washed her face before entering the bedroom again.
Jared and Paul had fallen asleep again, but she knew how to get them out of bed.
She tiptoed down the stairs into the kitchen and shivered when a cool wind waffled through the room from the open door. Closing the door she turned and started in on the waffles that she was craving and made another four dozen her men would eat along with three dozen blueberry muffins she knew they would love.
The babies started demanding food so she snacked on the extra blueberries and turned on the radio to pass the time. Finished with the waffles and stacked them high on a plate before baking the first batch of muffins.
With time to spare she decided to write as she waited for the muffins. Venturing into the living room she hummed a tune feeling relaxed and content until she slipped in blue paint.
A scream spilled from her lips as she landed on her ass and almost a second later she could hear Jared and Paul stomping down the stairs.
"What's going on?"
"Why did you scream, are you alright?"
They stopped at the bottom and stared for a moment before taking a deep breath.
"Leach," Jared growled as he started to shake
Paul knelt beside her and lifted her off the floor gently, "He was in our fucking house."
Frightened Jillian huddled behind Paul, "Look at the door."
They all did and froze.
Jared took a deep breath and did his best to calm down, "Go tell Sam, Paul, now."
Shaking violently, Paul ran out the back door without protest.
A howl sounded, full of rage and frustration.
Jared took his imprint tightly in his arms and stroked her back, "It's okay baby. We won't let anyone hurt you, or our babies"
"I know. I believe that you'll protect us."
"I love you."
"I love you too." She turned in his arms and leaned against is chest, "Now come with me to the kitchen, I have to finish the muffins."
"Muffins?"
"Mhm. Waffles too."
He chuckled, "Didn't we already have breakfast?"
"Don't ask me. Ask your children, they love the syrup."
"Alright, alright. Let's get it all finished. They'll be back soon and they'll be hungry and angry."
Jared led her into the kitchen and they got to work. Neither of them could stand to be more than a few inches from each other so they worked while constantly touching each other in reassurance.
They had finished all the baking and cleaning a while later when Sam, Embry and Jared barged in going to her immediately.
"Are you alright?" Sam whispered from her side as his arms snaked around her waist.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little scared."
Embry placed his head on her shoulders, "You're not hurt? Didn't you fall?"
"Yeah I did, I just landed on my butt. I'll be fine."
"Maybe we should give it a look later," Sam suggested breathing in her scent. It calmed his racing heart and allowed the tension in his muscles to drain.
"Maybe later, first, where's Paul?"
Sam sat her down and Embry began to set the table, "He's still a little angry, so he's running it off on patrol."
Jillian dished out food and they all waited until she had hers before digging in.
"From now on one of us is going to be outside the house at all times to make sure the leach won't get inside. Two will be on patrol and another inside watching Jillian at all times"
The following weeks were strained. Her boys were running on little to no sleep, and she was doing her best but it never seemed to be enough. Everyone was on edge and emotions were running high.
She often went to sleep alone and woke up alone. It seemed as if they were always changing shifts and they were only awake long enough to eat and whisper "I love you" before falling asleep where they sat.
It wasn't until the day of her appointment that they paid attention to her.
She waved and gave Sam and Paul a hug, "I'll be back in about an hour."
Their arms turned to steel beams around her.
"What?"
"Why are you leaving?"
"You can't leave."
Jillian rolled her eyes, "I am leaving. I have my appointment for the babies. I'm twenty-two weeks today..."
They stared blankly at her, "It hasn't been that long… has it?"
"No way. We just found out that it's a boy and a girl."
Sighing she watched from Sam's arms as they tried to do the math, "I love you both but none of you have paid me much attention for almost three weeks now."
She watched as their faces fell. It sent a pang of pain through her heart but it was about damn time they remembered she was there and that she needed them.
"Will you come with me?"
Paul smiled a small smile and nodded, "I'll phase and let the others know that we'll be gone for a while."
He jogged out of the house and Sam let her go, "Do we need anything?"
"Nope. I've got everything. We just need to get going soon so we're not late."
A moment later Paul returned and they rushed out the door as fast as Jillian could go.
The rain was heavy and hard while they drove down the curving road. Its calming scent was relaxing and the only thing Sam and Paul needed to fall fast asleep.
Traffic was light but the drive still took five minutes longer than normal. The parking lot was empty When they arrived.
"Sam. We're here."
He grumbled and rubbed his eyes, "Let's go. Paul!"
Slowly they both followed her inside and made themselves comfortable in the dim lobby as she checked in and completed her paperwork.
