Hidden Killers: Hunters in the Wind (Book 2)

8 - Abby POV

It was early Monday morning.

I wake up groggily to find myself draped over Colt as we lay in his bed. I was restless all night - I could hardly get a wink of sleep until Colt pulled me into his chest; probably fed up of having me tossing and turning and keeping him up.

I turn my face towards Colt's. He looked so peaceful but had slight bags under his eyes, thanks to my restless night.

Slowly pushing myself up, I am pulled back towards him by his arms which were wrapped around me. "Mmm.. babe, stay in bed for a bit longer."

I pull myself up and give him a little kiss on the nose. "I'm just going to clear my head and then I will be back."

"Doing anything in particular?" He creeps his eyes slowly open before looking down at me.

"Just a few laps around the fields."

"Do you think you should be running in... your condition?" He c***s his head at me .

"I'm roughly three days pregnant, not dying." I swat him.

"Well, do you want me to come with you?"

"Only if you don't slow me down." He chuckles at that before unfurling his arms. "Go on, go run. I'll catch up."

I give him a few kisses on the lip before I make my way over to the wardrobe to change into my running gear.

A few stretches later, and I'm already half way round the field on my first lap. My breathing is steady, my heart beat maintaining its rhythm as I clear my mind of all my worries and just focus on this moment right here.

The wind whistling by as I go, the sounds of birds as they call in the new day, the gentle thuds along the ground as I push away from the dirt track and... more foot falls?

I glance over my left shoulder as the sound grows louder and the source comes into view - Naomi and Siobhan.

"Mind if we join you?" Naomi asks as they draw level with me. I smile at them both. "Where are your kids?"

"With Maeve, she is entertaining them whilst we are here and the chefs make breakfast." Siobhan answers. "How are you feeling today?"

"Honestly, better than I was yesterday - it was just too overwhelming." and then I let out a sigh. "I just can't believe I am going to be a mum, and so much sooner than I expected."

"We get it, not in human aspect of it taking nine months but in the not planning it part. The twins weren't planned."

I turn towards Naomi. "They weren't?"

"Not yet at least. I was 23 when I had them but we originally said we wanted kids a bit later on as we had a lot of heat from hunters back then so didn't want to bring them into conflict - guess the Moon Goddess had other ideas." She drifts off at the thought. "And then twins, I don't think anyone can truly prep for multiples."

"What about you and Imogen?" I turn to her. I always make sure I ennouciate my words so that she can lip read me better as well as practice any signs I have learnt which she always seems to smile at; she had been teaching me the odd bits here and there and some I have managed to pick up on.

"She was planned, but we were worried when the Blood Moon drama started. We talked about if this was the right time and had plans for if things went south for the pack."

"Seriously?" Both me and Naomi exclaim. Apparently, neither of us had been told this news.

"Yeah... Daniel wanted me to take Imogen and flee to another country if we ever were defeated. But...-"

"But luckily it didn't get to that." A deep voice sounds behind us. We turn and watch as our partners also run up behind us and join our right hand side.

"Feeling better?" Colt leans down before giving me a little nudge.

"A bit." And I nudge him back.

"What else is on your mind?" Austin questions me.

"Work."

"Because of the attack on Friday?" Daniel clarifies.

"That, and because Gabe won't be there anymore." They all go silent for a bit. Everyone had forgotten about that part. Hell, I had even forgotten about the fact that Gabe wasn't going to be there until last night when I was getting my stuff ready for the morning.

What was I going to tell the others? Would Astrid even notice that he is gone? Would the car park still be a wreck from the brawl that took place only a few nights ago?

I still can't believe how much changed that night.

Colt gives me another nudge to bring me back round to my senses. "Whatever happens, as with everything going on with our lives right now, we face it together, one step at a time."

"With the help of the people around you." Austin adds on, earning a sincere smile from me as I look towards my new friends.

"Don't forget about us." A voice calls from behind. I turn around to see Clarke running only a few paces behind us with Jason and Nicole flanking him. Behind them were all the pack warriors on their pack run.

"We will make sure that you are well protected through all the highs and lows." Jason pipes up.

"Yeah, what he says." Nicole nods at me.

By this point, I felt lighter. It was as if a burden had been lifted from my shoulders. "Did I ever tell you guys that I love you."

"Hopefully not as much as you love me." Colt looked a bit hurt by my comment but I could see the childish look in his eyes.

"You know I love you more than anything in this world."

"And I love you the same... although you may have to compete with our pup when they are born." I shove him at his remark but it did make me chuckle as we ran a couple more laps in a comfortable silence.

Once we had finished and headed into the dining hall, we saw Maeve performing a light show with her magic for the kids whilst everyone else tucked into breakfast; Adelaide was clearing up her plate before she headed off for her shift.

"And that everyone is how witches saved the world." Maeve announces before dipping into a bow. "Now go join your parents and eat your breakfast before it gets cold."

"What story was that?" I ask as she saunters over to me.

"That, my dear Abby, was the story of how witches are the ultimate supernatural race and have saved every other race from extinction."

"So... a made-up one, then!?" Colt folds his arms over as he looks at her.

"My dear, dear Colt. One day you will realise that I can kick your a*se." And like that, she walks off with an air of cockiness.

We just chuckle before tucking into our breakfast and heading back to our bedroom so I could shower and change.

I let the hot water wash anyway and last bits of stress I have before I needed to get change.

"Ah!" I gasp as Colt surprises me by joining me in the shower, pulling my back flush against his chest as his arms wrap around me.

"Shhh, just me, babe. Just wanted to hold you in my arms for as long as possible before you had to leave." His hands lazily stroke my stomach as he rests his head on my shoulder.

I lower my hands to clasp his and let them rest on my lower stomach. "Can you feel them?"

"I can smell our pup but won't to be able to feel then until they are a little bigger."

I turn my head so I catch the side of his face. "We are going to be parents..." I let the words trail off.

"Yeah." He turns his head so we are now facing each other. "You are going to be an amazing mum."

I let a smile form on my face. "That is because they are going to have an amazing father who helps keep their mum calm through the darkest storms."

We lean in for a tender kiss, our mouths moulding together as we get lost in the moment. Only the chime from my phone telling me I had to start leaving.

"One step at a time." Was all I could say as we pulled away from each other. But that was how I needed to view my life right now - not the big overall thing to deal with at once but splitting it up into little pieces that I could manage.

That is what I would do as I went outside towards Jason and our bikes. I would just get through work today and that will be my achievement.

Just one step at a time.