Love, Against All Odds

III - Chapter 2

Yikes, I messed up and missed one part. Made a mistake and posted chapter 3 yesterday, so I will be posting chapter 2 and 4 today. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Lennox raised the handgun and aimed for Becca, who stood in the center of Kal's bedroom. They had been caught—Becca and Kal both half dressed in front of the messy bed where they'd knotted and bit each other for the first time. Lennox had already spewed angry words at his leader, shaming her for what she'd done.

Becca glanced at her lectra gun still holstered in her belt by her boots a few feet away. She lunged for it, praying she was fast enough. Becca yelled as the first shot rang out, but the sound was outmatched by the roar from Kal. Jerking up with the freed gun, she watched Kal drop to her knees in front of Lennox. She hadn't seen Kal move to shield her from Lennox's shot.

Rushing to Kal's side, Becca froze at seeing the blood seep between Kal's hands that were pressed against her stomach. 'N-n-no.' She caught Kal from behind, balancing her after she fell to her knees. 'No no no.' She dropped the handgun and reached for Kal's wound, but Kal's increasing weight overwhelmed her. Becca lowered her lover to the floor and touched a pale cheek. 'Freen?' She covered Kal's hands with her own and whispered, 'Can you heal it?'

Kal was panting, and her voice was weakening. 'It doesn't work that way.'

'Joh,' Becca whispered, then a darkness surged inside of her. She snared the lectra gun, swung her arm around, and aimed for Lennox, who was rooted in shock. Curse words tumbled from her mouth as she drew her finger back on the trigger. But a strike to her elbow threw off her aim, and the shot hit the wall next to Lennox. She swore and gazed down at Kal, who'd hit her arm.

Lennox stumbled away, collapsing to the floor and dropping his weapon.

Turning back to her lover, Becca saw the green fading from Kal's eyes and leaving a sweet amber color. 'Oh gods, joh!' She cupped Kal's cheeks and smeared blood along unmarred skin. 'Freen.' She bowed until their foreheads connected together.

'I remember everything.'

Becca raised her head, hating the honey brown in her lover's gaze. Kalatas's spirit had fled Freen's dying body and left her with all that she'd forgotten since becoming Kal. 'Krafka, joh,' she whimpered. 'Freen.' Like a prayer, she whispered her mate's old name over and over.

'Becca, I'm here.'

Jerking back, Becca opened her eyes and twisted her head around, reorienting herself in the cabin. The nightmare untangled itself from Becca's groggy mind, but the tears were still fresh until Kal wiped them away. She focused on her lover's face that grounded her, then noticed the green in Kal's eyes after being masked by the rut last night.

Kal tightened her arms around Becca, sealing their bodies together under the blanket. All around them daylight streamed through the cracks of the covered windows. The cabin was cool, but they were warm together.