"Follow one right back. You're the only appointment this morning." The sweet young nurse whispered
Jillian glanced back at her men who were sleeping against each other, snoring softly, "Alright. Let's make this quick." She laughed
"You'll be in room two. Have a seat and the doctor will be right with you in a moment."
Jillian did as she was told and got comfortable on the hard plastic chair.
Twenty minutes passed as she counted various things within the small room. She had lost all patience by the time she had counted all the lines and angles on the ceiling, so she stood and roughly pulled open the door ready to get someone's attention but instead she came face to face with a white coat.
"Oh. Hello, I was just wondering where my doctor is?"
Looking up she saw an overly handsome face spattered with red, grinning wickedly.
"Jillian. I've been looking forward to this." the rough voice teased
Her heart dropped as she took in his cold eyes and pale white skin, "You're… you're..."
He nodded, "I've come to finish what we started," in a flash he had her in his arms as a sharp pain shot through her arms, "Just relax. We'll be home soon."
"Sam… Paul..." she tried to croak out, but all that fell out was a whisper before the world turned on its side.
"Excuse me?"
Sam turned away from the high voice.
"Excuse me, but do you know where the young woman you brought in went?"
The light bothered Sam's eyes and the voice began to shake him roughly.
"Sir! Please, we've been trying to find Jillian for the last hour."
Jillian? Sam thought. The drive and the clinic rushed back.
His eyes snapped open and he was on his feet in seconds, "Where is she?"
The nurse jumped back scared, "We don't know. I took her back to room two and went to find the doctor but she's gone too."
Sam yanked Paul to his feet and took off to room two.
"What the hell, Sam!"
"She's gone."
The growl rang out loud and deep, "When?"
"Don't know we fell the fuck asleep."
They froze outside room two. Sniffing the air they smelled the leach that attacked Sam in the forest.
Paul tried to calm his shaking, "He was here."
"There's blood."
"Not hers. Go tell the others."
Paul ran out the back door and Sam followed his mates' scent through the clinic. The iron hung heavy in the air and the trail went into the storage closet near the back.
Pulling the small door open Sam found the missing doctor, covered in her blood and broken.
"Shit." he took the back exit and searched until he caught his mate's scent at the mouth of the forest.
Stripping quickly he followed it through the trees.
Paul joined him moments later growling.
"You found the doctor?"
"Dead."
"Shit. Where is he taking her?"
"Somewhere to be alone. He wants her for himself."
"Sam?" Jared asked through their minds. Through their link, they saw the forest blurring by, "What about the caves near the cliffs?"
"They should only be a few miles from the clinic. No one goes there anymore. Not after that collapse a few years ago." Embry chimed in
"That's true. Billy had them closed off after some kids from Forks almost died."
"Meet us there."
They ran together as a pack all in different locations but all driven by the same need.
To find her.
Her head was throbbing terribly, while her body shook from the cold. Darkness surrounded her and her eyes refused to adjust to the emptiness.
Feeling around her she found puddles pooling along the icy wall. Crawling along it she tried to find something to help her but her fingers found nothing hiding within the dark.
A smooth voice chuckled, "Are you looking for something?"
The voice echoed off the walls closing in on her.
"Seemed to me like you were trying to find a way out. It hurts me to know you want to leave when we haven't gotten to spend any time together.
His rage grew.
I followed you here. Hundreds and hundreds of miles because you wanted me, but all you've done is ignore me, and treat me like trash. After everything I've done for you."
"What?" She breathed
"I tried to get your attention and show you I cared. I was there every day to support you. We made beautiful art. You even painted me once after we held hands and talked."
"I… I-I'm sorry I don't remember…" she stammered out nervously
Jillian couldn't remember any of that happening at all. She'd never been close to anyone while travelling.
Cold hands wrapped around her throat, "Really? Do you mean that?" he whispered, his lips brushing against her cheek
"Of course. I would never want… want to forget the time we spent together…"
"I want to believe you but you smell of fear." he told her, tightening his grip around her neck as his tongue travelled the length of her face, "Delightful."
His fingers were cutting off the air she desperately needed.
"This won't last forever. We'll be together in the afterlife Where you won't be such a whore my beautiful flower."
He gripped her so hard spots clouded her already dark vision but in her peripheral, she swore she could see towering trees and dark blue skies stretching far beyond reach.
A figure appeared in the dim light along the trees and without thinking Jillian reached for their warm and comforting aura. Letting the stranger embrace her brought about the most pleasant feeling that radiated through her soul.
Then she fell for what seemed like lifetimes. Nothing but the breeze cooling her fevered skin an invisible force floated her down, down, down.