Fate Decides

Chapter Twenty-Three

The stars twinkle above me as I float in the cool water of the lake we had found. My stomach bobs above the water, the gentle lulling of the current helping to calm my thoughts and relax my aching body. The cramping in my stomach has been coming spontaneously over the past week. After the first time it happened, and Taylor was able to calm down my worrying by telling me that it was normal, it has been happening all the time, and I am thoroughly exhausted.

The cool water of the lake has helped to ease the pain, and generally help release the tension the cramps cause in my body.

"Love, you've been in there for awhile," a voice says from the right of me. Lazily turning my head, I see Erik standing at the sandy shore, watching me with a soft smile on his face. "Tatum finished cooking those fish we caught earlier. Why don't you come and get some?"

Turning my gaze back up to the sky, I take in one more calming breath before nodding my head and slowly swimming back to the shore. Erik helps me up and hands me an old towel that we had found in an abandoned tent about a week ago. It is rough on my skin but absorbs all of the water off of my body. Can't be too picky nowadays.

"I'm starving," I say lightly, causing my mate to chuckle. Lately, I have been constantly hungry, which can be a problem when we barely have any food. Taylor says that my body is trying to make up for the lack of nutrients I have received over the last couple months, by making me hungrier than before.

"Well, it's a good thing we found this lake and have been able to catch lots of fish." Erik gives me a crooked smile before grabbing my hand and leading us back to our camp.

We've been in the same place for a little over two weeks now. After running into those crazy humans, we got as far away from them as we could and stumbled across this lake. When my extreme hunger hit, we decided to stay here for a while. Ethan, Erik, and Tatum have been scouting the surrounding area, trying to find a small hut or cabin we could stay in until I have the baby, but they have not been successful yet.

It does not take long for us to make it back to camp, and everyone is sitting around the fire talking by the time we finally reach them. Olive and Grace are chattering away in their own baby language, but Elliot seems to understand every word they say as he converses with them.

Tatum and Taylor are sitting close to each other, their arms touching as they and Ethan talk. The beta and the omega have grown closer as the weeks go by, and they do not seem to notice how they gravitate towards each other, but it is inherently obvious to the rest of us.

"Oh! You made it back!" Taylor says, giving me a wide smile as he stands us from his seat on a log and walks over to me with a bundle of clothes. "How was your swim?"

Smiling, I grab the bundle from him and walk over to the tent we have set up about ten feet from the fire pit. "It was nice. The cramps in my back aren't as bad now, and the contractions died down."

Quickly, I change, noticing how Taylor stopped talking to allow me some privacy. The shirt he gave me stretches across my stomach, and the sweats ride low on my hips. These are the only things that have been fitting lately, so I have been stuck with them. Throwing on one of my mates' sweatshirts, I unzip the tent and walk back over to the fire.

"Thanks," I say when Tatum hands me a plate with cooked fish and warm peas from a can.

I sit in a camping chair in between Erik and Ethan, and quickly start to eat my food. The conversations start up again, but I remain quiet, listening to everyone talk and watching as the small ones play with each other.

Meeka clambers over to my chair and flops down onto my feet. Normally, I would nudge her off, but it is a cool night and her extra body heat feels great on my cold toes.