The EXCHANGE

Chapter 19

The nurse enters this morning with a doctor. "Good morning Esther would you like some breakfast?" Nurse Lilith asked as her salt and pepper hair fall out of her loose and crummy hair tie. "Pancakes with Sweet sausage in the middle like a sandwich!" the nurse just nods and leaves. Dr. Diana shows me the little one.

Her smile was warm, "Now that you've entered your 8th week you've probably noticed a slight bump or at least weight gain." She rambled on and on. Until she stood up, "Oh right today you're going to miss out on the daily activities because we believe we've found a good match for you, but don't stress yourself out."

I feel like groaning, but I hold back. Nurse Lilith returns and hands me my breakfast. "Enjoy your meal, then clean up for your meaning sweetie." I resist rolling my eyes and enjoy the food on my plate. At least they feed me better here than they did when I lived in the other building.

After doing as I was told Nurse Lilith took me past the community dining room. We go farther down the hall than I'm used to when we walk across an open cafeteria. I look down, "These are all men who have lost their mates after they suffered birth complications and some are just volunteers to keep them company." Oh, so it's a frat house where young bachelors live with good swimmers.

Lilith leads me back into a hallway. "This room here sweetie make sure you push the button if you are feeling stressed." She hands me a call button. Nurse Lilith opens the door and I find an empty room. A couch table and bed were all crammed in there. "You may decide how the date can go."

I found games, moves, and 'toys' for the bedroom. My eyes widen and walk over to the couch, "A movie is fine." I said with a shake in my voice. Lilith nods and leaves, I guess to get the male. I look at the movies when one catches my eye. It was the first movie Galen took me to on our first date. I've missed him so much that my heart broke when I had to lay in bed with Damen.

I touch my womb where the baby sleeps, and to be carrying his child I'm sure Galen wouldn't want me anymore. Damen is a choice, but the love I feel for him would have been different if this wasn't his doing, and many years of bantering between our families. Any love I have for him is now a friend's love.

I jump when the door opens, the male they brought, I look the plain male in the face. He was of average standing. The male backs up, "I don't know if you guys do research into our people, but you should know that the Alpha blood isn't something we disrespect you guys think that we can mate any female we wanted, but Alphas and Lunas are a real power different unlike your money is the reason."

I look at the man as Nurse Lilith and his attendant watch closely, "So, out of respect for my people I refuse to be her partner. He comes in and bows to me, I'm sorry they have brought you here and that you have been put through this all." He stands and walks away. I could cut the air with a knife. Nurse Lilith looked concerned; she quickly returns me to my room where I'm asked to rest.

The next day I felt isolated with nothing but me and the little one. I could hear the women talking around me about how I would continue to be a single mother. The women giggled behind my back, well except the other wolf women.

**

Finally, our plan is coming together. All the men who have agreed to break free already broke their chains. We planned to run after the whistle is blown. We were just severed breakfast and the guards are the perfect ones. Today the four guards on duty are all low levels who are scared of their shadows and cocky young men who believe they can kill us if we ever step out of line.

I lick the crumbs off the napkin. When I watch one guard go to the whistle my heart is ready to leap from my chest. The whistle blows and we all run. The door is never locked and today is the best day when the weakest guards are on duty.