The Wolf You Feed

Chapter 86

Carl and Enid lay quietly in bed, both lost in their own thoughts. Carl was thinking about their trip back to Rowan's old community. It was only slightly more fruitful than their trip to the Hilltop. Ezekiel and Robin were running the community now. And while they had been much more gracious and welcoming than Gregory, they still declined to involve their community in the war against the saviors. But at least they gave them rooms to stay in for the night and their permission for Katie and her group of women warriors to join in. This was given with the understanding that her actions weren't going to be traced back to Twin Oaks.

Katie didn't have as large a group of volunteers as Hilltop did. But unlike the farmers, these women were fearless and ready for the fight that was coming. Carl didn't like them. He didn't trust Katie. But he knew they needed numbers if they were going to beat Negan and take their freedom back.

Enid was absorbed in her own thoughts. But hers were not of the upcoming battle. She was thinking about her visit to Dr. Carson. The man made Carl wait outside the medical center. Apparently he had been previously banned for whatever crazy nonsense he did there after he lost his eye. So Carl wasn't inside when Dr. Carson moved his ultrasound wand gently back and forth across her abdomen.

The moment Enid saw the small grainy figure moving around on the screen, she felt her body seize in terror. At that moment she was sure that the thing was a tiny monster. A half devil planted inside her by the horrid boy that forced himself on her and kept her tied up in his basement. She wanted to vomit. And she wanted that thing out of her. Immediately.

But then the doctor told Enid she was twelve weeks pregnant. Twelve weeks. She wasn't sure how long Ron held her in his basement but Enid was sure it wasn't that long. It wasn't Ron's baby. It was Carl's. She was already pregnant when Ron took her captive. The doctor offered her his awkward congratulations and printed her out a small black and white picture of her baby. She walked out of his office in a daze, intending to tell Carl right away. But he was outside talking to those farmers from Hilltop. They wanted to help Alexandria fight the Saviors. Enid didn't want to interrupt that conversation. So she tucked the small picture away in her pocket and kept her secret to herself.

"Can I hold you?"

Enid turned her head. Carl looked nervous. He had one arm up ready to reach over, but hesitating until he was sure she wanted to be touched. Enid rolled into him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly against him.

"Does it hurt?," she asked, placing a gentle kiss on the side of his head near the bandage over his eye.

"Not too bad now," he assured her, lifting his chin so that her lips were on his. Their kiss was tentative and gentle, heating up slowly until their tongues were tangling together in his mouth. His hands stroked over her hair and down her back as they kissed.

"Wait," Enid whispered. Carl pulled back immediately, trying to remove himself from her personal space. She pulled him back. "I just have something I want to tell you first," she said.

Enid felt Carl's body relax against hers. She snuggled close to him, resting her head on his chest. He lifted a piece of her hair, twirling it around his fingers. She was grateful that she had a partner that was so concerned with making sure she consented to being touched. Enid understood that lots of women would be uncomfortable with physical affection after being forced. But that wasn't how she felt. Having Carl hold her made her feel safe. His touch was comforting. And being in his arms made her feel like her normal self again.

"I'm pregnant," she said. There was no way to sugar coat it or lead into it. Enid decided it would be easiest to just spit it out and be blunt, like ripping off a bandaid. She felt the sharp intake of Carl's breath so she quickly added the rest of the information she received from Dr. Carson. "I'm twelve weeks pregnant." Carl didn't respond immediately. But his arms tightened around her, pulling her closer to him. He pressed a kiss into her hair.

"We're gonna have a baby?," he asked, the excitement clear in his voice, "...me and you?"

Enid nodded her head, trying not to laugh as Carl crushed her against him, squeezing her so tight she could barely breathe. And to think she had been nervous to tell him and afraid of what his reaction would be. His hand came up under her chin, tilting her head back so he could cover her face in kisses. The last one landed on her lips and lingered. She fisted her hands into his hair, kissing him back and parting his lips with her tongue.

All Carl's nervous hesitation and fears about hurting her were gone. His hands slid down her back, gripping her ass as he rolled her on top of him. She kept her lips on his, moaning softly into his mouth when his hands slid up her waist and under her shirt to cup her breasts. Her nipples were already hard little points and she felt her insides clench when he rubbed his thumbs back and forth across them.

Neither of them ever had the patience or self restraint for much foreplay. Enid rolled off him and pushed her underpants down and kicked them off. When she climbed back on top of him, Carl was already naked and ready for her. He grasped her hips, thrusting up into her throbbing core the moment her other knee hit the mattress next to his hips. She lowered herself down onto him, moaning once she was fully seated.

"I love you," he sighed. His hands were massaging her thighs, moving in closer and closer until his thumbs were rubbing back and forth across the little bundle of nerves above her opening. With his full length already inside her, it only took a few strokes of his thumbs before she felt her insides spasming around him.

"I love you too," Enid told him as she leaned forward to kiss him. The shift of her hips allowed him more room to move. He was quick to take full advantage of this. Carl dug his heels into the bed and rocked his hips, plunging into her over and over again until he found his own release.

Enid collapsed and rolled off. Carl's body mirrored her movements. He rolled onto his side and held her close. They lay quietly together until their breathing returned to normal. Carl's hand dipped lower until it was resting flat against her stomach.

"You can still fight tomorrow, right?," Carl asked. Enid hummed and nodded her sleepy head. A few moments later Carl felt her breathing turn slow and even. Sleep took a little longer to come for him. He held Enid in his arms and thought about the new life growing inside her and the endless experiences that the end of the old world had given him.