Shifters Pen

7

The order arrived sometime on Thursday night. I had turned into a rabbit, a lizard, and a bird now. It only happened when I slept, so I had moved my mattress to the floor. That way I didn’t fall out in the night while hopping, slithering, or flying. One of my biggest worries was that I would turn into a fish and have to be tossed into the toilet.
  I was quite pleased to see the order. It was piled up in the hallway outside of the cafeteria in boxes on wooden crates that were wrapped in cellophane. Harold was used to this, and started to just take everything to the freezer. “No! Wait. Some of that should be frozen, but some goes in the pantry.”
  I helped him sort and stack all the food. It was a lot. We were both sweaty messes by the end of it. I cleaned my face, hands, and arms in the sink, telling Harold to do the same.
  Then I put him to work on mixing up powdered milk, and eggs. I cooked bacon. Some I left slightly more rare for the vampires. I simmered several large pots of pigs blood, and pulled out crates of mugs.
  Men were so happy to see eggs, bacon, and as for the vampires they nearly started drooling at the sight of blood. All were very grateful. I had only been eating chicken nuggets for about a week now, and I was sick of them.
  Luke laid a really good kiss on me when I sat down to eat. “This was the best breakfast I have ever had.”
  I wondered what his mother would say about that. “Just wait until I can get real eggs in next week. They beat the heck out of powdered ones.” But even powdered eggs were better than nuggets again.
  Luke asked me, “What were you last night?”
  “Rabbit.”
  He frowned. I could tell he was worried about what might happen during the full moon. Wolves ate rabbits. No one would have any control.
  My wolf was clawing to turn my body loose on his. I needed to settle down. He just gripped my thigh to placate the wolf a little. Honestly, we both wanted much, much more.
  However, today was busier than usual. Dinner would not be tossing stuff in the oven, pulling it out, and serving. There was chopping, cooking, boiling, measuring spices. There was baking bread. And lunch too.
  There was no time for any form of fun. Harold had cleaned out the cooler. Today the wendigo was going to try to work on it. A few werewolves were constantly finding excuses to be in the cafeteria all day. I knew this was Luke guarding me from harm.
  At one point the wendigo started laughing. I paused in cutting up onions. “What’s so funny?”
  “I think I found why it isn’t working.” He pointed to a plug that had come slightly undone from a stack of spare mop heads. “Anyone want to take odds on it starting up the second I plug it in?”
  I wasn’t a gambler. He plugged it fully in. Whirrrr. The cooler lived! Harold was very excited that it had been fixed. He didn’t understand that it had never been broken. But at least it got thoroughly cleaned. A deal was a deal. I went and added the steakhouse special to the menu for him. “Thank you.”
  I shook his hand, and he frowned, sniffing. “You smell odd.”
  I shrugged, “Skinwalker stuff. I keep turning into strange animals at night.”
  He smiled, “I know what that’s like.”
  Maybe he could help me. “Before you go, are you able to control the animal you become?”
  He nodded, “Now I am. As a child I was a mess. Once I turned into a deer during hunting season. And I wasn’t great at turning human again. I had to wait for the sunrise. It took practice, focus, prayer. You will get it.” Then he was gone.
  By the end of the day I was exhausted. All I wanted was a shower and to fall asleep. Everyone was so happy with the soup and bread I had prepared. I was just tired. Luke followed me to the showers, clearing them out. His eyes watched me, so hungry, so lovingly. He was crazy about me. I knew it. I could tell from his emotions anytime we were in proximity.
  My muscles were sore. He shook his head and took off his jumpsuit, coming towards me. I wanted him, but I still hadn’t had a period, or any delivery of BCPs. “I don’t know if this is a good idea Luke.”
  He kissed me in the water. “I think it is. Now hand me that soap. I will help you scrub the rabbit smell off.” And he did too. He lathered every inch of me, and massaged sore muscles in warm water. Then he kissed me, my breasts, which he seemed to love. He paused for a moment, then got down on his knees to taste my core. I could hardly stand before the waves of pleasure washing over me.
  But his emotions were confused, determined, consternated, and scared. His tongue continued to taste me, seeking something. I grabbed him by the hair, and pulled him away from me. “What’s wrong?” Something was definitely wrong.
  He stood, his heart was pounding, he whispered in my ear, “You are pregnant.”
  I supposed if we lived somewhere else, anywhere else, that would be a joyful statement. He and I starting a family. But this was not the place to have a child. This was jail, Shifter’s Pen. This was a place full of all kinds of shapeshifters of the dangerous variety. Men who had killed and harmed others.
  And the only way to leave was to figure it out on your own. If I didn’t figure it out in 9 months then there would be a baby born in here who had to try to figure it out on his or her own. How?
  We both stood staring at each in other in shock and silence, the water sluicing over us. A voice yelled in through the entryway, “Hey! Is she done yet, or what?”
  I couldn’t find my voice. Luke turned off the water. “Just one minute.”
  He grabbed us towels, and I dried off mechanically. I was fairly sure I was still wet when I put my clean jumpsuit on. I wasn’t moving fast enough. Luke zipped me up. We were both in shock. He just went through the motions better. He led me to my cell.
  Joe was there. He looked at me, and Luke. “You guys look like ya’ll seen a ghost. What did she turn into? I have been waiting to see a turtle myself.”
  I looked at Joe, my friend, my lycan cellmate. I whispered, “Shut up.”
  He remembered how that was all I asked of him on my first night here. He closed his mouth, and left the cell.
  Luke was impressed. In shock, but impressed. We sat on the floor, on my mattress, each thinking our own terrified thoughts. I couldn’t imagine having a baby in here. In normal prisons the mommas didn’t get to keep the baby. The baby was put in the foster system. I started crying. Luke swallowed down his fears and sat behind me so I faced the back wall and toilet of the cell. He wrapped his legs over mine, and arms around me. I felt determination growing in him, and fierce protectiveness. He kissed my neck softly, then whispered in my ear, “I am right here. Not going anywhere. You and me will get out of here. Got it?”
  I nodded. We would get out of here. Would it be before the baby was born, or after? Would Asterion take the baby? Could he even do that? What if I got out, but Luke didn’t? He’d been here for 14 years, and hadn’t made it past the first level of tests.
  Joe came back after a bit, and grabbed his pillow, “I’m crashing with Zeke tonight. Later.”
  At lights out the doors closed, and Luke was there. He and I lay down on my mattress. He whispered sweet things to me. “You are beautiful. The best Luna ever. You are going to get through this, and I will be right there.” His hand cupped my belly lovingly. Then he said, “I love you.”
  I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me, or our child. If it was me, was he forcing the words out for the situation? I needed to sleep on it. I needed to sleep. I had work tomorrow.