Pregnant With Four Alphas' Babies: A Reverse Harem Romance Chapter 201: A Chance at Freedom

*Shelby*

There’s no way I’m letting Adam run off after that new Beta and his goons without me. I know he wants to protect me, but we’re all trained to fight, and I can hold my own well enough.

I’m really impressed with him right now as I sit beside him in the SUV. That Dravenwolf asshole took half the vehicles and equipment, so we’re headed out in the other half with as much equipment as we can carry. Adam had decided that it was better to be well-armed than to shift and try to take on the enemy in our wolf forms.

Adam looks so determined right now, so regal—and it’s sexy.

Adam was trained to take over as Beta from a very young age, so he’s really good at looking the part. He’s sitting here staring straight ahead, a serious but relaxed look on his face. But I know him better than anyone else, and I know what’s going on under that calm, cool exterior.

He’s afraid.

Adam is no coward, so I don’t think he’s afraid for himself. No, he’s afraid for Rose, and for the pups, and for Kelly… Goddess, I hope Kelly is okay.

‘None of this is your fault,’ I say in a private mind-link. There’s a driver and another warrior in the front seat, and I don’t want to broadcast Adam’s private feelings to the world. I just want to make him feel better.

‘I know,’ he answers in my mind, but the expression on his face tells me that he isn’t so sure.

‘Your job was to serve the Alpha King, and you did so honorably,’ I say. ‘It’s not your fault that he was really a lying, scheming asshole, or that his mind is now deteriorating to the point where other bad people can take advantage of that.’

‘My job….’

He has a faraway look on his face as he says the words in my mind. Losing his position is hitting him hard.

‘Your job still exists,’ I say. ‘The new Alpha King will need a Beta.’

‘True, but all these Alphas have their own Betas,’ he says. ‘Don’t you think they’ll bring them to the castle to rule with them? I’m telling you, there’s nothing left here for me.’

I pierce my lips together and take a deep breath. ‘Me,’ I tell him. ‘I’m left.’

He turns to look at me, and I think I see tears welling up in his eyes.

‘Wherever you are and whatever you do, I’m with you,’ I say, still in the mind-link but squeezing his hand.

‘You’re very sexy when you’re loyal and noble,’ he tells me with a little smirk on his face. The tears are still there, but at least his face has brightened up a bit.

‘Right back at you,’ I tell him. ‘But I don’t think we should start anything like that right now.’

He looks up at the men in the front seat and grunts a little. I can’t help but giggle, although I’d really prefer that we be alone right now, too. It’s so hard to break off the attraction with a mate. Once we get started, it takes everything we have to stop it and not rip each other’s clothes off right then and there.

The slowing of the vehicle snaps me out of my thoughts. “What’s happening?” I ask out loud. I guess getting back to reality is one way to cool the heat.

“I don’t know,” Adam says, and I can tell he’s talking to others in the mind-link, but he’s definitely leaving me out of the conversation this time. This can’t be good.

“Adam, what’s wrong?” I ask with a little bit of snap to my voice.

“There’s something up ahead,” he says. “Or… someone.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, but the way his eyes look, I don’t think I really want to know the answer.

“There’s a dead body up ahead,” he says quietly.

* * *

*Kelly*

“Look. We’re obviously trapped here, and we’re going to stay put. Why not at least unchain us… please?” I’ve lost track of how many times this young girl in the tattered clothes has come to feed us, and she still hasn’t said a word. But sitting here in this position with my arms chained awkwardly above my head is starting to make my hands go numb.

Goddess, I’d give anything to be able to shift.

But I still feel a force of some kind preventing just that. And no one is answering my mind-links. Either I’m out of range or a strong Alpha is nearby blocking me.

And frankly, I’m pretty pissed, not just for me but for Heather, and for this other young girl who obviously is being mistreated and ignored while being forced to care for us. The food she’s given us so far is really good, and the water is fresh. But this girl… she looks like she hasn’t had a decent meal in years.

I just don’t understand what’s going on.

“Can you at least tell me your name?” I ask the girl.

She pauses at the door, which she was about to exit, and takes a deep breath. I sense quite a bit of hesitancy in her; I can hear her speeding heartbeat. She’s afraid of someone, but she’s considering my offer. I don’t want to get her into trouble, but I don’t think Heather and I can stand much more time chained up like this.

“Kara,” she says in a whisper, or at least that’s what I think she says.

“Kara?” I ask.

She nods and turns around. “Yes, I’m Kara,” she says. “I’m not supposed to talk to you.”

“I imagine not,” I say. “But I can tell that you’re a good person. I can tell you don’t want to treat us this way, and that you don’t want these people—whoever they are—to treat you badly, either. Are they treating you badly?”

Her eyes widen. “How… how did you know?” she asks.

I’m getting through to her. I might have the chance now to save both Kara and Heather… and myself. I soften my voice. “Because you look mistreated,” I say. “When’s the last time you had a good meal?”

She shrugs, and her whole demeanor seems resigned to her fate, as though she’d given up hope of being in a better situation long ago. “I eat okay,” she says.

“I don’t think you do,” I say. “And I want to help. I’ll make you a deal. You unhook these chains for us, and if we see anyone else come in here, we’ll lock ourselves back up quickly so no one will know you did it.”

“I… I don’t know,” she says. “Besides, I don’t have the key.”

“Do you know who has it?” asks Heather.

I look over at Heather, and her expression is full of hope. I think we’ll be able to get Kara on our side, but I’m going to have to be careful. I don’t want to put her—or Heather—into any more danger than they’re already in.

“He does,” Kara says.

“Who’s ‘he’?” asks Heather.

Kara shakes her head. “I don’t know his name,” she says. “And I’m not allowed to ask.”

“Okay,” I say. “Kara, I’m going to ask you to do me a big favor. But I want you to be very careful, because I don’t want anyone to hurt you. Okay?”

She nods.

“Whoever this man is, do you ever see him asleep?” I ask.

“Sometimes,” she says with a shrug.

“Okay, that’s good,” I say. “Now, the next time he’s asleep, do you think you can get the keys from him? I need you to do it very carefully and to make sure that he doesn’t wake up. If he starts to wake up, I want you to pretend you just tripped or something and just don’t grab for the keys. But if he keeps sleeping, take the keys quietly.”

“I… I think I can do that,” she says.

“Okay,” I say. “Now remember, you have to be very careful. If you can do that, when people come to rescue me and Heather here, we can help you, too.”

“Heather,” she says. “That’s a pretty name.”

The girls smile at each other, and for the first time since I’ve been in this cave—or whatever it is—I’m starting to feel hopeful.

“I have to go,” she says. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all you can do,” I say. “Thank you, Kara.”

She nods and exits the huge steel door, and I hear the clank of the lock from the other side.

“Do you think she can do it?” asks Heather.

I can’t see her anymore in the darkness, but I can sense that she feels optimistic, too. “I hope so,” I say. “I really hope so.”